Chemical Help

[Watermom]

Those trichlor pucks cause a lot of unsuspecting pool owners to have too much CYA in their pools. Just don't use them anymore. A CYA reading of 70 will work fine. You'll just need to maintain adequate chlorine levels per the Best Guess Chlorine Chart in my signature.

Keep adding the Borax. A reading of 6.8 is the lowest a pH test can register so in all reality, it could be lower than that. After adding Borax, wait a couple of hours to let it circulate, then retest and redose.

FC + CC = TC, so your chlorine numbers aren't quite right. How are you doing your chlorine test?

As far as adding bleach to the skimmer, that is fine and how I always add mine. Just pour it slowly while the pump is running.

Please add the fact that you have a K-2006 to your signature.

[PoolDoc]

Hi mreesept;

I'm sorry you're still having problems. It's all rather confusing, so I entered the test results you reported in this thread, to this spreadsheet: mreesept pool history (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ahjo2iDF0aJgdGtwUjVjdXY1QjhGd1pEdXVXam43T Wc#gid=0)

After doing so, I was even more confused. You report a 22,000 gallon pool, and that you've added 4# of stabilizer and 50# of trichlor. That would raise your CYA to about 170 ppm, not 70 ppm. Those numbers are hard to reconcile, unless you have a HUGE leak. Testing error can easily confuse 70 ppm and 90 ppm, but not 70 ppm and 170 ppm.

There are some other numbers you've reported on your pool, that don't work out. So, please do these things:

1. Tell me whether you have a K-2006 or not.
2. Report a complete set of results, here: PF Pool History - mreesept (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGtwUjVjdXY1QjhGd1pEdXVXam43TWc6M A#gid=0) Test FC with *both* the 10ml sample (0.5 ppm / drop) and 25 ml sample (0.2 ppm / drop). Also report CC, pH, TA, CH, and CYA
3. List *all* the chemicals you have used this spring.
4. Tell us how much water you've had to add to the pool.
5. Tell us how much trichlor you used last summer, as best you can recall.

Thanks!

[mreesept]

I will plan to input all results today. I have only put in a 40# bucket of triclor pucs (that you requested early in this tread) since starting. (One gal of muratic acid at the begining when my pH was very high). One bottle of stabilizer I think 4# from Walmart which should have raised my pool to under 20ppm according to the chart. Other than that I have put in countless bottles of 6% bleach and many boxes of Borax, too many to count. I have done everything according to advice in this thread except the stabilizer which I thought had to be added since I had none when I tested at first.

[mreesept]

Pool Doc,

Sorry but I could not find my ID # to put in that form you sent, so I couldnt fill it out. Here is my current info.

Time of sample: 4:25

FC 2.0 (I did not add any bleach today)
CC 2.8 (3.0 with the 10ml sample)
pH 7.4
TA 140
CH 20 (there was very little pink which went away almost immediately)
CYA 80 (the black dot starts to dissapear at 110 but is still slightly visible until 80)
I run the pump 24hr a day.
Water is clear to the 7.5' deep end
No odor
I have a 300lb sand filter with a 3/4 hp pump and heat pump.
Water temp is low to mid 70's (not heating much yet)
I have two skimmers and a side wall suction and two returns and use a 12mil solar cover
I have not really added much water this year but have backwashed a bunch out as we have gotten a fair amount of rain in PA so far.

This year I have put in: a 40# bucket of triclor pucs (that you requested early in this tread) since starting. (One gal of muratic acid at the begining when my pH was very high). One bottle of stabilizer I think 4# from Walmart about two weeks ago (which according to the bottle was <20ppm), two bottles of clarifier along the way. Other than that I have put in countless bottles of 6% bleach (mainly two or three 1.42 bottles a night) and many boxes of Borax, too many to count.

Last year I went through 2 40# buckets of Sams Club pucks, several boxes of shock from Sams, clarifier, Low and slow toward the end of the year at the request of my local pool store, and I used an "In the Swim" winterizing packet.

I do get a ton of leaves and "junk" in my pool from the many trees around my pool (it is lined with Arborvitae trees on two sides as well as overhanging oak and poplar trees. I also have gotten several deal moles and chipmunks in the pool this spring but they get taken out quickly.

Please help me understand these numbers.

I have been trying to follow the Taylor 2006 kit instructions for everything. One issue is that I am not always home to put stuff in my pool daily. The pucks are good for me because I am not always around. I have considered a salt water chlorine generator but just do not know which one to get. I am about ready to throw in the towel.

[PoolDoc]

Your ID is mreesept, and the thread number is 15151.

I'm going let you enter that stuff, rather than me doing it. It makes it much easier for us to track especially in long threads like yours. I'll check back, after you've had a chance to get it entered. Here they are again:


PF Pool History entry form (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGtwUjVjdXY1QjhGd1pEdXVXam43TWc6M A)
Pool History Results for mreesept (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ahjo2iDF0aJgdGtwUjVjdXY1QjhGd1pEdXVXam43T Wc#gid=0)

[mreesept]

I did put those numbers in last week.
I then dosed Sunday night to FC 15 CC 2.5 and pH 7.4. I came back from vacation today and had good and bad numbers. FC 1.0 CC.5 and pH 7.0 I put a box of Borax in, and I am off to buy more bleach.

[PoolDoc]

It sounds like you have some lingering 'goop' (scientific term for unidentified chlorine eating stuff!). I think if you simply maintain good chlorine & pH levels for a week or so, it will resolve itself.

[mreesept]

Pool problems have been cleaned up... no CC any more... Stabilizer level a little higher than I would like at 120 but will continue to let that drop over time.

Thanks for all the help. BBB method appears to be working for me.

[Watermom]

Your CYA level isn't going to drop significantly for a long time. So, you'll need to be diligent about making sure you are keeping your chlorine at needed levels. Otherwise, you'll have algae problems. (See the Best Guess Chlorine Chart in my sig below.)

Glad the pool has cleared up! Now, time to enjoy it!