Test results....now what?!

[JessB412]

Ok, so I've been following this page a year and have read and watched so many videos I was totally thinking I was ready to take on the water chemistry. TFP breaks it down and it looks so easy! lol Well I still think it will EVENTUALLY be easy but now I'm just overwhelmed and learning something new. Tested water filling the pool and here is what we (my husband and I did it together as he did this a decade ago and I want to learn since I will be the one taking care of it mostly):

I did purchase the TFP Pool Math app
Results App told me to add:
Ph: 7.2 ---- 17 oz/1 lb 1 oz of Borax (purchased)
TA: 20 ---- 258 oz/16 lbs of Baking soda (purchased)
CH: 50 ---- However, I have a vinyl pool and my understanding is to disregard this
CYA: 0 ---- 14 lbs of Dry Stabilizer (purchased but more needed)
CC: 0
FC ---- 88 oz (I have purchased 10% bleach)

Lastly, I do have a CIrcuPool RJ-45 SWG. However, I thought I read on here I should get pool balanced with bleach first and then add my 14 (40lb) bags of salt? Is this correct?

Does the above look correct -- if so what order do I add things?

Pss I had purchased the sample water to practice testing with so I learn correctly. Everything worked except R-7064 (Alkalinity standard 100 ppm). We tested it twice and got 160 ppm both times. So .....what does that mean? Bad sample batch or bad testing chemicals or did I royally screw something up? I do have a speed stir (THANK YOU for that recommendation and whoever invented that lol).

 

[mknauss]

On your TA test -- "Sometimes a static electric charge can build up on the R-0009 dropper bottle tip, causing the drops to be smaller than usual and making the test read higher than actual. You can prevent this by wiping the tip of the dropper bottle with a damp cloth or tissue before you start and after each drop."

Once you confirm your TA, add baking soda to raise it to 70 ppm.

Add enough CYA to get to 40 ppm. As you are entering winter, no reason to raise the CYA any higher.

Maintain at least 3ppm FC in the water.

I would suggest you wait on the salt. The SWCG will not work when your water temperature falls much below 60F. So just maintain the pool with liquid chlorine until spring.

On the order. Chlorine is number one. No need to wait between any adds. Get the CYA in a sock and in the skimmer.

 

[ajw22]

Don't focus on if your test hits a number. Look if your chemical is within the specified Recommended Levels - Trouble Free Pool. Do not follow the App blindly.

Ph: 7.2 ---- In range. At the low end. Monitor but don't adjust. TA adjustment will raise pH some.
TA: 20 ---- Confirm testing was correct. Below range. Bring up slowly in multiple doses.
CH: 50 ---- Within range for a vinyl pool. OK.
CYA: 0 ---- Below range. Increase in 2 or 3 doses. Add 2/3 of PoolMath recommendation and retest.

 

[fields_g]

So just maintain the pool with liquid chlorine until spring.

The season makes a big difference here. Things are getting colder, winterizing coming soon, less sun.... You just need to get your pool ready for bed. You won't have to get the CYA up to SWG summer levels. This also means that your FC won't have to be as high to be effective. This should be easy enough to do with bleach.

What is your current water temperature? Got your winterizing plans all figured out?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

The app is just telling you what to do if you wanted to make changes. If the number is still within suggested range you might not want to change it. You have to (or get to ) make those judgement calls.

FC is foremost right now. And for vinyl pools you don't want the pH to drop below suggested range so you'll also need to play with the TA. CYA is a given. That's about it for cold weather now.

Maddie