Daisy,
Test ph & fc every day -
If u find the ph (& its rise) to be predictable you can ease up & go several days.
U just want to make sure ph is in the 7’s
Fc is a daily thing- the average algae free pool consumes 2-4ppm of fc daily so it must be replenished.
You may begin to find that predictable as well & be able to just dose it with a certain amount of fc daily & check it every couple days as you get further along in your journey.
Whatever u do BE CERTAIN that you won’t allow fc to fall below minimum for your cya before your next dose. Skirting minimum is not recommended.
FC/CYA Levels
Aim for at least the high target
or a scootch higher so u don’t risk minimum incase of a high uv day, heavy bather load or environmental factors lest nasties will grow. Many find they can dose with a higher amount every couple days once they “learn” their pool.
You can use whatever percentage liquid chlorine/bleach u want - using a higher percentage just allows u to accomplish the same fc level with less product (this means less jugs to procure& lug) ,
also dedicated “pool” bleach is unadulterated/no additives which is hard to come by these days with household lower concentrations of bleach. Additives like cloromax, splashless, fabric conditioners, scents etc can cause foaming & other issues so they are a no go.
Cya should be tested at least every couple weeks or whenever water has been exchanged (like if u vacuum to waste & replace the water or have alot of rain & need to drain water)
You want cya to be in the 30-50 range. Always chlorinate accordingly.
The beauty of the tfp method is that if u start with a cya of 50 & chlorinate accordingly, even if cya lowers you will have been dosing with enough chlorine. The cya level won’t increase allowing u to fall below min inadvertently because u are putting controlled amounts of cya in when necessary & know your level.
Ta can be tested weekly or even every 2 weeks - you just need to know your level for poolmath to calculate acid additions whenever u need to lower ph.
Any ta 50 or over is fine. As u add acid to lower ph when needed the ta will get lower overtime.
Ch shouldn’t change a ton so monthly is fine.
Low ch isn’t a concern for your vinyl pool.
High ch can be a concern if it gets in the 500-600 range. You aren’t adding any except with fill water so it’s likely not a huge concern .
Run your filter/ pump for however long it takes to remove debris/particulates to your satisfaction & at least long enough to mix chemicals after adding (30min or so each time)
Use our tool to find ideal chemical levels for any swimming pool. Check TFP recommended levels on pH, free chlorine, cyanuric acid, and more.
www.troublefreepool.com
In short -
#1 priority is fc (based upon cya level)
# 2 ph in 7’s
Everything else .
), and scrub.
