TF 100 Test kit arrived

[Johnny B]

I'll do the minimum Jason advises unless my reagent arrives. Next test will be as late as possible.

I will only post my rsults by PM to Jason to keep Poolmom in suspense until at least next Wednesday (joke). You're eating popcorn & I'm biting my fingernails but we're watching the same show.

"The reaction slows down significantly at this point...." Thanks ,I didn't know that.
1- The reaction of the amonia leaving, or the Cl staying in the desired state in all shock proceedures (reguardless of the presence of amonia or not)?
2-If its generally the case in all shock procedures, it slows down in about the last 25%? 10%? Reason I ask is at future shockings, I'll know when I have time/leeway.
3- It "slows down alot" also meaning although it went from FC 1 to FC 12 in eight hours, to go from FC12 to goal of FC15 my take 24 hrs or even several days?

Since my last post we got alot of rain (1 inch?) & its still raining hard. I'll state rainfall in my next test.

I'd be interested in seeing if there is a thread about managing water level from rainfall when one is shocking, or just daily boosting, especially as it relates to testing. I suppose take the water sample at any water level, but before adding chemicals, drain to the ideal water level? So many more threads to read or start, but if I need to know something for my current situation please advise.

Thanks

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Okay, if we're being specific, I'm snackin' on Cheesits, not popcorn.

I am imagining you going out there in the pouring rain to get a sample....LOL

1...you lost me
2....I don't know
3...I don't know

Wasn't I helpful?

You're rainwater is going to dilute everything. If you are draining out some of the water, you'll end up having to make chem additions, like upping PH and CYA, if necessary. Natural evaporation may mean you don't have to adjust anything. But it's probably a good idea to test for PH/TA and CYA next week... and making adjustments if necessary. But for now, just focus on your chlorine levels.

Sorry I couldn't help on you're 1.2.3., but you know it's just a matter of time before someone else chimes in.

 

[Guest]

"The reaction slows down significantly at this point...." Thanks ,I didn't know that.

YOU ARE STARTING TO MICROMANAGE AGAIN!!!!!!
1- The reaction of the amonia leaving, or the Cl staying in the desired state in all shock proceedures (reguardless of the presence of amonia or not)?
In this particular case, the conversion of ammonia to monochloramine and then reaching breakpoint to destroy the monochloramine. This is not NORMAL shocking. STOP MICROMANAGING!
2-If its generally the case in all shock procedures, it slows down in about the last 25%? 10%? Reason I ask is at future shockings, I'll know when I have time/leeway.
In a word, NO!!! This is NOT normal shocking!!!!!
3- It "slows down alot" also meaning although it went from FC 1 to FC 12 in eight hours, to go from FC12 to goal of FC15 my take 24 hrs or even several days?
No way to tell...STOP MICROMANAGING!!!!!! Just keep adding chlorine and testing until there is NO CC and the FC is holding. THAT is all you need to worry about. Every situation is going to be different so you can't make generalizations. As you gain experience you will begin to recognize some of the different situations and how they play out. Until then just test and wait for the desired results.
I'll state rainfall in my next test.

I'd be interested in seeing if there is a thread about managing water level from rainfall when one is shocking, or just daily boosting, especially as it relates to testing.
nope, rain just dilutes everything...If you don't have an automatic water level you have two choices, drain some water and rebalance or wait for it to evaporate (usually best during the summer) and then rebalance if needed.
As a basic precaution it's a good idea to shock after a heavy rain.

I suppose take the water sample at any water level, but before adding chemicals, drain to the ideal water level? So many more threads to read or start, but if I need to know something for my current situation please advise.
STOP MICROMANAGING AND RELAX!
Thanks

Hope this is helpful!

 

[Johnny B]

2:45am, about 7 hours after last added bleach & now about 1/2-inch of rainwater in the pool. The rain is stopped, for several days.

FC 4
Target still 15, so
I added 3 gallons 2 quarts or 4.7 (96 oz) jugs of bleach
water is clear

 

[Guest]

2:45am, about 7 hours after last added bleach & now about 1/2-inch of rainwater in the pool. The rain is stopped, for several days.

