Please help me understand

[jackieRN]

Was using stabilized pucks and tested the water, cya was 180. Drained almost half of a 20k gallon in ground pool. Refilled and tested cya is 147.00ppm. Kid told me it’s probably not “Mixed yet” since we drained below the filter, pump was off. In the meantime I thought I saw some yellow algae on the bottom in a small area.
So, now they told me to shock with 2 bags turboshock with hypochlorite, and use non stabilized pucks.
Today’s readings before doing anything -no shock or anything …
FC 7.56 ppm
Total chlorine 7.56
Combined 0.00
Ph 7.0
Cya 147.oo ppm
All other stuff normal except calcium hardness is low at 144.00ppm
Is it safe to swim?
What to do next

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP! I would not recommend swimming just yet. You definitely cannot trust those pool store test results, just like you shouldn't trust their advice. It's their advice and products that got you in this mess with an astronomically high CYA.

Before you do anything else, please obtain your own (proper) test kit. We recommend either a TF-100/Pro-Series kit (link in my signature) or Taylor K-2006C. Either one, but you must have one to not only know with accuracy what your levels are, but so that you can start the SLAM Process to kill and remove algae.

Also see our Pool Care Basics page for lots of great info. Let us know if you have more questions.

 

[jackieRN]

So I was told to drain water while filling at the same time and keep pump running ( don’t let water go below skimmer). I was doing that , but another said it’s far less effective than Darn off pool pump, drain half and refill and test.
I have a vinyl liner and was told not to drain more than a third at a time.
What’s the difference if I drain half or I run a water pump on one end and fill simultaneously with a hose at the other?

 

[mknauss]

Read Draining - Further Reading

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

How are you testing your water? What is your current CYA level?

 

[jackieRN]

Trying to bring down cya. Phosphates making me nervous so I added 2 gallons liquid chlorine even tho it’s sunny. Can I add calcium hardness now too?
Also I have NST prime picks- can I put those in the skimmer and add
Calcium hardness today?
We want to swim Sunday. Trying to make it safe while I bring the cya down slowly by emptying and filling.

 

[mknauss]

You need a proper test kit. I suggest the TF-100/Pro or Taylor K2006C. A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.

While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running. This will replenish the FC lost each day to the sun and also inhibit any algae in the water from growing further.

 

[jackieRN]

Darn Jim I’m a nurse not a chemist.
I’m currently draining water. I want to get to at least 100cya and I’ll add 2 gallons of liquid chlorine to get to recommended FC equation. Can we swim in that?
Today I threw in 2 gallons in bright sunlight because that level of phosphates made me nervous I’d get a bloom. I also added 12 pounds of calcium- even tho I’m draining water I added it in because I’m also getting staining.
We stupidly used stabilized pucks and got a new cover our guy has been draining a lot less water at closeing.
We opened with cya over 200.
I’ve been draining and adding over a week (vinyl in ground) I take down to right below the skimmer (pump off) and refill to level where pump goes on amd start again.

I have some NSTprime unstable pucks I can put in tonight.
Thoughts?

 

[Texas Splash]

Your heart is in the right place, and you seem to have a good understanding that when the CYA is too high it's simply too difficult to manage the FC, so that's good on you. But you're missing one important thing .... the proper test kit. You really need a TF-100 (or Pro-Series) test kit, or a Taylor K-2006C. Stay out of the pool store and pay no attention to their advice. In most cases, phosphates is the least of your problems, but without one of those test kits you're going blind. We discourage taking much action on those store results. At most, add some liquid chlorine each day until you get the proper kit. No guesswork, no wasted effort, no frustration.

Swimming Pool Test Kits Compared

What pool test kit should I buy? Why shouldn't I use test strips? Our recommended test kits will pay for themselves in no time!

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[jackieRN]

Your heart is in the right place, and you seem to have a good understanding that when the CYA is too high it's simply too difficult to manage the FC, so that's good on you. But you're missing one important thing .... the proper test kit. You really need a TF-100 (or Pro-Series) test kit, or a Taylor K-2006C. Stay out of the pool store and pay no attention to their advice. In most cases, phosphates is the least of your problems, but without one of those test kits you're going blind. We discourage taking much action on those store results. At most, add some liquid chlorine each day until you get the proper kit. No guesswork, no wasted effort, no frustration.

Swimming Pool Test Kits Compared

What pool test kit should I buy? Why shouldn't I use test strips? Our recommended test kits will pay for themselves in no time!

www.troublefreepool.com

I bought k-2005 it’s in route is it sub par?

 

[mknauss]

I bought k-2005 it’s in route is it sub par?

You need the FAS-DPD kit added to that. It is the K1515.

 

[proavia]

Or cancel the K-2005 order and get a K-2006C
Yeah - the "C" is important as it contains the 2oz bottles of reagents rather than the 0.75oz bottles of the non-"C" kit.

Or order a TF-Pro or TF-100 from TFTestkits.net

The Test Kits Compared contain all the tests a residential pool owner needs.
The K-2005 falls short......

 

[jackieRN]

On Reddit a person said that water evaporation by sun and refilled is not the same as draining water to reduce CYA and refilling.
Is that true?

 

[Texas Splash]

Is that true?

Correct. Evaporation removes the water but not the CYA.

 

[Texas Splash]

CYA - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[jackieRN]

Reading about drainage- already broke so many rules. Waiting on test kit so been taking water to Leslie daily.
Draining as much as I can while at home then replacing - doing this over a week so far. Pool is 4.5 feet all across- so no deep end. Hose water is cold and pool is cool but this temp thing- does it matter?
I like this but it’s so complicated. My spouse is so mad at me but he doesn’t want to take this testing on he’s “busy”.
It’s going to be 90 here all next week.
While I wait for my test kit to come- I’m trying to keep the chlorine up - 7.5 of the cya so at 100 I have to dump in 2 gallons.
Then every day pull out some water and add some water till I get it lower.
Sounds like I do not need to worry about phosphate over 1000 if I keep chlorine up.
I have phosphate free but many say do not bother.

 

[Texas Splash]

Try to relax. Once your test kit arrives we will get all "surgical" up in here. Testing is quite simple and you both will see it's no big deal once you get the hang of it. For now, just add some chlorine each day. Don't even bother with anymore water exchanges or other products. The test kit will tell us everything we need to know. Relax and enjoy your weekend.

 

[Texas Splash]

In the meantime, one thing you can do now is update your signature. See mine as an example and the article below. If you have any problems updating your sig let us know.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Jackie,

Be careful with mixing advice from different sources. Pool stores, Reddit, Facebook, Next Door, and other sites are filled with misinformation. Even though they may get it right once in awhile, the advice you receive is not compatible with the TFP method.

There are lots of qualified members here who are standing by and ready to help.

 

[jackieRN]

Got my kit- overwhelmed 2006C. Did test CYA 100. PH 7.8 I think. I do not understand the instructions to test free chlorine. I added 2 scoops 0870. Turned almost red. Then 0871 swirl and count? Count drops or seconds? What is drop equivalence. And between step one and 2 is a note…1 drop 0.2ppm use 25 ml. 1 drop o.5 ppm use 10 ml. No idea what that means.
Mine came with that powder. not the old 001 —002 drops.
Wow I’m feeling incredibly stupid. This is a pro kit and I’m no pro. I’m a nurse but my chemistry teacher liked me and let me cheat. I also suck at math except ratio and proportion and that’s all I needed to know- solve for x.