BBB method

[crackerjack]

I have been using Hayward automatic chlorinator set at 2.5 and holding a range of 2-3 ppm with no problems and low usage of 3-inch pucks.
CYA started out around 50ppm and started to climb to 80 in a 3-week period.

After finding this forum and with a lot of reading, I have switched to the BBB method and got my cya back down to 35-45ppm.

My problem is by the time I add the bleach late in the evening, I have no chlorine left. Is this normal for this method or am I missing something.
Have a 27,500 gallon vinyl pool and adding 2.7 gallons of WalMart ultra bleach every evening(just started 2-days ago). With the bleach calculator I should only have to add around 1.3 gallons of bleach.

Now I am thinking my testing methods may not be accurate.
I have ordered Ben's test kit but am using Walmart 6-way test kit and AquaCheck 4-way test strips for now. These two seem to have close to equal results.
ph=7.8
alk=130
cl=2 (5am this morning)
cya=35-45
hardness=(after adding solutionA(violet), solutionB never turns blue)

You would think my cya is low by chlorine consumption, but I am checking at my waist in indirect sunlight.

Any and all help is appreciated!
cj

[Watermom]

1.3 gallons would only take your pool to 2.8 ppm per the bleach calculator so that would definitely not be enough for a pool this big. 2.7 would take it to 5.9. What size are the bottles of bleach you are adding? Remember, the small jugs they sell aren't gallons - they are 3 quarts. The large jugs are something like 174 oz. (if I am remembering right) which would be approximately 1.25 gallons.

How does your pool look? You may want to consider shocking your pool on the chance that you are fighting something in there and that is the reason for the higher than expected chlorine consumption. My other idea is that perhaps your cya is closer to 35 than 45 and that you may need to bump it up just a little.

Or, you may just want to take your chlorine a little higher each evening - maybe to 8 and see if that will last you through til the next evening.

[crackerjack]

Thanks for the reply Watermom.

Yes you are correct on the 174 oz. size jugs.

Just noticed on the bleach calculator that it shows in gallons (1.4) for 3ppm for 27,500 at 6%. Also added up 1 gallon + 1 quart + 1 cup- 1.3125 gallons that is where I got the 1.3 gallons. Is there something else factored in to get the 1.4?

My water is clear and seem not to have any problems except the chlorine consumption. Will try shocking tonight 1st before doing anything else.

I did add a gallon of the cyanuric acid remover before hand and the chlorine was dropped to get rid of iron stain on fiberglass steps with stain free for 48 hours. Also had a 3-inch backwash from large rain-storm.
Maybe the shocking is the answer to chlorine consumption problem.