Really Old Plaster Pool Challenge

[87Hawkeye]

Hi! New here. Have browsed around the site for awhile and now have decided to get some real help! I have owned pools in AZ for 25 years. The one I currently own has been 18 of those years. I believe it is original plaster and it is in horrible condition, but right now, we do not have the money to get it resurfaced so are trying to limp along for another year or 2 until we can resurface. Had a regular pool guy for a couple years when my husband was sick and it was too much for me. Even for an old pool, it is relatively trouble free most of the time. He was a common sense guy, but just no longer in the budget. He said we should probably drain and refill every year to help with maintenance. For various reasons, we have not drained and refilled for 3 years. That being said, this winter has been rough with the pool (algae even in cold weather etc) so we drained a couple days ago and have now refilled. We bought the Taylor K2006 test kit and just completed the tests. I tried putting in the results in the pool math calculator, but am confused how to interpret and about what I am seeing.

Here are our test results: pH 7.7, 0.4 Free Chlorine, 0.4ppm combined chlorine, 130ppm TA, 0 CYA, 230 ppm Calcium hardness.

I am just looking for help on what to buy and how much I need to get the start up going and how to effectively use the calculator. I usually use 3 in chlorine tabs (trichlor) for maintenance and either powder shock or liquid chlorine for shock. I am reading on here about household chlorine bleach and am sold on that from here forward.

Let me know if more information is needed.
Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!

First you should get 3 ppm of FC by adding liquid chlorine/bleach. In your pool that is 111 oz (lets call it a full jug) of 8.25% bleach.
Check your FC each day and add enough to keep at 3 ppm.

You need CYA powder from Home Depot or Walmart. Start with adding 30 ppm, or 100 oz to your pool. Get enough to add at least a total of 50 ppm, or 10 lbs. You add the CYA by placing it in a sock/knee high and tieing it shut. Hang the sock from a pole in front of the pool return. It will take a few days for it to dissolve.

Your pH is ok right now but will increase. When it gets to 8, add enough muriatic acid to lower it to 7.6. Test your pH at least twice a week.

As you get into March, you will be adding more chlorine each day. Follow the [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]. At the peak of summer, you will be using about a gallon of bleach every day.

Keep asking questions!

 

[Jimrahbe]

87,

Welcome to TFP... A great place to find the answers to all your old pool questions...

Marty has you covered with his answers above, but I have a favor to ask of you... The next time you report your test data, please do so in the following format.. It really helps us when reading your posts...

FC .4
CC .4
pH 7.7
TA 130
CH 230
CYA 0

Thanks for posting and keep asking questions...

Jim R.

 

[mknauss]

When you test your FC - use the 10 ml sample test. You will divide the number of drops to clear by 2 for your FC. Close enough for us.

 

[87Hawkeye]

That is much easier to read! Will do

Welcome to TFP... A great place to find the answers to all your old pool questions...

Marty has you covered with his answers above, but I have a favor to ask of you... The next time you report your test data, please do so in the following format.. It really helps us when reading your posts...

FC .4
CC .4
pH 7.7
TA 130
CH 230
CYA 0

Thanks for posting and keep asking questions...

Jim R.[/QUOTE]

- - - Updated - - -

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for adding that about using the 10ml sample test. We followed the directions to the letter and couldn't find an answer to help us choose.

 

[PoolGate]

Strange that your CYA test shows 0 even though you are using the trichlor pucks. I would test again this is the hardest test to get correct results.

 

[triptyx]

Strange that your CYA test shows 0 even though you are using the trichlor pucks. I would test again this is the hardest test to get correct results.

On a fresh fill, with zero CYA starting point, pucks will take a while to get CYA up to around 20ppm where it will start to reliably register on the test. When your CYA is very low, pucks take too long to get it up, so the poster will need to use granulated CYA to get it up to near range in a timely manner.