Opening Numbers

[BigStein]

I seem to have made a mistake and not titled my last thread. Here is the info. again.

Well, the temps were in the upper 70's up here in NH today so decided to take off the cover and start getting the pool ready for the season. Opening numbers:

FC: 6.2 (without adding any, seemed to have held nicely over the winter)
CC: 0
pH: 7.1
Alkalinity: 20
CYA: 20
Copper: .67

Even though it says to bring FC down before doing so, I added a quart of metal sequestering agent. I figure it is worth it if some gets eaten up and I can add more if needed. Tomorrow I will start to pick up the Alkalinity, which will raise the pH a bit, but I understand with metal issues I want to keep the pH a bit on the low side so hopefully it will come in range as I deal with the alkalinity.

I am also thinking I won't bother to raise the CYA at all as I do like the convenience of the smart sticks and will use those until my CYA gets higher and then convert over to all bleach (I shock with that when needed already) later in the summer if needed.

Does that sound about right or are there things I should do differently?

Thanks for the input.

[CarlD]

I deleted the dupl thread for you. Not a problem.

If you use sticks or pucks, watch your pH--they are very acid and will push it down.

Unless you have a metal problem don't use a sequestering agent. This is not a case of prevention. Of course, if you do have a problem....

[BigStein]

Thanks for deleting the post.

The copper is the problem, thus the agent.

I know what you mean about the sticks pushing the pH down, and will keep an eye on it as it has been a problem in the past. Thanks for the input.

[BigStein]

A check on the pool this morning shows the water a bit cloudy and still off color. I also see what I believe are fallouts from the copper on areas of the bottom (I believe this due to my experience with copper last year, which can be found in the metals section under "baking soda turned my pool green"). I also noticed a lot of this stuff when I first took the cover off yesterday. Much of it is gone now but there is still enough that I think the pool needs a few more quarts of metal treatment. Not sure if the problem is worse than the water test picked up or if it is just that some of the initial treatment was done in by my 6.2 chlorine.

Anyway, I have started to bring the alkalinity up, which will hopefully bring up the pH a bit too as I believe that sequestrant brings it down a bit. Either way, I will adjust accordingly with Borax in the coming days (luckily, I am taking a few vacation days to get some spring work done around the house and have plenty of time to deal with this so don't feel the need to add everything at once).

[aylad]

Sounds like you're on track...just try to resist the temptation to "fix" everything at once and create a bigger problem. Swim season is almost here!!!!!

Janet

[BigStein]

Today, I added two more quarts of sequestrant and did raise the alkalinity. I just tested and show alkalinity at 100 now and pH came out below 7.0 (as low as my test goes). I still show chlorine around 5. However, my water remains a cloudy blue. The way the water looks I would normally add a gallon or two of bleach to clear it but don't want to raise to shock levels with the sequestrant in the pool (plus, my chloring numbers look good). Any ideas out there?

[aylad]

Mbar, the resident metals/stain expert, recommends that you do not shock the pool, but rather raise the chlorine levels slowly, watching to make sure that you don't start get staining. In your case I think I would just keep the filter going, consider adding some plolyquat, and then start slowly raising your chlorine and see if you can get it up to shock level without staining. I'll see if I can get her to take a look at your thread and see if she can offer any suggestions....in the meantime, try reading through her posts in the "metals" forum.

Janet

[BigStein]

I have read most of those posts and am not going to take up to shock at this point. Right now, I am just going to let the filter run and see what happens. Can't get my water tested for metals until Monday so will probably just sit tight between now and then.

[CarlD]

Just to piggy-back, I started my opening today, too!

First thing I did after the safety mesh was off was test the water:
FC:0
CC:0
TC:0
pH: ~7.0
T/A: 0-10 ppm
Calcium: 20 ppm
CYA: 0

Despite this the water was (as it usually is at opening) clear. Lots of junk on the bottom, and some algae on the walls, but I tossed in the Blue Diamond for the first pass and 2 gallons of 12.5% LC. Just for starters.

Tomorrow, I'm going to hook up the pump and drop the return and drain plugs and get it filtering. Probably add a stack of Tri-chlor in a floater or two for chlorine and CYA and a box of Washing Soda for pH AND T/A.

[BigStein]

Sunday morning update. The water may have cleared a little bit, but not much. The filter pressure was up about 10 from yesterday so backwashed. Chlorine is holding fine, came in at 5. There continues to be some sediment, which I think is the fallout from metal, although I find this surprising given that I have put in 3 bottles of sequestering agent and there is no green color that I had with the copper last season. pH is still below 7 and I don't think I am going to bring this up much until after I figure out the cloudiness, as I know the sequesterant works best at lower pH (feel free to correct me if anyone thinks I need to start bringing this up now).

Not much I can do today as we have company here, so will get metals re-tested at the pool store tomorrow.