Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

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Tosk
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Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Tosk » Mon 08 Jul, 2019 08:58

• Problem: The problem is I have varying different sources of information regarding caring for a pool this small in the UK
• FC: 5.0
• TC: Unknown
• pH: 6.0
• TA: 0.0
• CH: Unknown
• CYA: 150
• My pool: 20” x 57” x 85”. Kiddie pool. Vinyl, above ground.
• Pool chemicals: Sodium dichlor, Sodium Carbonate, very little else.
• My pump & filter: 500 gal/hr
• Other info: water temp - unknown, bather load - none since the saturday the kids first played in it

The above readings are correct as of this morning. Here's the story so far

My wife got a small pool for the kids. Dimensions above, only about 400 uk gallons or so. She wants to keep it full the whole summer, so I looked into how to do this. She filled it up last friday night. First thing saturday morning I went to B and Q, and got chlorine tablets. The advisor told me to put 2 in, that should be enough. The pot said one tablet raises chlorine ppm by 1 for 1000 litres. As my pool is around 1660 litres (according to the box) that seemed sensible. I dissolved 2 tablets in warm water, added it to the pool in the morning and stirred. This saw us through the first day.

But then I learnt that a pool needs to be shocked on first use, and I hadn't done this. Also, the test strips I bought from B and Q were useless and I couldn't tell one colour from another. I kept adding 2 tabs of Chlorine a day over the next 2-3 days with a view to keeping the chlorine "ticking over" until I learnt more about pool maintenance. I have since bought granules, as everything seems to be weighted in them.

Pump arrived on the Tuesday, and I got more accurate test strips on Friday (ones with an app that give you a digital readout. I trust these ones a lot more). I've since found that my PH is ridiculously low, along with my Alkilinity. So this past Saturday I added a dose of Sodium Carbonate, Clearwater's own PH Plus brand, as per the instructions. Then left for 8 hours as stated. Ph did absolutely nothing and remains stationary at 6.0. This cannot be good for the liner.

Last night I looked on the Clearwater website and it said that to shock a pool you need 50 gms per 1000 gallons. I could have used 25 grams, as this would be logical given that my pool is 400 gallons. But instead I used 50 grams, as per the shock for 1000 gallons. I figured that it would be easier to bring down chlorine with bright sunlight, than have a woefully low dose. I brushed the floor and sides of the pool down with a plastic brush, added the 50 grams granules to warm water and added with the pump on last night. After 2 hours, I was happy that the test strips had started to show something different - the chlorine was at 5ppm. But this still seemed very low for a shock dose. When I tested again this morning before work, it still showed 5ppm. All the time I've had the pool the water has been pretty much crystal clear. Pump has been on for 2 hours daily, and grass has been scooped out with a net

So - my questions are -

Have I shocked the water correctly? Are my kids alright to play in it once it gets down to 2-3ppm ? I'm then planning to shock weekly.
Am I doing the right thing regarding my Ph? Will the Ph rise to the 7.6 needed if I jam a shedload more of Sodium Carbonate in ? Or is the Alkilinity working against it?
How long will it take my ridiculously acidic water to eat through my pool liner? Am I in any danger this week?

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated :)


Teapot
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My Pool: 12 x 24 (45m3) liner pool, Triton TR60 filter with AFM glass media (Activate) and variable speed pump running 0.08HP
Location: UK

Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Teapot » Mon 08 Jul, 2019 10:12

What does the water you fill the pool test at?
Denniswiseman
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My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Denniswiseman » Mon 08 Jul, 2019 10:24

Hi Tosk and welcome
With a CYA of 150 you would be better off just dumping the water and start again as the high CYA makes your chlorine ineffective try to aim for a CYA of about 30 Chlorine / CYA Chart
Shock is elevated chlorine, only needed when you have an algae bloom
Use these common products to balance your pool
Liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite or plain bleach)
Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) to lower pH and TA
Bicarbonate of soda to raise TA
Aeration will raise pH only
Soda ash will raise pH and TA
For every 10 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) added by Trichlor, it also increases Cyanuric Acid (CYA) by 6 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Dichlor, it also increases CYA by 9 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Cal-Hypo, it also increases Calcium Hardness (CH) by at least 7 ppm
We don't recommend guess strips or the Aquachek Tru Test meter or similar as they aren't accurate but with such a small pool I doubt that you would want to invest in a FAS/DPD test kit (just as cheap to dump the water
Why haven't you got a TA number
Teapot
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 1337
Joined: Tue 17 Oct, 2017 10:52
My Pool: 12 x 24 (45m3) liner pool, Triton TR60 filter with AFM glass media (Activate) and variable speed pump running 0.08HP
Location: UK

Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Teapot » Mon 08 Jul, 2019 10:38

Probably because the CYA buffer at that level has knocked it out along with the low pH. I just wanted to know the water supply stats before I suggested replacing the water and strips are useless.
Denniswiseman
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue 06 Sep, 2011 05:48
My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Denniswiseman » Mon 08 Jul, 2019 11:10

Teapot wrote:Probably because the CYA buffer at that level has knocked it out along with the low pH. I just wanted to know the water supply stats before I suggested replacing the water and strips are useless.

