Pool newbie - need advice

[Jnix]

Hi all,

My wife and I just bought a house with a pool! We are really excited. But to be completely honest, the pool is giving me anxiety.

Long story short, it was my grandmother's house before we bought it. She used to maintain it on her own, but hired a guy the past 3 years. The pool was always clear and rarely had algae. So I assume he kept everything in check pretty well.

This forum and the information on TFP has been super helpful. I have done a lot of reading. Thank you all for that ?

Here are my current readings:
FC 7
TC 12
PH ~7.0
TA ~40
CH 250
CYA 75-100
(These numbers have been steady over the past 4 days)

I have a tf-100 kit getting here next week. For now I have test strips (I know they aren't ideal) The pool currently has Tri-Chlor tabs in a floater. Tabs have been used on this pool for as long as I can remember.

Here is my action plan, let me know if I'm out of line.

1) Take water sample to pool supply store after work. Check their reading against my own. (Don't fall for the hogwash they will probably tell me.

2) If their test confirms my tests, take out tablet floater and buy liquid chlorine to maintain chlorine levels so I don't raise the CYA higher than it already is.

3) Buy baking soda to raise TA.

4) Let Baking soda mix then re-check pH. If it is still low buy borax (20 mule) to raise PH.

The pool is clear and looks really nice right now, I don't want to mess it up. I appreciate all of your help in advance!

Edit: Not sure if my signature made it on the post. In Ground, Plaster, 25k gallons, Hayward rs1500 pump, 2 Hydromite HM50 cartridge filters, Polaris 280 Cleaner.

 

[PoolGate]

Your TC concerns me that is an awful lot of CCs. I will chalk it up to testing errors and advise to wait until you have your TF-100. There is no need to verify your results with the pool store. What they get is immaterial. Trust your TF-100 and trust your testing. If you embrace what is taught here you will really have no need to visit them again. I am looking forward to your TF-100 readings!

 

[ajw22]

I would wait for your TF-100 and your own tests before making any chemical adjustments. When you get the TF-100 post your own test results and we can discuss next steps.

 

[duraleigh]

Great advice from ajw22 and pool_gate. The pool store is irrelevant......don't even use it for comparison because that lends credibility to their results and will only add confusion.

 

[Jnix]

Thank you all for responding! I hear y'all loud and clear. I'll wait for my kit and just keep an eye on FC until my kit gets here. ??

More test results coming soon..

 

[JJ_Tex]

Good plan on waiting on the test kit before you add the baking soda. Our tap water is around 8.0 on the PH, so unless you added a lot of acid recently I would think your low PH and TA results are suspect.

 

[Jnix]

Good plan on waiting on the test kit before you add the baking soda. Our tap water is around 8.0 on the PH, so unless you added a lot of acid recently I would think your low PH and TA results are suspect.

I haven't done anything to the pool yet. The old pool guy came by last Friday. He told me PH was ideal and he filled the Chlorine Floater with tabs. Didn't give any other info.

I bought new filters and replaced those on Sunday. Bought fresh Pleatco Cartridges. The ones he was cleaning were well over a year old and the bands were all broken. Not to mention the pressure was at 32psi (new filters were at 12psi). He let the pressure get way higher than I would like.

Not sure what he added, but I cleaned the old filters just to keep as back ups and there was A LOT of white coming out of them. I have cleaned filters before and have never seen that much white come out. I'm thinking he added something on Friday and I washed it all out of the filters.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Ok, I would chalk it up to testing error then as you would really have to try to get your PH at 7.0 around here. I have no experience with the strips, but people on here call them guess strips for good reason.

 

[Jnix]

Ok, I would chalk it up to testing error then as you would really have to try to get your PH at 7.0 around here. I have no experience with the strips, but people on here call them guess strips for good reason.

That's good to know. I am also adding water more regularly than most. I am losing some water in piping near the pump. With what you have said, I think you are right. Thanks man! ?

 

[Jnix]

Good news, TF-100 should get here today. Poolsupplyworld estimated next Tuesday but as soon as it got FedEx tracking it cut down to 2 days. So I will have new results on here tonight!

 

[Jnix]

Alright, ran into some complications. The DPD powder is bad. It is no longer a powder, it is solid purple. I assume this means too much moisture got to it.

So we will have to wait for accurate FC, CC and TC. I went ahead and tested TC with the k1000 kit included, it only goes up to 5ppm. The color was darker yellow than 5ppm.

Here are the other results I got:
PH 7.5
CH 250
TA 60
CYA 72

Chlorine is high, but everything else looks relatively close to what it should be. CYA is a little high and TA is a little low. Good thing I didn't change the pH based on strips!

 

[ajw22]

Try and break up the clumped DPD powder and put a bit into the test vial and see if the pool water turns red. If it does then run the chlorine test.

Your CYA is 80 if the dot disappeared between 80 and 70. We round up. You may want to read CYA Testing

 

[Jnix]

Try and break up the clumped DPD powder and put a bit into the test vial and see if the pool water turns red. If it does then run the chlorine test.

Your CYA is 80 if the dot disappeared between 80 and 70. We round up. You may want to read CYA Testing

Thanks for pointing that out. Read that the other day but I forgot. ?

The powder did turn the water bright red. I ran the test twice because I thought it was wrong. These are the results I came up with. Both tests yielded the same result.

FC 13
CC 0

 

[ajw22]

The powder did turn the water bright red. I ran the test twice because I thought it was wrong. These are the results I came up with. Both tests yielded the same result.

FC 13
CC 0

Great! Have TFT send you fresh powder but you can use what you have until you get the replacement.

Your water chemistry is pretty good. See Recommended Levels - Trouble Free Pool

CYA 80 is a bit high for long term management with liquid chlorine. CYA 50 would be better. Unless you plan on installing a SWG and then CYA 80 would be ok.

pH readings are invalid with FC above 10. You need to let your FC drift down to 9-10 to get a reliable test.

The target CYA range is 9-11 with a minimum of 6. See FC/CYA Levels. So let your FC drift down to 9-10.

 

[Jnix]

Thank you ajw22!

I know the only way to bring down CYA is water replacement. I am thinking I should pull the tablets out of the pool, let the chlorine level drop a little and then maintain with liquid chlorine. Over time, the CYA should drop to a more acceptable level as I top off the water.

Is this the right line of thinking?

 

[ajw22]

You definitely need to stop using tablets that add CYA. Chlorinate with liquid chlorine and see how your CYA degrades and drops over the winter. In the spring you can see where your CYA is and if more action is required.

 

[PoolGate]

FYI: CYA will degrade over time (I lose ~5 parts/month) but it will not leave through evaporation. Water top-offs don't reduce it.

 

[Jnix]

FYI: CYA will degrade over time (I lose ~5 parts/month) but it will not leave through evaporation. Water top-offs don't reduce it.

Dang, that degrades pretty slow.. that's going to take a while to let it degrades down to 50.

Thank you all who have responded. I apologize for starting a thread on something that ended up being pretty simple. I was stressing out when I posted this. I will learn with time.

Also, emailed TFKits and they are sending me new DPD powder. I see why TFP loves them so much. I already have tracking!