First Season, First Test with PS234

HI,

Finished pool late last summer/early fall, filled and closed shortly thereafter for the winter. (45 x 20 Gunite/marcite ~ 30,000 Gal) This is our first full season and these are my first tests with the PS234. Love the Kit! My readings are:

FC 1.5
CC 1.0
TC 2.5
PH 7.4
Alk 90
Cal 220
CYA ~35
Temp 66

I have a question about the CYA test. It states to hold the vial at waist level in outdoor light. I assume that you view the dot in the bottom looking straight down into the tube instead of diagonally through the side of the vial? I have added no stabilizer yet this year and am wondering if I performed the test correctly?

Also the pool store recommends that the alkalinity should be between 125-150. Is this correct? From what I've read, I thought 90 was ok.

Thanks in Advance,

Pat.

Hi, Pat,

Your CYA test method is correct. You must have some left over from last year.

90 is okay for your Alk.

You need to shock your pool. Bring your Cl up to 15ppm or slightly more. If your water is clear, (I assume it is now) then yu can let it go back to about 3-6ppm. The CC of 1 indicates you got something the chlorine is working on. The shock level of 15-18 will take care of it. Great kit, isn't it? :)

Thanks Dave,

I plan on shocking tomorrow. The kids are using spa tonight. It is still too cold in michigan for me to economically heat the pool just yet.

What is the recommended FC/CC levels or ratio that I should shock at in the future? I installed a SWG when I built the pool, but haven't added the salt or fired it up yet. I was waiting till I had everything in balance and the water temp up higher before switching over. I am still adding chlorine manually.

I've always been a do-it-yourselfer (including building the pool)... so for me the kit is great.... definately a worthwhile investment.

Pat

Pat,

There's not really a ratio but rather you are looking for CC to be .5 or less. CC of 1 or more is an indicator that you Cl is working on something. Shocking should cure it.

Also, for the future, most folks dont use the SWG to shock....it simply puts too big of a load on it....use plain bleach.

Then, let your TC go drift back down in the 3-6 range and keep it there daily. Every now and then, do the test for CC, shocking again if it gets 1 or above. Aside from startup, I have never shocked in two years......keeping the Cl at the right maintenance level really works!

Post up your pool in the pics section. I built mine, too, and everyone likes to look at pics. :)

Dave,

Thanks for the advice...

From what I've read here, given a CYA of ~35 I should keep my FC level at 3-6ppm and shock up to 15ppm when CC is 0.5 or above. Your advice of shocking with bleach instead of using the SWG shock cycle once I get the SWG online makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the advice.

I didn't realize there was a "pics" section. I'd post pics, but I can't seem to find where to post them. Could you point me in the right direction?

Thanks,

Pat.

"Odds n' Ends"....then "Off topic and General interest".....then "new pool pics"

Thanks... just posted a few pics from last year before I had finished landscaping.

Pat.