Chlorine block-need recommendations

[Jess6521]

Help! I'm new to pool maintenance and have been sucked in to the pool store run around. Basically our pool isnt registering chlorine. We have shocked it to death still nothing. Reading some past posts it sounds like we need to add bleach? Will order the test kit recommended from amazon tonight. The six strip results this morning were : FCC-0; ph-7.8; TA-80; TH-400; CYA-30-50. Thoughts? Thank you in advance.

[aylad]

Hi Jess, and welcome to the forum.

First off, take a few seconds and complete this chart for us about your pool--it will only take a few secs of your time but will save us several posts back and forth trying to get the info we need to help you:


Pool Chart Entry Form (http://goo.gl/cNPUO)
Pool Chart Results (http://goo.gl/PXaLu)

I suspect that you either have a huge chlorine demand, a bad algae bloom, or your strips are just bleaching out from the higher levels of chlorine. Ordering the K-2006 kit is a great start. While you're waiting for it to ship, can you try your local WalMart and see if they have either the hth 6-way drop kit, or at the very least the cheapie OTO (red and yellow drops for pH and chlorine). Test your water with one of those, and post your results here.

What does your water look like, and what ingredients have you been using? (Not "shock"--need actual ingredients). We'll be glad to help you get it going again as soon as we get the info to help! :)

[Jess6521]

Thank you aylad. I can't access those URLs for some reason. I am familiar with google docs but for some reason the links won't open for me. My first post I posted my strip results which is what I have so far. Our pool is 30k gallons approx, gunnite. We added bleach tonight because it was looking really bad. We got a 6 reading on FC 6 hrs after that. Will see if it holds to the am. Happy to fill out the necessary forms, but can't get them. we added 4 gallons tonight.

[aylad]

Ok--I'll get Pooldoc to see about your not being able to open the links...but in the meantime, please re-read my post above about the test kits--you're not going to be able to do much with test strips, because they simply aren't reliable.

[Jess6521]

Ok. I ordered the kit last night. The best I have in the meantime are those 6 strips. the chlorine went up to 4/6 so based on strips only it seems better. I should have the kit in a few days.

[PoolDoc]

If you want to get a handle on how severe the problem is, you may want to read this page on testing for chlorine demand (http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?16973).

[Jess6521]

Ok will do this also. Still waiting on my test kit. Thank you!

[Jess6521]

I did my test, need some guidance. Here are the results: ph-7.4; TA -170 ppm, CH- 3000(this seems wrong?); FC -.5 ppm and .5 ppm TC. We added 12 bags of shock and two gallons of liquid shock. Husband hasn't done the bucket test yet.

[Watermom]

Yeah, try that CH test again. Did you do the CYA test? What kind of shock --- ingredients, please. You are using the K-2006 kit, right?

[Jess6521]

Ok this time I got CH of 260. CYA I can't get it to read because both times I tried the solution wouldn't cloud. Yes 2006 c test kit. Here's what we put in last night: 2 gallons liquid shock- (sodium hypochlorite 12.5%nand 12 bags (1 lb each) calcium hypochlorite 73%. Ugh so frustrating...I'm lost. Lol. Thanks for any help.

[Darkside]

it can get frustrating but just do what the mods say and you will get your pool whipped into shape. with regarts to CYA, are you confident you are doing the test correctly? if so then it sounds like you have very little or no CYA at all, and you will need to get some in there if thats the case. im running high CYA ( around 110/120ppm ) and love it, but high CYA may not be the best bet for all. most folks will run around 50ppm CYA.

[PoolDoc]

CYA I can't get it to read because both times I tried the solution wouldn't cloud.

That just means you have ZERO stabilizer present. You might want to watch the videos, here: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?17157

[Jess6521]

We are conducting our bucket test currently on the third teaspoon of bleach added to the sample. Getting a 13 of FC and a zero on CC....

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I'm also realizing, as I read the bucket page again that this may not be for me. When we dosed with bleach we held chlorine overnight, but then lost it by noon. Sigh...what to do now.

[PoolDoc]

I'm also realizing, as I read the bucket page again that this may not be for me. When we dosed with bleach we held chlorine overnight, but then lost it by noon. Sigh...what to do now.

Add stabilizer
OR
Use dichlor to chlorinate.

