Famous Chlorine

I am so sorry that after you posted the history, nobody got back with you. If that happens again and you haven't received any replies after 24 hours, please bump your thread back up so it gets noticed.

Right now, we have SO many new posters on here and thus SO many threads and various problems that it is easy for a thread to accidentally be overlooked. So, again, we are sorry.

Glad you got your kit. That is good news. However, why don't you try the chlorine test again. It is unlikely that your CC is 26.

After you get new chlorine numbers, please repost. The new kit is going to make this process a lot easier. You have to slam this pool with bleach. Hard and often. As often as you can, test the water, and each time add enough bleach to get back to a cl level of 20 ppm. There is no such thing as testing or dosing it with bleach too often. Really. The more often you can do it the faster this is gonna go. If it were my pool and I had been struggling with it for as long as you have I think I'd be testing it before work, come home at lunch and test if I could, as soon as I got home from work, a couple hours later and then again before bedtime. If you have somebody who can do it mid-morning and mid-afternoon for you, even better. Don't give that chlorine level a chance to drop. Sustained high cl readings are all that is going to work for your pool. And, run the pump 24/7 right now. Watch your filter pressure.

PH of 7.2 is ok. Actually, while fighting algae, chlorine seems to work best when the pH is a little on the low side --- but just don't let it drop below 7.0.

I can't really advise you on the liner problem. Hopefully someone else will see this and chime in. Or you may want to start a new thread in the pool repair forum just to address that. I think you may get more views from some of our builder/installer type of members in that forum than you might here.

Bleach will not fade a liner anymore than any other type of chlorine will. Liquid chlorine sold at the pool store is typically 10 or 12% sodium hypochlorite while bleach is only 6%. Everyone assumes bleach will fade liners because they associate bleach with fading or bleaching clothes. It is no more likely to do so than any other form of chlorine.

Hope this helps some. I know you are frustrated, but don't give up. We will stick with you til you get this solved.

EDIT -- Just now re-read your post and noticed your sentence about your ill mother. Sometimes pools are not priorities. This may be one of those times. If you have to wait to focus on the pool at a later time, we'll still be here to help you.

Received my call on Friday from the sample sent in to have a chlorine demand test completed by Par Pools . The numbers matched up pretty good with mine as they had PH of 7.1 FC 0 CC 0 Alkalinity 186 and CYA of 80 . They tested the city water and the good news it is acceptable to use as fill. Their analysis shows a severe chlorine demand and a calculation of 78 lbs of shock would be needed. So like a few messages back the recommendation is to do the partial drain. Started yesterday. Hopefully can start refilling today . Will post .

Will attempt to suck back liner when level is down to see if wrinkles can improve

I would NOT drain more than half your water if your CYA is 80. It will leave you with a CYA of 40 which is FINE for the summer. Check "Ben's Best Guess Table" and you'll see that at CYA 80 you need to shock your pool at 20ppm. At CYA=40 you'll shock at 15ppm.

Don't use their "shock". It will either raise your calcium levels far too high (Cal-Hypo) or lower you pH far too low (Di-Chlor)-you are currently at the best level for fighting algae at 7.2. Stick to bleach or Liquid Chlorine which are both pH neutral.

Don't worry: You'll get there!

Thanks for all the advise as "FINALLY HAVE CHLORINE " . The chlorine demand test done by Par Pool and Spacs was a huge help as it showed the best approach was partial drain . This was accomplished and a second test done showing a need to one time shock with 12-14 lbs which was completed Friday .Gone for the weekend and it was 90 all weekend in full sun.Returned last night and readings
PH 7.3 FC 2.6 CC .4 Alkalinity 210 Hardness 220

Chlorine reading has held and wowe does that Taylor Kit really make it easy .

Question for Watermom and others- should I be concerned about a Alkalinity of 210 and if so what is best approach to drop it ?

Also since adding heater years ago get into a issue with stains on the white steps and around the skimmer.I have learned the trick of Vitamin C . What do you recommend to treat this ? Metal Free or something else???

Thanks again

Yes, alk of 210 needs dropped. We have a "how to" for lowering alk at this link:

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=191

Also, read this sticky about stain removal:

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=7923

Read these and see if they help. Really glad the excessive chlorine demand is over. Now time to enjoy the pool!

Water has been excellent and thanks for all the advise.I use Back Up weekly but am having difficulty finding as everyone is switching to off brands.Any suggestion for a good algae preventer to replace Back Up

Glad things are going well. The ONLY algaecide we recommend is Polyquat 60%. Check the label. If it says:

poly [oxyethylene (dimethyliminio) ethylene (dimethyliminio) ethylene dichloride]

it's the right stuff!