What would you do to fix these issues?

[o_O]

We’ve had a pool guy in charge of our saltwater pool coming once a week for the past 3 years. Nothing was ever “perfect” but we didn’t have the time to do the maintenance ourselves. We’d have questions about cloudy water, or calcium build up along the tile and his answers were always delivered with confidence - to which we took him at his word. Unfortunately the problems never went away and through googling we realized that he was completely wrong in almost every answer he’s given us.

So I ordered a TF-PRO from TFKits and tested the water today myself as soon as the box arrived.

Here are the results of our 13,400 gallon salt water pool with the [target range] from pool math.

FC: 0.5 [1.0-4.0]
TA: 170 [60-80]
CH: 225 [350-550]
CYA: 0-10? [70-80] (The water got slightly cloudy when I reached the top of the black dot testing tube but I could still clearly see the dot on the bottom).
pH: 8.33 [7.6-7.8]

Overall these results are pretty disappointing. Every single one was outside of the acceptable range - and this is what we’ve been paying our pool guy weekly for.

So question is - how should I fix this? Pool Math has a number of suggestions (one per issue) but I’m wondering if there’s a better large scale solution that’s needed given that our pool is so out of balance.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

First download PoolMath

Second add 5 ppm of liquid chlorine into the pool and then check FC daily and add liquid chlorine as necessary

Third lower your pH into the 7s using muriatic acid.

Fourth raise your CYA to 30-40 ppm by adding solid stabilizer using the sock method.

Once you get your FC, pH and CYA in range we can discuss TA and CH.

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[o_O]

Thank you - I’ve already got the app, going to add chlorinating liquid tonight and the muriatic acid tomorrow.

 

[HermanTX]

Thank you - I’ve already got the app, going to add chlorinating liquid tonight and the muriatic acid tomorrow.

You can add MA 30 minutes after you add the LC - just ensure pump is on and continues to mix for at least 30 minutes after you add the last chemical.

 

[o_O]

Would it be safe to add the muriatic acid by slowly pouring it over tile? We have a spa that overflows as a feature into the pool - the tile there (and along the inside the entire pool) has calcification build up (I assume from the high pH).

I saw some videos of muriatic acid being used (with rubber gloves and a sponge) to safely remove the white build up on tile.

 

[Mdragger88]

How does the water look? If u have any concerns that maybe something has grown while fc was low or that something is off/cloudy water u can do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to rule out organics.

 

[o_O]

The water is clear right now - it was cloudy last week but I complained to the pool guy and he did something on Tuesday that made it clear from Wednesday - Today (Saturday).

What he did I’m not sure, but the test results I posted above were from this afternoon.

 

[HermanTX]

Would it be safe to add the muriatic acid by slowly pouring it over tile? We have a spa that overflows as a feature into the pool - the tile there (and along the inside the entire pool) has calcification build up (I assume from the high pH).

I saw some videos of muriatic acid being used (with rubber gloves and a sponge) to safely remove the white build up on tile.

I would pour MA where the returns push out the water. This will mix it best. It is far better to get your pH to 7.6 and your chlorine levels up.

 

[o_O]

I would pour MA where the returns push out the water. This will mix it best. It is far better to get your pH to 7.6 and your chlorine levels up.

Ok thanks I’ll do that 30 minutes after I add the chlorine. Just double checking the quantity per the Pool Math app.

 

[o_O]

Ok both chlorine and Muriatic Acid have been added to the pool according to the Pool Math quantities, I’ll test the water tomorrow afternoon and update with results - appreciate all the help.

 

[o_O]

So I added a 60 fluid oz of 10% kemtek chlorinating liquid and 96 fluid oz of muriatic acid to our 13,400 gallon pool with the filter running all night, retractable cover closed, and with the iChlor 30 SWG turned off (0% pool, 0% spa, disabled in the easy touch intellichlor settings.

FC now measures 1.0 ppm using a DPD test, CC measures 0.5 ppm, pH is 7.6 using both a digital and TF-Pro kit.

Because FC is still at the low end of the range I added the rest of the gallon jug of kemtek 10% chlorinating liquid, which according to Pool Math should bring our FC up to 4.0ppm.

I’m going to leave the filter running and the cover closed (to prevent FC from evaporating with the sun since our CYA is so low) and test the FC/pH levels again this afternoon.

So far so good! Thank you!

With regards to adding CYA using the sock in skimmer method - is there a particular brand of solid CYA that’s recommended?

 

[HermanTX]

With regards to adding CYA using the sock in skimmer method - is there a particular brand of solid CYA that’s recommended?

No - you can purchase at Walmart, Home Depot or even a pool store.
Hang in front of a return (when you have cover open). Squeeze it ever so often to release all the material.
It may take up to 72 hrs to register the increase in your CYA test. So maintain the pump running.
See Picture

 

[o_O]

Tested the water again and now I’m at:

FC: 3.5ppm
CC: 0.5ppm
pH: 7.73

Should I test for TA now?

 

[ajw22]

Have you added stabilizer?

What is your CYA?

 

[o_O]

Have you added stabilizer?

What is your CYA?

Haven’t added any stabilizer - when I tested with the TF-Pro kit my CYA was so low that even when I filled the entire container I could still see the black dot. So my level is <30

I’ll run over to Home Depot to buy some stabilizer if that’s the next step?

 

[ajw22]

Yup, 3 pounds of dry stabilizer will give you 30 ppm of CYA.

Buy at least 8 lbs of stabilizer.

 

[ajw22]

What salt test kit do you have?

You know what your salt level is?

What SWG do you have?

Is the SWG on?

 

[o_O]

What salt test kit do you have?

You know what your salt level is?

What SWG do you have?

Is the SWG on?

I have a TF-Pro from tftestkits, Pentair iChlor 30.

The SWG is currently off - 0% pool production, 0% spa production, salt level (per the easy touch chlorinator info is 3850ppm).

I haven’t tested the salt level using the drop kit since the iChlor provides a digital reading.

 

[ajw22]

You need to test the salt level using the drop test. There are many reasons the iChlor digital reading can be incorrect and mislead you.

Do the salt test and report the reading.

 

[o_O]

You need to test the salt level using the drop test. There are many reasons the iChlor digital reading can be incorrect and mislead you.

Do the salt test and report the reading.

Just performed salt test using the TF-Pro kit. The solution turned a light salmon color at 19 drops, brick red at 20 drops, which x 200ppm is right at 3800-4000 ppm, in line with the iChlor reading at 3850.