Seems like I forgot it all during the winter

[Rickey]

I went to the local pool store today and had my water tested to make sure my test kit was reading the same. The values came up the same. The only test kit I haven't purchased is a salt kit. I will get that next week. My chlorine Generator is blinking green which means it is high so I may have to lower it. Now to my question. With my values listed below would I be correct in thinking the next thing I need to do to get all of my values correct would be to add Stabilizer/Conditioner to my pool? How much do you recommend? My CA was a lot higher last year but I guess all the water removed this winter from so much rained lowered it drastically. I think it was around 50 last year when I closed the pool.

TC- 10.0
CC- 0.0
TA- 40
pH- 7.2
Cal- 250, not that it matters in my lined pool
CA- 5, way to low I know
Copper- 0
TDS- 0

Thanks for your time and assistance in advance

Pool- 16,500 IGP, liner, 3/4 hp pump, sand filter, Pentair Intellichlor IC20 chlorine generator. Do you need any other info? Thanks.

Rickey

[PoolDoc]

I assume CA = CYA?

If so, I'd drain and refill first and THEN add CYA. Doing the other way round will waste a lot of cyanuric acid.

If you can, I'd try to run a FAS-DPD test on your chlorine levels. When you lose a lot of CYA over the winter, there's a strong possibility that a lot of it ended up in your pool as ammonia, left over from the bacterial break-down of CYA. If this is the case, it will show up as low FC but high TC levels after dosing with chlorine. If you find out that this is your situation, I would NOT recommend adding CYA *or* operating your SWCG until you've got your pool cleaned up and ready to go.

But, with respect to all your other readings, I wouldn't worry about anything other than chlorine, pH and CYA until you've gotten your pool fully ready and clear.

Good luck!

Ben

[Rickey]

Ben,
Thanks for the reply. I was referring to CYA The pool is crystal clear right now. I got it clear just by adding some bleach, and waiting 3-4 days for it to clear the cloud up. I just want to find that balance it used to have. I have not had an algae breakout this year. There was very little green on the sides but there were some leaves in the bottom. It took me about 4-5 hours to get it all cleaned up. I don't consider that long at all in comparison to what I have seen others do. The total amount of leaves filled 2 small Wal-Mart bags. As far as being ready, I think the kids will be in it this weekend. The pool was 79 yesterday.

[aylad]

If you have "very little green" on the sides, then you still have algae present in the water, and need to shock the pool again...

Janet

[Rickey]

Janet,
No, I was referring to when I opened the pool last month. I have not had any green since I initially shocked the pool. I clean the leaves out of the bottom, vacuumed, backwashed, rinsed, and then added salt and bleach. So that I know better for next year, should I have went in a different sequence? What would be your next step? I have not done anything to it since my initial post. My honey do list has been working in full force.

[chuck9997]

I assume CA = CYA?

If so, I'd drain and refill first and THEN add CYA. Doing the other way round will waste a lot of cyanuric acid.

Ben

maybe I am reading this wrong.. but are you saying to drain the pool.. if the CYA reading is 5? I don't understand. Seems like a drastic move. but I am just a pool dummy.. so go figure.

[chuck9997]

by the way PoolDoc... good to see you back regularly. this site was BIG HELP about 6 years ago when we first installed the pool.. and I always come back.. and always tell people about the site when they ask me why I am buying 20 jugs of bleach and a six pack of "Blue Moon" every spring.

[Watermom]

Chuck,
Ben was suggested that if this poster needed to drain some due to salt levels being too high, that he do so first before adding the cya. Otherwise he is wasting the cya and his money.

[aylad]

Janet,
No, I was referring to when I opened the pool last month. I have not had any green since I initially shocked the pool. I clean the leaves out of the bottom, vacuumed, backwashed, rinsed, and then added salt and bleach. So that I know better for next year, should I have went in a different sequence? What would be your next step? I have not done anything to it since my initial post. My honey do list has been working in full force.

Ah, my bad!! Misunderstood the post. Sounds like you've got it all under control, now it's time to go swimming, if you can fit it in between jobs on your honey do list!!

Janet