What are the Perfect Numbers?

[Aranon]

When using Ben's test kit, which I just got, what are the ideal perfect numbers that I would like to get?

[waste]

Aranon, the question you ask can not be answered, there are too many variables. Also, the suggested ranges for the numbers varies by type of pool, what equiptment you have and what chems you plan to use for adjusting the numbers. Add to this the fact that there are many ideas of 'perfect' numbers, all of which are valid and you end up with an unanswerable ? . However, in general, we all agree on certain perameters that should be used:
FC can be anywhere from 1 to 15 (dependent on cya)
CC should be 0 , but .05 is ok
TC should = FC
TA is usually 80 - 120, but can safely be higher in liner pools (up to 180 - 200)
CH isn't needed in liner pools but can be 500 in them without problems, crete pools need 200 - 400
CYA should be less than 100 but more than 20 (we can't agree amongst ourselves what the optimal level is ) - whatever it is, you need to take it into account when deciding how much chlorine you want to keep in the pool.
I hope this helps a little for a question I said was unanswerable - Waste

[waterbear]

Waste is right! Your question cannot be answered. There are too many variables. Post your test results and we can all help you make any adjustments necessary. You will learn a lot in the process.

Now as far as the answer to the "Ulitimate Question"....it is 49!


(interesting to see who catches this)

[CToon]

Even though we go off topic (sorry Aranon )

"49" Hitchhikers need to know these things ,dont they ?

[CarlD]

It was '42' I thought.

When I was a kid, perfect numbers were 36-24-36...

Actually Waste goofed on CC:
Sure, .05ppm is OK, but you can't read that. Usually, you can only see that it's .5 ppm or less. If you use the 25ml line, you can measure CC down to .2ppm

[dalparadise]

Concrete/plaster in-ground pool/spa with DE filter in hot, humid Houston.

I started off using trichlor pucks last year and my CYA ran up to 110 and freaked me out. My Ph has always been high, too, and has been a weekly battle to maintain. Ditto TA -- I haven't been able to get a handle on that in over a year.

Rather than draining and starting "fresh" I decided to redouble my efforts to maintain the water strictly by advice I've gotten from CarlD and others here. I went to bleach and dry acid -- modulating the TA according to the method on this board. I tested every day and didn't lose faith when numbers were slow to move. I "stayed ahead of my water".

this week, after a flooding rainfall here for several days, where much of my pool ended up overflowing and into my yard, I drained some excess water and put my typical treatments in (bleach and acid).

The next day, I was excited to see these numbers:

FC - 3.5
CC- 0
TC- 3.5
Ph- 7.5
Alk - 120
Cal - 170
Cya - 70
Temp - 89

I think I finally have a handle on this. now, it's just maintenance and it's really easy. So, the short answer to your question is, the perfect numbers are the ones you target and maintain easily. These are just about perfect for me.

[Aranon]

And I thought this was going to be easy.
Aranon

[Aranon]

OK, lets start off with something easy.

With an above ground vinyl pool 18x40x54 with the temperature at 90 degrees with very little rain. Using a solar blanket at night and solar panels on the roof during the day. Assuming a chlorine pool using a double filtration system consisting of a 300 lb sand filter and then a 150 cf cartridge filter.

What Chlorine level and Ph should I be striving for before I go on to anything else.

Aranon

[KurtV]

pH should almost always be between 7.2 and 7.8 but the level of chlorine you need is dependent on the level of CYA you have.

Post a complete set of test numbers to get meaningful, specific replies. The chemistry gods here will need your free chlorine (FC), combined chlorine (CC), pH, Alkalinity (TA), calcium hardness (CH), and cyanuric acid levels (CYA).

Post those and you'll get loads of help.

[Aranon]

Ok, will do. Have to go make homemade IceCream now. Will do later.
Thanks.
Aranon