Swapping to BBB but what about CalHypo

[RobDHW]

Hi Folks,

Ok, I'm only a bit confused - I'm swapping to BBB and have a gunite (concrete) IG pool. Roughly 11,00 gals. I've been using HTH CalHypo bags to shock (1 or 2 a week as needed w/ guess strips - yeah I'm swapping to a test kit too).

Since I'm swapping to bleach, what to I do about adding calcium for the concrete? How often do I do it?

Also - I'm a bit unclear if I'm better off floating pucks for CYA or adding the powder HTH stuff when the level gets low. Thoughts?

I'm all over the FC / TA / Ph / CYA levels and know that I don't want any metals in my pool - but these questions I haven't caught onto yet. I know that you folks have the answer!

Thanks, in advance.

-Rob

[Watermom]

It would help to answer these questions if we had current water testing results for your pool. Can you please post those and then somebody can better advise you? Thanks.

[aylad]

You can still add calcium to the pool via calcium flakes, when it's needed--but you'll only know how often you need to do it by testing your water. As far as the trichlor puck question, that also depends on your test results. Post those, as Watermom requested, and we can give you better information.

Janet

[waterbear]

As a rule of thumb, for every 10 ppm of FC added by trichlor you are also adding 6 ppm of CYA and with dichlor every 10 ppm FC added adds 9 ppm CYA so if you only need to make small adjustments in CYA they can be useful but if you are trying to bump up the CYA by 20 ppm or so you are probably better off just adding the CYA directly.
As far as calcium goes, for every 10 ppm FC added by Cal Hypo you are adding about 7 ppm calcium so it's not going to be the best way to try and raise the calcium when it is low.

[CarlD]

Again, to hammer home the point, your questions cannot be answered without test results.

We always suggest owners get a FAS-DPD full test kit like the Taylor K-2006 or the Leslie's FAS-DPD Full Service Test Kit. They are available on-line from between $50 to $70 and will pay for themselves 100x over.

But even a less expensive DPD test kit can give you the necessary tests:
FC (Free Chlorine)
CC (Combined Chloramines) or
TC (Total Chlorine)
pH
T/A (Total Alkalinity)
CH (Calcium Hardness)
CYA (Cyanuric Acid/Stabilizer)

For your pool target numbers (assuming you don't have algae) for maintenance MIGHT be:

FC: 3-6ppm
CC: 0
TC: 3-6ppm (TC=FC + CC)
pH: 7.2-7.8 (I prefer 7.3-7.6 myself)
T/A: 80-120ppm
CH: 200-400ppm
CYA: 30-40ppm

Note that FC and CYA levels are related, as are pH and T/A levels, and T/A levels and CH levels--these numbers aren't willy-nilly.

You can easily get these by using B-B-B and adding CYA or Calcium as needed. If you stop using the Cal-Hypo but keep it around, you can sub for bleach if you need to boost calcium.

Pucks are ONLY recommended if your CYA levels are low (20 or less) AND your pH levels are high (no real target but I'd guess 7.7 or higher) because they had massive amounts of CYA and acid. No matter WHAT the label or salesman says, Tri-Chlor tabs and powder is stabilized--that's what makes it Tri-Chlor. It breaks down into chlorine and CYA and is highly acidic.

Di-Chlor powder is like a low-proof version of Tri-Chlor. It raises CYA and depresses pH but not as drastically.

But it all comes back to those test numbers.

You only need to test chlorine and pH every day but you should test the others every week.

But without testing we really cannot help. We advise, you do all the heavy lifting!

[RobDHW]

Ok, I've got my questions mostly answered. I can just buy HTH Calcium Plus at WallyMart to raise my calcium (found that out this morning) w/out having to buy the CalHypo shock.

My pH is WAY low (6.8 or less) & I bought Borax, which is going to be added as soon as I fire off this post & figure out the right amount.

Carl: as for the heavy lifting - a friend of mine has the best t-shirt "I'm not real bright, but I can lift heavy things". I'm all over the lifting. Amzingly, I think I can learn too (see - now I'm on the BBB plan).

So, the numbers (from a HTH test kit - until I get the "good one") :
Cl - 10
pH 6.8 (adding Borax)
TA - 70
Ca - 70 - still need to know what it should be - must do a search when done
CYA - 100 (yanking pucks out) (test strips LIE)

You folks all rock! THANKS!

[Watermom]

Calcium level between 200-400 is what you should aim for.

Is your volume 1100 or 11,000 gallons. I think the 1100 is probably a typo in your post above. If it is 11,000, I'd start with a half a box of Borax. Give it a couple of hours to circulate, then retest and redose as needed.

[RobDHW]

Yes, Watermom - I can't type. 11,000 gal (although, I want to recalculate... today is pool maint. day).
I went to poolcalculator.com and figured out that I'm going to add 4lb baking soda, since my TA can be raised a bit, then I'll add some Borax. Test again. repeat.
I also need to add serious calcium per the calculator. I bought some, which I will add, then once again test. Repeat as necessarry (or however it's spelled).

I'm so happy that I found this site, from the bottom of my wallet and the top of my brain.

[Watermom]

Do the Borax first. Low pH is a much bigger problem than low alk. And, actually, TA of 70 isn't bad.

[chem geek]

As a rule of thumb, for every 10 ppm of FC added by trichlor you are also adding 9 ppm of CYA and with dichlor every 10 ppm FC added adds 6 ppm CYA

This is a typo and is reversed. For every 10 ppm FC added by Trichlor it increases CYA by 6 ppm. For every 10 ppm FC added by Dichlor it increases CYA by 9 ppm. Between Trichlor and Dichlor, it is the latter that raises CYA more quickly.