Testing with my new TF 100 kit

[fordsbyjay]

I received my Tf100 kit and started testing my pool
So of course I have a question.

The pool is clear but I keep getting algae settling on the bottom of the pool. The leaves are starting to fall but we have been keeping up with removing them every day.

My last two tests are:

sept 14

FC 7
CC 7
PH 7.5
TA 100
CH 180
CYA 78
SALT 3700
chlor gen 55%
had added 1 gal of bleach
the day before

sept 16
FC 5.5
CC 5.5
PH 7.5
TA 110
CH 150 (checked twice)
cya didn't test
salt 3700
chlor gen 40%

Do I need to add some algae guard or something? I am kinda confused about the algae dropping out. It vacuums up easy.

 

[duraleigh]

fbj,

Let's get your results corrected first. You report FC = 7 and CC = 7 on your first test. I think you mean FC = 7 and TC = 7 so your CC's should be zero. Confirm first that your CC's are zero and you did the CC's test and we'll go from there.

(Your other numbers look okay for now)

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Your water has a greenish tint too, like you might be on the verge of a full blown bloom. Have you performed an Overnight FC Loss Test?

 

[fordsbyjay]

fbj,

Let's get your results corrected first. You report FC = 7 and CC = 7 on your first test. I think you mean FC = 7 and TC = 7 so your CC's should be zero. Confirm first that your CC's are zero and you did the CC's test and we'll go from there.

(Your other numbers look okay for now)

Oops! Yes my CC is zero. I have not done an overnight FC loss but tonight seems like as good as time as any.

But, if I had algae in the pool I thought it would show up in the combined chloramines test??

BTW, I am doing the test for combined chloramines as per the instructions in the TF100 kit. After the chlorine test when I add 5 drops R0003 it stays clear.

Your water has a greenish tint too, like you might be on the verge of a full blown bloom.

It has been doing this for several days (algae piles on the floor). I took the picture with my phone so it is jaded I think. The water looks clear not green.

 

[duraleigh]

fbj,

The overnight FC Loss test will confirm, but it appears you have some algae. Be prepared to shock the pool to get rid of it and get your pool crystal clear.

Make sure you know how to do the Loss test correctly (don't add any chlorine within a couple of hours of when you first test tonight and don't add any after) and report your results.

Plan on buying a bunch of Clorox :lol: :lol:

 

[PaulR]

CC > 0.5 means you need to shock. CC <= 0.5 means you need to look at the pool!
I had algae that took 3 days to clear up and never saw CC over 0.5.
--paulr

 

[fordsbyjay]

CC > 0.5 means you need to shock. CC <= 0.5 means you need to look at the pool!
I had algae that took 3 days to clear up and never saw CC over 0.5.
--paulr

That's good to know. I checked my FC this evening and it was 5. The 5.5 I measured this afternoon was borderline 5 to 5.5 so I called it 5.5. We will see in the morning and I will report back.

 

[fordsbyjay]

After reading the Overnight FC loss, shock your pool, defeating algae and looking at the chlorine/cya chart I am a little confused.

My ideal shock lever based on a cya of 80 is 31 ppm. Can I use the pool calculator and change my target to 30 to calculate how much bleach I will need to shock the pool? It comes up with almost 8 gallons. That is a lot. Also, in the shock you pool article is states

Repeat steps 1 and 2 as frequently as practical, as often as once per hour, and not less than twice a day,

Does this mean you add some bleach every hour until the FC is 31 or do you hit it with 8 gallons twice a day????

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

Does this mean you add some bleach every hour until the FC is 31 or do you hit it with 8 gallons twice a day????

This means you test you water and add the amount necessary to bring you back up to 31. The more often you can do this, the faster your water will clear.

When using the pool calculator, don't forget to enter your starting numbers... if you need to go from 20 to 30, that would be a lot less bleach than going from 0 to 30!

 

[anonapersona]

Does this mean you add some bleach every hour until the FC is 31 or do you hit it with 8 gallons twice a day????

You might add 8 gallons, then test an hour later and find that the FC is only 14. So you'd add another (guessing) 5 gallons. What happened is that a lot of chlorine got consumed as it killed algae. So, boost it back up and test again after another hour or so. Then maybe you will test FC 17, and so you add another 4 gallons and you brush the pool really well. Then maybe you will test FC 12, hey, what happened? By brushing you exposed some living algae that was hiding under the cover of the dead algae, now you exposed it to the chlorine and the chlorine dies as the algae dies. So FC dropped a lot, but the green is starting to look sort of grey green, almost whitish. So, wait and test again, repeat, until you need to go to bed or to work. Meanwhile, your filter is working 24/7 to clear all this dead algae out, so it need to be backwashed or rinsed or whatever. Start fresh the next morning and do it again. You will find the FC starts to hold a bit more as you keep at it, brushing and removing the dead stuff so that all the living algae is contacted by the chlorine. If it is green it is growing and multiplying so you have to get it all killed, all of it, what is in the nooks and crannies, in the cover and the ladder and wherever. Kill it and keep it killed by keeping the chlorine up to the minimum levels for your CYA all the time. If you don't sock the chlorine to it fast enough, it can out grow your efforts.

 

[fordsbyjay]

Good morning,

I tested my FC last night and it was 5. After shutting off my SWG at last night test this morning the FC was 6. I checked it twice with different amounts of "heaping" R0870 powder thinking there may be some inconsistency in my test method but I came up with the same results both times. I will have to agree with frustratedpoolmom about the color. You can see to the bottom fine but it is bluish/green but not crystal clear (clear but not clear if that makes sense).

If I bring it to shock level and maintain till it stays there how long do you have to wait till the pool is usable again? How long will it take to come back to normal levels?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

When you took the "5" result was the SWG already off... or did the SWG continue to run for a while? (Also verify you are using the little scoop end and not the flat end of the stick)

You can safely swim up to shock level - some users swim higher than that.

So if you want to swim during the day when the level has come down a little from sunlight, that's okay, then resume shocking in the evening.

With sunlight, even with CYA in the pool you still lose roughly 50% of your FC. So say tomorrow a.m. your FC was 30, by tomorrow evening it should be in the teens....and so on, and so on. It shouldn't take long for the levels to drop down to normal - 1-3 days.

You can shock with the 8 gallons (verify your jug size - 6% isn't usually sold in "gallons") - and then "maintain" the level with the SWG. Then turn the SWG off when you want to perform the overnight loss test. Hope that makes sense.....

You shouldn't try to reach shock level with an SWG but its okay to use it to maintain shock level.

 

[fordsbyjay]

I re-read the overnight FC test and realized I did not wait the 30 minutes to test FC after turning off the SWG. I tested it immediately after turning off the SWG.