FC 4
Target still 15, so
I added 3 gallons 2 quarts or 4.7 (96 oz) jugs of bleach
water is clear

you did good!

 

[Johnny B]

8:00pm, about 17 hours after last added bleach. Sunny all day today, lots of wind blew stuff in, all quickly removed. Pressure high so took grids out & hosed them clean & new DE powder.
Water is very clear, the clearest yet, essentially no bottom debris, pools needs brushing & I am.
1 scoop powder- remained clear
2nd scoop powder- remained clear
3rd scoop powder- remained clear
New water sample & repeated the above, same result.

FC 0
Target still 15, so
I added 4 gallons 3 quarts or 6.4 (96 oz) jugs of bleach

R-0871 didn't come by mail today, but I didn't use any above, so I'll test again tonight as late as possible & likely add more bleach.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Johnny, to save on Powder, try this....next time you add 2 scoops and don't see pink, switch to the OTO drop test. If you follow those instructions and don't see yellow, then you know the first powder test was 0 FC.... that way you aren't wasting powder to repeat the test to verify your first results. Make sense?

Keep at it....17 hours and all that stuff flying in, doesn't surprise me the FC was 0. I'm wondering if you have any CYA left in the water...

 

[Johnny B]

Yes that makes sense. When I went to rinse the jar at the tap it went pink I'm pretty sure (wasn't that light & I wasn't looking for it)

I can go & test CYA now if you want. So long as the indoor lighting is good, no worries right? Want me to test it now or in tomarrow's daylight? Will the reults alter my shocking- wouldn't think so because everyone's advising to only concentrate on FC now.

 

[Guest]

I can go & test CYA now if you want. So long as the indoor lighting is good, no worries right? Want me to test it now or in tomarrow's daylight?
Better to test it tomorrow in daylight. I stand in open shade and not direct sun when doing this test.


Will the reults alter my shocking- wouldn't think so because everyone's advising to only concentrate on FC now.

It might. How high you need to bring the FC to achieve shock is really determined by the amount of CYA in the water. If the CYA has dropped by a lot then you will need a lower FC level to achieve the same result. The goal of 15 ppm that we have been given you is based on 'normal' CYA levels. If your CYA was very high it would not be enough. If your CYA was nonexistant then 10 ppm would probably suffice to achieve the same end. pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock

 

[Johnny B]

I'll get that CYA test in tomarrow's open shade ( I dit it once, in sunlight, a got 30). You always try to have the same ground backround? Grass, concrete deck, your shoe?

Your post above re CYA & the chart make more sense now that I have a live example of how I have to pay attention to it. The CYA test is to be done "weekly or as needed". Here, the CYA test is needed prior to a week because the FC was 0 which MIGHT mean I have low CYA so better be sure the CYA level is still in an acceptable range;
- if CYA is not the same but still an acceptable range, adjust that Target shock to coincide w the new CYA level
- if CYA is unacceptably low, then add something that gets CYA back in the acceptable range

Waterbear or anyone, see my 8:00pm-ish post where I said "I'll test again tonight as late as possible & likely add more bleach."
Still a good idea if we don't know the CYA? Delay tonight's test & bleach until after tomarrow's CYA test results? Or does your knowledge & experience & instinct tell you CYA should be ok so go ahead tonight w/out the CYA test? Or test & bleach tonight but sooner/now rather than "as late as possible"?

Thanks

 

[JasonLion]

The CYA level is very likely to still be 30, or maybe 40, just as before. It could have changed, but that isn't especially likely.

 

[Guest]

The CYA level is very likely to still be 30, or maybe 40, just as before. It could have changed, but that isn't especially likely.

He had a bunch of rain...not sure if he tested CYA befoe or after that.

 

[Guest]

I'll get that CYA test in tomarrow's open shade ( I dit it once, in sunlight, a got 30). You always try to have the same ground backround? Grass, concrete deck, your shoe?

Since you are viewing DOWN the tube to the black dot it really doesn't matter what the background is for the test. the pH test I like to view against either a sheet of white paper or against a northern sky.

