Newbie. High TA. High FC and TC. High Phosphates

[dalarco]

I’m a first time pool owner in Houston. I have kept using the pool service that the previous house owner was using and, for the first time, took the water to be tested.

I have only seen the pool service use chlorine tablets, so I assumed my CYA was going to be sky high, but that looks like it is the least of my problems.

I took two separate water samples to two separate Leslie’s and they both gave almost identical results.

Amy suggestions on how to tackle this an in what order?

 

[JJ_Tex]

Its really hard give advice with Leslie's results as they are not reliable with motives to sell you stuff, not fix your pool. So first thing to do would be to get a test kit that you can trust.

IF we were to believe your pool store numbers:

• Your chlorine is fine for a CYA of 90, in fast with a CYA of 90 you really should be in the 10-12 range
• Your TA is very low, but certainly suspicious and I'm not sure I believe it. To raise TA, use plain baking soda. Leslies will try to sell you expensive products to raise your Alkalinity @ $15/lb. Plain baking soda from the store is well under $1/lb and both are the same thing (100% sodium bicarbonate).
• Phosphates are not of concern, especially at those numbers. Thats another $ maker for Leslies.

 

[pjt]

You primary focus needs to be obtaining a proper test kit. The TF-Pro would be perfect for you. It's by far the best money you'll ever spend on your pool.

TF-Pro

tftestkits.net

Your total alkalinity is probably fine (50 and above). Leslie's adjusts it downwards to compensate for CYA (which you don't have to do). A proper test kit will give you the right data you need.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Darla,

I'd rather it just dribble down my leg as to walk into a Leslie's, just to use their bathroom, much less to have them test my pool water...

Your test results, just proves my point..

Your phosphates would have to be 4,000 or more to even begin to worry about them...

Your FC of 9 is perfectly ok with a CYA of 90..

Your TA is an 'adjusted' number by your CYA level.. Most likely it is also just fine.

Their whole goal is to sell you 'magic' to fix problems that do not exist.

Our goal is to teach you how to test your own pool water, and then determine what your pool needs, and does not need.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[dalarco]

I just received my TF PRO kit today. I actually did the Leslie’s tests to see if I obtained the same results. But they are actually quite different.

I repeated my FC test, since 25 seemed wrong, but I counted 50 drops of the R-0871 reagent on both occasions. Probably explains why my skin feels itchy after being in the pool.

 

[Bperry]

I just received my TF PRO kit today. I actually did the Leslie’s tests to see if I obtained the same results. But they are actually quite different.

I repeated my FC test, since 25 seemed wrong, but I counted 50 drops of the R-0871 reagent on both occasions. Probably explains why my skin feels itchy after being in the pool.

FC of 25 is fine with CYA that high. You need to test for CC as that would be what causes itchy skin, not the FC. Also need to retest the TA as you cant get 55 with the test kit.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Darla,

Are you sure you used a 10 ml sample when you tested your FC???

A TA of 50 or 60 is fine, I would not screw with it.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[pjt]

For the TA test, keep adding drops until there's no additional color change.