Opening my pool and want to do it real nice this time

[Newdude]

I am doing my best

That's all we can ask from anyone. I'm glad you're well.

Multiple backwashes and vac to wastes are incredibly inefficient for what you're looking to do. If you hit one more drain like you did before it would get you below 70 and you'd have a much easier time for the summer. A 60 or 70 is entirely reasonable to manage. A 90+ is going to take effort and lots of spendy chlorine.

 

[Mdragger88]

@montek I am glad you are back with an update! You had me worried that we ran you off lol
Keep using your test kit and trust your own results !
You can definitely do this!
You must keep fc above minimum for your cya at all times or nasties will grow.
Always follow the
FC/CYA Levels
There is no need to “shock” the pool separately as long as you do this. You cannot make up for a lack of fc on friday by raising to shock level once on Sunday.
You can use liquid chlorine or cal hypo to accomplish this task daily. But as you know cal hypo adds calcium along with fc. Too much calcium can cause scale to form. Large additions of cal hypo can also cause cloudiness. Thus the recommendation to use liquid chlorine for daily chlorination.
It sounds as if you’re on the right track but just a little light handed on your daily chlorine additions so lets bump that up a bit.
If we’re calling your cya 100 then here’s where your fc should be every day.

 

[monsterman]

How is CYA dropping that much with no exchange?

Magic.

 

[Kaylee34]

Monte! Yay!! So nice to see you! I’m so glad you’ve got something that’s working for you! Super progress so far and I hope it continues that way

 

[monsterman]

@montek I am glad you are back with an update! You had me worried that we ran you off lol
Keep using your test kit and trust your own results !
You can definitely do this!
You must keep fc above minimum for your cya at all times or nasties will grow.
Always follow the
FC/CYA Levels
There is no need to “shock” the pool separately as long as you do this. You cannot make up for a lack of fc on friday by raising to shock level once on Sunday.
You can use liquid chlorine or cal hypo to accomplish this task daily. But as you know cal hypo adds calcium along with fc. Too much calcium can cause scale to form. Large additions of cal hypo can also cause cloudiness. Thus the recommendation to use liquid chlorine for daily chlorination.
It sounds as if you’re on the right track but just a little light handed on your daily chlorine additions so lets bump that up a bit.
If we’re calling your cya 100 then here’s where your fc should be every day.
View attachment 504612

I will add 1 quart of liquid chlorine tonight and check the levels tomorrow. Pool math calculations. I used 5 fc as present number and target if 9. Dont want to go to high yet. Will experiment a bit. Can always add more. But i was thinking that diwn the road as my CYA drops more i can interchange the shocking process if i do that. Lets say cal hypo one week and then Greenout( a trichlor product every now and then). I know u will disagree but all was good last year except my CYA. So if i can bring it down another level or so then it is better than last years results and so on. Rome was not built in a day and neither will this be fixed overnight. But i am ok with that

 

[Newdude]

Lets say cal hypo one week and then Greenout( a trichlor product every now and then). I know u will disagree but all was good last year except my CYA

*exactly*. Cal-Hypo is fine for you so long as you monitor the Calcium levels.

But. No. More. CYA.

No trichlor.

No dichlor.

No pucks.

Liquid chlorine and possibly Cal-Hypo at times. Run the maths though. The powdered shocks I've seen were crazy expensive.

 

[Kaylee34]

Monte as you keep testing and adjusting I think you’ll find there’s really no need for a weekly “shock” but time and experimenting will prove that out.

How’s the grandson doing? Have you tossed him in the pool yet?

 

[Mdragger88]

I will add 1 quart of liquid chlorine tonight and check the levels tomorrow. Pool math calculations. I used 5 fc as present number and target if 9. Dont want to go to high yet. Will experiment a bit. Can always add more. But i was thinking that diwn the road as my CYA drops more i can interchange the shocking process if i do that. Lets say cal hypo one week and then Greenout( a trichlor product every now and then). I know u will disagree but all was good last year except my CYA. So if i can bring it down another level or so then it is better than last years results and so on. Rome was not built in a day and neither will this be fixed overnight. But i am ok with that

I guess what I’m trying to say is that you’re missing the point a little & over complicating things.
Just Adequately dose to target fc levels with liquid chlorine each day/every other day, always staying above minimum and you don’t need that other junk. It is absolutely safe to swim as long as fc is between minimum & slam level for your cya if that is your concern.
Below minimum = unsanitary no matter how good it looks.

 

[monsterman]

I guess what I’m trying to say is that you’re missing the point a little & over complicating things.
Just Adequately dose to target fc levels with liquid chlorine each day/every other day, always staying above minimum and you don’t need that other junk. It is absolutely safe to swim as long as fc is between minimum & slam level for your cya if that is your concern.
Below minimum = unsanitary no matter how good it looks.
View attachment 504620

So for this chart at 100 CYA my mimimum fc can be 8. ?

 

[monsterman]

So for this chart at 100 CYA my mimimum fc can be 8. ?

