Help Deciphering My Taylor Test Results

[labdi01]

Wisdom teeth - ick! You can blame anything and everything on that! I'm so sorry you have to endure that experience. Me - I have no excuse! Just a dim-lit dim-wit. At least all this pool stuff is making me feel that way!

Thank you for bearing with my ignorance. I really appreciate it. As you know, pool stores are a crap-shoot.

Think testing 3-4x a day is OK - should I test more on a sunny day (today is overcast)?

Thank you again for your help - it is very much appreciated!

[labdi01]

Update: Tested FC and CC again (4 hours after initial test this am). Good news. FC up to 22 and CC down to (barely) 1.5 - pH holding strong at 7.2 - surprisingly with all that FC.

Questions: Let's say hypothetically, my CC gets down to 0 today, what do I do next? Just let the CL levels come down on their own? Should I do a maintenance dose of polyquat 60 and if so, when (now, or when CL is down)? And should I do that weekly? Once all numbers are in check, how often should I be testing/balancing my pool in 'maintenance mode'? How do I know I need to shock (I know after considerable rains)? Whenever CC is above .5?

[Watermom]

Once you go with losing no more than 1ppm of chlorine overnight and have no CC, I think I would maintain the high cl level for one additional day for insurance. Then, if all is still good, let it drift down.

It won't hurt to do a maintenance dose of polyquat once you are past this, but remember it will make your cl plummet. That is ok, but just be aware and be ready to add some bleach.

Once you are in maintenance mode, you need to test at least once a day. You shock when you have any CC above 0.5 and maybe after a heavy rain that may put a lot of organic debris in your pool or after an exceptionally heavy swimmer load.

[labdi01]

Thanks Watermom!

I just tested FC/CC again. My FC went down to 16 - but my CC is 0. I'll add more CL and get it back up to 20.

My CYA was still right around 30, so I put my CYA sock back in (there's maybe a 1/2 pound left in it). Was that wise? Is 50 the goal I'm reaching for with CYA?

(can kids swim while we're doing this?)

[labdi01]

Not sure what's going on. For about 8 or so hours yesterday, I got my CC to 0 and held on pretty-well to my FC levels around 22. It was overcast most of the day.

Suddenly, mid-day my FC dropped (by 8 ppms - twice) and my CC went back up (to 1.5). FC held at 25 overnight - but so didn't CC at 1.5.

I also did a polyquat treatment yesterday evening. The only other thing I did before the change, was brush part of the pool.

Question is - FC and CC are holding strong. Should I up the shock level?

[AnnaK]

Sure, the kids can swim while the CYA is in the sock, just don't let them go play with it and squish it around.

The recommendation in a non-SWCG pool is for CYA to be between 30 and 50.

Good job getting that CC down!

[Watermom]

Polyquat 60% will cause your cl to plummet. Shock it back up. You know the drill.

[labdi01]

CL didn't plummet, though - weird. Because CC is holding tight (as is CL), should I take shock level above 25 (where it's holding now)

[aylad]

If your CYa is still 50, I wouldn't take it above 25. Since this thread has gotten pretty long, can you please post a new, current set of numbers for us?

Janet

[labdi01]

Thanks for responding Aylad.

Just ran new tests:

FC - 19.5
CC - 1
pH - 7.2
TA - 130