New guy Questions

[duraleigh]

Chem,

You've lurked well! Thanks for posting the numbers, they look good.

Ben's test kit, which I use, tests a little differently for CH so I can't comment. It's not critical to your operation for now so I wouldn't spend too much time with it. Someone else will post that has your kit but it's certainly not mandatory that you do ANYTHING to it.

I'd go ahead and bring the alk up around 100. It's cheap and easy and you've done a great job getting your pool almost perfect....I'd finish it.

[chemistrydropout]

No you guys have done a great job!! I'm just trying to follow the rules. That's one reason I have let the alk stay where it is just to see how the ph handles it at that range. So far it is not bouncing around but I think I'll try to pull it up this evening. Is my stabilizer adequate? It holds chlorine well enough but should I shoot for 40?

[Watermom]

If a cya level of 25 is working for you, then leave it alone. As time goes on and if you find that you are having trouble keeping a chlorine reading in the pool especially on hot, sunny days, then consider bumping it up. For now, I wouldn't bother.

[aylad]

I'd leave the alk alone too, if it's working okay and your pH isn't bouncing.
Janet

[CarlD]

Leave CH alone, too. Sounds like you took your water sample, added the blue dye, then added the reagent and the water turned clear. I'm guessing your kit says 2 drops means 20ppm of calcium. Anything from 0 to 500 in a vinyl pool is FINE! So you don't have to worry about it--if you want to chlorinate with Cal-Hypo, you can without fear of raising Calcium too high for a long, long time.

If you can find the older plastic-wrapped cal-hypo tabs, the 68% ones, you can use them when you travel. Instead of the skimmer, buy a new adjustable floater (get a different style from one you use for tri-chlor pucks. I use blue for tri-chlor and a green one with a frog on top for cal-hypo) and use that. Be sure to use a NEW one--putting cal-hypo in a floater that had tri-chlor in it is VERY dangerous.

Then again, all I do is have someone dump in a gallon of regular bleach every other day that I'm gone--cheap enough, easy as pie, and works LIKE A CHARM. You come home, even after 2 weeks, to a perfect pool.