What are the correct ranges?

[RSay]

I'm growing frustrated.

New pool just completed 12/2023. The first month the pool company maintained and then turned over to me. The pool company told me the recommended ranges for chemicals. But I am finding a ton of different answers. I have attached a picture of the different ranges that I have received. Someone please provide me some guidance before I destroy this pool with improper chem balances.

Also, what % should the SWG be set to? Builder said 100% starting in July. Leslies and a friend (same system as me but slightly bigger pool) said I should not have to go above 40%. Cayman Pools said 70% and up. I currently have it set to 60%. The pump runs 1850-2250 rpms for 12 hours. I do a low 1500rpm for 5 hours overnight. I struggle to get chlorine above 2.

BTW....I am buying the separate regent test kits for calcium, CyA, and the pool salt.

 

[Texas Splash]

There's a reason TFP recommended levels differ from generic industry levels. We take into account MANY more parameters that the generic industry simply can't do. Pool type, location, method of chlorination, and much more. If you try to match them all up you'll go nuts. If you wish to take 100% ownership of your pool, test the water yourself, and embrace the TFP methodology, and you'll be much happier and save $$$ along the way.

As for the SWG, first make sure the water is seemed algae-free by completing an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. If it is, then we recommend a CYA around 70. That elevated CYA helps to protect the chlorine produced by the generator. What setting to start with? Depends on your pump run time. For example, leave the pump on 24/7 for a couple days with the cell set to 60%. If the FC actually goes up, then you can lower the SWG output or reduce run time. Every pool is different, so you have to experiment a but and dial your in.

Hope that helps.

 

[woodyp]

We kinda like our own time tested and proven levels!

 

[Hudsongirl]

I'm a new pool owner with a SWG pool- let me say: Follow the TFP method. Forget the pool guy. Ditch the pool store. This method is the absolute best and easiest pool maintenance in existence.

Like Texas recommended start with an overnight chlorine loss test.

You'll want a full taylor test kit- the chlorine blocks you get at the pool store are not going to be accurate enough for your purposes and don't measure chlorine up to the levels you'll need to maintain to do the TFP method (which again I promise you really will want to do) Save yourself time and money in the long run and get the full TF-pro salt (I swear I'm not in any way affiliated with this site or the test kit sales- I just really think it'll be better for you to have the full kit)

As far as the SWG percentage it will depend on pool size, SWG size, and the temperature unless your SWG auto adjusts based on temperature.

 

[Newdude]

*cracks knuckles* We have alot to teach you before any of it makes any sense. So here goes.


FC burns off daily from the sun and you need to replace it. You have a SWG to do it for you, and that SUPER, but you need to know what to expect to stay one step ahead.

The UV loss will be like a bell curve. It starts low per day and steadily increases until the mid season, then slowly falls the back half of the season.



A particularly bad heat wave or cool spell may throw a curveball in there for a week, but for the most part it follows the general plan.

So the first half of the season you are turning the SWG up every couple of weeks, and the back half you are turning it down a couple of times.

Your SWG makes 11 FC in 24 hours for you. Figure a little over 2 hours each FC. When you're losing 4 ppm per day in August, the cell will need to run about 9 hours.

That's where the runtime and % come into play.

9 hours at 100% = 9 hours on
18 hours at 50% = 9 hours on
24 hours at 38% = 9 hours on.

It doesn't matter how you math it, you need 9 hours to make 4 FC.

Right now you are probably losing about 3ppm a day so you'd need about 6.5 hours of cell production. I'd start there. Operate in the high target range to give yourself lots of room for error.

 

[woodyp]

I'm a new pool owner with a SWG pool- let me say: Follow the TFP method. Forget the pool guy. Ditch the pool store. This method is the absolute best and easiest pool maintenance in existence.

Like Texas recommended start with an overnight chlorine loss test.

You'll want a full taylor test kit- the chlorine blocks you get at the pool store are not going to be accurate enough for your purposes and don't measure chlorine up to the levels you'll need to maintain to do the TFP method (which again I promise you really will want to do) Save yourself time and money in the long run and get the full TF-pro salt (I swear I'm not in any way affiliated with this site or the test kit sales- I just really think it'll be better for you to have the full kit)

As far as the SWG percentage it will depend on pool size, SWG size, and the temperature unless your SWG auto adjusts based on temperature.

I swear I didn't pay for her endorsement!

 

[RSay]

Thank you everyone. I just bought the stuff for my little aerator. Going to work to bring everything in alliance with TFP.