Where to start?

[Paul Evert]

Readings From Pool Math App
FC: 6.0, target 2.0-7.0 / Reccomended 2.0-7.0
TA: 160, target 80-90, / Recommended 50-90 / Ideal 60-80
CYA: 40, target 60-90 / Recommended 60-90 / Ideal 70-80
Temp: 60 degrees
pH: 8.2, target 7.2-8.0 / Recommended 7.2 - 8.0 / Ideal 7.6 - 7.8
CH: 225, target 260-650 / Recommended 250-650 / Ideal 350-550
Salt: 400, target 400
CSI: 0.63, target -0.60 to 0.60,

The app indicates that pH, TA, CYA, CH, CSI are outside of the recommeded range. Is there a specific order that I should use to begin correcting the levels to reccommended levels?

 

[ajw22]

Your water chemistry is pretty good.

Immediate action is lower your pH to 7.6-7.8 using muriatic acid.

Your FC is fine for your CYA.

CYA 40 is ok for this time of year. By April increase your CYA to 70 using dry stabilizer and the sock method.

Your CH is at the low end and I would leave it alone.

Your TA is high and will come down as you keep your pH in the 7’s. What is the pH, TA, and CH of your fill water?

 

[Mdragger88]

Is the salt a typo?
In poolmath settings you can set your salt target to 3500 ppm.
The Jandy aquapure doesn’t want salt to be higher than 4000 ppm or damage to the unit can occur.

Jandy AquaPure SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Paul Evert]

Is the salt a typo?
In poolmath settings you can set your salt target to 3500 ppm.
The Jandy aquapure doesn’t want salt to be higher than 4000 ppm or damage to the unit can occur.

Jandy AquaPure SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I read the target incorrectly. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[Paul Evert]

Your water chemistry is pretty good.

Immediate action is lower your pH to 7.6-7.8 using muriatic acid.

Your FC is fine for your CYA.

CYA 40 is ok for this time of year. By April increase your CYA to 70 using dry stabilizer and the sock method.

Your CH is at the low end and I would leave it alone.

Your TA is high and will come down as you keep your pH in the 7’s. What is the pH, TA, and CH of your fill water?

Fill water:
PH: 7.2
CH: 25
TA: 20

 

[ajw22]

How did your pool get a TA of 160 when your fill water has a TA of 20?

How did your pool get a CH of 225 when your fill water is 25?

This the water you filled your pool with?

You have a water softener?

 

[Paul Evert]

How did your pool get a TA of 160 when your fill water has a TA of 20?

How did your pool get a CH of 225 when your fill water is 25?

This the water you filled your pool with?

You have a water softener?

I don’t know the answers to the TA and CH questions. The tap water is what the pool is filled with and I don’t have a water softener. How I do have a whole house water filtration system.

 

[Newdude]

I don’t know the answers to the TA and CH questions

I do.

. I have had a pool service since the pool was new last November.

You've inherited whatever chemical stew they concocted when you took over maintenance from them.

With low CH fill and lots of rain, you'll likely be forever adding Calcium. Bump it to 350 and if it keeps losing CH, you may want to run a little higher to buy more time between adds.

Manage the PH as a low 7 and the TA will come down a little with each cycle.

 

[Paul Evert]

I do.


You've inherited whatever chemical stew they concocted when you took over maintenance from them.

With low CH fill and lots of rain, you'll likely be forever adding Calcium. Bump it to 350 and if it keeps losing CH, you may want to run a little higher to buy more time between adds.

Manage the PH as a low 7 and the TA will come down a little with each cycle.

Ok, I’ll work down the PH and bump up the CH. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Paul Evert]

The pool is clear but today the CL level turned to orange. On Monday the water level was lowered about six inches, a hand rail installed on the sun deal and the water level was raised back to normal on Thursday. The PB used a small amount (maybe two cups in total) to spot remove some small stains created when drilling the hand rail anchors. Should I do something or wait a few days. The test results are attached.

 

[Newdude]

It goes orange around 10 and then gets darker like the yellow does. I strive to keep mine orange but my CYA is higher.

Speaking of, 41 to 49 = 50, and so on. As such, save a boatload of struggle and only fill to the 10s. It's way easier knowing it clearly isn't a 30, nor a 50, so it's a 40.

 

[Paul Evert]

So the orange CL reading is ok even though the comparison is yellow? I don’t need to make any adjustments?

 

[Mdragger88]

So the orange CL reading is ok even though the comparison is yellow? I don’t need to make any adjustments?

Use your fas/dpd test for accuracy up to 50ppm fc & cc - (powder& drops- pink to clear)
The oto test (yellow drops) only measures TC & only goes to 5ppm which is honestly not high enough for most pool’s target fc anyway.
Or are you saying the fas/dpd is orange?

 

[Mdragger88]

Target of closer to 8ppm is where you want to be aiming anyway

FC between minimum & All the way up to slam level (20ppm for you) is fine & safe for surfaces, swimmers, & equipment.
FC/CYA Levels
Keep in mind that the ph test is invalid at fc levels above 10ppm so don’t adjust/test that until fc falls below 10ppm.
This is why it’s important to use the fas/dpd test so you truly know where you stand.

 

[Paul Evert]

Use your fas/dpd test for accuracy up to 50ppm fc & cc - (powder& drops- pink to clear)
The oto test (yellow drops) only measures TC & only goes to 5ppm which is honestly not high enough for most pool’s target fc anyway.
Or are you saying the fas/dpd is orange?

I do use the fas/dpd. The orange I see is when using R-0600 in the comparator block on the left (yellow side ) has always been yellow until this week.

 

[Mdragger88]

I do use the fas/dpd. The orange I see is when using R-0600 in the comparator block on the left (yellow side ) has always been yellow until this week.

It just means your total chlorine is higher than 5ppm (the max reading of the test). That’s really all you can gather from that test.
Being above 5ppm is fine for most cya levels. To truly know the fc & cc level independently (FC+cc= TC) use the fas/dpd to ensure your fc is between minimum & slam level for your cya. Ideally within target range
FC/CYA Levels .
The oto test is more of a “do I have any chlorine or not?” kinda test as its not super accurate after around 3ppm & relies upon your interpretation of shades of yellow vs the definite end point of the fas/dpd.

Water Testing Instructions - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Paul Evert]

Thanks, today the orange turned back to yellow. Yesterday I added 2lbs of dry stabilizer in an attempt to raise the CYA. It probably didn’t have an affect on the FC. In any advent I think the pool chemistry is in good shape. I’ll just have to wait until the FC drops to 10 before lowering the pH level.