brand new pool startup--help!! (Phoenix, Taylor: to buy, stores, best)

[LBTRS]

Originally Posted by lewdog_5

Is there an official pool questions thread on here? I have some questions about phosphate levels as well and am a new pool owner too. I don't want to start a new thread and also don't want to change the OPs thread here.

Ask in here, it has to do with the original topic of this thread and can assist the OP and others.

Very rarely are phosphates an issue if you are sanitizing your pool correctly. If you keep the chlorine level where it needs to be, algae can never get started to feed on the phosphates.

[lewdog_5]

I took over a pool that I think was neglected for well over a month before we purchased the home. I'm not sure of the size but it's just a basic play pool. However even given what I think is some neglect, it's crystal clear and continues to be clear even though when I take my water in to be tested every week the chlorine levels are always near zero even with dumping in 2 gallons of liquid chlorine and keeping 2 tabs in the floater and 1 in the skimmer. My pool is burning through chlorine even though it isn't hot yet. CYA is at 100 and PH at 7.6. Alkalinity at 100. After having this same scenario happen for about 3 weeks, where they would test and chlorine would be at or near 0, they tested phosphates and said I'm near 1000. I bought their $30 phosphate remover (1 quart size) and added 2 more gallons of liquid chlorine. Took water in 6 days later and chlorine is now at 1.5 but phosphates still near 1000.

I really don't want to have to continue to use the chlorine tabs (based on research I've done) as my pool is self filling and I know I don't want my CYA level to shoot through the roof and cause me to have to empty and refill my pool to change it's level so chlorine isn't burning off super quick. But I'm concerned that if I go with just straight liquid chlorine right now, I'd be burning through gallons to keep it at a respectable level.

We have no vegetation in the back yard and so the pool store questioned if the previous owners had a dog, which caused the phosphates to rise. And I'm pretty confident they did as I found dog shampoo in the garage, lol.

Thoughts?

[LBTRS]

You're in Phoenix I assume?

What is your calcium hardness level? You normally have to change your water about every three years here because the hardness gets so high and to lower CYA if pucks are used. If your CYA is really at 100 then it is way to high and you need to drain water anyway.

Now is the time to drain water in the Phoenix area as once it starts getting hot you shouldn't drain your pool as it could ruin the finish. If I were starting with a pool that I knew nothing about and was having some water issues I would drain it and start fresh so I wasn't continuing to deal with issues and wondering what was done to the pool prior.

The phosphates are not what is using all your chlorine, something else is going on. Have you shocked the pool? Do this...

http://www.troublefreepool.com/conte...tain-shockingl

Chlorine/CYA chart...

http://www.troublefreepool.com/conte...art-slam-shock

[lewdog_5]

Originally Posted by LBTRS

You're in Phoenix I assume?

What is your calcium hardness level? You normally have to change your water about every three years here because the hardness gets so high and to lower CYA if pucks are used. If your CYA is really at 100 then it is way to high and you need to drain water anyway.

Now is the time to drain water in the Phoenix area as once it starts getting hot you shouldn't drain your pool as it could ruin the finish. If I were starting with a pool that I knew nothing about and was having some water issues I would drain it and start fresh so I wasn't continuing to deal with issues and wondering what was done to the pool prior.

The phosphates are not what is using all your chlorine, something else is going on. Have you shocked the pool? Do this...

Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain

Chlorine/CYA chart...

Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart

Yes, I'm in Phoenix.

I had the guy who's done the pool maintenance on this pool for years come down and show me about it. He said pool water was changed about a year ago and I'd be good for a few more years.

No idea on calcium hardness.

If by shocking the pool you mean adding in gallons of liquid chlorine all at once then yes.

Would you recommend that with my pool I not use the pucks since they contain CYA?

[LBTRS]

Originally Posted by lewdog_5

Yes, I'm in Phoenix.

I had the guy who's done the pool maintenance on this pool for years come down and show me about it. He said pool water was changed about a year ago and I'd be good for a few more years.

No idea on calcium hardness.

If by shocking the pool you mean adding in gallons of liquid chlorine all at once then yes.

Would you recommend that with my pool I not use the pucks since they contain CYA?

Something is wrong and you need to get it fixed as you can't afford to keep burning through liquid chlorine at that rate.

You need to measure to make sure your chlorine level gets up to shock level, you can't just pour in chlorine and not know what the level is as it may not have got to shock level. Look at that chart I posted in the previous post that tells where you need to get the chlorine level to at the CYA level you have.

