Digger's Pool

Hi, I didn't get a chance to get on here until now, but still at the pool maintanance of course! Okay, I didn't read where it said to take readings before bed and in the morning. I am eyeballing the situation here, and it is going wonderful! Each day it has gotten clearer and clearer, but losing chorline really fast apparently. Even still it is clearing up more and more. From green to hazy blue to cloudy to I CAN SEE THE BOTTOM DRAIN!!YEAH!!! Levels after adding at night are reading good in AM for the last two mornings, wondering if we are over the hump? When do we put stablizer in, which is then next question, I may have been pool store, whatever you call it again! I bought a thing of $32 Clor Save, it is Cyanuric acid. When I went for the 12% chorline he said I would need it next? I thought I didn't want to be needing it on Sunday with it being Father's Day. Maybe I can take back tom. when I have to go for more 12%. So what is next, changing the sand, or not?

Hold off on the stabilizer for a bit. If your water is still cloudy you aren't quite done yet. Glad it is getting clearer each day. Keep hitting it hard with FREQUENT additions of bleach. You are getting closer!

Take a look at the pictures at the following link:

http://imageevent.com/kcleavenger/poolconversion

Well I thought I posted a reply here today, but don't see it, so here goes again, please forgive if repeat! Our pool is looking good, it went from greens to cloudy blue to cloudy to WE CAN SEE THE BOTTOM DRAIN!! Yeah!! I didn't read about your request for posting my readings night and day. Basically they are very low at night and I do more chlorine and in the morning about 10-15, with dropping during the day. I am wondering what we do now? I was maybe pool stored again? Saturday I went to get the chorline, we got a 5 gallon of 12.5 per cent at a rural pool store. I was talking to the owner, big mistake, I asked than about stablizer. I ended up buying a container of Cyanuric Acid. Did I do the wrong thing. What is next with us? Time to change the sand? Thanks for you help in advance!!

Digger --- your other post from earlier this evening did appear. Scroll up the thread. Your post came in at 7:16 and is right there above my reply I made at 10:19! ;)

I need help in deciding what to do next? Trying to understand posting here? Maybe I should post somewhere else? I tested this morning and readings are almost nothing. I put the rest of the chlorine in and have to run for more. I am thinking maybe I need to put a sock with the cyanuric acid in it from reading other posts, but don't know?

EDIT by Watermom:
Digger -- I copied what you wrote in the new thread you started and am pasting it here. Please keep all your posts within this thread. It is much easier to help somebody if all the "history" and previous advice given about a situation is all in one place. Below is your other post.

I am converting from Baqucil and doing pretty good, I just need help in my next step. I have a 25,000 gallon 20x40 inground vinyl pool. I now have almost totally cystal clear water. My readings for the cholrine have been up and down, not consistant, but are they ever? It has went from many colors of green to cloudy blue and now what I would say pretty much crystal clear. The bottom drain became visible late Sat. I have not gotten my test kit yet, but will soon, I ordered the Taylor one rec. I started with 12.5% chorline on Sat. and used a 5 gallon cont. I have to go and get more here in a few hours. I did buy a container of Cyanuric Acid, hoping I was not Pool Stored again? Readings this morning were almost nothing?? PH has been good in the normal range. Should I change the sand now? I am not really sure that my levels got consistently up to 15 without dropping 1-2 ppm overnight? Does it matter when it is so clear? Please help me, I have to make the trip here in about an hour, thanks so much to all who work so hard to keep this going!!
I read alot, but still not sure if I am doing right here to post my request, so correct me if I am wrong?

Hi Digger,
I would wait to change out the sand for just a bit longer. You can go ahead and hang a sock of cyanuric acid if you want. It is goint to take about 6 lbs. in total to get you to a reading of about 30. That is a lot to put in a sock. Maybe divide it and hang two socks or do one sock with 3 lbs. and when it dissolves do it again with 3 more lbs. If you will give the sock a squeeze once in awhile, it seems to dissolve faster.

Did you get a tracking number to follow your kit and if so, any estimate on when they expect to deliver it to you? I would suggest continuing to continue testing and adding the bleach like you have been for another day or two and hopefully, by then your new kit will arrive and we can get a good set of numbers. And, then, if all looks good, it will be time to change out the sand and you will officially be past this conversion. To answer your question --- yes, it matters what your readings are. Even when water looks crystal clear, sometimes something is going on that you just can't see. The overnight chlorine loss is a good indicator that something is brewing so that is why we need to know that.

Almost there!! Hope this helps.

Thanks so much, off to the pool store, we are on the same page, I like that. That is about what I was thinking myself. Son in law is working with me, but I am doing the educating, so he thought as long as clear, it was fine? I understand and did read that about algae growing and eating up the chorline with such fluctuations. We just cleaned out the pool light opening which had algae in it, yesterday. Light has been shot for years, another issue, but need to find glass plate cover to at least put that on. Thanks again for help. I have tracking no., expect it today or tom.

