Opening AG 24ft -Everything is wrong

[brianbo]

Thanks again Carl, Janet and everyone.
I read so much in this forum last week it made my head spin as the pool was a mess. I knew I saw a post about ammonia, PH and I found it as it was in this forum under FAQ. It said on startup to get PH up to 7.5 and add chlorine and do not worry about TA but I could not find it. I figured out today that I need to be logged in for Search capability. I am not to swift sometimes.
I found and saved Ben's best guess chart so I have that.
My first 2 years were easy and last year with the iron was not so easy. I think I had other issues last year but that is in the past.

When adding chemicals seems like going easy on everything except chlorine.
Pool Store recommended level on chlorine is 1 to 3.
But Bens recommended FC is 3-6 with CYA = 35. To me that is not close.
What is recommended level on TA and PH as pool store is TA 100-150 and PH is 7.2 - 7.8? My PH is 7.1 but do I want it at 7.5
Is everything rule of thumb or just learn by doing based on pool size, area, climate, etc?

Thanks again,
Brian

[Watermom]

We suggest alk at 80-120, ph anywhere between 7.2-7.8 is OK, but we prefer 7.4-7.6. And, yes, a lot of it is just rule of thumb and based on all the things you mentioned above. You just have to learn what works best for your pool.

[CarlD]

According to our in-house chemists, they are now saying T/A really should be in the 80 to 100 range, though I have never had problems with a vinyl pool with it as high as 180ppm.

Try reading some of the stickied threads that Watermom, aylad, Poconos and I authored, especially on pool maintenance and BBB. They should make it a lot clearer.

Remember: in a vinyl pool you are concerned with pH and sufficient chlorine to keep it sanitary. Everything else serves those two thing--T/A helps keep pH constant. CYA(Stabilizer) helps keep chlorine from breaking down too fast. Calcium is only for hard-sided pools.

And most of the other chemicals and tests (phosphates and "Total Dissolved Solids") are designed to keep the pool stores and pool chem companies solvent.

[daisy11]

Not to add to your confusion, but with metals in your water, I would try to keep your pH toward the lower end of the "good" range....I keep the pH between 7.2 and 7.4 in my pool because of the iron in my fill water.

And yes, they will tell you to add all sorts of chemicals to your pool at the pool store because they are in the business of selling chemicals. I just tell them that I have it at home, thank you very much.