Dichlor is probably the easiest -- for every ppm of chlorine, you'll end up with not quite a ppm of stabilizer.. If you'll complete the pool chart form, I can figure doses for you:

Pool Chart Entry Form (http://goo.gl/cNPUO)
Pool Chart Results (http://goo.gl/PXaLu)

Your two best dichlor options are probably here:

24 lbs PoolBrand bagged shock (http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=108822) @ Sams Club
Kem-Tek Dichlor 22 lbs (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0030BEHZA/poolbooks) @ Amazon


It's available elsewhere, but it's often diluted with 'goop'. And, depending on what the goop is, it can cause no end of problems. Kmart, Walmart and most pool stores are selling 'goop' versions of dichlor. The dichlor above is plain "sodium dichloro-isocyanurate dihydrate", 55.5% available chlorine.

[Jess6521]

Ok I filled in the chart...this link actually worked for me. Let me know your thoughts, and thanks for your time!

[PoolDoc]

Ok. You need the dichlor ASAP. Your pool is large enough, so that if you can get it at Sams Club, you may want the 50# bucket instead of the 24 1lb bags.

Meanwhile, add 2 gallons of PLAIN 6% household bleach (4 ppm of chlorine) to your pool each evening. 1 gallon of *fresh* liquid chlorine is an OK replacement.

Plain dichlor is hard to find locally, but stabilizer (cyanuric acid) is sometimes available. If you can find some, put 4 lbs or so in an old athletic sock, and put it in the skimmer. You do NOT want the CYA granules in the folds of your System 3 beast cartridge!

List what chemicals you have on hand, if any, so we can see what you can go ahead and use up.

[Jess6521]

We have an 8 lb bucket of uv pro shield I will add that tonight to the skimmers. Will get more bleach tomorrow also.

[PoolDoc]

You do NOT want the CYA granules in the folds of your System 3 beast cartridge!

. . . if it's not too late . . .

[Jess6521]

Too late. I will go pull it out now. So we would use the dichlor instead?

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Wait, you said prior to put it in a sock in the skimmer that's what I did with the uv shield...wrong? Ordering dichlor today...

[PoolDoc]

If the DE was in a sock, it's fine.

[Jess6521]

Phew ok

[Jess6521]

Can we swim during the day if we are putting in bleach at night? Should we bleach nightly until we hold chlorine during the day? Also, how do I become a full member of the forum, is it a paid by year type thing? Mid love some insight on opening and closing the pool ourselves when the time comes. Thanks again for all of the help!

[PoolDoc]

Subscription link is in my signature.

You can swim during the day so long as there is still SOME chlorine in the pool; if not, you need to add a small dose.

[Jess6521]

I'm sorry for my ignorance, but how much of a dose do you think? I had subscribed to the forum but when I went to look at other threads i couldn't access...

[PoolDoc]

Meanwhile, add 2 gallons of PLAIN 6% household bleach (4 ppm of chlorine) to your pool each evening. 1 gallon of *fresh* liquid chlorine is an OK replacement

[Jess6521]

Ok. I thought you meant in addition to the evening dose. We'll continue the evening doses.

[Jess6521]

My dichlor came in. Should I replace the uv shield with this in the skimmers? (in sock) thanks!

[PoolDoc]

Yeah. If you are using dichlor, you don't want to be adding stabilizer in another form.

[Watermom]

Keep an eye on your CYA level. For every 10ppm of chlorine that dichlor adds, it also adds 9ppm of CYA.

[Jess6521]

New updates! Lol. Our FC is at 7 ppm, CC-0. Ph is at 8.0 my acid demand test indicated about 2 qts of muratic acid..thoughts? TA is at 150, CYA is at 100 and calcium hardness was 450. I can't figure out how to reduce the cya and FC ?

[PoolDoc]

Hi Jess;

1. Read the Best Guess chart linked in my signature; adjust your chlorine levels accordingly. You do NOT want to reduced FC!!
2. Stop using CYA containing chlorine; use PLAIN 6% (ck %) household bleach or cal hypo.
3. If you want to use cal hypo, ask for specific instructions -- otherwise your calcium level will go sky-high.
4. Add acid, 1 *unmeasured* quart at a time. Lower the pH to 7.8 or below. What is your TA level?

[Watermom]

Ben, in the previous post, Jess noted TA of 150.

[PoolDoc]

thanks. my bad.