Cannot chorinate

[sinkin]

Help. I'm a newbie to the site and this is my 1st post. I've owned my 36 X18 vinyl liner pool for 15 yrs. Although I have had issues in the past, this current one has me waving the white towel.

My pool will not hold any chlorine. My CYA was 100 so i started to change out some water by running my hose to a shallow end corner and using my pool cover pump in the diagonally opposite deep end at the same time while not running the filter. I try to regulate the hose (input) to coincide with the draining (output). I've done this on & off the last few days, probably 24 hrs total. Last nite my CYA was 30, no chlorine, PH 7.1 - 7.2, total alk 80, Calcium hardness 130 so I tried super chlorinating after the sun went down. I added 3 gallons of 12.5% liquid shock, and two 1.42 gallon jugs of 6% bleach.

After I ran the fiter for about an hour I tested the chlorine at over the testers 5ppm limit (the PH was still on the low side). At 6:30 AM prior to the sun reaching the pool I re-tested - No chlorine at all again & the PH was still a little low.

I then shut off the filter, dropped the pump in the deep end corner and turned the hose back on.

I'm at a loss.

[Watermom]

Keep adding chlorine several times a day. We have had a lot of pool owners this year who have had this same problem. It will eventually hold chlorine. As many times a day as you can, add more chlorine. Aim for a level of 12ppm. You also should think about getting a better kit that will allow you to test for chlorine levels over 5. Take a look at this thread:

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=10006

In the meantime, you can force your kit to read higher than 5. Read more here.

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?p=65545#post65545

Keep an eye on your pH. You don't want it to go any lower.

Good luck. Keep us posted how things are going. BTW -- Welcome to the forum!

[CarlD]

What are you testing with? If you are using a DPD Chlorine test (not FAS-DPD, but just DPD) high levels of chlorine can bleach the test reagents!

[sinkin]

What are you testing with? If you are using a DPD Chlorine test (not FAS-DPD, but just DPD) high levels of chlorine can bleach the test reagents!

I used the cheap HTH drop test kit I picked up at Walmart while I wait for my Taylor K2006 to arrive. I just ordered it last night after reading some posts here for the first time. The HTH kit did show a high (off the chart) chlorine reading about an hour after I added the shock/ bleach last night. But nothing this morning.

I called home (I'm at work) and told my wife to add 3 more 1.42 gallons of 6% bleach this morning after reading Watermom's reply. This probably took it up to 10ppm for at least a brief period of time.

I intend to check again as soon as I get home and add enough to get me to the 12ppm as suggested and then do it again before I hit the sack tonight if necessary.

This can get expensive even using no name bleach but I don't know what else to do at this time. It's really frustrating

[Watermom]

You're on the right track. Hopefully it won't take too long before you'll be able to hold a chlorine reading. But, sometimes takes a bit. Seems like we have seen more of this situation than usual this year. Keep hammering it with bleach. The more times per day, the faster the process will go. It will work.

[sinkin]

When I got home last night & rechecked the chlorine it was once again at zero. I then added 2 gallons of 12.5% shock & approx 91ozs (1/2 of 1.42 GAL) of 6% bleach. This brought the chlorine reading back well over the 5ppm limit on my tester (probably around 12). I did not have time to buy distilled water last night to do the diluted X 2 test but will buy some tonight.

I then re-tested at about 10:00PM and the chlorine level dropped to about 5ppm. I then added 2 more gallons of 12.5 shock. This morning at 6:30AM the chlorine level was still at 5ppm! Yippee!! This is the first time in 1-1/2 weeks that I had a chlorine reading in the AM!

My wife just re-checked at 9:30 this morning and the Chlorine is still at 3.6ppm. I didn't have her add anything but asked her to re-check at around noon & let me know.

Thank you Watermom!! I think I finally see some light at the end of the tunnel.

What chlorine level should I strive for? should I still be superchlorinating to 12PPM?

Prior to posting here for the first time yesterday, I was in the process of changing out my water. Monday evening my CYA was at 30 as I was pumping out & refilling water after starting out at 100. When I rechecked the CYA last nite after a few more hours of water changing yesterday AM, the CYA was something < 30 (which is the lowest limit on my cheap tester) so I am not surprised that the chlorine is diminishing. I don't want to add any stablizer until I receive the K2006 tester that I ordered yesterday.

What is the recommended CYA reading? I'm cautious to add any as I had a previous bad experience with too much in the past after I was "pool-stored".

Thanks again for all of your help.

[Watermom]

I'd go ahead and keep the cl up for another day just for added insurance and to make sure you don't still have the large cl demand. Then, with CYA of 30, you can keep your chlorine level between 3-6ppm and you'll do fine.

Glad its going well and ...... you're welcome. Glad to be able to help!