Week One with SWG

[melsteph]

I am at the end of my new pool maintanence and ready to do this myself. New kit is ordered but I did use my old one (intex pool last year) to check results. Salt was low on the new SWG indicator so went to pool store and had them also test. I have added more salt.
Here's what they said:
FC - 2
TC - 2
CH - 120
CYA - 90
TA - 140
pH - 8.0
Pho - 1000

SO I came home and entered in results in pool math calculator. Adding muriatic acid for pH and TA, ignoring Phosphates, and need to pick up some Calcium Hardness. Correct? Also do I need a weekly algae treatment?

 

[mknauss]

You need to increase your FC level for your CYA. Use liquid chlorine to increase the FC to target level now. See FC/CYA Levels

You do need some CH. I would target 200 ppm.

Do not do a weekly algae treatment. Those algaecides typically contain copper and are unnecessary.

 

[mknauss]

Wait until you have your proper test kit to adjust the CH. Your current test is most likely not correct.

 

[melsteph]

Wait until you have your proper test kit to adjust the CH. Your current test is most likely not correct.

NEW TEST KIT ARRIVED!!!!
FC - 4.8
pH - 7.4
CH - 180
TA - 150
CYA - 100??
SALT - 2600
CSI - 0.01

Thanks again for your thoughts and time!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Have you been adding any CYA or used pucks or granular products? If your CYA comes back at 100, you need to do a dilution test using equal parts of tap water and pool water. Use that mixture as your pool water for another CYA test and double your results.

You may need or want to replace some water based on pool CYA results. But it won't be too much...

Maddie

 

[melsteph]

I haven't added anything until this week and that was just muriatic acid and salt. Pool people have done it all weekly when it was new pool, all chlorine. We have started up SWG now at about 6 weeks old and are doing it ourselves with the use of TFP. I did the dilution test, and got 160 CYA (after showing 80).

 

[Mr Bruce]

They had to have added "shock" or pucks or straight CYA. You are going to want to replace about half your water.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Dang!! What were they thinking?!?! To put so much CYA in a new pool is just plain clueless on their part. I'd be giving them a piece of my mind.

Hey... look, I can take the earring off and give'em a piece of my mind.... ..... or maybe not. LOL It just makes me mad.

Maddie

 

[melsteph]

After reading on here for quite a while, can I wait until the fall/winter to replace? Will it "hurt" anything for it to stay that high for a couple months if I run the FC higher?
Melissa
This mornings results:
FC - 6.8
pH - 7.2 bringing down for TA
TA - 100
CH - 200 adding more cc today
CYA - 180
UGH!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Sure you can..... it just means you need to keep that FC up a LOT higher than most and keep a close eye on the pool because *if* you have to treat algae, its going to take a heckova lot more liquid chlorine to slay the algae beast. A LOT!!

If you ever expect to get long, drenching rain you can lower the pool level an inch and let the rain refill you. Over time and many rains this can help out and dilute that CYA down a bit. Free!

But it really is ridiculously high... I think I'd do it now and make them pay the water bill for refill. Drain half and refill, then re-test.

Maddie

 

[mknauss]

As this is new plaster you need to manage your pH. With FC of over 10 ppm needed because of the CYA, your pH testing will be invalid.

 

[melsteph]

As this is new plaster you need to manage your pH. With FC of over 10 ppm needed because of the CYA, your pH testing will be invalid.

What do you mean when you say "manage" my pH? I test but if the higher FC keeps that invalid, what else do I do to monitor pH?

 

[Msch99]

I think his point was you can't manage ph with the high FC levels beacause you cant accurately test ph.

Possibly a dilution method of some kind, but you would need to know ph of dilution water to calculate.

Need to lower cya.

 

[jimbethesda]

What do you mean when you say "manage" my pH? I test but if the higher FC keeps that invalid, what else do I do to monitor pH?

You can get a PH meter. They have their pluses and minuses. The big minus is that you need to make sure they are and stay calibrated. I have one, and love it. I spent a little more on it (about $100), but it came with a case, calibration, and a storage liquid to keep it calibrated. I’ve checked it using the a standard solution several times, but it’s stayed calibrated (I’ve owned it for a few months)