First test numbers of season

[jimk0512]

Getting a late start on the swim season, but better late than never!

Here are my test numbers from my Taylor K-2006 Complete (FAS-DPD chlorine) kit:

FC: 0
CC: 0
pH: 7.2
TA: 70
CH: 190
CYA: <30 (could be 0)

appearance: deep green, and forget about seeing the bottom
pool size: 21 foot round, above ground, about 10,000 gallons, I think

The pH was >8.4 when I started yesterday, but dry acid (Sodium Bisulfate) has fixed that.

I'm about to vacuum to waste, brush the sides, and add a 1.42 gallon jug of Chlorox (says it yields 5.7% chlorine).

Just curious, does anyone know if Trichlor tablets have a shelf life? I found some in the garage in a sealed container that must be three years old. I'll use them up in a floater to raise the CYA if you think it will be OK.

[CarlD]

Not since you lowered pH to 7.2! Tri-Chlor tablets are extremely acid and will lower your pH more. I'm afraid you are better off just buying some CYA.

Also, if your water is green, you want to raise your FC to 10-15 ppm and keep it there--and don't raise your CYA beyond 30 or you'll have to raise FC higher.

[Watermom]

If you are fighting a green pool, forget about adding cya for now until your pool clears. You'll most likely have to be backwashing frequently while attempting to clear the water and you'll end up wasting the cya that you add.

[jimk0512]

I'm OK with not worrying about the CYA until the water is clear to the bottom.

But after that, can I use the Trichlor tablets that I have already have on hand to raise the CYA? I can keep the pH at 7.2 to 7.4 with the box of borax which is sitting next to the tablet bucket.

I know, I could go to the Leslie's store and buy CYA. But I'm still unhappy with them because of the problems I had with my pool several years ago when they were testing my water and selling me chemicals. Haven't been back in their store since.

[CarlD]

You can't buy chlorine on line but you can buy CYA. Curiously, Leslie's on-line service is a heckuva lot better than their in-store service, which is very, very spotty. On-line is very reliable and I've never had a problem with it. On-Line is the only place to get their FAS-DPD Chlorine Service Test Kit (Equiv to the Taylor K2006 or Ben's PS-232, 233, 234, or the TFP kit) Some stores are better than others. The BEST pool store in my area is Sun Pools in Green Brook, NJ--near my office but not near my house. They really know their stuff and don't push nearly as much as other stores. I'd rather pay them a bit more for their carboys because it's ALWAYS fresh and frequently tests as high as 14%. The best pool store near me is Rix, in East Hanover, NJ, but they push BioGarbage at Boo-Coo bucks. Still, their filter sand and DE prices are very good, and their ability to have JUST the fitting I need on a Saturday or Sunday is terrific, so I'll give them business as well.

Again, you CAN use Tri-Chlor tabs but you must test your water weekly (not weakly :D ) and STOP if CYA goes too high are pH keeps going too low.

[aylad]

I know, I could go to the Leslie's store and buy CYA. But I'm still unhappy with them because of the problems I had with my pool several years ago when they were testing my water and selling me chemicals. Haven't been back in their store since.

You can also buy CYA at WalMart--it's in a 2-lb container marked spa balancer, but if you look at the ingredient label isocyanuric acid is the active ingredient.

You can use the trichlor if you want, as long as you keep a VERY close eye on your pH, but keep in mind that it will take a long time to get the CYA up to a point where it does any good if you just use the pucks--you'll use a lot of chlorine unnecessarily because the sun will eat your chlorine up on a daily basis. It really would be better to at least start with a small dose (say 15 ppm) of CYA in a single dose, THEN start using the pucks to raise it from there.

Janet

[jimk0512]

Thanks for the advice. I will try to find CYA locally from a different store than Leslie's, and order online if no luck.

The bleach is doing the job at 10 to 15 ppm, because the water is now clear gray instead of green, and I can mostly see the bottom. The sand filter hasn't clogged yet, so I must be backwashing it often enough. The pH is 7.0 (or lower, I can't tell with my Taylor kit). I'll adjust using borax as if I were trying to adjust from 7 to 7.2 and see what happens. I'm off to brush the sides and clean the bottom. :)