New pool owner, trying to get my chemicals balanced

[PoolDoc]

Your TA is not an issue with a vinyl pool. The only reason to add more -- in your case -- is if you find the pH becoming unstable and fluctuating quite a bit.

[Watermom]

+/- 5 degrees isn't really gonna matter as far as your pool goes.

[mitchryan912]

So I'm pretty much OK, especially considering the water looks fantastic?

[Watermom]

Your chlorine has dipped a little low a few times. Keep it within the minimum/maximum range based on your CYA and you'll be fine. Otherwise, everything looks fine.

http://pool9.net/cl-cya/

[mitchryan912]

Your chlorine has dipped a little low a few times. Keep it within the minimum/maximum range based on your CYA and you'll be fine. Otherwise, everything looks fine.

Yes, I've been trying to do that, but suddenly the ability to retain a good level of chlorine stopped, and chlorine has been disappearing a lot faster than before. I added a bit of info from before the 8th of July, when I got my K-2006 kit:

Screen Shot 2014-07-20 at 1.01.57 PM.png

We had a good bit of daily rain from the 9th to the 15th, and somewhere in there I had a filter valve leak where I slowly lost about 1000 gallons. Diluting the pool with fresh water probably had something to do with the change in stability, but I'm not sure what else could have caused it, other than not putting as much chlorine in daily or every other day in that rainy period?

I was using an OTO kit between July 2nd and 8th, and it was VERY dark yellowish every day in that time frame, so the chlorine was holding up well, though I admittedly don't have an very good idea of exactly how much chlorine there was.

[Watermom]

but I'm not sure what else could have caused it, other than not putting as much chlorine in daily or every other day in that rainy period?

Yep. That'll do it. We see it all the time. Usually it is people who come onto the forum and tell us that the rain caused their algae which isn't the case. Usually it is because people aren't as diligent about keeping tabs on their pool when it rains.

As long as you are aware and watching to keep your chlorine levels in the proper range, you'll be fine.

Hope this helps!

[mitchryan912]

Yep. That'll do it. We see it all the time. Usually it is people who come onto the forum and tell us that the rain caused their algae which isn't the case. Usually it is because people aren't as diligent about keeping tabs on their pool when it rains.

As long as you are aware and watching to keep your chlorine levels in the proper range, you'll be fine.

Hope this helps!

I guess I got complacent over the course of the first 2 weeks of July where it stayed above 3.0 ppm, where I didn't really add too much chlorine except for a 2.5 gallon shock on the 1st, some amount on the 9th (probably a quart or two), and then some before a big pool party on the 12th.

I'll keep a better eye on it now so I don't come back with algae problems in the future!