It's only 56 UK gallons filled to the top
Tosk
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Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Tosk » Mon 08 Jul, 2019 12:36

I've tested the tap water, and the results are very confusing. At first it said 8.2, then I retested and it was 7.6, then I tested again and it was 6.0. Every test (and I tested a lot) seems to give similar readings to the ones above. Hardness varied between 0 and 600 (??). I hate these test strips but I really can't justify spending the cost of the pool over again on a digital reader.
I used two different types of test strips and they seem to agree with the readings above. The second type of strips does give total chlorine, which at the minute sits at about 10ppm (the max it can read)
I swear this is driving me insane. I was almost at the point of tears trying to determine what the water is like. All I want to do is make sure that my wife's impulse buying isn't going to kill my children :'(
Denniswiseman
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue 06 Sep, 2011 05:48
My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Denniswiseman » Mon 08 Jul, 2019 12:59

Denniswiseman wrote:
Teapot wrote:Probably because the CYA buffer at that level has knocked it out along with the low pH. I just wanted to know the water supply stats before I suggested replacing the water and strips are useless.

It's only 56 UK gallons filled to the top

Sorry my mistake that is 56 cubic ft 350 UK gallons
I still reckon on dumping the water
Tosk
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Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Tosk » Mon 08 Jul, 2019 14:01

Denniswiseman wrote:
Denniswiseman wrote:
Teapot wrote:Probably because the CYA buffer at that level has knocked it out along with the low pH. I just wanted to know the water supply stats before I suggested replacing the water and strips are useless.

It's only 56 UK gallons filled to the top

Sorry my mistake that is 56 cubic ft 350 UK gallons
I still reckon on dumping the water


With a view to getting a fresh load of water to start afresh and get the balance right? Or just because it's easier to refill the pool whenever it's needed rather than mess about with the chemical composition?
Teapot
Pool Industry Leader
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Posts: 1337
Joined: Tue 17 Oct, 2017 10:52
My Pool: 12 x 24 (45m3) liner pool, Triton TR60 filter with AFM glass media (Activate) and variable speed pump running 0.08HP
Location: UK

Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Teapot » Mon 08 Jul, 2019 16:20

It's the feed a man a fish or teach a man to fish scenario. I would in your situation empty the pool on this occasion and begin again. As you have bought a test strip reader, I suggest you sell it! should get a couple of bob for it on ebay.
Buy a basic DPD 1 & 3 test kit and a phenol red (pH) kit. you could get a single test for TA from an aquarium shop or me if you get stuck, and a CYA tester (vanishing dot) all for a lot less than you spent on an electronic strip reader.
Stop believing what you read on other internet sites and concentrate your efforts on here. a pool without stabiliser (CYA) will loose it's chlorine in around 2 hours so you need around 30-50ppm, never come across water with 0 alkalinity so that can't be right even at pH of 6. Refilling the pool you'll need to add a small amount of chlorine, preferably stabilised but 5ppm of chlorine is a big shock dose for a pool without stabiliser in it. more than enough but in the sun it will be gone in a couple of hours, you need to keep the water sanitised or empty at the end of each day but still clean with a bleach solution.
Tosk
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Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Tosk » Tue 09 Jul, 2019 04:40

Okay. Getting a bit clearer but also confused as well.
You said that chlorine wont last long without stabiliser, but as below my CYA readings are minimum 150. So surely my chlorine should be lasting forever and a day

But from what you've said, I should ditch the water. scrub the walls with bleach, refill and maintain the free chlorine at 2-3ppm as normal.
Denniswiseman
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue 06 Sep, 2011 05:48
My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Denniswiseman » Tue 09 Jul, 2019 07:14

Tosk wrote:Okay. Getting a bit clearer but also confused as well.
You said that chlorine wont last long without stabiliser, but as below my CYA readings are minimum 150. So surely my chlorine should be lasting forever and a day

But from what you've said, I should ditch the water. scrub the walls with bleach, refill and maintain the free chlorine at 2-3ppm as normal.

Chlorine needs stabilisor but not excessive as it renders the chlorine ineffective, take a look at the Chlorine / CYA Chart which would indicate that a CYA of 150 would require a minimum of 12ppm of chlorine
We would normally suggest a partial drain and refill to lower your CYA but in your case it would be 80% drain needed to reduce to 30 CYA. That's why we are saying it's just as well starting from scratch
Tosk
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Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Tosk » Tue 09 Jul, 2019 07:56

Right. But the water from my tap also reads as CYA 150
Denniswiseman
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue 06 Sep, 2011 05:48
My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Denniswiseman » Tue 09 Jul, 2019 08:16

Tosk wrote:Right. But the water from my tap also reads as CYA 150

There shouldn't be anything but maybe a trace of Cyanuric acid in drinking water
Are you sure you're measuring Cyanuric acid or Calcium
Tosk
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Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Tosk » Tue 09 Jul, 2019 08:44

I'll double check but I'm pretty sure that's what's being recorded
Teapot
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 1337
Joined: Tue 17 Oct, 2017 10:52
My Pool: 12 x 24 (45m3) liner pool, Triton TR60 filter with AFM glass media (Activate) and variable speed pump running 0.08HP
Location: UK

Re: Got an incredibly small pool and need to know if I'm doing things right.

Postby Teapot » Tue 09 Jul, 2019 10:53

:lol: I'm certain your not right! If everyone kept drinking that water the males testicles would shrink :lol:

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