Pool Store Results, What Now?

[NCMOMTO3]

This is my first year opening our pool, I took a sample to the pool store and this is what the results are
temp 78
saturation idx -1
TDS not tested
CYA 5
Tot. chlorine 0
Free chlorine 0
PH 7.4
Tot. alkalinity 87
Adj total alkalinity 85
Total hardness 36
copper 0
iron 0.1
cloudy none
staining none
quat not tested
green algae none
black algae none
mustard algae no
slime/mold no

This is what they told me to do
raise the alkalinity .. add 6 pounds of balance back over surface
wait 2 hours
add 5 pounds shock slowly thru the skimmer
when the water is clean clear and blue add 4 pounds of stabalizer slowly thru the skimmer
Dont backwash for 48 hours

Now what do you all suggest I do?

Thanks so much!!!!!

[CarlD]

This is my first year opening our pool, I took a sample to the pool store and this is what the results are
temp 78
saturation idx -1
TDS not tested
CYA 5
Tot. chlorine 0
Free chlorine 0
PH 7.4
Tot. alkalinity 87
Adj total alkalinity 85
Total hardness 36
copper 0
iron 0.1
cloudy none
staining none
quat not tested
green algae none
black algae none
mustard algae no
slime/mold no

This is what they told me to do
raise the alkalinity .. add 6 pounds of balance back over surface
wait 2 hours
add 5 pounds shock slowly thru the skimmer
when the water is clean clear and blue add 4 pounds of stabalizer slowly thru the skimmer
Dont backwash for 48 hours

Now what do you all suggest I do?

Thanks so much!!!!!

First, never trust their advice again....Seriously. Your T/A is FINE--you don't need to raise it--suggested range is 80-125. Their "Balance Pak" is a very expensive BioGard brand of ....BAKING SODA! That's right, Arm&Hammer is the same stuff but FAR cheaper. Even if you needed it you could buy it a lot cheaper at the supermarket.

2nd: You need to get some chlorine into your pool ASAP. If your water is clean and clear, you'll need to get it to about 3ppm. For that, add 2 quarts of Ultra bleach (generic is better than Chlorox) for every 10,000 gallons of water you have in your pool--so if you have 15,000 gallons, add 3 quarts (it comes in 3 quart jugs). By "Ultra" bleach I mean the stuff that says 6%. Regular is 5.25%. If you put in a bit more it's not a problem. So if your pool is 13,800 gallons, don't worry about 3 quarts being too much. If all you can get is regular bleach, add 2 1/2 quarts per 10,000 gallons.

If your water is green or algae laden, you'll need a lot more. For that I cannot "guestimate"--we'll need to know the volume of your pool--and whether it's vinyl or not.

3rd. You need CYA in your pool too, or your chlorine will get eaten up. This is called CYA or Cyanuric Acid, or Stabilizer, or Chlorine Stabilizer, or conditioner. Look at the label and figure out how much, for the gallons in your pool, you'll need to get the CYA level to 30ppm (30-50ppm is what we usually recommend). You have to get CYA from the pool store or the pool dept. at WalMart, KMart, Home-Depot, etc.
Now, whatever amount they recommend to get your pool to 30ppm, use 1/4 to 1/2 that amount. If you put it in your skimmer, do not turn off your pump or backwash for a week, and do not expect to measure CYA for that long. You can also put it in an old stocking--check the forum on that.

For the moment, that's enough. Go to PoolSolutions.com and start reading...read ALL the tips and all the areas you can get to.

I would also consider taking a water sample to another pool store.

4th: Get a decent test kit so you don't need the pool store. They range from the $15 WalMart HTH 5-way kit to to Ben's PS-234. Don't use test strips, they aren't accurate. In the meantime, at least get an OTO/pH test kit--they run about $7.

[NCMOMTO3]

Thank you carl, I am going to print out your reply to show to my husband and get busy.. I only have clorox bleach here at the house so i will put some of that in it and tonight head to walmart to look for the CYA, and try to find the "stocking" you are talking about in a older post, and buy a kit until I can order one of Bens and I will be reading as much as I can this weekend when the kids allow it.

Let me make sure I understand this correctly, once I figure out how much CYA to add I need to leave the pump running non stop for a week if i put it in the skimmer? Do I have to add it to the skimmer?

Thanks so much for replying to my post with your great advice!!! Also I apologize for not posting my pool size.. its a 24' round above ground with 13000 gallons of water.

[fullhouse]

you don't want to use clorox, you should use a generic brand. clorox has extras in it to mess up your pool.
any old pair of nylons, or an old knee high will work just fine for holding the cya in the pool. you do not need to add it to the skimmer, just hang the old knee high near where the water comes back into the pool and it will dissolve.

[NCMOMTO3]

Thank you fullhouse for your reply.. ok I wont go put the clorox in I will wait til i get back from walmart and use generic.

I dont get the stocking idea, I did find an old post about it.. sorry if I sound stupid, so once i get the cya i put it in the skimmer... i put the stocking where? and what is it going to show me?
Thanks for taking the time to explain things to me!!!

[Watermom]

It is fine to use Clorox as long as it is plain, unscented. I think what Carl was trying to say was it is more expensive than generic bleach. Nothing wrong with using Clorox. As far as the cya - you can put it directly in the skimmer. That is what I always do. Then, it will take about a week to dissolve in the skimmer, so don't retest for it or add more for at least a week. Also, don't backwash during that time or you'll just be throwing it out. The stocking option - just take an old knee hi or whatever and put cya in it and then tie it off someplace in your pool and let it dissolve. Some people (I think?) place the stocking in the skimmer basket to dissolve. Again, I just dump it in the skimmer. One thing that apparently Carl and I do differently -- he says not to turn off your pump for a week. I don't worry about that. While my cya is dissolving, I just keep my pump on its regular run schedule and have never had any problems. Hope this helps.

[p.p.h.]

i think what they're saying is that the stocking is used to put the cya in to so it slowly dissolves. Instead of dumping the entire amount in the skimmer.

[tmmort]

you don't want to use clorox, you should use a generic brand. clorox has extras in it to mess up your pool.

I'm wondering if that is really true. Looking at the clorox Regular bleach faq, it says, "The new formula incorporates an ingredient, sodium polyacrylate, that binds to certian minerals that are in the water supply preventing them from depositing on your clothes."

Sodium polyacrylate is the stuff they use in disposable diapers to absorb the liquid. Couldn't find any info on the web about it's use in a pool, and what it might do in there. But, there is info that clearly states it's non-toxic; and, "Clorox Regular Ultra" is still approved for use as a drinking water disinfectant.

Finally, I sent an email to Clorox customer service, asking if "Regular Ultra" was o.k. for swimming pools. The reply I got was this:

"Using our product to chlorinate pools is one of our recommended uses. When used correctly it is safe to use in pools."

[CarlD]

That's the FIRST time the company has answered the question about the new whitener. It has been very unclear whether it would have a positive or negative effect.

But if I needed to add chlorine and all I had was the new Chlorox, I'd use it, at least on a short term basis.

By stocking I meant lady's hose. My wife regularly has one that gets a run in it if I need it.

[NCMOMTO3]

Thanks watermom i went and got generic ultra bleach and the cya at walmart yesterday we added the bleach to the pool not the cya yet i wanted to vac it before i did that.. its been raining here in NC since last night so i will wait on the rest. Thanks for explaining the stocking idea to me and for your advice!! Oh and I bought a test kit at walmart too until i can order Bens. I am off to read some more now!