Poolmath App suggestion

[jseyfert3]

Hey all,

Glad to be back. Finally settling down from our move, just got our inflatable hot tub back up and running and working on an above ground pool right now, planned to be in the next week or two.

Anyway, since I use the dichlor/bleach method in my spa, I'm adding dichlor over the first week or two of spa use to get the CYA up to 30 ppm. I think it would be logical and convenient if after adding dichlor/triclor the app automatically updates your CYA level. Obviously you haven't tested for CYA yet, but perhaps just increase it based on how much CYA was added and then add an "estimated" flag until the next time the user tests CYA.

Currently what I'm doing to track my CYA while it's untestable (because it's so low) is add dichlor, then I have to go to "Effects of Adding" to figure out how much CYA I just added, then I have to go back and enter a "test result" for CYA if I want the app to keep track of it (which I do, obviously), until it's high enough I can actually do the test. Just seems like since unlike something like adding acid for adjusting pH the CYA level should reliably increase for a given amount of dichlor/trichlor, the app should be able to automatically bump up your CYA level when you add chlorine with CYA.

Anyhow, just a suggestion. The app is awesome, and way easier than using a notepad to track and my computer to access PoolMath.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

There are already suggestions on the list for this type of automatic updating BUT it’s not ready for prime time yet. While the concept is easy to understand, implementing it in a way that doesn’t cause serious errors (people cheating, errors accumulating in a persons database, etc) is not that straightforward. We’ve seen this request for things like pH adjustment but the fact is PoolMath pH calculations are not exact beyond small changes in pH and so automatically updating a parameter based on just a chemical addition is unsafe. Remember that the backbone of the TFPC Method is rigorous testing of your pool water. Test results are bulletproof, theoretical calculations are not. Now, I agree that in the case of a simple chemical addition like CYA or dichlor, the resulting change in stabilizer is well known. So that might be the starting point for that kind of upgrade but it won’t be in the App unless we’re 100% sure it makes sense, it works as expected and it doesn’t mess up the user experience.

@Leebo can speak more to this if I’ve not interpreted the development path correctly.

 

[jseyfert3]

Makes total sense. As I said, I would not expect it to be done for things like pH because those calculations are estimates. I don't think I'd want it to update an estimated pH. That's the quickest test to do anyway. Just seemed for something like CYA it would be a little different, but as you said, not without it's own downfalls, like people not testing. It would certainly need something to clearly indicated it's an estimated level and perhaps reminders to perform the test if people stopped doing actual tests.

The main reason for CYA was as I said, for a spa that I use dichlor to add CYA, as many here do, I have to track CYA somehow until it reaches a level that can actually be tested (30 for my original Taylor kit, now 20 for my TFT CYA kit). This is over a week or two and numerous additions of dichlor, and it doesn't make sense to start testing for CYA until your estimated CYA level reaches the lower level of the test kit you own.

 

[jseyfert3]

UPDATE: What I want is actually already in the app!

I hadn't ever looked at the "Summary" screen. Curious, I clicked it. I selected "This Month", and scrolled through. Get down to CYA, and it says:

Chemical Additions: Dichlor, 2.3 oz. Appox. total effect, +30.0 ppm

That will do exactly what I need it to do, to track CYA while using dichlor on initial spa fill! Since this tracks the amount of CYA added, I will use it until I get to ~30, then do the CYA test and see where I'm at.

I withdraw my suggestion.