Copied and pasted from the PM you sent me:

Digger wrote:

I still don't understand how to post a question, and if I am doing it correctly. Bear with me please. I really needed an answer though today, so hopefully I can get through to you? I will try to go back and post again. I will be in and out, but the grandchildren are planning on swimming today, and I want to make sure it is safe, even though I allowed it the other day, but levels appeared to be 0? (which I read in the Taylor booklet, it could be false??) Okay, first off I have crystal clear water, I don't remember the last time it looked so good? I know that doesn't mean nothing I got my test kit and used it for the first time this morning, so may have done it wrong? I read all the directions, but? When they say it will turn red, do they mean at the first hint of pink, or bright red? Same with the blue? I did the readings at light pink and light blue. Some back ground, I have been putting 12.5% liquid chlorine in, and did so late last night. I also did the two socks with cynauric acid in them. I was suppose to put in 6 lbs. I put less than that in. I did put a small amount into the skimmer also. The guy ( I know I still pay attention to some they say) at the pool store said to put it all in there. He laughed at me about putting in a sock, and said it would take forever. I don't agree, I am a patient person, it was working suffciently, and was gone this morning. Okay that is all I added. My readings are:PH: 7.5, Alkalinity: 130 PPM, that was when it was a light pink color, Calcium: light pink, 90 PPM, Cyanuric Acid, it never turned real cloudy, and the black dot never disappeared, even when liquid was added to the top. Okay Chlorine: FC was bright pink, I added 11 drops at 0.2 PPM which would equal? 2.2?, that was when the test sample was light pink. The CC I added 2 drops for crystal clear, but it cleared up at 1 drop., so I guess that would be.4? Please let me know if the water is safe for precious water Grandbabies? Someone told me somethign that scared me for them, about the chlorine soaking into their skin and and could harm them??Thanks so much.

Here are the directions for the chlorine tests:

Chlorine (Free, Combined, Total) Test

1. Rinse and fill large comparator tube to desired mark with water to be tested.
NOTE: For 1 drop = 0.2 ppm, use 25 mL sample.
For 1 drop = 0.5 ppm, use 10 mL sample.
2. Add 2 dippers R-0870. Swirl until dissolved. If free chlorine is present, sample will turn pink.
NOTE: If pink color disappears, add R-0870 until color turns pink.
3. Add R-0871 dropwise, swirling and counting after each drop, until color changes from pink to colorless.
4. Multiply drops in Step 3 by drop equivalence (Step 1). Record as parts per million (ppm) free chlorine (FC).
5. Add 5 drops R-0003. Swirl to mix. If combined chlorine is present, sample will turn pink.
6. Add R-0871 dropwise, swirling and counting after each drop, until color changes from pink to colorless.
7. Multiply drops in Step 6 by drop equivalence (Step 1). Record as ppm combined chlorine (CC).

So, if you used a 25ml water sample, then yes, your FC reading of 2.2 is correct. On the CC reading, if it cleared at 1 drop, then your reading would be 0.2.

If the CYA test never turned cloudy, that just means that you don't have much cya in there. I can't guess what your CYA reading actually is not knowing how much you put in there. About a week after you added the CYA, run the cya test again, but not before then or you'll just waste your testing reagents. Then, if you find that your CYA level is less than 30, you'll probably need to add some more. Repost at that time with the reading and we'll advise you.

I think you are ok for the kids to swim today, but just add a little chlorine. If your FC is 2.2, I'd add enough to take it up to 5ppm. (Probably about 2 quarts of the 12.5% chlorine.) Then, you will know that the water is sanitized for them to swim in. Also, your grandchildren are perfectly fine swimming in a chlorine pool. What would be dangerous to them is swimming in a non-sanitized pool. Relax and enjoy the day with those little ones!

(By the way -- you need to follow the advice given here on the forum and not try and follow our advice AND the pool store's advice. OK?)

Regarding how to post: From the forum home page, go down to the section called "Using Chlorine and Chlorinating Chemicals" and scroll down in the list of threads until you find the one called "Digger's Pool." Then, go to the last post in the thread and click on "Post Reply" which will open a window where you can type. When you are finished, click on submit and it will show up in the thread.

Watermom, thanks so much for all your help. Sorry for the anoyance in learning to use this forum correctly. I guess I am a slow learner all the way around. I will get it sometime soon, hopefully. As far as the CYA you said to wait later to check my levels again, I didn't totally put the 6 lbs. in, only about 4-5, I am guessing. Should I put the rest in to get me to where you said before? I didn't put it all in yet because I filled two socks up and that was all they held. I will add the bleach before children swimming today. How long do they need to wait to swim after adding? Also what do I do next? I have not changed the sand yet. Thanks again!