We are renting a house and moved in in mid-Sept. I've been doing alot of reading to figure out how to take care of the pool. The house was on the market for about 8-12 months and the pool guy, who came once each week, apparently was told by the owner to keep the pool looking good (blue) and not to spend alot of money. So, the pool guy just put in lot so pucks to keep the cholorine high and didn't fool with the pH or alkalinity or anything else. So, now, the CYA is off the chart as is the free chlorine. I haven't done anything except increase the pH and alkalinity. (I've backwashed and kept the pool free of dirt and leaves.)
The water still looks great. My kids got in and swam a few times, but now, I'm a little scared after studying about the chemicals. I'm going to take some water to the pool store to find out the exact levels, and see what they have to say, but I guess my question is this: If the water is pretty and blue, chemicals are staying in balance with a very high CYA (the strips only read up to 150) and a high free chlorine (strips only read up to 10), should I worry too much about it? Is the water unsafe to swim in? (we live in the south and with the cool nights lately, swimming is pretty much over, but I'm hoping to have it all figured out by the spring and really don't want to have to drain the pool--22K gallons of water has got to be EXPENSIVE)-
A couple of other questions:
--I live in the deep south -- I've started running my pump 6 hours at night....is that what I need to do all winter? Should I be running it more or less this time of year?
--Do I just keep checking the water every few days and adjust the chemicals as needed (once I get the CYA stuff figured out)? There is no cover for the pool and I was told that the owner has always kept is "open" during the winter.
TIA
Pam
Renting a house with a vinyl liner pool that is about 22K gallons.
renting a house with pool...water is blue, but..
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Guest
renting a house with pool...water is blue, but..
You need to keep the free chlorine between 1ppm and 3ppm. Ususally around 2 is okay. Chlorine above 5ppm is generally considered too high for bathers. Your pool will use up very little chlorine when the water is cool, so in the winter you should use very much chlorine at all. In fact, most people don't run sticks or tabs in the winter, just shock with 1lb. per 10K gallons every 3-4 weeks.
CYA or Cynuric Acid is used to "stabillize" the chlorine or keep the sun's UV rays from taking the chlorine out of the water. CYA level should be kept at 40ppm, but don't panic if it is too high. Too much CYA has the effect of "slowing" the chlorine down, making it sluggish and not as effective at killing bacteria. The key here is making sure your water is clear and not "dingy" looking and that algae is not a recurring problem. CYA is like a balancing chemical in that the only way the level is reduces is through dilution. If your water is clear, don't sweat the CYA reading. Obviously, don't add any more!
If you keep your ph between 7.4 and 7.6, keep your free chlorine at 2ppm or better (a little higher with a heavy bather load), and check your total alkalinity once a month during the summer (vinyl ideal range is 125-150ppm) and oxidize or shock once a week (1 lb. calcium hypochlorite per 10K gallons) you should stay pretty trouble free. Don't forget to use algicide!
Calcium hardness is a long term concern. Calcium hardness should be maintained at 175-225ppm. This will make your liner last longer and remain pliable and soft.
During the winter months, just periodically look at your pool and see what the water looks like. If it starts to look cloudy or starts getting a green tint, hit it with some shock. Check the water balance maybe twice during the winter.
With 22K gallons, you should run your pool at least 12 hours during the daytime in the summer. It is best to run 24 hours a day, but realistically this can get expensive. In the winter you can get by with about 12 hours a week. Either keep a good eye on the thermometer or install a freeze protection system if you don't plan on partially draining your pool.
CYA or Cynuric Acid is used to "stabillize" the chlorine or keep the sun's UV rays from taking the chlorine out of the water. CYA level should be kept at 40ppm, but don't panic if it is too high. Too much CYA has the effect of "slowing" the chlorine down, making it sluggish and not as effective at killing bacteria. The key here is making sure your water is clear and not "dingy" looking and that algae is not a recurring problem. CYA is like a balancing chemical in that the only way the level is reduces is through dilution. If your water is clear, don't sweat the CYA reading. Obviously, don't add any more!
If you keep your ph between 7.4 and 7.6, keep your free chlorine at 2ppm or better (a little higher with a heavy bather load), and check your total alkalinity once a month during the summer (vinyl ideal range is 125-150ppm) and oxidize or shock once a week (1 lb. calcium hypochlorite per 10K gallons) you should stay pretty trouble free. Don't forget to use algicide!
Calcium hardness is a long term concern. Calcium hardness should be maintained at 175-225ppm. This will make your liner last longer and remain pliable and soft.
During the winter months, just periodically look at your pool and see what the water looks like. If it starts to look cloudy or starts getting a green tint, hit it with some shock. Check the water balance maybe twice during the winter.
With 22K gallons, you should run your pool at least 12 hours during the daytime in the summer. It is best to run 24 hours a day, but realistically this can get expensive. In the winter you can get by with about 12 hours a week. Either keep a good eye on the thermometer or install a freeze protection system if you don't plan on partially draining your pool.
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