text: First Numbers - what do you think?
  Forum > Water Chemistry > Testing and Balancing Your Water > First Numbers - what do you think?
  Thread: First Numbers - what do you think?
  05-14-2010, 08:08 PM #1
  Just got pump running today. Pool is VERY green because it's been sitting without a pump for a week. I did the best I could with adding chlorine and brushing, but it looks pretty bad.
  Numbers are 9 hours after getting pump running.
  TA 110 (could be 100, turned purple first, then 1 more drop turned it pink)
  I know my CYA is high. And I know I need to get/keep my FC at shock level for my CYA until I get a overnight loss test of 1 or less.
  How's the rest look? I don't believe I ever did the CC test before. Is 1 ok?
  Oh and I'm using Taylor K2006.
  05-14-2010, 08:52 PM #2
  Re: First Numbers - what do you think?
  Check out pool calculator, linked in my signature. Also read pool school, specifically the sections on shocking the pool, turning a swap into a sparkling oasis. Also read about the relationship between CYA and Chlorine levels. The Chlorine/CYA chart is a good starting point on shock levels. Additionally, you'll need to calculate how many gallons in your pool and it is very helpful if you put your specs of your system in your signature via the control panel in the upper left corner of the page. (edited...whoops! it wasn't showing up and then there it was...)
  Yes, CYA is a bit up there and will require higher shock levels, outlined in the pool calculator and in pool school. The only way to lower CYA is to stop using trichlor pucks, dichlor shock type products, and to replace some of your water. If, once you input your numbers you are willing to work with the 80, then do so, but it's just more chlorine demanded to do the same job. For an 80 CYA, you need to get to and maintain a FC level of 31 for shocking. If you replace water and got to a CYA of 40, it would be a shock level of 16...pretty big difference.
  A CC of 1 plus the green indicates there is still an organic element at work. You need to keep your pool at shock level until you have CC of .5 or less, a crystal clear pool, and a FC loss of less than 1ppm overnight. Until you reach 0 to .5 CC you are not done shocking, and you certainly aren't done if you don't have clear water.
  More expert advice will be along to help, but hopefully this gives you some things to browse over in the mean time. Don't get overwhelmed. Just take things one step at a time. Pool school is very good to read, re read and read again.
  05-15-2010, 11:45 PM #3
  Looks like poolgirl22 covered the basics pretty well! Unless you have a SWG you'll want to cut your CYA by about half (shoot for the 40-50 range). You can replace water first and then fight the algae, or fight the algae first and replace the water after. Personally I think replacing water first will make it easier to deal with the algae, if you can replace a big chunk like that all at once.
  How's things going Kathy?
  I apologize, I didn't pay attention that you've been on this forum since last summer so many of my suggestions probably seemed repetitive to you..
  As PaulR said above, if it were my pool I'd waste out and refill part of the pool to get that CYA lower in order to be able to fight the algae a little easier.
  The pool calculator is your best tool, and I use its numbers religiously and have had no trouble since my initial switch over. And we can help you if you have questions if you provide the info we ask for. Put all your info in, set up your values from tfp.com and save a copy of it on your computer. That way you don't have to set it up again each day when you use it.
  I plugged in your numbers from the other day and got:
  Normal FC level of 6-11, Shock of 21. Either the pool calculator or CYA/Clorine chart are fine as resources. The CYA chart seems to be more aggressive and a bit faster. I wasn't that green so pool calc worked for me quickly. Whichever you use, just put the current reading in the now column and whatever shock value you are targeting in the target column and hit calculate and it will tell you how much bleach you need.
  CYA of 80 (to reduce to a target of 40, replace 50% of the water, then retest and put the result in the 'now' column. It will change your target values for you. )
  TA is fine for now, can lower later if you want.
  PH looks ok, with FC levels where yours are, it is hard to get an accurate PH level.
  Post back with your plan and current test results. Post some photos as well. It will help you see progress. Be patient and you'll get to sparkling trouble free pool status quickly!!
  Edited: I've attached my blank pool log file in both excel and Open office format. You may have to tweak it a bit if you use excel. I just had an old 3 ring notebook and I printed a couple of these and just record my results each day. Then I can go back and see what I did. Under the actions write down everything you did, added, or observed in the pool and/or weather conditions. This saves time later so if you get the same FC value, you can go back and see what you did before and you don't have to look up on pool calc. It also helps you see how your pool behaves.