How often to run various tests, and how long do you run your filter?

[blessedbeingmom]

How often do you run these tests?

Free Chlorine
Combined Chlorine
pH
Total Alkalinity
Calcium Hardness
CYA

Also, how often do you run your filter/pump, and for how long? We have the 1000 (or maybe 800) gallon-per-hour Intex cartridge filter, for our approximately 5000 gallon above-ground, metal-framed pool. We now have a timer, so we can set it to run however long and/or often we want to run it.

Thanks for any advice!

[Watermom]

My pool is very stable and very well maintained. I have had it for about 10 years so, I "know" my pool. Thus, I don't need to run most of those tests very often. In fact, I normally just use my OTO kit to test my chlorine and use my FAS-DPD only a few times a month probably. I never let my cl drop too low so I know I don't have any CC. Also, my cya is low enough that my OTO kit (which goes to 5ppm) is high enough. If you have a high cya and thus have to run higher cl levels, you have to use the big test kit all the time. I run alk 2 or 3 times a summer (very stable) and run pH 2 or 3 times per week. I have a vinyl pool and do not use cal-hypo so I only run the calcium test probably once per summer. CYA I test several times at the beginning of the season until I get it where I want it and then probably only once more during the summer and then once more at closing.

If you don't have vinyl, you have to test your calcium hardness more often. Also, if you use trichlor pucks or dichlor powder you need to watch pH and CYA more closely.

I turn my pump on around 11:30 a.m. and off around 9:00 p.m.

[waterbear]

How often do you run these tests?

Free Chlorine daily until you know your pool, then weekly but then test every few days with an OTO kit or a strip
Combined Chlorine weekly, unless you suspect problems, smell "chlorine", have just had a pool party, someone peed in the pool, have a cloudy pool, or an algae outbreak.
Then test daily until CC is less than .5 ppm
pH Daily until you know your pool, then every few days
Total Alkalinity weekly if using trichlor or if you have been needed a lot of acid to control pH since both will make the TA drop, otherwise monthly is probably fine
Calcium Hardness monthly
CYA monthly

Also, how often do you run your filter/pump, and for how long? We have the 1000 (or maybe 800) gallon-per-hour Intex cartridge filter, for our approximately 5000 gallon above-ground, metal-framed pool. We now have a timer, so we can set it to run however long and/or often we want to run it.
I would think you would need about 10-12 hours a day, you want to turn over the water twice.
Thanks for any advice!

The above are just guidelines, they are not set in stone,

[AnnaK]

How often do you run these tests?

Free Chlorine...................every other day
Combined Chlorine...........with FC, every other day
pH.................................daily
Total Alkalinity.................monthly unless pH changes
Calcium Hardness............never, my pool is vinyl
CYA................................3 or 4 times a season

Also, how often do you run your filter/pump, and for how long?

7 hours out of 24, on a timer, from 15:00 to 22:00.

[waterbear]

"Calcium Hardness............never, my pool is vinyl"

Just because you have a vinyl pool does not mean you should never test for calcium hardness, you still need to know if it is high because it could lead to cloudiness or scaling under certain conditions. You just don't need to add more calcium if it is low.

Also realize that calcium will concentrate in the water from evaporation and, depending on the calcium content of your fill water, might not be diluted enough on water replacement which leads to an overall rise in CH. Anyone with a pool in a very hard water area like parts of Arizona or Florida know what I am talking about.

[AnnaK]

The calcium content of my fill water is 40. I have no scaling or clouding. There's no source of calcium going into the pool. There's no reason to test for it under those circumstances.

Should people with vinyl pools run a calcium test to get a baseline? Sure. Should we all know the chems of our fill water? Absolutely.

But the question was "how often do you test" and for calcium hardness in my vinyl pool, that would be 'never'.

Would you like to guess what chemical the pool stores want to sell me more than any other on the few occasions when I've had my water tested there?

[cleancloths]

I run my pump 27/7, but not at very high speed. At night I run it at between 25 and 35 GPM (depending on my mood). During the day I run it at 1,100 RPM which provides enough flow to go through my small solar heater using only about 100 watts of power (I have time of day electric). As for testing, unless it does not taste right too me, I probably only test it about once every two or three weeks. I use two or three pucks a week and maybe two or three gallons of bleach. I find the mix of the two holds the pH very steady, while pucks tend to drop it and bleach tends to raise it.

[waterbear]

But the question was "how often do you test"

I viewed the question as one with a 'universal you' as in meaning "How often should these things be tested" and not as how often does each individual answering the question test, which is not going to be valid for the OP as your case clearly demonstrates.
Personally, I know my TA and CYA stay stable because I have a cart filter so I only test those evey few months but I do test my CH every two to 4 weeks because the level tends to drop faster than the previous two parameters (I have soft water and a fiberglass pool and have seen first hand that higher CH does help prevent stains in fiberglass.) However, this also is not pertinent to the OP.

Ditto for how long to run the pump. How long either you or I run the pump doesn't matter but the OP will need about 10-12 hours a day with her Intex pump/filter on a 5 k pool.

[CarlD]

OK, I'm going to take the company line here and NOT give out all the "exceptions".

1) Test your pH and chlorine once a day, best at sunset, and add chlorine, borax or acid as needed. If your chlorine runs in the 5 or less range, you can use and OTO kit and get the TC level.

2) Run a full suite of test, (FAS-DPD, pH, T/A, CYA) once a week and record the results.

3) Calcium Hardness: If you have a concrete pool, check it once a week. If you have a vinyl pool, check it at least twice a season, once when you open, and once about mid-season.

4) Metals: Only if you suspect metal contamination.

5) Phosphates: Once every 15 years--or less.

6) Pump/filter time: You should run it 10-12 hours per day, but you can set your timer to run part of that during the night.

All the exceptions are for people who really know their pools, know what corners they can SAFELY cut, and what they can't. Until you know your pool, this is the easiest way to do AND not have problems.