Hello new friends and first test numbers.

[shastablast]

Hello everyone. I came across this site after my last run-in with the teenager at the pool store who was analyzing my pool water. I only resorted to their testing (and I use that term loosely) after my run in with the pool guy. I purchased a "distressed" home in January in Friendswood, TX and part of the distress was a neglected pool. I paid the pool company to clean it up, and even though it looks great, I can see some black algae spots now that I know what they are. Anyway, here is the equipment I have:

-19,000 gallon pool built in 2008.
-Intellichlor IC40 running on 80%
-Pentair Clean and Clear Plus 4 cartridge filter
-Pentair EasyTouch control panel

Here were my first test results from my Taylor kit this afternoon:

FC - 3 ppm
CC - I couldn't tell. The water turned a very slight pink color. I added 7 scoops (was using 25ml) and the slight pink never went clear. I stopped because the sample appeared to be supersaturated.
pH - 8
TA - 140-150 ppm (was light on 140 and dark on 150)
Calcium - 460 ppm
CYA - 35 ppm

The BBB method appeals to me because I have access to 18-20% sodium hypochochlorite for free. It's basically bleach before it gets watered down and bottled. I know I need to get my TA down and I need to do something about the black algae. Any advice will be much appreciated. Thank you.

[Watermom]

Before we can comment on your numbers, we need to make sure the tests were run properly. If you added 7 scoops of powder, then you performed the test incorrectly and need to do it again. Please verify if you did 7 scoops or 7 drops.

There is an online testing demo that may be helpful at the following link. You have to scroll down and find the demos for the K-2006 and specifically the ones for the DPD-FAS test.

http://www.taylortechnologies.com/products_choose_slideshow.asp

Welcome to the Pool Forum, by the way, and thanks for the subscription! We appreciate the support!

[shastablast]

Thank you for the link. I did do the test wrong the first time. I was out of town for two days, but I ran the test (the right way) this afternoon and I came up with:

FC - 1.5ppm
CC - 0
pH - 8
TA - 120ppm
CH - 460 ppm
CYA - 35ppm

I have 10 gallons of 20% sodium hypo, but I need to make a trip to the hardware store to get something to accurately measure with. I feel like I need to go up to 30ppm FC (+SHOCK+) and try to lower the pH a little. Thanks again.

[Watermom]

No need to go to the hardware store for a kit. The best kit and the one that we recommend is the Taylor K-2006 or 2006C which you can get through the test kit link in my signature below. Also, in my signature, please read the Best Guess Chlorine Chart that shows you the needed chlorine levels that correlate with a pool's CYA level.

I am assuming that this is not a liner pool. Correct?

Your pH is too high. You need to use some muriatic acid to lower it down to 7.4-7.6 although anywhere 7.2-7.8 is ok. There is a guide to using muriatic acid safely in my signature also. You'll want to adjust your pH before shocking the pool since high chlorine levels make the pH test inaccurate.

TA is fine and your CH is ok. I would not advise using any calhypo, though. For a gunite pool, a CH reading of 200-400 is the goal. You're a little past that now, but ok.

Go ahead and shock the pool up to around 15ppm. In your pool, one gallon of 20% sodium hypochlorite will add about 10ppm of chlorine. Use that as a reference to help you to figure out how much bleach to add each evening when you test. (Again, order a good kit ASAP.)

If you can, scrape a little of the suspected black algae up with your fingernail and scrape it on a white index card. If it smears a dark green, then it probably is black algae. (So, why don't they call it green algae then, right??? :confused::confused:)

Hope this helps!

[shastablast]

I have two Taylor test kits. I should have been more clear. I need to get something to accurately measure the bleach with since it is in five gallon buckets.

[BigDave]

I pour my bulk (5 gallon) bleach into one gallon containers for ease of handling. I measure my doses with a "red solo cup". You might want to consider diluting the high test. Concentrated sodium hypochlorite breaks down much faster from heat and light than dilute.

[shastablast]

Thanks Dave. I got a 2 gallon bucket from Home Depot with all kinds of different measurements marked on the inside. It worked like a charm. You are correct about the higher strength sodium hypo. The batch I used today tested out at 15.5% in the lab. We had some today that was 22%. Anyway, I added it at dusk and poured it slowly into one of the waterfalls in the deep end. The pump is going to run for three hours. I'll test the chlorine tomorrow and add as needed.