High Chlorine - but don't know how high

OK...I have a CYA of 80 and my Chlorine has been at shock levels for about a week killing of a nice algae bloom. The water is clearing in my 6300 gallong AG vinyl pool, but I still have fall out at the bottom that isn't filtering out. When I vacuum it blows right back into the pool through the return. (Intex filtration system).

Have a 5-way drop test kit from Walmart that I have been using this season. My CL levels are off the chart. It registers as a bright yellow-orange color instead of yellow. Yellow at the darkest end indicates 5-10ppm of CL. I have no idea what it is right now beyond it's way higher than 5-10 ppm.

I'm concerned about swim safety with regard to the high levels as well as possible damage to the pool. pH is at 7.2. Alk is 120.

Any ideas about how high the CL really is? Is there a drop test the actually tests above 10ppm?:confused:

Try diluting it. Take one part pool water, and mix it with one part of distilled water, test as usual, then multiply the result by 2. If you need to go higher, one part pool water, two parts distilled, multiply by 3, etc. This dilution method cuts down some on accuracy with each dilution, but it will give you a ballpark reading. Ben's kit can measure much higher chlorine levels than can most kits you can buy at the store.

Can you let the stuff settle on the floor of the pool and then slowly vacuum to waste instead of to the filter?

>>>>Can you let the stuff settle on the floor of the pool and then slowly vacuum to waste instead of to the filter?

I have one of the Intex cartridge filters. I'm not quite sure yet, how to vacuum to waste with it. I'm going to try disconnecting the return hose tomorrow and see if I can vacuum to waste that way. I tried vacuuming to waste via siphon yesterday, but it didn't work doing it through the pump.

Thanks for the CL calculation. I'll try that to get a better idea of what my levels really are.

Well, I hooked up a hose directly to the port going into the pump and attached a vacuum head to it. I closed the return port and disconnected the hose. Ran the pump and let the water waste into my yard as I vacuumed. The pool looks alot better, although still slightly cloudy. But, I do have hard water and that's more than likely calcium that has leached out of the water due to the high CL I've had to run to kill the algae.

When I was done, I cleaned off my filter and replaced it, cleaned the sock in the skimmer (I'm using a single trouser sock - picked up a pair at Kmart for $1.50 and it's working well). Hooked everything back up and started the pump again.

CL is still sitting at around 20ppm w/ a CYA of 80. I guess I'm just going to have to keep it that high with these 95-100 degree temps we're having right now.