Trying to maintain my own pool - what's next?

[serenity_now]

Hello everyone,

I wanted to share an update with you all. After a series of disappointments with my pool service company, I made the decision to part ways with them. The level of service I received did not align with the price I was paying, so I've taken the plunge and will be attempting to manage the pool maintenance myself.

In my latest efforts, I utilized my TF-Pro kit to test the pool water, yielding the following results:

- pH: 8.2
- Chlorine (CL): 0
- Chlorine Drop Test: 0
- Total Alkalinity (TA): 120
- Cyanuric Acid (CYA): 40

Upon inputting these readings into Pool Math, I encountered a bit of confusion regarding the next steps:

1. Free Chlorine: I'm uncertain whether the SLAM toggle should be turned on or off. Additionally, what would be the appropriate "Target Free Chlorine" value?
2. Total Alkalinity (TA): It seems my TA is on the higher side. Any advice on addressing this?
3. pH: Should I prioritize adjusting the pH now, or is it wiser to first address FC/TA and then tackle the pH?

Concerned about the absence of Free Chlorine, I decided to take action by adding 1 gallon of 10% Chlorinating Liquid I purchased from Walmart.

I hope that I haven't made any significant errors in this process. Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. With a bit of guidance, I'm confident I can successfully manage the pool upkeep on my own. Thank you all in advance for your assistance.

Few details:
14k gal pool
chlorine pool
cartridge filters
single speed pump

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Good move on getting FC level up. One gallon of 10% should have increased FC by 7 ppm. Most pools consume 2-4 ppm of FC daily during swim season, so make sure you test daily until your nail down the needs of your pool. As FC drops, you'll need to dose daily with liquid chlorine. Use the FAS/DPD test (R-0870/R-0871) for accurate FC test. In PoolMath, turn off SLAM toggle for now.

Your CYA level is fine for a liquid chlorine pool. Maintain FC levels based on your CYA level. FC/CYA Levels

Use muriatic acid to lower pH to 7.2. Each time you add acid, your TA level will drop. Use MA to drop pH to 7.2 each time it gets to 7.8-8.0.

Your missing CH level.

How does the pool water look? Any evidence of algae? Complete an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to detect the presence of algae to make sure. You can do this tomorrow night after you make your adjustments.

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You made the right decision is taking over your pool and selecting a great test kit.

 

[wireform]

What ^^^^^^he said. Get that OCLT done tonight because the FC was nonexistent and you want to know asap if you have anything growing to get a jump on it which is called slam.

 

[serenity_now]

Hello there,

I'm pleased to report that the pool water appears to be in excellent condition – no signs of algae are present.

Here's an update on my actions since yesterday:

• OCLT: I conducted the test and everything seems to be in order.
• FC: I retested the levels this morning after yesterday's additions, and the reading came out at 7ppm.
• pH: Following the guidelines from PoolMath, I added muriatic acid to adjust the pH.

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions on the next steps to take.

Thank you very much for your assistance.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Fantastic! Just monitor your pH and adjust with muriatic acid as necessary. Keep FC around target range and never allow it to fall below minimum. Do you have any other problems you feel need to be addressed?

 

[wireform]

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[serenity_now]

Thank you for responding.

I've got a couple of follow-up inquiries after taking care of the pool myself for the past few days:

1. I attempted to lower the pH by adding muriatic acid (31.45% from Home Depot), but it didn't seem to have any effect. Today, upon checking, the pH remained at 8.2. Consequently, I followed the instructions on PoolMath and added more acid. Could the issue be related to the quality of the acid I'm using? It had been stored in my garage for a few months, and I'm wondering if it might have degraded. Another possibility is that the pH in my pool might actually be higher than 8.2, but I'm unable to confirm since the test block only goes up to 8.2. I hope this explanation is clear.
2. I have a chlorine tab feeder that my pool guy used to fill with tabs. Would you recommend that I continue with the feeder, or should I only add liquid chlorine directly into the pool? All the chlorine I introduced on Sunday (which was 4 days ago) has already been utilized, so I had to pour in another gallon of 10% chlorine.

I also just updated my signature
Thank you!

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Muriatic acid stays stable over time. Most likely your pH is above 8.2.

Using trichlor tablets add CYA to the pool as a byproduct. It's okay to use tablets as long as you keep your CYA level at range. The long-term use of tablets is not sustainable as a daily means of sanitization. It's best to use liquid chlorine or to install an SWG. Save the tablets for vacation or during times when you are unable to add chlorine.

Keep in mind, most pools consume between 2-4 ppm of FC daily. You need to test and be prepared to dose daily until you understand the needs of your pool. Don't allow your pool to fall below minimum FC levels.