Please Help Me!!

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Measurements.jpg

This is my measurement and test set up by the way. I got the measuring cups at Rural King and ordered that scale on Amazon for $10.00 prime shipping. The ketchup/mustard container is for my pool water samples.

Good thing to have so you can measure out accurately.
 
Wow those questions got answered pretty fast.

Couple of things.

TA stands for Total Alkalinity which is adjusted by baking soda to raise, or gets lowered with muratic acid which also lowers PH, and holds a inter-relationship with the PH.
The PH will have more of a tendency to swing or bounce up or down if you're Total Alkalinity is not within the 60-120 range with 90 being ideal middle of it. If you hold at 90, that's perfect.

The PH at 7.2 is perfect for a SLAM or SHOCK LEVEL ADJUST MAINTAIN procedure. 7.4 PH is the optimal PH of your pools water chemistry and the human eye and body which is why that number is ideal. Its easy on the bather's skin and eyes. You still have an acceptable range of PH tolerances between 7.2 and 7.8 with 7.4 being ideal. PH is raised with Borax and lowered with Muratic Acid or PH Minus. Muratic Acid can be found at Lowe's, Home Depot, or any hardware store or pool store. Even Wal-Mart. PLEASE USE CAUTION WHEN ADDING MURATIC ACID AND ALWAYS WEAR RUBBER GLOVES. You want to pour in over your return jet ONE QUART AT A TIME SLOWLY, and the prescribed amount should be diluted with pool water before pouring over your return jet. Just as piece of advice from experience. Sometimes I have gotten high PH readings shortly after adding whatever.... So it is good to test it at least 1 hour after putting borax in to raise it, record results, then test it an hour or a few hours later, several times, just to confirm the pool is properly mixed, and the same value is holding consistantly, before attempting to add any additional chemicals. Another little trick is you can raise your PH by 0.2 to 0.4 just by simply aerating the water by turning your eyeball return jets upward, so that the top of the water spashes and catches air.

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You can find stabilizer for CYA at the pool section of your local Wal-Mart, or pool store.

Wow you really went all out in the measuring dept. I just eyeball it with a Pyrex glass measuring cup.
I use my digital scale to measure in grams for pizza dough...lol
 
BRM12 said:
Thanks funandsun... A few more follow ups....
1. Where can I find stabilizer for CYA?
2. Jeff didnt mention testing TA, so I have no TA or Borate reading to input for my pH
3. Should I do all three things at once? Meaning should I add the 3 different things at the same time to work on CYA, pH, and FC?
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I would measure TA so you have it for the calculator and your records but it is not mission critical at this time.

I did things slowly because I was very new and I wanted to see each part work rather than mix up a witches brew and let it rip, but I am a nerd that way.

How I do it?

I get my CYA brewing in that sock in my skimmer and I get it dissolved and tested and get myself dialed in to 30ppm

Then I make small adjustments to my pH to get it to 7.2 because I don' really want to overshoot.

Once that is done, then I get that chlorine going, I add my first round, wait 2 hours, test again, adjust, wait 2 hours, test again, adjust and so on. Keeping an eye on my filter and sweeping each time I add the chlorine.

If I have a swampy mess which is 100% of the time at opening for me (Goal is to make that stop happening for 2019), I know with my sand filter it is going to take me around 25 days start to finish. Going to need persistence and patience and remember that we are all here to help you win!
 
So do i need to test my TA and whatever Borate is to be able to get an accurate read on pool math for what to add for pH??
And before doing stabilizer for CYA or Chlorine for FC, I need to add Borax and get my pH to 7.2 range?
 
Your numbers look correct. You can get everything you need at WalMart or any other big box store.

Borax to raise your pH is sold as Boraxo in the laundry aisle. I just guessed 70 for your TA. Add half of the Boraxo and test again in 15 minutes, then add the rest if needed to avoid overshooting. But anything 7.2 to 7.8 is fine.

CYA is aka Stabilizer, and is sold in the seasonal pool aisle.

And you already have your chlorine.

Don't worry about TA for now, it's not that important.
 
BRM12 said:
So do i need to test my TA and whatever Borate is to be able to get an accurate read on pool math for what to add for pH??
And before doing stabilizer for CYA or Chlorine for FC, I need to add Borax and get my pH to 7.2 range?
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see my post @ 10:54pm, just below this one. I laid out my order of operations for you.

no, skip the TA and borates.

you have enough to get the party started and get things going.
 
You can add them at the same time, one after another. It's going to take a day or so for the CYA to dissolve, so just get it started and leave it be.

Start adding the chlorine immediately. Test it in an hour and add more if needed to bring it back up to 12 ppm.
 
Hi BRM,
good advice you've gotten so far. Trust these guys and you'll be golden.
Nothing is gonna harm your pool, and even if someone falls in it, they chemical levels will not harm them.

I would like to add a couple of things.
First, and most important. Relax and don't freak out. Its all gonna be ok.

Next. CYA... after you have hung your sock in front of a return in the pool, with enough CYA in it to get your reading up to 30, dont worry about testing it anymore until after the SLAM is over. Granular CYA sometimes takes a few days to actually show up in the test. Dont wait for it to show up on the test before you start the SLAM. Just consider your CYA to be 30, and SLAM it.

Next. The SLAM is a process. Your pool will not clear up overnight. Its not magic. It took a while for your water to get nasty, and it will take a while to clear it up.

Next. MAINTAIN the SLAM FC level. That means testing several times a day and adding chlorine to bring it back up. The more you stay on top of it and keep your FC at SLAM level, the quicker it will go. We all have lives and know its hard to dedicate time, but do your best and dont give up.

Next. Brush the entire surface of your pool daily during the SLAM. Algae and other nasties, grows a bio film on it as a means of self defense. You need to brush and break up that bio film so the chlorine can attack and kill it faster. Get the kids to help! Brush brush brush! Every Day!

