Starting to get more confused

[bjdrogo]

Have a 18X38 IG concrete? pool with a Tagelus sand filter and 2 speed pump. Pool also has a bubbler spa attached. Opened it up this year to find a swamp that UFO come out of. Been hitting it with 6% chlorine everyday. Running pump 24/7 and added Muriatic acid last night. The more I read the more confused I get; I don't even think I can get back to this forum to find out if it was answered. But I am going to give it a try. Here are my testing results from this morning:
FC 2ppm
CC .5ppm
TC 2-4ppm
pH 7.2
TA 340
Cal 280
CYA 0
I am running my spa aerator and I can't remember why. I remember reading something about the aerator lowering some reading but a can't remember which one. Thank you all for what you do. Maybe one of these days it will all come together. BJ

[Sherra]

What type of tests are you using? Drops or strips?

With a CYA of 0, you need to get your FC level up to 10 and keep it there...testing 2-3 times per day (morning / noon / evening) and adding chlorine as needed to keep the level up to 10. Keep your pump running 24/7, backwashing/cleaning filter as needed...probably daily, if not more often than that.

The aeration should help lower your TA, which you DO need to bring down...WAY down...somewhere from 90 -120 is ideal. Your pH is OK for now. It's at the low end of normal...just keep an eye on it.

Calcium Hardness looks good.

[CarlD]

Have a 18X38 IG concrete? pool with a Tagelus sand filter and 2 speed pump. Pool also has a bubbler spa attached. Opened it up this year to find a swamp that UFO come out of. Been hitting it with 6% chlorine everyday. Running pump 24/7 and added Muriatic acid last night. The more I read the more confused I get; I don't even think I can get back to this forum to find out if it was answered. But I am going to give it a try. Here are my testing results from this morning:
FC 2ppm
CC .5ppm
TC 2-4ppm

First, you need to raise your FC to 10-15ppm. 10 is the shock level with 0 CYA, 15 the max level for vinyl pools, UNLESS CYA is over 60.

pH 7.2
TA 340

Your T/A is far too high. Your max should be 125. You lower pH to 7.0, it drags T/A down with it. Then you aerate to raise pH to 7.3 without raising T/A. Repeat until you hit your target T/A.

Cal 280

This is fine. Calcium in a concrete pool should be between 200 and 400.

CYA 0

You need to get your CYA to at least 30. 30 to 50 is best--over 50 I believe is too high.

I am running my spa aerator and I can't remember why. I remember reading something about the aerator lowering some reading but a can't remember which one. Thank you all for what you do. Maybe one of these days it will all come together. BJ

Go to the top of this forum and read up on beginning chemistry. It should help you.

[Bleach=Chlorine?]

Take it easy... you are doing a good job already!

Opened it up this year to find a swamp that UFO come out of. Been hitting it with 6% chlorine everyday. Running pump 24/7 and added Muriatic acid last night.
You need to shock the pool to kill off that swamp but I don't think you are reaching a high enough Cl level. With zero CYA you need to get up to 10ppm based on Ben's Best Guess CYA Chart. I am estimating, based on the dimensions, that your volume is similar to my pool but you should confirm this. At 20K gallons you would need to add four gallons of 5.25% to bring the TC from 0ppm to 10ppm. With no CYA and with a 'swamp' you will have to check this frequently and keep the chlorine at or above 10ppm for the next few days. Run the pump 24/7 and backwash as needed.
The more I read the more confused I get; I don't even think I can get back to this forum to find out if it was answered. But I am going to give it a try. Here are my testing results from this morning:
FC 2ppm
CC .5ppm
TC 2-4ppm
pH 7.2
TA 340
Cal 280
CYA 0
I am running my spa aerator and I can't remember why. I remember reading something about the aerator lowering some reading but a can't remember which one. Thank you all for what you do. Maybe one of these days it will all come together. BJ
The spa aerator is running to help bring the TA (total alkalinity) down but I think the pH has to be lower for that to be effective. You can search for the posts but I believe somewhere between 6.8 and 7.2 is ideal. Another solution would be a partial drain/refill which may not be a bad solution. You may want to vacuum to waste for a while and just replace the displaced water with fresh.

[CarlD]

The spa aerator is running to help bring the TA (total alkalinity) down but I think the pH has to be lower for that to be effective. You can search for the posts but I believe somewhere between 6.8 and 7.2 is ideal. Another solution would be a partial drain/refill which may not be a bad solution. You may want to vacuum to waste for a while and just replace the displaced water with fresh.

The aeration does NOT lower T/A. Lowering pH with acid does that. Aeration RAISES pH without raising T/A--the only way to do that. But it all only works when pH is at or below 7.2

pH at 7.2,7.3 is perfectly FINE for chlorine. You can go to 7.5 safely. pH of 6.8 can damage vinyl pools--do NOT go that low! You shouldn't swim in water below 7.0 either.

[Sherra]

The aeration does NOT lower T/A. Lowering pH with acid does that. Aeration RAISES pH without raising T/A--the only way to do that. But it all only works when pH is at or below 7.2

I was confused about that also I guess...

[bjdrogo]

Thank you all for the info. I am using Ben's PS233 kit for testing. Have the new one on order. Should I get my TA down before doing anything else? How do I raise my CYA. Where can I find some specifications on what my reading should be? Just remembered, I am getting what looks like fall out. I just got done vacuuming to waste and left for a couple of hours. When I got back parts of my pool look like sporatic streaks of dirt on the bottom. Is this some kind of fall out due to the high TA?
thanks again You all, bj

[Simmons99]

You can purchase CYA at your pool store (also called stabilizer or conditioner).

[Watermom]

You may also be able to buy cya at Lowe's, Home Depot or Walmart. It may be called stabilizer or conditioner, but if the ingredient label says cyanuric or isocyanuric acid, that is the right stuff.