OK..Here are my numbers:how do they look?

[crazimom]

I needed something fast so I picked up a test kit at WalMart. I closed the pool last year with a winterizing kit from our pool store. I opened the pool (for the first time) a few days ago, it looked really good. Here are the numbers:

Cl...............3.0
pH..............7.4
stabilizer.......60
Alk...............90

Tell me what i need to do? As far as appearance it looks perfect.
I use Turbo shock, pucks, algae bomb

[mwsmith2]

Looks good to me exactly as it is.

Emphasis on "as it is". Your CYA is borderline high, and your pH is great, but will drop with the use of pucks. Using the puck will also push your CYA up, which is something you don't want. At this point, i'd reccomend going on bleach, and bleach only.

Michael

[duraleigh]

Hi, Mom,

You're off to a good start!! Your numbers look good and your water looks good.

Tell me what i need to do?

1. Get rid of the Turbo shock, pucks, and algae bomb
None of us will know for sure what it is and how much you put in.

2. Get a test kit that will let you test Cl levels of at least 20. You'll need it later.

3. You'll get the most help from this forum if you use Clorox for your Cl resource. You can get liquid Cl, if you can find it, or Cal Hypo but you need to quit using the pucks....your CYA will go too high

4. Read all the "pool tips" at poolsolutions.com. Then read and printout the info at http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/ehs/chem.htm#ta. Those two sites will provide you a wealth of info. Enjoy your pool!!

[CarlD]

CraziMom:

Wow! I'm impressed--you started right off with the WalMart 5-way kit--truly the best kit you can get for less than $40 that I know of.

Michael and Dave have given you the advice I would give you. But with a CYA of 60, I would keep my FC (Free chlorine) at a minium of 5ppm. With the Walmart kit, just keep it at 5 and you should be fine.

You can double the reading to 10 by mixing equal amounts of pool water and steam-distilled water. I like to use the "Shot Glass Method" --One shot of pool water, one shot of distilled water. Mix and now measure. If the reading is "5ppm", you have 10ppm.

Rinse out the shot glass and fill with your favorite alcohol.
Drink, but don't Dive--or Drive!