Taking control of pool maintenance

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mini, for easy estimates (even the Poolmath helps), if your CYA was exactly 100, a 50% change in water should lower it to about 50. Since we expect your CYA is higher than 100, we know you need to change at least 50% of your water. You have a cartridge filter, so no way to backwash to waste like some, and probably no main drain right? So you'll have to find another way to change water. The most common way is a submersible pump that you can buy or even rent from the local hardware store. Once you get your water changed and validate the new CYA, post back and let us know where you stand.
 
WOW, just had a horrible experience at the local pool store. Before draining the pool, I really wanted another set of eyes on that CYA level. I took in a sample that yielded the following results:

FC .92
TC 1.81
CC .89
pH 7.1
hardness 157
Alkalinity (w/stabilizer correction) 82
CA 29
Copper .4
Iron .1
Borate 12
Phosphate 1200 ppb

His immediate/aggressive/demanding next steps were:
1. remove the tabs (that they sold me)
2. Said that "metals" were too high and recommended "Proteam Metal Magic". I asked him what that meant and he got annoyed.
3. Alkalinity is low and needs to come up. Recommended Proteam Alkalinity Up.
4. PH is low and recommended Proteam PH up.
5. Stabilizer is low and recommended "Instant Conditioner"
6. Phosphate level is too high and recommended Phosfree
7. 25# of shock to get the chlorine right

Totaling up to about $400. He was extremely annoyed when I said I needed to go home, do some research and come back. He was literally trying to sell me a cleaning robot the second I walked in the door (we have one that is two years old and works great).

SO, my questions are as follows:

1. How are our CYA tests so far off? I tested again and I'm still showing at least 100. I mentioned this to pool store jerk and he said, "I dunno, but we have a $100k piece of equipment". I assume his tests are more accurate?

2. I thought TA of 80-120 was normal. Do I really need to treat 82 as he suggested?

3. If we are to assume these levels of right, what are my next steps?

Very put off by this store... it's close and convenient, but I won't be back.
 
1. Nope. CYA seems to be the one they miss the most.

2. Your TA is fine. Don't buy their marked up baking soda.

3. Never take a pool sample to a pool store again :laughblue: They are fine for floats and liquid chlorine when available :)

We trust your test results, you should too. If you need a 2nd set of eyes on the CYA test, find a nearby helper like an SO or child. You can pour the sample back in the squirt bottle and do it as many times as you like and take an average.
 
Oh Wow, sorry Minisoda.

Thing is, once you are informed, their lack of knowledge becomes very apparent and I experience that same turn off as you did today.

That sales clerk may have been different than before or maybe you were just more sensitive to it. Welcome to the Matrix.
 
Everyday. It is utterly amazing what we hear about store testing. I'm a forgiving, optimistic kind of guy, but I too experienced the same thing. There's so much wrong with what they told you I don't even know (or care) where to start. YOU are in charge now, don't worry about those places.

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Thought I would post a quick update to this thread!

Thanks to all the great advice on this site, I've gotten the pool pretty much under control (one issue left to solve). I was also talking to a neighbor recently who is having the same problem. The pool store actually told him that all pools simply need to be drained every few years because of high CYA from the chemicals. Wow.

The water is now crystal clear, but still taking a good amount of bleach because there's hardly any CYA. Does it makes sense to use up some of my left over tabs and shock that contains stabilizer? Hate to throw it away since I currently need chlorine and stabilizer in the pool.


FC: 2
CC: 0
pH: 7.2
CYA: < 20

IMG_1252 by Aaron Shilts, on Flickr
 
If you are willing to deal with the higher FC usage for the interim and the slowly climbing proper level of FC needed due to a changing CYA level, then it’s fine to use them up. Most people just ditch the pucks or keep them for vacations, and put in the powdered CYA and are good to go in a day or two.
 
Good point... could take half the summer and constant CYA testing to get it right.

I haven't seen this anywhere on TFP, but is there a good place to order full strength liquid chlorine online by the case? Happy to pay a little more to not constantly run to Walmart!
 
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