 

[Johnny B]

2:30am about 6.5 hours after last added bleach.
FC 7.5
Target still 15, so
I added 2 gallons 1 quart 3 cups or 3.2 (96 oz) jugs of bleach

R-0871 on hand: enough for one maybe two tests.
The earlier I run the next FC test the more R-0871 I'll use, the less bleach I'll use, & the more I can stay on top of this (I don't know if "staying on top of it" is accurate, perhaps it doesn't work that way & makes no difference if).
Want me to test tomarrow night, or tomarrow am & hope I have enough for a night test- I say am & hope for a night test because I think I have enough for two.

The CYA test will be done tomarrow, unless you tell me not to after this post.

Thanks

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Here's a helpful link to the CYA test, with pics....

http://www.taylortechnologies.com/Chemi ... ntentID=44

 

[Johnny B]

That link was helpful.

11:45am
pH - 6.8, falling
TA - 190 (8 drops turn it red for 6-7seconds, 9 drops makes it more red & keep it red)
- done twice per Jason
FC - not performed, short supply, see below & please advise
TC - not performed
CH - 360, done twice per Jason
CYA - 40-50, it was halfway between so you pick if you want one #, (CYA tests on 4/6 & 4/8 were 40 & 30, today's test done in lmore ideal ighting conditions)

R-0871 on hand: enough for one maybe two tests.
The earlier I run the next FC test the more R-0871 I'll use, the less bleach I'll use, & the more I can stay on top of this (I don't know if "staying on top of it" is accurate, perhaps it doesn't work that way & makes no difference).
Want me to test NOW (& hope I have enough for a night test) or wait for tonight? I say now & hope for a night test because I think I have enough for two, but I'll go w your advice since you now have additional data.
And I'll ONLY test for FC, right?


Thanks

 

[Guest]

The low pH concerns me. Do you have any way to aerate your water? Aeration wil raise your pH without having any impact on your TA which is what you want right now! Aerate the water and monitor the pH every few hours until it's above 7.2 I had suspected for a while that you might have a low pH but the high chlorine levels were masking it. High chlorine interferes with the pH test and give a false high reading.
This thread will give you some ideas on how to aerate:
how-to-lower-ta-t5341.html

Since I wrote the above thread I will quote part of it below for you.

How do we aerate the water? Any way we can!
1. Turn your eyeballs on the returns up so the water stream breaks the surface (slow but it's all some people can do)
2. Throw all the neighborhood kids in the pool and tell them to splash to their hearts content
3. Attach a floating fountain to one of your returns (these work great and are not that expensive)
4. Make a right angle out of PVC that you can attach, screw in, or jam into one of your returns so the water shoots in the air and falls back into the pool
5. Use a small submersible pump on your steps so it shoots the water into the air and back into the pool
6. If you have any waterfalls, deck jets, fountains, bubbblers, etc. turn them on.
7. If you have an attached spillover spa turn on the spillover, turn the air on full for the jet venturis, and turn on the blower if you have one. This is a very efficient way to aerate.
8. Use an air compressor to bubble air up through the pool like an airstone in an aquarium (the smaller and more vigorous the bubbles, the more effective this is! If you can rig up something to create a lot of tiny bubbles then that would be the way to do it!)
9. Any and all of the above in any combination

 

[Johnny B]

I'll get the pump on the step now.
Will do my best to get something else going but I have a few obligations

 

[Johnny B]

I have two submersible pumps on the steps shooting the water into the air and back into the pool; the two hoses are on a ladder at a ht of 5.5 feet so quite a drop & splash fountain, 1 hose aeration is better than any kid could do minute for minute.

I doubt I can do more but I'll try.

I'll monitor the pH every few hours until it's above 7.2

 

[Johnny B]

I read that aeration link & found:
"it is also something that I don't recommend for anyone who is not really comfortable with testing procedures and who does not have an acid demand test. (THIS is one of those instances where that test can be useful.)"

I do have an acid demand test Taylor R-0015, unopend, from the Leslies kit bought last yr. And I have muriatic acid.
I will let you decide if you want me to perform it.
Looks simple:
1- Use treated sample from pH test
2- Add a drop at atime till desired pH, see dose chart( pool calc I assume)

But this doesn't apply for my situation today, right? I want to raise my pH.