Next. Dont give up! It takes patience, and you will succeed!

Next. If you havent figured out how to use your vacuum yet, then you need to. There are lots of videos on YouTube about how to prime and use a pool vacuum. A vacuum will go a long way in getting the water cleared up quicker than without one.

Next. Dont worry about testing for CC until your water is clear. It will be a waste of test regents, so just by pass it until later, and keep testing only for FC. When your water gets clearer and clearer, you'll find you have to use less and less chlorine to maintain FC. When the water is pefectly clear - not a little be clear, and not almost clear - Perfectly Clear, then test for CC's and do the OCLT. Dont know what OCLT is? See my next tip.

Next. In your down time between chlorine additions, Read This. Over and Over and watch the video. YES! There IS a video!
Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain

With the help of the forum and the slam instructions and perseverence, you will easily achieve crystal clear water.

Good Luck
 
Ok a few more questions...
1. Does air/water temperature matter during the process of adding stuff? We have had some cool nights in the upper 40's
2. Do I put the sock with stabilizer in front of the place water is going into the pool, or where water is going into filter?
3. When I add the chlorine and borax, do I just evenly dump around pool?
4. Am I SLAM'n yet or just testing my FC every hour today to keep it at 12?
5. Should I also check my pH every hour?
6. How do I test for just FC without doing the CC?
7. Should I be worried about ammonia? Ive read a few threads that have me freaking out because CYA is 0. Will I be wastinf chlorine by adding it without knowing CYA is xoming up?
8. I have funandsun suggesting to start by getting my CYA up and others saying to add the stabilizer, borax, and chlorine at the same time and not worry about CYA for a few days...which os best?
 

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Yeah I'm in the Northeast New Jersey. My current pool temperature is 62 degrees. I probably won't be able to use it until late June early July even with the solar cover, as I prefer it to be at a minimum of 72 degrees before I get in it. Too chilly for me.

The temperature of the water factor is not going to come into play until your water starts hitting 80 degrees or higher. It is good that is actually cooler because it will consume less chlorine, and clear up that much faster. I've learned that above approximately 78 to 80 degrees in water temperature, consumes chlorine a little bit quicker because of the temperature, and also the sun exposure. When I close my pool in the fall, the temperature of the water is around the low mid 60s. All I do is load up on bleach at shock levels to go through the winter, and typically cover the pool good which I didn't do this year. As the water gets colder the chlorine last longer, which all that chlorine covers me through the winter, and into early mid May without having to add anything. Hope that answers your question on water temperature and chemical consumption.
 
BRM12 said:
Ok a few more questions...
1. Does air/water temperature matter during the process of adding stuff? We have had some cool nights in the upper 40's
2. Do I put the sock with stabilizer in front of the place water is going into the pool, or where water is going into filter?
3. When I add the chlorine and borax, do I just evenly dump around pool?
4. Am I SLAM'n yet or just testing my FC every hour today to keep it at 12?
5. Should I also check my pH every hour?
6. How do I test for just FC without doing the CC?
7. Should I be worried about ammonia? Ive read a few threads that have me freaking out because CYA is 0. Will I be wastinf chlorine by adding it without knowing CYA is xoming up?
8. I have funandsun suggesting to start by getting my CYA up and others saying to add the stabilizer, borax, and chlorine at the same time and not worry about CYA for a few days...which os best?
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1. As stated, cooler is good

2. The return where the water comes back into the pool. But either one will work.

3. That's fine. Or you can pour it in front of your return. Either way is fine.

4. That's what a SLAM is, raising your FC and keeping it there. You are SLAMMING (yay!).

5. No, dose with the Borax and then don't worry about pH again until the SLAM is complete. pH readings are not accurate with FC above 10, and you should be at 12. pH changes very slowly on its own.

6. Add the R-0871 drops and then quit. Don't add the R-0003 drops.

7. If you have ammonia, the process is the same. It'll just take a lot longer and a lot more chlorine before your FC begins holding at 12. We'll know after your first couple of tests. This is why it's important to test frequently at first. If all the FC is gone in an hour, that could mean ammonia.

8. I think it's just a difference in wording. Stabilizer is CYA, same thing. Everyone agrees that you should add the CYA immediately. But it will take a day or two to dissolve in the sock. And it won't show up on the test for a few days. So just put it in now and then don't worry about it again. Just act like it's all in there.
 
Good morning BRM & Company!!

BRM12 said:
8. I have funandsun suggesting to start by getting my CYA up and others saying to add the stabilizer, borax, and chlorine at the same time and not worry about CYA for a few days...which os best?
Click to expand...

Everyone is right. Just like you can get your favorite restaurant two or three different routes, you still end up eating that fabulous meal.

BRM, I would focus on Jeff, you two have a great line of communication going on right now and everyone (myself included) is just trying to help but we may be causing some distraction/confusion, but right now, you need 1 solid voice of reason and that seems pretty clearly to be Jeff.

He will get you right through this.

Deep breathes and remember, you got this!

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BRM12 said:
Ok.. According to my buddy Jeff, I need to focus on getting my pH to 7.2, my CYA to 30, and my FC to 12.
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funandsun said:
Keep Jeff around, he is a good friend that is solid advice
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I thought he had a friend named Jeff (offline), I thought wow, that's solid! keep that dude around. lolol

Jeff, you are awesome. I know BRM is sure glad to have you.
 
That chlorine is doing its job. The rate it's being used up is not so high as to make me think you have an ammonia problem, so that's good news. Keep it up and keep posting your results. Don't forget to brush and keep the pump running.

I think this is going to be a cut and dried SLAM. I'd like to see your boys swimming by next weekend.
 

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