Newish owner and day 1 of Taylor test kit

[JFarrell07]

Hi-
Last summer our pool was opened for the first time- I have a vinyl liner, in ground pool- 20,520 gallons. Chlorine- Jandy pump and heater with a UV light and ozone (I know… worthless )
Last summer We had a great easy pool season. I used the chlorine tabs- unbeknownst to me the issues they cause. This summer we have had nothing but issues. Twice now my pool cartridges have developed a blue/green slime out of nowhere. I’ve corrected the problem both times, but most recently with CYA issues, decided I needed to ditch all of that and come here. Sooo here I am. Day 1 with my Taylor test kit- pro- I’m not sure what order to do what- I did all my tests (see screenshot below). Do I drain/refill same time to first lower my CYA, then SLAM, then adjust alkalinity and PH? If not that order what order?
I am also still using chlorine tablets because I was waiting to get my kit. How do I switch to liquid? Just immediately stop using chlorinator and begin using liquid? How do I know how much to add? Add only in the PM because the sun eats it? What should I be testing daily to make sure I’m using enough liquid chlorine?
I also scored a 1 on my CC-

Thank you for your help! I’m nervous but also eager to get this issue solved! Also right now my pool is clear!

 

[PoolStored]

Do the CYA over again and follow the diluted test, #8 here and report the result:

CYA - Cyanuric Acid Test

Cyanuric acid (CYA) is the chemical name for the product commonly called “pool water stabilizer” … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

Do I drain/refill same time to first lower my CYA,

AFTER we get a diluted test result for CYA, Do this first. Read "no drain water exchange here.

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

After we get CYA down to 40-60, then we SLAM.

How do I switch to liquid? Just immediately stop using chlorinator and begin using liquid? How do I know how much to add? Add only in the PM because the sun eats it? What should I be testing daily to make sure I’m using enough liquid chlorine?

Stop using the chlorinator. Go to menards or walmart and get liquid chlorine. Use pool math. For right now just add 5ppm per day while you are replacing water.

 

[JFarrell07]

Do the CYA over again and follow the diluted test, #8 here and report the result:

CYA - Cyanuric Acid Test

Cyanuric acid (CYA) is the chemical name for the product commonly called “pool water stabilizer” … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

AFTER we get a diluted test result for CYA, Do this first. Read "no drain water exchange here.

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

After we get CYA down to 40-60, then we SLAM.


Stop using the chlorinator. Go to menards or walmart and get liquid chlorine. Use pool math. For right now just add 5ppm per day while you are replacing water.

thank you for your help and vote of confidence! Dwight definitely helped.

I did the diluted test result and I’m getting 60 (was 30, but said to multiply by 2). On Tuesday - when I was still going to the pool store- my CYA reading was 136.

 

[PoolStored]

Are the test results in your first post, your results form your kit. Post a full set of results with your kit. How did you get the 120 in the first post?

 

[JFarrell07]

Are the test results in your first post, your results form your kit. Post a full set of results with your kit. How did you get the 120 in the first post?

I did post them in my initial post- it’s a screenshot under the attachment. I got the 120 by using my Taylor test kit it was measuring over the 90 and based off where the water line fell I guesstimated 120.

 

[PoolStored]

How do you get 30 on a diluted test an undiluted is over 100...the diluted test would be over 50 (undoubled). Let's clear this up before we proceed. Important.

Tell me how you did both CYA tests.

 

[JFarrell07]

How do you get 30 on a diluted test an undiluted is over 100...the diluted test would be over 50 (undoubled). Let's clear this up before we proceed. Important.

Tell me how you did both CYA tests.

It sounds like I did it wrong…. I’ll try again… I followed the directions as you sent me the link above to do the diluted test. I’ll do undiluted and diluted again and see what happens.

 

[PoolStored]

Here is what I want you to do.

