used yellow out before I found you.....

[hkcon]

Now the water smells, and I have no chlorine, (strip test). I have read the FAQ's and am now more confused than ever...and this is my 4 yr. with a pool. I have a Jandy cl580 four cartridge filter, a Jandy hhp 1.0 pump, and it is about 26,000 gallons. I guess the first thing I should do is go get a "drops" test kit? ty for any help....

[PoolDoc]

Answering your question before some others, just because I wanted an easy one (to answer; not quite as easy to do).

#1 - Get the OTO drops kit. 6 boxes of 20 Mule Team and about 30 gallons of PLAIN 6% chlorine bleach.
#2 - Test your pH BEFORE adding chlorine; report that here. Add 2 boxes of borax for good measure, regardless of pH (slowly, in the skimmer, with pump running) Your pH is probably low, but even if not, we'll lower it later. (Borax raises pH)
#3 - Add 6 gallons of bleach tonight within 2 hours of sunset. Test 1 hour after adding.
#4 - Run your pump 24/7 till the pool is ALL cleaned up, + two more days.
#5 - Test chlorine in the AM, within 2 hours of sunRISE.
#6 - Test chlorine in the PM, within 2 hours of sunset. If OTO is not dark yellow, repeat dose.
#7 - Test chlorine in the AM, within 2 hours of sunRISE. => Report results here.

Also, when you report pH, let us know if the pool is still cloudy, and if there is any remaining algae.

Ben

[CarlD]

Ben:
#5--if the OTO is not dark yellow should't he add another 6 gallons of bleach then and every time OTO is not dark yellow?

Carl

[hkcon]

Also, when you report pH, let us know if the pool is still cloudy, and if there is any remaining algae.

Ben

I probably should have mentioned that the pool is not cloudy,,,,most of the algae is gone, (there is still some on the bottom and some very little on the sides, the stuff on the bottom will sweep up but the stuff on the sides is impervius to the broom.

[PoolDoc]

@ hkcon
OK, then you've cleared up most, but not all algae. Go ahead and go with the plan above, and let us know the results.


@ CarlD
If he tests in the AM and there's NO chlorine, it wouldn't hurt to add more. But I have no idea what his stabilizer level is -- if any. However, with OTO, the reading is going to TC, not FC, so I'm not anticipating a 0 TC after Yellow Out.

If he's adding 12+ ppm in the PM, I'm not too worried about the algae 'flashing' during the day, especially if he adds the borax to keep the pH in the "will form monochloramine" range. (The fact that the pool is "stink" suggests that it may be on the low end of things.

However, if he reports 0 in the AM, I would up his PM dose to 20 ppm.

Somewhere in there, we'll need to find out what his stabilizer level is. But I was starting easy, and working from there.

Ben

[hkcon]

ok ty I am on it...

[hkcon]

when you say box is a 4lb. box what we are talking about???

[CarlD]

Borax comes in 4# boxes. I think that's what he means.

Carl

[hkcon]

ph is 7.8 water clear some algae present.

[PoolDoc]

Ok, good.

Go with the bleach!

Ben

[hkcon]

ok put borax in earlier, just did the bleach dose...will test in an hour...

[hkcon]

ok here are the results...tested i hr. after first dose of chlorine 5ppm +...next morning tested 3ppm.... that evening tested less than 1ppm...redosed ( is that a word ) tested again this morning yellow is very dark I have no idea how much chlorine is in there. ph is still at 8.2 + water is clear and bright but slight yellow color around deep end on the walls

[hkcon]

ok I added nothing yesterday, pool is still clear and bright, chlorine is at 5 ppm ph at 8.0am unsure what to do now...

[madwil]

ok, if your pool is clear and bright, and your algae is gone, you're on the right track!
3 things to do-
1- add acid to reduce your pH- I think you said your pool is 26k gallons, about same as mine- add 2 cups Muriatic acid, should drop your pH to 7.4-7.6 depending on your TA...
2- add more bleach to maintain your chlorine where Ben told you- I think he wanted you at 15 ppm, so add 10 ppm... about 4.5 gallons bleach (3 1.4 gallon jugs should be good...)
3- test your chlorine at sunset and sunrise- see if there is any change...if there is no change, then the algae is completely gone

As soon as you can, you need to test your CYA levels- that will determine where your Chlorine needs to be maintained.
If you can't test it yourself, a pool store may test for you, but will try to get you to buy all kinds of crap- just get the test, and post your numbers here...

[PoolDoc]

One more thing -- yellow around the walls can be algae, or iron stains. Either way, brushing is the thing to do, both to help and to ID the problem. (Mustard algae will brush away; iron not so much.)

Ben

[hkcon]

ok finally got to Leslie's and my FC is 1.0, PH is 7.6, TA is 110, Calcium is 280, TDS is 1200 and my CYA is .....wait for it.......0 yes I said 0 yipes...he recommended 3 gallons of stabilizer $36.00 per gallon ouch let me know what you guys (I am using "guys" in the non gender specific sense) think.

[PoolDoc]

(I am using "guys" in the non gender specific sense)

Yep. You're from San Francisco (to feel like it's necessary to add that). ;)

Just buy plain stabilizer -- cyanuric acid. It dissolves slowly, but works fine, and is more concentrated than the liquid stuff.

Clean your filter -- so you can run several days without backwashing or cleaning, and add your stabilizer SLOWLY to the skimmer with the pump on, the skimmer circulating, and the skimmer basket in place. Run your pump 24/7 for the next 3 days.

Meanwhile, keep bleaching at night, till you hold a chlorine level during the day.

Ben

[Watermom]

I'd start with 7-1/2 lbs of the granular stabilizer which should take you to about 35ppm of CYA. Add it slowly so you don't clog the skimmer pipes. Don't test for it for about a week before deciding whether or not you need to add more. It is always easy to add more later than it is to get rid of it when you have too much.

[hkcon]

you "people" LOL are the best..

[Watermom]

Thanks! Hope that means you are having success!

[hkcon]

yes the pool is clear and bright and hopefully now with the stabilizer in we will be able to keep chlorine around for a min.

[hkcon]

so if I am reading the chart right...at 35 ppm of cya i want 3 to 6 ppm of chlorine, and with my pool size of 26,000 gals. then i get about 4 ppm raise from a gallon of 10% chlorine?

[Watermom]

You are right on both accounts!

[hkcon]

Ok, First off let me say thet this site and Pool Doc and Water Mom and CarlD you are the best , the absolute best. I did exactly what you all said to do and Bingo....my pool is CRYSTAL CLEAR, the water feels great...and best of all I have held my chlorine level for 2 days now!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Watermom]

Ok, First off let me say thet this site and Pool Doc and Water Mom and CarlD you are the best , the absolute best. I did exactly what you all said to do and Bingo....my pool is CRYSTAL CLEAR, the water feels great...and best of all I have held my chlorine level for 2 days now!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU ARE WELCOME, YOU ARE WELCOME, YOU ARE WELCOME!!

We know these methods work; we've seen it work in thousands of pools over the years. But, it is still nice to hear it again from one of our new "believers."

Thanks for writing and enjoy your pool!