New to this Forum from SoCal

My last post was based on your original reporting of a CYA of 50. It would be a good idea to go ahead and run a new set of tests, just to make sure we know the correct numbers to start with.

The $1.27 bottles of bleach at WalMart are 3 quarts, not a gallon. So that makes it roughly 42 cents/quart for 6% bleach. The 10% chlorine at $3.50/gallon works out to 88 cents/quart, which would be roughly 44 cents/quart for 5%. So...the difference is literally pennies...but you don't have to haul as many jugs with the higher percentage. Just personal preference on your part. Either way, chlorine is chlorine is chlorine, once it's all in the water.

If your total hardness is really 1000, as you reported in your first post, the white particles in your water are probably calcium precipitating out. High calcium, combined with high TA and high pH (although your pH isn't high--but then again we're relying on test strips) will create milky water. The only thing I know to do to lower it is to try to lower your alk, following the steps outlined here http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/lowe...p-by-step.html, and to keep filtering as much of it out as you can. I definitely wouldn't use any more cal-hypo for chlorination. If that doesn't work, if your fill water is lower in calcium, then you're probably going to have to drain/refill some water to get that hardness level down.

Sorry bout that. i did post a cya50. i took to pool store today and it is actually at 30 with a fc of 8.4. so, this morning, i swept the sides and put 9 quarts of bleach at 6%. So that should have brought the fc between 12-15. Heading back now to check on it.

I made a boo-boo on the th. it's actually at 350. But thanks for catching that.

So this afternoon, i checked the fc and it was at 6 so i added 3.1 jugs of chlorine. i went back this evening and i could almost see the bottom of the shallow end. the water was a deep blue. a big change from the milky blue. the fc was at 8 so i added 2 jugs and cleaned the filters and brushed the sides again. not much residue on the sides and reef step. Hopefully the good test kit comes tomorrow so i can get a more accurate reading.

Question: should i start using the creeper and start cleaning the bottom or should i wait on this?

Give the creeper a try. Also, be sure you are cleaning your filter as needed.

Ok. so i went over to the house this morning and checked the FC and had to add 2 jugs. I went ahead and turned the creeper on and oh boy what a big mistake. It sucked some debris up and clogged the creeper. Word of advice: don't turn the creeper on until you can see what's on the bottom. I'm not quite there yet. but, i can almost see the bottom of the shallow end. getting excited now!

i went back this afternoon and added 3 more jugs then made a run to wal-mart to pickup another 15 jugs of chlorine. i also tested for ph and ta and they were spot on. I think that i am starting to understand this pool stuff thanks to this forum and the BBB method. I look forward to getting back into my house so that i can use the pool and take pride in ownership. Once i get back into the house and get the pool dialed in, i need to work on fixing the jacuzzi. It has had a leak for about 5 years so it has sat empty and has been bypassed. The builder went out of business so the warranty meant doggie doo. It will most likely require tearing up some concrete to get to the leak. But hey, i would rather swim than boil.

Thanks again for all the help from this forum.

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Originally Posted by DirtRider67

But hey, i would rather swim than boil.

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Me, too!!!

so last night i cleaned the filters and added some water because of evaporation and i put in 12 quarts of bleach.

This morning, i could actually see the bottom of the shallow end. The FC was at about 10 so I added 12 more quarts of bleach. and brushed just the shallow end.
Question: Where is the best place to dump the bleach? I have been dumping in the shallow end thinking that it would be stronger there and work better?

I also took a water sample to the pool store this morning. here are the results.
TA=110
Shock Treatment=1.4
pH=7.1
CYA=30
TH=350
TC=10.9
FC=9.5
Recomendations were to add 2lbs non chlorine shock. I bought 2lbs of it. Active ingredient: potassium monopersulfate=44.7% inert=55.3%
I will wait for opinions of this forum before i add this.

Also, after measuring my kidney bean shaped pool, 14wx35lx6d, i believe that I only have 23k gallons.

Either pour your bleach slowly into the skimmer while the pump is running or slowly in front of a return jet. Either way is fine.

Do NOT add the non-chlorine shock! Return and get your money back. You do not need it. Just keep hammering it with bleach. If you keep the chlorine at shock level consistently per the Best Guess chart in my signature, your pool will clear.

Your pH is a bit low. Do you have some Borax? Add a half a box slowly to the skimmer while the pump is running, retest pH in a couple of hours, add more if needed. You want pH to between 7.2-7.8 -- probably best to be on the low end while you are trying to clear the pool.

TA is fine. CYA at 30 is ok but after this is all cleared up, you might want to bump it up to 40-50. TH is fine but you don't want it higher than 400. I don't know what "shock treatment level =1.4 means. ???

Do me a favor since this thread is getting long and it is hard to remember all your details and time-consuming to have to keep scrolling back through to remind us about your set-up. Go to "settings" and create a signature line. In it include type of pool, volume, type of filter, size of pump and what test kit you use. Thanks.

By the way --- I noticed that you subscribed today. Thanks for that! We appreciate the financial support to keep our forum online!

No problem. i wanted to give back for all the help. I wish i could do more and will over time because i plan on being around here for awhile.

So, i pumped up my pH today. Thanks for catching that Watermom. Your such a good mommy. lol. I did not add the non-chlorine shock as advised. (Thanks for that). I wasn't able to go by for lunch so the X was there and asked her to pour 12 quarts of bleach in as that's what I've been doing, so she did. She was shocked at the progress that I've made.

I went over this evening and cleaned the filters again. Then checked pH and it was good. Checked FC and it was at about 10 so i put 12 more quats of chlorine in. Then I brushed from the shallow end down to the deep end and stirred it up a little. So, i have been doing this for about a week now. How much longer do you suspect this will take to geter cleared up enough to swim? I upped the chlorine count because of my CYA being a bit higher and according to Best Guess chart.

I set up my signiature so we'll see if it posts this time.

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Originally Posted by DirtRider67

because i plan on being around here for awhile.

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Good! I hope so!

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Originally Posted by DirtRider67

So, i pumped up my pH today. Thanks for catching that Watermom. Your such a good mommy. lol.

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Thanks! (That gave me a chuckle! :):) )

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Originally Posted by DirtRider67

How much longer do you suspect this will take to geter cleared up enough to swim?

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No way to know for sure, but hopefully soon. You are making good progress. It will clear up though. That I can promise you!

BTW -- Thx for making a signature line with your info. I wish more people would do that. It sure makes it easier for us to be able to help!