Mix the mixtures for at least 30 seconds. Go outdoors. Stand with your back to the sun. Fill to the first line, hold at your waist with finger and thumb holding the top of the view tube. GLANCE at the tube, don't stare. If the dot is obscured, take the number on that line and add 10. If not obscured, fill to the next line, view. Continue filling to lines until the dot is obscured at a GLANCE. Take the number next to that line and add 10.

Do this for both raw and diluted test.

Obscured is third pic...

 

[JFarrell07]

Here is what I want you to do.

Mix the mixtures for at least 30 seconds. Go outdoors. Stand with your back to the sun. Fill to the first line, hold at your waist with finger and thumb holding the top of the view tube. GLANCE at the tube, don't stare. If the dot is obscured, take the number on that line and add 10. If not obscured, fill to the next line, view. Continue filling to lines until the dot is obscured at a GLANCE. Take the number next to that line and add 10.

Do this for both raw and diluted test.

Obscured is third pic...

View attachment 599549

I know what I did wrong! On the diluted test when it says to fill to the top mark I went all the way to 30 mL instead of the 15mL. For whatever reason my bottle has 7.5,15 and 30mL.
Okay so on second round for the diluted I’m at the 50 mark following your directions. Doubling it makes it 100
Thank you for your patiences with me

 

[PoolStored]

So, we always round up to the next 10. Which is 60 x2 = 120. (we round to the next 10, because the transition to being obscured happened somewhere between 50 and 60, we don't know where, so round up to next 10).

Replace about 50%-60% of your water.

Good job!

 

[JFarrell07]

So, we always round up to the next 10. Which is 60 x2 = 120. (we round to the next 10, because the transition to being obscured happened somewhere between 50 and 60, we don't know where, so round up to next 10).

Replace about 50%-60% of your water.

Good job!

Thank you for explaining the why to me! I appreciate that. Phew. On to the next phase. Time to drain and refill.

 

[JFarrell07]

Thank you for explaining the why to me! I appreciate that. Phew. On to the next phase. Time to drain and refill.

Good morning-
I’ve been draining and refilling and started with liquid chlorine - please see this mornings test results below. I know I need to continue to drain/refill to bring CYA down, but now I’m concerned my alkalinity hit 200. Should I work to bring that down while I’m draining/refilling or will a couple of days of high alkalinity be okay?
I should also add- when I do the very basic PH test it looked like 7.2. But when I used the PH tester that’s electronic that I got with the kit it actually reads more like 8.45

 

[Pauls234]

Generally speaking you don't need to manage or adjust TA, just Ph. Your Ph is fine at 7.2 so leave it alone for now.

Out of curiosity what is the TA of your fill water?

 

[PoolStored]

The ONLY issue with high TA is that your pH will rise faster. Ignore the TA, let's get CYA down and pool clear.

I should also add- when I do the very basic PH test it looked like 7.2.

Likely your pH tester is not calibrated. Post a picture of the color pH block with water and reagent.

 

[JFarrell07]

Generally speaking you don't need to manage or adjust TA, just Ph. Your Ph is fine at 7.2 so leave it alone for now.

Out of curiosity what is the TA of your fill water?

Good question- I just measured the TA of the fill water and got 240. I also checked the PH of fill water- it’s measuring 8.2 on my manual test and 8.98 according to my electric tester that came with the kit

 

[PoolStored]

With fill TA of 240, this thread may be of value...

Lowering Total Alkalinity (TA) Quickly with the Acid Aeration Method

Thought I'd make a post that might help others. We've had quite a few members this year with high TA, and I've been typing the same information over and over. I'm going to post this so I can link it to help others. High TA can cause rapid pH rise. High TA is typically caused by high TA fill...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[JFarrell07]

Thank you. Should I wait until I’m done exchanging water (lowering cya) to reduce TA or should I work on lowering TA while simultaneously exchanging water to lower cya?

 

[PoolStored]

Forget TA for the moment. Focus on getting the CYA down. Then we SLAM if necessary. High TA only causes pH rise...so it is not a real "issue."

 

[PoolStored]

Post a picture of the pool water.

 

[JFarrell07]

Post a picture of the pool water.