Way worse than I expected....

[jakeg]

I was so excited - my TF-100 came in! I couldn't wait to use my new speedstir!

"My pool is perfectly clear, how bad could it be?" I thought to myself....

FC: 5.0
CC: 0.5
PH: 7.5
TA: 180
CYA: 200+
CH: 725

I even diluted the pool water 1:1 with tap water for the CYA test, and the black dot still disappeared like half way to the 100.

What should I do? Sell my house? Try again with a different pool?

In all seriousness, I know the best thing would be to drain and fill, but I'm in AZ, and it's a million degrees out. Water is also more expensive in Phoenix during the summer months.

 

[Newdude]

I even diluted the pool water 1:1 with tap water for the CYA test, and the black dot still disappeared like half way to the 100.

What should I do? Sell my house? Try again with a different pool?

Keep diluting it. Go with 2 parts tap and one test/pool mix. Multiply by 3. Or add a 3 rd part of tap and X4. At some point the googley eye gets silenced below 100 and you’ll have a true # after multiplying.

Once we know for sure we’ll also know exactly how much you need to drain.

 

[clambert1273]

I dont see any way around draining, luckily my water here in gilbert is cheap my fill bill was $88

 

[JoyfulNoise]

You can contact an RO (reverse osmosis) service to filter your pool water. You’re still going to lose about 20% or so to waste so you will incur some fill costs and the RO service will cost you probably 2X what a straight fill up would. But, it’s too hot out to drain the pool and an RO service will get you back to normal in a day or two. The other option is a differential drain -

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mknauss]

No big reason to keep testing. With your CH level, it is time to drain. Now, if you want to try and get through the summer, try it. You will never be able to follow the FC/CYA Levels. But you say your pool is clear. So keep your FC as high as you can realizing that at FC at 10 ppm or above the pH test is not valid.
If you see cloudy water, or algae, time to drain. See Draining - Further Reading

 

[clambert1273]

The ro svc I contacted when we first moved in was reasonable cost wise I think he told me around $500

 

[jakeg]

Keep diluting it. Go with 2 parts tap and one test/pool mix. Multiply by 3. Or add a 3 rd part of tap and X4. At some point the googley eye gets silenced below 100 and you’ll have a true # after multiplying.

Once we know for sure we’ll also know exactly how much you need to drain.

I just did 3 parts tap and got about 70, so that would put me at a CYA of about 280

 

[jakeg]

The ro svc I contacted when we first moved in was reasonable cost wise I think he told me around $500

What company was that?

I'm thinking either RO or I can keep an eye on the weather and try to drain on a cooler day. I wish I would have figured this out a few days ago because it was nice and cool yesterday.

I'm hesitant to do a differential drain because I would hate to waste even more water. We just got rain for the first time yesterday in months.

 

[clambert1273]

What company was that?

I'm thinking either RO or I can keep an eye on the weather and try to drain on a cooler day. I wish I would have figured this out a few days ago because it was nice and cool yesterday.

I'm hesitant to do a differential drain because I would hate to waste even more water. We just got rain for the first time yesterday in months.

I messaged you