Brand new pool owner = new to BBB method

[stslimited84]

I trust the vacation was good and the pool was not green when you returned! Good news!

Tested the water at 1:25 pm (wasn't able to test early in the am today):

FC - 1.5 ppm
CC - 0.5 ppm
PH - 7.8
TA - 120 ppm
CH - 180 ppm
CYA - 25 ppm (the black dot disappeared at the very top of the test tube so I believe it to be approximately 25 ppm)

I added the same amount of bleach I did yesterday. Bought some additional CYA to add via the sock method. About 3 pounds of it sound right? That will also drop the PH a bit and bring it where it needs to be correct? What about the TA and CH numbers?

Anything else?

you guys rock

[Watermom]

3 lbs. of stabilizer should add about 15ppm more of CYA which would put you somewhere around 40 which would be a good level. It may drop the pH some. But, you're OK at 7.8. If it goes over 8, then you'll want to work to drop it. Your TA is fine. Your CH is a little low. Usually the recommendation is CH between 200-400 for a plaster pool. Maybe just use a little cal-hypo for awhile as your source of chlorine and then switch back to bleach when the CH is in range.

Go ahead and add some more bleach to get back to around 5ppm or so. You don't want to let it drop too low and risk an algae bloom.

A request from me. Please make a signature line with basic info in it so we won't have to keep scrolling back up to find details needed to be able to give good advice. Click on settings in the top right-hand corner. In your signature, please put the following: type of pool, volume, type of filter, size of pump, and also that you have a K-2006. By doing this, it will make it easier for us to help. Thanks.

[CarlD]

Has anyone recommended that stslimited84 lower pH down to the 7.2-7.5 range? It should make the chlorine much more effective at killing and metabolizing whatever keeps raising the CC level.

Carl

[stslimited84]

Has anyone recommended that stslimited84 lower pH down to the 7.2-7.5 range? It should make the chlorine much more effective at killing and metabolizing whatever keeps raising the CC level.

Carl

Tested the chlorine around midnight and registered 3.5 ppm FC and Zero CC. Added about a gallon to bring it up to 6 ppm. Also added 3lbs CYA via sock method to the pool. Will retest in the am and see where its at.

From reading it seems the 3lbs of CYA will drop the PH to about 7.52. Figured I'd retest it after its dissolved and see where its at, or do you think I should lower it now Carl?

[PoolDoc]

From what I could see of your numbers, it looks like your pool is doing fine, so long as you keep chlorine in it.

Ben

[stslimited84]

From what I could see of your numbers, it looks like your pool is doing fine, so long as you keep chlorine in it.

Ben

Question for you guys/gals:

On the multiport, there is a clear plastic half cylinder with water in it. This piece of plastic with water has green algae in it. Ive been monitoring the chlorine levels and have tried to keep it above 3 ppm. The CYA has been completely dissolved via the sock method as discussed previously. I add the required amount of chlorine to bring the chlorine to 7ppm every evening, but haven't been able to check it the next day till about noon. The level typically has dropped to 3ish by then. My pool gets sun early, but im not sure it would be using that much within a couple hours especially since the CYA has been added, so I suspect the chlorine is being used overnight.

Is the algae in the plastic half cylinder cause for concern?

On a side note, the previous owner essentially planted a forest around the pool for privacy, and the amount of debris blown into the pool is incredible. I'm going to be removing the mulch and replacing it with river rock. There are several large arborvitae around the pool. I don't think they contribute much debris and like the added privacy they give. I do want to replace the leafy plants which contribute heavily to the debris along with the mulch with something that will increase privacy and not dirty the pool. Suggestions?

[Watermom]

Is there any algae in the pool? If so, since your CYA should now be at about 40, your shock level would be about 15. Your maintenance chlorine levels will be between 3-6 all the time.

After you backwash your filter, do you rinse? I wonder if doing so would clear the sight glass? Might be something to try.

[PoolDoc]

On the multiport, there is a clear plastic half cylinder with water in it. This piece of plastic with water has green algae in it. Is the algae in the plastic half cylinder cause for concern?

No. It's the multiport backwash sight glass, and has no contact with circulating pool water.

On hot sunny days, you could definitely lose several ppm of chlorine by noon, with CYA=25ppm or less

I have no advice on landscaping, except to avoid 'crap myrtles' like the plague -- those things poop in the pool year-round! -- Seeds, twigs, leaves, petals, etc, all year long.

[stslimited84]

No. It's the multiport backwash sight glass, and has no contact with circulating pool water.

ok good thats a relief.

On hot sunny days, you could definitely lose several ppm of chlorine by noon, with CYA=25ppm or less

I havent retested the CYA yet but with the addition of the last 3 pounds, it should be up around 40ppm. My pool gets full sun for about 9-9.5 hours a day. Is 40ppm CYA sufficient or should we go higher?

[PoolDoc]

Use the Best Guess chart to determine appropriate chlorine levels. If you use higher levels than needed, you'll have higher chlorine loss than necessary.