Hello:) First test results of the season!!

[ellenicol]

Hi,
Wow it's been a long winter!!! This is the first time I've been back here since last fall. Missed it here!!!
So we started up our pool 2 days ago. YEAH!!! It's really green and I've been dumping bleach and running the filter 24/7. I've vac. once and will do so again today. It's slowly clearing and right now just looks cloudy with a bunch of gross stuff on the bottom.

Here are my results from today's test.
CYA- less than 30 ) I filled the tube which only goes to 30 and I could still see the dot)
Chlorine- 5
PH- 8.2 (Really high I know. How do I lower it?)
ALK- 50 is this ok??

So I'm just wondering if I'm on the right track. Thanks so much. I really enjoy reading here and have learned so much.

Ellen

[ellenicol]

No one has any thoughts???

[Watermom]

To clear the algae, your going to have to keep your chlorine quite a bit higher than 5. With a cya at 30 or less, I would suggest shocking your pool to a chlorine level of 12 and try and hold it there. Test 2 or better yet 3 times a day, and each time, add enough bleach to take the chlorine back up to 12. Also continue running the pump 24/7 while you are trying to clear the pool.

Regarding your high ph, you need to use muriatic acid to lower it to 7.4-7.6 and you'll want to raise your alk to betweeen 80-125 by adding some baking soda. But, those things can wait a few days. Right now, work on getting rid of the algae. Hope this helps.

[ellenicol]

Thanks watermom!! I was beginning to wonder if anyone was around here lately:):)

Well an update: I can see the bottom of the pool. There is some gunk that I've been slowly getting with the vac. I do it until the water is cloudy again and then I wait.

That's good to know I should be testing the chlorine a few times a day. I start that now. My test doesn't go above 5 so I'm not sure how to know I'm at 12. Any advice. Someday I'll get a better test but it's not in the budget right now.

It's too cold here to swim yet anyway but we wanted to get an earlier start this year since we have the solar panels now.
Thanks
Ellen

[aylad]

My test doesn't go above 5 so I'm not sure how to know I'm at 12. Any advice. Thanks
Ellen

Use one part pool water with 2 parts distilled (non chlorinated) water, mix well, get your test sample, test as usual, read your results, and multiply by 3. It's just a ball park result because you'll lose some accuracy in dilution, but it'll work for now for what you need to do.

Janet