- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,221
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
Everything is always out of whack
Maybe one word of clarification here:
Just because PoolMath "tells" you to add something, doesn't necessarily mean that It's out of wack. A parameter (e.g. CH) is only out of wack if it's out of the recommend range. If it's within the recommend range, then there is nothing to do.
But PoolMath might still "tell" you to do something, because there is a value pre-filled in the target field, and PoolMath will just calculate for you what you needed to do to get to that target value. But if your current value is within the recommended range, then there is no need to do that. PoolMath is just a tool that supports you with calculations, but you still need to tell PoolMath what you want it to calculate for you.
I think, when you use PoolMath for the first time, the targets will be pre-filled with the mid-value of the ideal range. Once you overwrite that target value, PoolMath will remember that.
For example, the CH target is initially pre-filled with 450. If you test then for example 250 with your test kit and enter this as current value into PoolMath, it will tell you how much calcium chloride to add to get to 450. Now comes the point where you have to apply what you learn here at tfp by reading through pool school, reading current and older threads, and posting questions. In your situation with hard fill water, you don't want to add more calcium, and you just ignore what PoolMath tells you in this case. Or you change the target to your current value (250 in this example) to calm PoolMath down.
After a while, your CH will get higher because of your hard fill water. So, after a couple of weeks/months you might test and enter 350 as current value into PoolMath. Because PoolMath will still remember that you changed the target value to 250 (in this example), it will now tell you to replace a certain percentage of your water to get down to the target. That doesn't make sense of course, because 350 is still well within the recommended range, and you just ignore it. Or change the target again to the new current value, so that PoolMath "knows" that everything is OK.
Some parameters, like CH or CYA, change slowly over time. You measure them from time to time, and decide if a change is necessary based on your knowledge acquired here on tfp (I highly recommend to read through all the Pool School articles, and keep asking if things from Pool School don't make sense to you straight away).
Other parameters, especially FC, change quickly, and they need frequent testing and adjusting. A pool consumes in summer typically about 2-4ppm worth of chlorine per day. Some of that is lost to UV light, some to kill bacteria or algea, or other organics like sweat or urine (urine is a real chlorine destroyer).
If regular additions of liquid chlorine (daily or every two days or twice a week, whatever is required to ensure that FC never drops below the minimum level for the current CYA-level) are not feasible, then there are options.
The most convenient option is to go salt, and install a Salt Water Chlorine Generator (SWCG or just SWG), that turns salt (chloride) into chlorine. Without my SWG, I would have filled in my pool long ago, best pool related invention ever.
That could be a way for you. With an SWG, you just needed the pool guy to come from time to time while you are away over summer to empty the skimmer, keep the pool cleanish, add some acid, and adjust the SWG a bit as the seasons change, and some general maintenance.
Or you let the pool guy do his thing with chlorine tabs and weekly "shocks", but then you'll probably have to drain again when you get back due to high CYA (from tabs) and/or high CH (from weekly cal-hypo "shocks" on top of your hard water).
And to fully understand your scenario: Are you actually using the pool when you are only during winter in AZ? Are you renting the house out over summer and the pool will be used by tenants?
Well, that ended up a bit more than one word, hope it helps.