Please help me understand

[Griswald]

Powder into water first. Then count drops, and if you used 25ml of pool water, each drop is equal to 0.2 FC. If you used 10ml of pool water, each drop is equal to 0.5 FC. Don't worry, the bottle tips are calibrated so that you don't need to know the drop equivalence.

You got this...it's gotta be easier than your job, a mistake testing pool water isn't catastrophic, but a mistake figuring out meds can be.

 

[AUSpool]

There is no need to use the 25ml sample for the FC test. A 25ml sample is just a waist of reagents for no gain. Use a 10ml sample, one scoop of R0870. Red or dark pink means there is FC. Then it’s drop swirl, drop swirl until it goes clear, counting the drops. Keep adding drops until the last drop causes no change. That’s the end of the test but you don’t count that last drop that caused no change. With a 10ml sample each drop equals 0.5ppm of FC, so if you got 6 drops it’s 6 X 0.5ml = 3ml of FC.

Think about a SpeedStir or Smart stir. They make testing so much easier.

Use a 10ml sample for the FC and CH and the 25ml for the TA test.

 

[jackieRN]

I took my water to Leslie and also then tested myself using 2006c kit
Leslie results were close to mine but I’ll list mine
ph 8 (I added 2 pounds ph down)
FC 12 (Leslie said 10.74)
Total C Leslie said 12.38
CH Leslie said 178 my kit said 200-240 (drops did not come out even- some stuck to tube some came out rapid fire so I estimated)
CYA 94 (down from 200 in June)

I do t understand the directions for calculating free and combined chlorine. I watched a you tube and the guy filled tube to 10mls, added 2 scoops DPD, then added 0871 and ccountedndrops . He took the number of drops and divided by 2

I did that and got FC of 12

The directions require multiplying I’m confused - please see column 2 for FC calculations.

 

[JJ_Tex]

The directions say to either:

- use 10ML sample - Every drop of reagent is 0.5 FC so count the drops and divide by 2 to get your FC
- use 25 ML sample - Every drop of reagent is 0.2 FC, so every 5 drops is 1FC

Our recommendation is to use the 10ML sample. The math is easier, it saves you $ of reagent, and frankly you do not need to know your FC down to the .2 FC accuracy.

Now that you have a good test kit, you will never have to step foot in Leslies again. Keep in mind that their job is to sell you stuff and their fancy printout and inaccurate "free" tests keep you confused and spending $$$ in their store.

 

[mike_]

For the FC / CC test: if you use a 25 mL sample, you're using 2.5x the water as a 10 mL sample, so the reagent needs scale accordingly.
You probably don't need the finer accuracy of a 25 mL sample. Just stick with 10 mL, then each drop is 0.5 ppm.

Your CYA dropped roughly in half - did you drain and replace half your water? That level is still fairly high.

 

[Texas Splash]

 

[Donldson]

Taylor is saying to multiply by 0.5, the video is saying to divide by 2. Same calculation, different ways to write it out.

 

[Homebrewale]

Your CYA is 100. If your reading is between 90 and 100, you round to 100.

You do not list your equipment in a signature. If you have a SWG, you should be using muriatic acid, not pH down.

 

[jackieRN]

For the FC / CC test: if you use a 25 mL sample, you're using 2.5x the water as a 10 mL sample, so the reagent needs scale accordingly.
You probably don't need the finer accuracy of a 25 mL sample. Just stick with 10 mL, then each drop is 0.5 ppm.

Your CYA dropped roughly in half - did you drain and replace half your water? That level is still fairly high.

Yes I’m draining a little as much as I can daily. We had heavy rains and the vinyl wrinkles so I’m only taking out a foot at a time. My free chlorine is 9-10 and some say I can’t swim others said go ahead just keep that free chlorine at 8 or more

 

[jackieRN]

Taylor is saying to multiply by 0.5, the video is saying to divide by 2. Same calculation, different ways to write it out.

Can we swim with FC at 10? I’m draining water everyday- a foot- we get storms and water gets behind the liner / I can’t take out half at once - we had heavy rain it’s already wrinkled and today it’s 92 so the ground water is drying. I’m draining a foot a day and then refilling and resting and I adjust liquid chlorine to keep it 7.5 percent of cya which is high I know—- but can we swim? Not open eyes.

