Recently got TF-100, looks like my pool is in bad shape

[SMKS]

I've got a pool guy but our pool looks horrible. He keeps the FC levels at about 10-14. We recently filled our pool in April. In the past few weeks the pool has become very murky, we can still see the bottom, but barely. Here's the result of our first tests:

• FC: 14.5
• CC: 0
• PH: 7.3
• CH 525
• TA: 70
• CYA 120 (I did the 50% test after the test concluded below the 100 line)

Any advice would be lovely. I'll be letting our pool guy go very shortly.

 

[wireform]

Hi and welcome. Get rid of the pool guy tomorrow and take it into your own hands. He's probably using the pucks which is what did you in. You're missing the CC results. If the pool is murky a slam is in order but with that high of CYA you'll surely need to drain off most of your pool cuz TFP methodology is to use liquid chlorine and it simply won't make any $$ sense doing it like it's now. We need to know more about your pool like what he was adding so we can advise accordingly. please fill in the signature so we don't go asking back and forth trying to help you.

 

[cowboycasey]

Do you have a Salt water generator? If not now would be a perfect time to get one... You could drop your CYA by draining about 1/4 of your pool water to 70 or 80 CYA and doing a SLAM at that level.. You have to have chlorine at 31 FC but it is not that bad once you get it up there...

Your CH for your area at 525 is not that bad..

If you do not want to go SWG you really need to drain down to a CYA of 40 for your area, maybe 50 CYA... FC/CYA Levels

Use poolmath to figure out what you need to do
PoolMath

let us know what you would like to do and we can help from there...

 

[Oly]

 

[SMKS]

Hi and welcome. Get rid of the pool guy tomorrow and take it into your own hands. He's probably using the pucks which is what did you in. You're missing the CC results. If the pool is murky a slam is in order but with that high of CYA you'll surely need to drain off most of your pool cuz TFP methodology is to use liquid chlorine and it simply won't make any $$ sense doing it like it's now. We need to know more about your pool like what he was adding so we can advise accordingly. please fill in the signature so we don't go asking back and forth trying to help you.

Hey thanks for the reply. Sorry I answered all of the questions in my profile, I added the relevant stuff to my signature now. The pool guys was using pucks, adding 4 a week, which was way too many.

Do you have a Salt water generator? If not now would be a perfect time to get one... You could drop your CYA by draining about 1/4 of your pool water to 70 or 80 CYA and doing a SLAM at that level.. You have to have chlorine at 31 FC but it is not that bad once you get it up there...

Your CH for your area at 525 is not that bad..

If you do not want to go SWG you really need to drain down to a CYA of 40 for your area, maybe 50 CYA... FC/CYA Levels

Use poolmath to figure out what you need to do
PoolMath

let us know what you would like to do and we can help from there...

I don't have a SWG. Why do you recommend now being a good time to get one?

Why do you recommend SLAM'ing? Isn't that to get rid of algae? Or are you suggesting that the murkiness of our water is from early onset algae?

 

[cowboycasey]

With your CYA that high you would only have to drain water down to CYA of 80 and throw a SWG in there..

A murky not clear pool is 1 of 2 things.. filter not working or the start of algae... With a DE filter PSI is probably raising fast...

 

[SMKS]

I plan on doing a complete clean of the DE filter tomorrow. I haven't been monitoring the filter pressure but I will be now.

 

[cowboycasey]

With a any filter it is very important to monitor the PSI especially DE filters as they catch the most out of all filters.. say it starts at 15 psi after cleaning.. At 19 PSI it should be backwashed or cleaned..

 

[SMKS]

Ok I just took apart my DE filter, cleaned and recharged it. It has been 12 months since it was opened and cleaned. It was pretty green inside (see picture). Is that indicative of algae starting? Also see image of my step after doing one sweep.

Shall I do a Labor Day SLAM?

 

[mknauss]

Shall I do a Labor Day SLAM?

Yes

 

[SMKS]

Yes

My only concern here is my CYA level, which is at 120. Others have said to do a partial refill before I SLAM, is that still suggested? Bit worried about the 100F+ temperature over the next week on my exposed pebble-tec.

 

[mknauss]

If your CYA is 120, it is not reasonable to do a SLAM.

Best to just keep adding some chlorine each day until you are ready to drain. Or do a No Drain Exchange - Draining - Further Reading

 

[SMKS]

If your CYA is 120, it is not reasonable to do a SLAM.

Best to just keep adding some chlorine each day until you are ready to drain. Or do a No Drain Exchange - Draining - Further Reading

With a CYA at 120 what FC is recommended? Also is it unsafe to swim in?

 

[mknauss]

You should attempt to keep 10+ ppm FC if at all possible.

Algae is not an issue to swim in. The FC level will take care of any viruses, bacteria, etc.

Be sure you can see the bottom of the pool.

 

[SMKS]

You should attempt to keep 10+ ppm FC if at all possible.

Algae is not an issue to swim in. The FC level will take care of any viruses, bacteria, etc.

Be sure you can see the bottom of the pool.

Thank you sir. I would say the bottom is about 40% obscured. Currently at 14 FC so we'll keep it up.

 

[SMKS]

Cleaned out my filter yesterday, after letting the pump run overnight, the water looks extremely clear.

 

[PoolStored]

Keep Slaming!! You will get there, like the rest of us --> TFP Clear - Let's see PICs!

Make sure you meet all three:
1) Clear Water (STUPID CLEAR)
2) OCLT <=1
3) CC <= .5

You may want to extend SLAM one more day for "insurance."

WE LOVE PICS...Show us your progress!

 

[Bperry]

Keep Slaming!! You will get there, like the rest of us --> TFP Clear - Let's see PICs!

Make sure you meet all three:
1) Clear Water (STUPID CLEAR)
2) OCLT <=1
3) CC <= .5

You may want to extend SLAM one more day for "insurance."

WE LOVE PICS...Show us your progress!

I don’t think he’s slamming with 120CYA? I think he’s just making sure to keep the FC up to compensate for such high CYA so it doesn’t get worse. But if cleaning the filter helped. Maybe not needing to SLAM anyway.

 

[PoolStored]

Got it, I missed it.

 

[SMKS]

I don’t think he’s slamming with 120CYA? I think he’s just making sure to keep the FC up to compensate for such high CYA so it doesn’t get worse. But if cleaning the filter helped. Maybe not needing to SLAM anyway.

This is correct. The water is very clear now, there is no algae from what I can tell. At this point I'm going to stop using tabs (pool guys was using them) and just do liquid chlorine. Hopefully CYA will slowly go down over time? If not, come winter I'll do a partial drain. The sun is just too powerful right now to do a drain. No Drain exchange is an option but that will waste more water so I'd rather not have to do that either, nor is it that urgent anymore.