Trouble Getting Started This Year

I used your BBB method last year with great success. This year I had a little trouble getting started and went a little crazy just throwing some chemicals in figuring I would get it straightened out shortly. Getting CYA to dissolve is next to impossible and I never liked using the stuff. I know I need it to protect my chlorine, etc. I bought some of the PoolBrand quick shock from Sam's. It does not say that it has CYA on it or list it in the % ingredients, but it does call it stabilized chlorine. It says on the directions to add a stablilizer to protect the chlorine from breakdown. I was hoping to just use this for awhile to build up some CYA and then just use bleach. Is this a good plan? I do have plain CYA, but like I said it's such a pain putting it in the sock, etc. Thank you.

Yes, the PoolBrand Shock from Sam's is fine to use. It is dichlor and is stabilized and is in fact, the type we recommend that people buy. Other brands of bagged dichlor shock sold other places are usually voodoo mixes with lots of unwanted stuff blended in to them. Keep an eye on your CYA and when you get it where you want it, switch to bleach.

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Hi,
I just took my readings this morning and this is what I have:
pH 7.0 (was 7.4 before I added the shock last night)
FC 15
CC 1
TA 125
CH 175
I didn't test CYA because I didn't want to waste the test solutions when I know I just started using the Poolbrand with stabiizer.
What I have is a pool that looks like the water at the Polar Bear's exhibit at the zoo. It is not green anymore but somewhat aqua blue. I cannot see the scrub/vacuum brush at the very bottom of the pool, but can see it well til about that point. When I use the watergram slide circle, it says that I have a -.4 TDS which is corrosive and contributes to cloudiness. How do I raise my pH without raising my alkalinity? I had used some Soda Ash at the beginning of the season and Ca-hypochlorite attempting to open the pool, but I was wondering if I had made chalk??Calcium Carbonate?
I have added Borax as an attempt to control algae (1 box) My pool is 10,000 gallons btw and is a vinyl pool. I know I sound like the mad scientist adding this and that…Sorry. Thanks for any recommendations!

Don't worry about the watergram slide in the test kit. It isn't very helpful and is confusing. Just use the chemistry advice given on the forum instead.

Since you have a CC reading of 1, you need to keep your chlorine at shock level for a bit longer. With little to no CYA yet, your shock level would be around 10 - 12ppm. You want to stay at shock level until:

1) You can go from sundown one evening to within one hour of sunrise the next day without losing more than 1ppm of chlorine
2) You have a CC reading no greater than 0.5
3) Your water is clear

At that point, we recommend keeping the pool at shock level for one more day for added insurance, and then you can let the chlorine level drift down. Take a look at the Best Guess Chlorine Chart in my signature above for needed chlorine levels (which are based on your CYA level).

Run your pump 24/7 while you are trying to clear the water and clean your filter as needed.

Dichlor is acidic and will drop your pH as you saw. You want to make sure to keep pH between 7.0-7.8. To raise pH without raising alk, you can use 20 Mule Team Borax (laundry aisle at Walmart). Add a cup or two to start with and see what that does to your pH. Add it slowly to the skimmer while the pump is running, breaking up any clumps. Wait a few hours, retest and then redose if needed.

Hope this helps!

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Thank you. I will let you know how it goes!

Hi,
I am a little frustrated as I have been adding poolbrand shock and borax over the last couple of days and my pool is still cloudy. No particulate matter, just hazy, especially at the bottom. My readings as of 6:15AM are:
FC 11.5
CC 0
pH 7.8
TA 175
CYA 30(from yesterday)
My kids are getting a little impatient and my daughter has a birthday party tonight and I keep telling her it should be clear soon! The only thing I can add here is that upon start up this year I lost a bit of sand from the sand filter because I didn't realize the cap was off at the bottom. Should I add some sand or get all new sand? Could that be the trouble? I do backwash and there is junk that comes out so I figured it was filtering ok. Again, thanks for your advice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcpem

The only thing I can add here is that upon start up this year I lost a bit of sand from the sand filter because I didn't realize the cap was off at the bottom. Should I add some sand or get all new sand? Could that be the trouble? I do backwash and there is junk that comes out so I figured it was filtering ok. Again, thanks for your advice.

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+ A partially filled sand filter can definitely result in a pool that never clears completely, but stays hazy.

+ If your pool is clear enough to see someone on the bottom (safety issue!), and adequately sanitized (your's is), then it's OK to swim.