If you don't get it to a high enough level it won't kill all of what is using the chlorine and you'll keep dealing with it. The problem is your CYA level which is going to require a very high FC level which may not be practical. I definitely wouldn't put anymore CYA in there if it really is at 100 and I'd be doing a partial drain to get it down as that can cause a lot of problems when it gets hot. Algae isn't as likely to grow and show itself in this weather but as soon as that water warms up you're going to have a mess if you don't fix whatever is using your chlorine now.

[lewdog_5]

Originally Posted by LBTRS

Something is wrong and you need to get it fixed as you can't afford to keep burning through liquid chlorine at that rate.

You need to measure to make sure your chlorine level gets up to shock level, you can't just pour in chlorine and not know what the level is as it may not have got to shock level. Look at that chart I posted in the previous post that tells where you need to get the chlorine level to at the CYA level you have.

If you don't get it to a high enough level it won't kill all of what is using the chlorine and you'll keep dealing with it. The problem is your CYA level which is going to require a very high FC level which may not be practical. I definitely wouldn't put anymore CYA in there if it really is at 100 and I'd be doing a partial drain to get it down as that can cause a lot of problems when it gets hot. Algae isn't as likely to grow and show itself in this weather but as soon as that water warms up you're going to have a mess if you don't fix whatever is using your chlorine now.

Sounds good. Thanks for the advice.

What testing kit do you recommend? Right now I'm just taking my water to the pool store once a week but I realize I can't do what I need with your suggestions if I can't measure things myself.

Is draining my pool halfway something I can do or should I hire somebody? Where do you drain the excess water to?

[Reedus]

Originally Posted by lewdog_5

Yes, I'm in Phoenix.

I had the guy who's done the pool maintenance on this pool for years come down and show me about it. He said pool water was changed about a year ago and I'd be good for a few more years.

No idea on calcium hardness.

If by shocking the pool you mean adding in gallons of liquid chlorine all at once then yes.

Would you recommend that with my pool I not use the pucks since they contain CYA?

Pucks are used for pool owners who do not want the hassle of maintaining chemistry on a DAILY level. It is entirely possible to use bleach to chlorinate your pool, but bleach is an UNSTABLIZED source of chlorine and it burns off quickly. You can lose up to 25% of it immediately just dumping it into the water with the sun out. My recommendation (CPO certified pool technician) is to stick with the pucks for chlorinating your pool. On average I use between 3 and 4 pucks a week on your average 10k play pool. On bigger pools that have a lot of use, I am running up to 15 pucks per week in 3 different tab floaters. A CYA level of 100 IMHO is not that high for Phoenix. I typically start up a pool with 70. Anything lower than that and it is a struggle to keep chlorine in the pool, especially with a moderate bather load in July/August. I try and drain every three years to make my job easier, although I have several pools that haven't been drained in over 10 years and they still are crystal clear. One thing that is absolutely necessary is to get you a test kit. I recommend the Taylor k2005. You have to know what is going on with your chlorine and pH if you want to even have a prayer of not dealing with a green pool. Guesstimating by simply tossing pucks in and dumping bleach will almost certainly guarantee you a green pool mid summer

[LBTRS]

Originally Posted by lewdog_5

Sounds good. Thanks for the advice.

What testing kit do you recommend? Right now I'm just taking my water to the pool store once a week but I realize I can't do what I need with your suggestions if I can't measure things myself.

Is draining my pool halfway something I can do or should I hire somebody? Where do you drain the excess water to?

The test kit I have and many have is the TF-100 which you can get at TFTestkits.net

The pool store is going to try and sell you stuff every time you go in and I don't trust they take the time to do a proper test. I want to test my own water.

You can drain water yourself but you'll need a submersible pump which you can buy or rent at home depot or lowes. You drain it to the drain clean out in the front of your yard. You should have a PVC screw off cover somewhere in your front yard that gives access to the sewer drain pipe of your house. You drain the water right in there and it goes into the sewer system. You don't want to do this if you have a septic system or your city somehow measures the amount of sewage that you put down the drain.

[Reedus]

Also, in reply to your non-existent chlorine levels, you need to continue to add chlorine until you have a good residual of 5ppm or more, then let it come down over a few days. If you are shocking one day and have 0 ppm the next, you have organics and/or chloramines in the pool that are creating a chlorine demand. My recommendation as far as shocking goes is to use 99% trichlor. Throw in 5lbs and your chlorine demand will be obliterated. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions

[Reedus]

one last gem of advice... don't take your water to Leslies or any other pool store. 90% of the crap on their shelves is 100% not needed in maintaining your pool despite them trying to tell you you need it