 

[jackieRN]

Your CYA is 100. If your reading is between 90 and 100, you round to 100.

You do not list your equipment in a signature. If you have a SWG, you should be using muriatic acid, not pH down.

I’m new on here I tried to do the Signature I see it filled out maybe I’m on the wrong place
I have chlorine pool, 20k 5 feet across, Hayward pump and digital heater- offline feeder, vinyl in Cleveland Ohio.
I’m trying to drop cya while keeping the FC at 7.5 percent- today it’s 9 it’s safe to swim right?

 

[mknauss]

but can we swim

You can safely swim in a pool as long as the FC is above the minimum and at or below SLAM level based on your CYA. You must also be able to see the bottom of the pool in the deep end of the pool.

 

[mknauss]

I’m new on here I tried to do the Signature I see it filled out maybe I’m on the wrong place

I moved your information to the Signature block in your profile.

 

[Texas Splash]

About your TA question, it's when it stops changing shade. I like to describe the end-point as a bright Barbie pink, but some people see it differently. So count until the solution no longer is effected by the drops, that's your final TA.

No need to test your CH right now while you're changing water. In fact, while you are exchanging water focus on the FC and CYA more than anything. The other numbers are going to change while you are changing water.

 

[jackieRN]

Ok I’m learning the kit. My FC is 9 with almost zero CC. My cya as of yesterday was 96. I’m currently drying a foot and refilling. Due to recent heavy rains our vinyl liner wrinkled so I’m being precautious. It’s very hot but the puffing of the liner hasn’t resolved completely. So I drain a foot and refill aa foot.
My TA today was 150. Ph was down to 7.2 I have 20k in ground chlorine using, vinyl liner. 5 ft across. Last I checked CH was 250.
Can I swim in FC of 10-11?
My understanding is fc has to be 7.5 % of the cya.
I’m dumping in a gallon of chlorine a day and I had one leftover puck that is stablezer free. NST prime. Very pricy.
Just want to swim while I fix cya. Thanks!

 

[jackieRN]

There is no need to use the 25ml sample for the FC test. A 25ml sample is just a waist of reagents for no gain. Use a 10ml sample, one scoop of R0870. Red or dark pink means there is FC. Then it’s drop swirl, drop swirl until it goes clear, counting the drops. Keep adding drops until the last drop causes no change. That’s the end of the test but you don’t count that last drop that caused no change. With a 10ml sample each drop equals 0.5ppm of FC, so if you got 6 drops it’s 6 X 0.5ml = 3ml of FC.

Think about a SpeedStir or Smart stir. They make testing so much easier.

Use a 10ml sample for the FC and CH and the 25ml for the TA test.

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]

Please just let me know - FC should be 7.5 percent of CYA
If mine is 9-10 it’s ok to swim?
I got my 2006C kit and I’m learning. But we want to swim. I have lots,of liquid chlorine as I drain a foot of water each day and refill it. I cannot drain 1/2 the water at once. Our liner is already compromised from heavy rains. I
Cya yesterday was 96.

 

[Chief2505]

I know I will get run out of town for this but here goes.......last year my CYA was pushing 200, maybe even higher. I was running 10-14 FC constantly. I had no trouble with algae or any chlorine smell. My water looked great, felt great and did not burn our eyes when we swam. I realize the high chlorine probably aided our liner fading but our liner was full of wrinkles and needed replaced anyway.
So that all being said, if it were mine and I felt comfortable getting in I would swim. But, it is your pool so I can only tell you my first hand experience. Your experience may vary. We did replace the liner this spring and I am switching to SWCG and using liquid chlorine in the meantime.

 

[proavia]

How did you measure a CYA of 96?
If the CYA test falls between two lines on the vial, round up to the larger of the two line numbers.
In between 50 and 60 rounds up to 60.

If CYA is 90 or higher, do the duluted CYA test.

Water Testing Instructions - Further Reading

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

Am I in the original thread now?
Sorry I find this app- a little difficult to navigate and how to find my original thread.