New here

[Big Splash]

Hello all :)

Great forum! New pool owner. I'll save my questions for after doing some reading first. Just wanna say thanks for having a great knowledge base to explore.

Splash

[Watermom]

Hi back at you! Glad you found us. Let us know when you have something you need help with. We'll be here and be glad to try and help!

[Big Splash]

I've got the pool opened nice and clear blue. Bought a K-2006 test kit. Likely will have questions on testing procedures. I'm reviewing the videos from Taylor now. Just wanna keep it all balanced.

Thanks:)

[Watermom]

Sounds like you are doing your homework! ;) Good that you bought the kit. You'll be glad you did!

[Big Splash]

Yes, I've reviewed all vids have been testing each day for the last 5. But now, I've hit a problem.

Backdrop...

20,000 gal, 16x32 vinyl liner, sand filter.

I started adding adding CYA at the start of testing since I was getting no reading. Slowly added 3 pounds in the skimmer and was using trichlor tabs raise the amount at a controlled rate beyond that. As expected, the pH dropped as the CYA level accumulated. As of yesterday 5pm, the readings were;
Temp 76
FC 3.0
pH 6.5
TA 100
CYA still less than 30
CC 0.5

All looks pretty good (other than pH) and water nice and clear.

So, I added 15 pounds soda ash per my little pool pal Andriod app. I spread it all around the pool. I also added a 5 gal jug of liq chlorine. I didn't really want to add that much, but the lid was on so tight I could only get it off by prying it with a screwdriver. So I put it all in because it couldn't be reclosed.

Did another test this morning at 5am;
Temp 75
FC 5.6
pH 7.5
TA 170
CYA still below 30
CC 5.2

Came home at 5pm, pulled off the solar cover and saw a white caked layer at the bottom of the pool. I didn't notice that in the morning due to the cover being on. So, I guess I added the soda ash too quickly and stuck to the bottom. The filter ran for 1-2 hours after I put in the soda ash. I guess that wasn't long enough. I brushed it up off the bottom and now there's a cloudy mess in there. Should I be worried?

I took some more readings afterward;
Temp 77
FC 6.0
pH 7.2
TA 170
CC 2.6

Thanks in advance for any help.

Splash

[Watermom]

You'll just have to keep filtering to try and clear the water. We don't typically advise using soda ash. Instead, we use 20 Mule Team Borax (laundry aisle at Walmart) to raise pH.

I think you have some testing errors with your chlorine as I really doubt that you have a CC reading of 5.2 or 2.6. Can you please tell me what steps you are doing to test your FC and CC?

[Big Splash]

Thanks for the reply.

Using soda ash for two reasons. 1st, I figured the TA would drop down as the CYA would dissolve (read borax doesn't effect TA). 2nd, the pool store and Walmart are totally opposite directions from my house. I also wanted pick up more liq chlorine and 2oz bottles of testing chems.

CC quotes above likely off by a decimal point (I think).

Ran the filter all night. Looks better but still clearing. It's pouring rain right now. So, I'll take more readings later.

Thanks again,
Splash

[Watermom]

I don't think the CC numbers are due to being off by a decimal point. Even a CC reading of .52 or .26 don't make sense or if you go the other way to 52 or 26 :eek::eek: either.

To clarify how to run the CC test,
You use the same sample as you have been using to test for FC. You add 5 drops of R-0003. If the sample turns pink, you have some CC. You then add drops of R-0871, one drop at a time, just as before, swirling to mix after each drop, until the sample turns clear. Then, multiply the number of drops by 0.5 (if you used a 10mL water sample) or by 0.2 (if you used a 25 mL water sample.) That would give you your CC reading.

(IF the sample does NOT turn pink, then your CC reading is 0 which is ideal!)

(By the way, best to use the 10ml water sample as that will conserve your reagents.)

[Big Splash]

Thanks for tips. I'll double check my procedures. I'm not all that worried about CC as the FC drop per day is only about 0.5.

Keeping the pH in range has been a bit more of a challenge as I'm trying to raise the CYA. I've noticed the test results tend to go further than my expectations when adding chems. This makes me think I'm over estimating the water volume in the pool. The shape of the pool angles inward below 3 ft. The deepest part is only about 10 to 12 ft. sq. So, I think I'll adjust my calculations.

[PoolDoc]

Sounds like you precipitated a bunch of calcium carbonate.

Is there a reason you haven't been reporting calcium hardness levels? In this case, that's a pretty important reading.

Regardless -- if your water is clear yet, boost the chlorine and then turn the pump off overnight. If the calcium settles, try carefully vacuuming it up -- but make sure it doesn't shoot back into the pool. If you have a sand filter, you can add DE powder to the skimmer, before vacuuming. (If the DE shoots out -- your filter needs work!)

Anyhow, if the filter won't catch, vacuum to waste. If the pool gets low (watch the skimmer!), stop vacuuming, turn the pump back on, refill the pool (over fill if needed) and then try again later.

. . . membership updated.

[Big Splash]

Pool is clear now. Just a couple days of brushing the bottom and sides, 24/7 pump, and running the robot did the trick. pH measured 7.6 this morning and seems to have stabilized. I last tested the CH about 5 days ago reading 170. Since that was in line, I wasn't worried considering I have a vinyl liner. I'll test it again next time.

Thanks for the membership bump. This forum has helped greatly.

Splash

[PoolDoc]

Great!

You don't need to test CH again. Unless you're using cal hypo to chlorinate, it won't rise.

[Big Splash]

Well that's cool :) But, I just tested it anyway. .

FC 3.5
CC 0.5
pH 7.2
TA 180
CH 160
CYA 30(ish)

Lesson learned with all this is to add doses of chems in small increments, let that take effect and then retest before adding more.

[PoolDoc]

Great. That's my preferred method.

I've had significant arguments with others who have come to support the 'BBB method' over precisely the topic of how chemicals should be added.

Your TA is a little high, but not something to obsess over, especially with that low CH. However if you keep your pH at the low end of things, you'll find that you have to add acid periodically and that your TA will slowly drop. Once you reach your target TA (120 - 140) you can just let your pH 'float', adding acid (or borax) only if the pH wanders outside the 7.0 - 8.0 range.

[Big Splash]

The TA went up quickly from 100 to as high as 190 when I added the soda ash. I'm still adding in CYA via trichlor tabs. So, I should expect the TA to drop correct? I've been adding Borax slowly to keep the pH in range (not dropping) . That won't effect the TA correct?

Thanks,
Splash

[Watermom]

Soda ash raises pH and TA. Borax raise pH without affecting TA much which is why we prefer it to soda ash.

[Big Splash]

Cool. I guess all the reading up I'm doing is finally sinking in (no pun intended).

btw, what does the "PF=6" that was added to my signature mean?

[Watermom]

PF stands for "Pool Factor" which is a calculation that Pooldoc uses to estimate effects on water with given amounts of chemicals. Here is something I copied and pasted from another post Ben wrote that may help you better understand how it works:

PF = pool factor.

If you add 1 lb of chlorine gas to a pool with a PF of 1 (120,000 gallons = 1,000,000 lbs) you get 1 ppm of chlorine.

If you add 1 lb of chlorine gas (100% chlorine) to a pool with a PF of 10, you get 10 ppm of chlorine.

If you add 1 lb of dichlor (55% chlorine) to a pool with a PF of 10, you get a 5.5 ppm of chlorine (1 x 10 x 0.55)

[Big Splash]

Thanks for the explanation. Gee, and I thought I just had cool factor :)

[Watermom]

Thanks for the explanation. Gee, and I thought I just had cool factor :)
You do, Big Splash, you do! ;)