New Thread with my results of first test

[CarlD]

Yay you indeed. One thought, testing chlorine with a 10ml sample instead of 25ml will more than double the tests you get from your reagents.

BigDave has it right. I saw that too. Use the 10ml setting for FC and CC instead of 25ml. There's NO need to test to .2 since .5 is easily good enough--and what most of us use for many, many years at a time.

[Tom.B]

Howdy Y'all,

It's been a while since my last post and I now seem to at least have a semi-grasp on what's going on. I can't thank you enuff for helping me.

Currently, I am still using Leslie's Powder Plus (75%), Chlor-Brite (stabilized 55%) and 3": tabs by adding a one-pound bag every second or third evening. It's still easier for me to still buy from them, and compared to how much money I have given them over the past 5-10 years (many hundreds per week) I feel like it's still better for me at this stage. However, I am still trying to figure out terms like dichlor, trichlor, and hydtroflatulants ;-) to try and "own" my water chemistry. Still, my previous algae problem has yet to return and we are currently swimming in 75-degre water in NC. YAY!!!


Here is where my chemistry currently lies:

FC-4.5
CC-1
TA-7.4
CH-390
CYA-33
Phos-125

I guess if I had any question it would be about the combined chlorine. Should it be at, or near, zero all the time? Mine seems to stay around 0-1.5.

I guess I thought of another one too: Should I try and bring the Stabilizer up some, or just let the Chlor-Brite and tabs sneak it up slowly over the summer?

[BigDave]

I don't think the TA reading looks right, is it 74? Is the pH 7.4? If so, what's the TA?
Power Powder Plus is Calcium Hypochlorite. With a Calcium Hardness of 390 (up 20 in a month), it's probably time to stop using Cal-Hypo. Have you found a source for bleach?
I'm confused by the CYA reading, how do you get 33? Also confused because CYA dropped while using trichlor(tabs) and dichlor(Chlor-Brite) for a month. Probably want to review the CYA measurement.
The consistent CC seems odd. Should stay about 0, maybe one drop - explained by the accuracy of the test. Do you cover the pool? Maybe rushing through the FC test? Maybe CYA is a good bit higher than 33 and FC of 4.5 isn't enough?
I my experience, hydroflatus causes only giggles in well chlorinated pools - but usually only when it's observed.

[Tom.B]

Oops... That's right. Ph is 7.4 and TA is 90. Type-O... sorry.

The CYA of 33 is really an estimate of what the level is when the dot disappears. It's higher than 35, but lover than 30. It may, indeed, be a testing problem because I am still new to the testing procedure and it does seem a little difficult to get the exact same, consistent, readings.

CC consistency is odd? It's always be 0 or 1 dropwise drops. Yesterday it was actually 3, so maybe it should be 1.5 instead of 1. But I don't know what I am looking for the optimum value needs to be either.

And no... We are not covering it, nor have I located (or even looked) for a bleach source yet, but I guess it's time to do so.

[Watermom]

You really don't ever want your CC reading to be over 0.5. If it goes over that, we typically advise shocking the pool. If you are adding chlorine every other evening, is your chlorine reading dropping to 0 between doses? With that low of a CYA reading, I suspect that it might be and that could be causing the CC. Without adequate CYA, you lose chlorine pretty fast and it doesn't take long for algae to start -- even before you can see it.

Your pH and TA readings look fine.

[PoolDoc]

All in Walmart detergent / household cleaning section:

8% Bleach => www.walmart.com/ip/13023480
Borax => www.walmart.com/ip/11027366
(Current box is mostly white, not green!)
Washing soda => http://www.walmart.com/ip/19407690 (= soda ash = pH Up)
Baking soda => www.walmart.com/ip/17043412
(12# bag = sodium bicarbonate, sodium acid carbonate, Alkalinity Increaser; some stores now have a large box of store brand baking soda, that may be cheaper.)

All in Walmart recreation section:

HTH-6-Way-Test-Kit => www.walmart.com/ip/17043668
(re-branded Taylor kit -- includes CYA test. Not available at all stores.)
cheap-o OTO kit => http://www.walmart.com/ip/24791469
(actual label may vary -- but they are all cheapo kits made by Chinese companies.)
HTH OTO kit => http://www.walmart.com/ip/HTH-3-Way-Test-Kit/17043605
(Same as Taylor K1000, without the box. Not available at all stores)

Lowes:

muriatic acid => http://www.lowes.com/pd_450723-1327-332_4294610251__

[Tom.B]

I have a 4# bucket of what Leslie's gave me when I asked for stabilizer (even though it doesn't say it... I think it says conditioner... I am at the office right now... I will look later and report). I will add it tonight.

More to your point. No, it doesn't drop to 0, but I don't check it before I put it in every other night either.

How much bleach do you keep in your stock at home? And how much of the other stuff?