Also if this 1 Qt plus 1 cup brings my fc up then the next time i add the liquid chlorine i will probably need less. Correct? This is only because i let the fc get this low in a very long time

 

[monsterman]

Will just keeping my pH and TA as close to normal as possible with the proper fc keep my pool crystal clear

 

[Newdude]

Will just keeping my pH and TA

Ph and TA are a joke here. Once they're both in range, let them be and they'll likely stay there. The pool stores have people chase a more OK number than OK, when anything in range was equally OK. It's how they get you and once you're on the PH/TA rollercoaster, they have stuff to sell you up and stuff to sell you down. But too far down so now you need more up.

with the proper fc keep my pool crystal clear

Proper FC, plus a little wiggle room, is the key to clear.

 

[monsterman]

Also if this 1 Qt plus 1 cup brings my fc up then the next time i add the liquid chlorine i will probably need less. Correct? This is only because i let the fc get this low in a very long time

??? Am I correct here???

 

[Newdude]

Also if this 1 Qt plus 1 cup brings my fc up then the next time i add the liquid chlorine i will probably need less. Correct?

If the FC starts higher next time then you'll need less chlorine to get to the same target, correct.

 

[monsterman]

I just tested my water- it is Saturday morning. The ph still seems to be around 8. It is so hard to really determine what it is- the color chart on the calibration compartments is so close- but it definitely is at the top so it is about 8- My chlorine - also shows at the top-the brightest yellow- and we knew that was going to happen because as we discussed yesterday- I need to keep my chlorine a bit higher to keep the nasties away since y CYA is still high. So I added the Liquid Bleach last night- 1 quart plus 2 cups. Now this morning with the TF 100 my chlorine is 9 ppm(I am going to try to get that down to a constant 8 ppm. My TA was perfect at 100 with the TF 100 test kit. So that is good. What I want to do is lower the pH without affecting the TA. I have DRY ACID granules and I want to try to use that and bring my ph down a bit- and then if needed I can always bring the TA up with baking soda if needed. So my question is- with my 10000-gallon pool and my TA being 110 and my pH(I THINK is around 8)- how much DRY Acid should I put in the pool? And if I get the pH down and keep my TA where it is- will my pool get MORE CLEAR looking? I read this from an article that said you really cannot raise or lower the pH without affecting the TA also-- they go hand in hand- but it said to lower the pH and when in good balance you can always raise the TA back if needed with baking soda. I just am trying to tweak my values and see if my water gets really really clean looking- When I added baking soda and nothing else LAST year- my water sparkled!!-- Please advise and let me know how much dry acid I should put in if that is the way to go(POOL MATH said 17 ounces?)

 

[Newdude]

Now this morning with the TF 100 my chlorine is 9 ppm(I am going to try to get that down to a constant 8 ppm)

FC starts high after you add, and drifts down until you add next time. Use 9 as your absolute minimum. 8 might be ok, but if you get bit, it is going to SUCK. Why risk it ?

And if I get the pH down and keep my TA where it is- will my pool get MORE CLEAR looking?

Chlorine keeps the pool clear. A PH of 8 and a TA of 110 are entirely fine.

Use PoolMath to see the differences needed between dry acid and muriatic acid. Use up what you have, then switch to MA.

Only adjust the PH, and only when it's 8+. Leave the TA alone completely.

Please advise and let me know how much dry acid I should put in if that is the way to go(POOL MATH said 17 ounces?)

That what I get for you also, using 8 to 7.6 as your target. See ? You're getting the hang of this. Soon you won't need us at all.

 

[Mdragger88]

Will just keeping my pH and TA as close to normal as possible with the proper fc keep my pool crystal clear

The proper fc is the way to keep the pool clear,
Ph in the 7’s keeps the pool comfortable for swimmers, surfaces, & equipment
Ta is fine anywhere above 50

 

[Mdragger88]

If the FC starts higher next time then you'll need less chlorine to get to the same target, correct.

Possibly- as I mentioned the average pool uses 2-4 ppm of fc per day (sometimes more, sometimes less depending upon the season, environment, & bather load etc.)
Test every day & replenish fc to target range/high target) this will give you a good buffer so you don’t risk falling below minimum incase consumption is high that day or you can’t quite get out there. As you do this frequent testing you will learn how your pool behaves (how much fc it eats & how quickly your ph rises).
If you’re ever in doubt about clarity or feel the fc demand is too high you can always do an
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to rule out algae as the cause.

 

[monsterman]

One thing that I am confused about is-- The only thing I have added since the season started about 2 weeks ago is Liquid Chlorine bleach. As mentioned I gave you my numbers of the pH and the TA--- (forget about the cya for now) How abnormal is it that the only thing I have added to the pool is chlorine? I have not added anything else except that one clarifier treatment> is this normal? You see my pH and TA are pretty stable so far for 2 weeks. It has me a little nervous.

 

[Uhhello]

One thing that I am confused about is-- The only thing I have added since the season started about 2 weeks ago is Liquid Chlorine bleach. As mentioned I gave you my numbers of the pH and the TA--- (forget about the cya for now) How abnormal is it that the only thing I have added to the pool is chlorine? I have not added anything else except that one clarifier treatment> is this normal? You see my pH and TA are pretty stable so far for 2 weeks. It has me a little nervous.

I mean do you like saving money?