1st test results of spring - few questions...

[court475]

14,000 gallon above ground pool

CYA - 0
CL - 0
Alk - 220
Ph - 8.0

Planning to add 2lbs 4oz CYA through skimmer. I know not to backwash for a week. How long should the pump run?

I figure I'll just add a small bottle of bleach daily until CYA goes up - maybe shock next weekend?

Will add muratic acid to lower Ph - is there a best method for doing this?

I think last time my alk was high, I just areated by running the fountain. Any other suggestions?

1 more question - how often should test kits be replaced?

Thanks!!

[CarlD]

You know, with pH of 8 and no CYA and no chlorine, you can use Tri-Chlor tabs if you have them, or Di-Chlor powder.

Tri-Chlor tabs, especially a lot of them, will lower your pH, raise your CYA and bring up your FC level.

Otherwise:
if you add CYA powder to the skimmer, don't backwash for a week.

To add muriatic acid, I like to take a 5 gallon bucket of water and add between a cup and a quart of acid to THAT first. Wear gloves, goggles and long clothes when you do this. Then you can add the acid mix slowly into the return stream and it will be fine. Finally, rinse the bucket in the pool. You don't want a bolus of Acid sinking down where it can melt your liner.

You will need to shock your pool. Use either the pool calculator or the rule of thumb for how much:

ROT:
1 gallon of 5.25% bleach will add 5.25ppm of chlorine to 10,000 gallons of water.
1 gallon of 6% ultra bleach will add 6ppm of chlorine to 10,000 gallons of water.
3/4 gallon of 6% ultra bleach will add 4.5ppm of chlorine to 10,000 gallons.
For 20,000 gallons double the amount of bleach to get the same results.
To double the PPM added, double the amount of bleach added (to 10,000 gallons).

So, if you want to add 12ppm of chlorine to 20,000 gallons, add 4 gallons of 6% ultra bleach.

Use the rule of thumb to adjust to what you need. If you buy a blue 5 gallon carboy of liquid chlorine rated at 12%, again the rule applies: 1 gallon of 12% will add 12ppm to 10,000 gallons, or 6ppm to 20,000 gallons.
5 gallons of 12% added to 20,000 gallons will add 30ppm of chlorine--unless you have wet, floating jungle it's probably too much.

[court475]

Thanks for the advice! Maybe I'll just get some tri-chlor tabs and make it easier on myself. Do you know how many I should add? I've never used them.

[buckeyemom]

First outbreak of warm weather here in Central Ohio this weekend - decided to open the pool yesterday morning. We've been using the BBB method for 2 years now - and we could see the bottom of our 10,000 in-ground immediately after taking the cover off! Vacuumned and started dosing it with 2 gallons of 9.5%. Added 2 more gallons last night after dark.

Here are my readings this morning: (I purchased a TF-100 over the winter so this is my first testing)

FC = 4
CC = .5
Alk = 130
PH = 7.5
CYA = 0 (every spring we end up with 0)
Salt = 1810 (no, we don't have a SWG, but after reading this forum we added water softener salt last year (80 lbs) - the water feels much better !)

Water is clear, but not crystal clear yet. Planning on adding 1/2 cup of DE to my sand filter today, and about 1/3 of what I think I need of stabilizer.

Just another testament to the beauty of this method. So far we have spent $20!

Any suggestions?

[Watermom]

Only suggestion I have is to get some sun in there and get swimming!! Glad to see you back around the forum.

[CarlD]

Thanks for the advice! Maybe I'll just get some tri-chlor tabs and make it easier on myself. Do you know how many I should add? I've never used them.

I SHOULD know, but I can't remember the break-out.

I actually rarely use them, always relying on separates.

You'll need a lot initially, but when your pH levels get into the 7's you'll want to cut back. When your CYA level reaches 50, you'll probably want to stop and return to bleach, but there are situations where a higher CYA is preferable, like hot humid environments like aylad's Louisiana.

[buckeyemom]

I also should have added to my post above that last fall we followed Carl's instructions TO THE LETTER on closing our pool. Had the cleanest opening this year that we've ever had. Thanks, Carl.

And I doubt we'll be swimming soon - it is Ohio, so today the high temp was 62.

[mscans]

Glad to see everyone back. I lost the address a while ago after I got no response to normal attempts to connect. I just got my annual "Happy Birthday" so I knew you were alive.

My pool lives on tri-chlor tabs in a Hayward feeder and Borax. I insisted on a DE filter when it was built, had pools before and they are the ONLY way to go for clear water. I think I still have the bottle of acid the builder left with the pool 4 years ago, don't know, really haven't looked for it.

Live in central Florida and pool was 84 F. last weekend. Grandkids were in the pool all day. I couldn't believe how clear the water was. My daughter has one of the new digital underwater cameras and the pictures look like they were taken outside on a very clear day.

Again, glad to see you back and will be a frequent reader/poster.

[Watermom]

Hi mscans and welcome to the forum! Just wondering if you keep a close eye on your cya level since you say that your pool lives on trichlor tabs. Using those tabs exclusively will cause your cya level to rise to an undesirable level. Do you know what your cya reading is?

[court475]

Well I used 7 TriChlor tabs (the whole bugget - $20) and I'm still at 0 CYA and Cl. Guess I'll try the straight CYA. Ph wasn't really lower either. MAYBE 7.8. :confused:

[aylad]

To raise your CYA quickly enough to get "some" in the pool, go ahead and use straight CYA--I would target about 15-20 ppm when figuring how much to add. Then you can use the trichlor from there until it gets to where you want it. As far as pH goes, the trichlor WILL bring it down, and 7.8 isn't too bad to begin with so I wouldn't worry about that.

Janet

[CarlD]

Also remember that it take up to a WEEK for the CYA to completely dissolve and dissipate throughout the water.

While I generally avoid tabs in use or recommendation, when your pH is high and you have no CYA, they are a great way to add all 3 and convenient as well--plus, and this is important, they help keep a CONSTANT level of chlorine in the water when you need it most, as they erode.

But when your pH is good, or low, and your CYA is on target or a tad high, you have to abandon them for bleach / LC.