Water Test 5-8-2025

[Maverick2022]

I just got my pool tested, and below are the results. Is there a reason my Free Chlorine is the same as the Total Chlorine, do I need to super chlorinate?
I have a pool heater. Do I need to increase my calcium within range to help balance my metals to preserve my heating element? Do you suggest I balance my hardness or phosphates first?

 

[TinFoilHat]

That is pool store testing which is inherently suspect. We recommend you buy your own recommended test kit such as a K2006 or a TF-100. Then you test your own water and decide with the guidance of this forum what you should put in your water. Per that test you APPEAR to have 8 ppm of chlorine in the pool. If FC and TC are the same and this test is somewhat accurate then you are okay there. How are you chlorinating your pool? The CH depends on the type of pool you have along with your equipment. TA is okay, PH is good, CYA is okay, phosphates is a non-issue and iron and copper are non-issues unless you have some staining in the pool. Can you create your signature (click your screen name at the top of the screen and go to Signature) with the deets of your pool and equipment? Follow the following links:
Pool Care Basics
PoolMath
Test Kits Compared
FC/CYA Levels

 

[Maverick2022]

Thank you! I did update my signature, so that should help to answer my equipment questions (3" tablet chlorinator, Sand Dollar SD40 sand filter. The pool store the phosphates should be below 100 ppb so algae doesn't have anything to help grow. My chlorine is high, so I don't see why I would have algae, water is clear too.

 

[TinFoilHat]

Only a proper FAS/DPD drop test will give you the correct readings you need including Combined Chlorine (CC which is chlorine working on organics (you don't want this)), will give you the results you want. A properly balanced pool with a healthy FC level based on your CYA level doesn't care about phosphates. Hopefully you're not using the tablet feeder as tablets either add CYA or CH which you want to control, not just blindly add. Use liquid chlorine only. You many not have algae but only proper testing with one of the recommended kits will tell you that.

 

[Parac]

The pool store the phosphates should be below 100 ppb so algae doesn't have anything to help grow. My chlorine is high, so I don't see why I would have algae, water is clear too.

That's the general though process here. If you keep your chlorine at the correct levels (which is higher than pool store recommendations) you won't have algae and don't need to worry about phosphates.

 

[Maverick2022]

Only a proper FAS/DPD drop test will give you the correct readings you need including Combined Chlorine (CC which is chlorine working on organics (you don't want this)), will give you the results you want. A properly balanced pool with a healthy FC level based on your CYA level doesn't care about phosphates. Hopefully you're not using the tablet feeder as tablets either add CYA or CH which you want to control, not just blindly add. Use liquid chlorine only. You many not have algae but only proper testing with one of the recommended kits will tell you that.

I am using the Hayward CL200 as my chlorinator with a check valve between my feeder and heater outlet to avoid highly concentrated chlorine from corroding my heating elements. I titrate the chlorinator level to 1, which maintains my CYA & Chlorine levels.

 

[TinFoilHat]

Well, the site is here to guide you on science based pool care but you can operate your pool however you want. We all do to some degree anyway.