Typical Beginner - First TF100 Results

Jump to latest Follow Reply
stupidsmee

stupidsmee

Active member
Aug 7, 2021
33
South Carolina
Pool Size
30000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Hello Friends,

I've heard great things about this forum, so I'm confident that you'll help me out.

Earlier this week I fired my third pool company. The last one was charging around $150 a month plus chemicals for one visit per week. They generally failed to keep the pool clear while draining all the chemicals they told me to buy. They last serviced about a week ago. I'm willing to bet this story sounds familiar to some of you.

So, after reading through the site and forums, I ordered the recommended kit -TF100. And just started testing my pool.

Chlorine: 0 - No color change.
PH: 7.8
TA: 210 - Turned Pink after 21 drops.
CYA: 0 - The solution was clear as water.

I have a bowl-shaped chlorine in-ground pool. It is about 35000 gallons. It is currently clear, with no signs of algae.
I'm in the SE USA (South Carolina). It has been lightly raining the past few days.

I assume you are going to say SLAM, but I want to make sure I'm testing right etc.

Thanks in advance!

Smee
 
Last edited:
Welcome to the forum. Before you do anything else, I'd raise that CYA to 30 and get liquid bleach (chlorine) in there to about 5ppm. Gonna be about 3 gallons of 12% if you can find it and twice that if you can only find 6%. Are you sure about your gallons? That's an awful lot for an above ground pool. Got any dimensions?
 
woodyp said:
Welcome to the forum. Before you do anything else, I'd raise that CYA to 30 and get liquid bleach (chlorine) in there to about 5ppm. Gonna be about 3 gallons of 12% if you can find it and twice that if you can only find 6%. Are you sure about your gallons? That's an awful lot for an above ground pool. Got any dimensions?
Click to expand...
Sorry, about that. Auto correct or something got me. It's an bowl-shaped in-ground.
 
s,

Welcome to TFP! You've come to the right place at the right time. We use proven science and reliable test results you perform yourself to have a perfect pool all the time at dirt cheap prices with big box store chemicals instead of expensive pool potions from pool stores. We sell nothing so we are never conflicted. All you need is a recommended test kit you can get at many different outlets. Then post your results and experts will talk you through the next steps. Pretty soon you'll be able to do it yourself with the simple TFP method. Please do add your signature. Here's how. It helps our volunteers help you quicker and be more efficient with their time.

Again welcome! And I hope this is helpful.

Chris
 
mknauss said:
Welcome to the forum! Great choice on getting a quality test kit.
First add chlorine. 3ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine.
Get 30 ppm CYA worth of stabilizer dissolving using the sock method. See Recommended Pool Chemicals - Trouble Free Pool
Once you have done that, do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test soon. Get your FC up to 5ppm or so and do the test.
Great start. Please fill out your signature when you can.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
Click to expand...
Sounds good. Using the Pool Math app looks like from 0 to 30 I need around 8 lbs 12 oz of CYA .
I'm a little confused about the liquid chlorine and would like to confirm. The calculator says I need 224 oz of 10%. I plan to use "
Pool Essentials 1-Gallon Liquid Pool Chlorine" from lowes.

Does this all sound right?
 
Sounds right. To make it easy, add 9 lbs or so of CYA and 2 gallons of 10%.

Get more CYA than that, you will want to add some more once things are settled down. For those CYA volumes, you are best to get off Amazon. Puri-Tech brand for CYA.

If you have to wait to get some CYA, just add the 2 gallons of 10% in the evening every day with pump running.
 
s,

You're already in the helpful hands of Marty, one of our most active experts! Only thing I'd add is that with a huge pool like that you may want to consider a salt conversion. The bigger the pool the more jug-lugging you have to do and salt conversion eliminates the need for that. Many of us have converted and I don't know of any that would ever go back.

I hope this helps.

Chris
 
  • Like
Reactions: stricttime
SWG and Variable Speed Pump. These two will save you lots of time and money! Be in your pool instead of working on your pool!!! (he said after weekly testing, cleaning the filters, checking/cleaning the SWG cell, brushing the walls, cleaning the pool robot).
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
setsailsoon said:
s,

You're already in the helpful hands of Marty, one of our most active experts! Only thing I'd add is that with a huge pool like that you may want to consider a salt conversion. The bigger the pool the more jug-lugging you have to do and salt conversion eliminates the need for that. Many of us have converted and I don't know of any that would ever go back.

I hope this helps.

Chris
Click to expand...
Thanks! I’ve been considering converting but honestly don’t know when to do it. My pump is fairly new so I was thinking of waiting until it dies. I plan to get a auto cleaner by next season.
 
stupidsmee said:
Thanks! I’ve been considering converting but honestly don’t know when to do it. My pump is fairly new so I was thinking of waiting until it dies. I plan to get a auto cleaner by next season.
Click to expand...
How long is your season and how many hours per day do you run the pump? My season is 12 months (never close) and I used to run my 1hp pump 16 hours a day. Pump consumed 1776 Watts! I'm sure I could have reduced my pool hours. But with a SWG, it is best to run 24 hours a day at "low" speed, and a low setting on the SWG. Anyway, I'm down to about $8/mth in pool pump cost. The pool robot is the final thing to consider. I know they cost money...but think of all the money you are saving by not going to the pool store each week!
 
mknauss said:
Sounds right. To make it easy, add 9 lbs or so of CYA and 2 gallons of 10%.

Get more CYA than that, you will want to add some more once things are settled down. For those CYA volumes, you are best to get off Amazon. Puri-Tech brand for CYA.

If you have to wait to get some CYA, just add the 2 gallons of 10% in the evening every day with pump running.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the help. I added the chemicals yesterday and left the pump running.
chlorine is at 2.
CYA is a lot better but it’s taking the whole bottle for the black dot to disappear.

Looks like I need 45oz of liquid chlorine and 4 more pounds of CYA?

Or should I wait a bit longer before adding more?
 
Great. And it is all dissolved? If so, wait until late this afternoon to test the CYA. It being a solid it takes time to completely disperse.

Right now, add chlorine. The CYA you added put 30 ppm CYA into the water. Follow FC/CYA Levels for 30 ppm CYA.
 
mknauss said:
Great. And it is all dissolved? If so, wait until late this afternoon to test the CYA. It being a solid it takes time to completely disperse.

Right now, add chlorine. The CYA you added put 30 ppm CYA into the water. Follow FC/CYA Levels for 30 ppm CYA.
Click to expand...
Ok. Great. Seems like I may be close by this evening. After getting my Chlorine and CYA in limits. Looks like PH and TA are next on the list.
I was 7.8 and 210 yesterday.

I’ll test again, but what would you address next? I’m a little confused on how I’d get both PH and TA to the right levels since they kind of “work together”.
 
Do not focus on TA. Just keep pH in the 7's. So when pH hits 8, lower it to 7.6. Test TA when you need to lower pH as you need the value for Poolmath.

Focus on FC. Keep it at or above target range for your CYA.
 
mknauss said:
Do not focus on TA. Just keep pH in the 7's. So when pH hits 8, lower it to 7.6. Test TA when you need to lower pH as you need the value for Poolmath.

Focus on FC. Keep it at or above target range for your CYA.
Click to expand...
well that sounds easy enough. Ill follow the basic schedule for a week and see how it goes. I want to keep an close eye because. We’re having some people over next weekend and I’d like to make sure it’s still going good.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply