I have the "pinks" (instead of the blues!).

I have been dealing with an algae bloom in my pool using your methods and this seems to be taking forever. I can't get an exact CYA because it's too low - but it is just a tad cloudy when the container is filled all the way up. I assumed around 20 and kept the shock around 12 for days- possibly a week. I kept seeing pink when I added the R-003 even though the pool appeared clear so I started shocking at 15 just in case and this has gone on for a few days now - I've even kept it up by 20 at some points!!! I have gone through so much bleach!!!!! Even though my pool looks crystal clear I still saw a little pink this morning when the R-003 was added. Ugh! It cleared with one drop. Is that acceptable? Otherwise, I don't know what else to do.

Thank you very much,

Jennifer

Oh, I forgot to mention: 24' round, 13,000 gal. I live in Fl. It's been very warm. :)

Are you using the Taylor K-2006 kit? If so, what size water sample are you using for testing -- 10 or 25 ml? Are you saying that you add the R-0870 powder to turn the sample pink and then the drops of R-0871 to turn the water clear, and then you then add R-0003 and it turns slightly pink again, but one drop of R-0871 turns it back to clear? If this is the case, there is no problem. If you are using a 10ml sample it would show 0.5ppm of CC. If you are using a 25ml sample, it would indicate 0.2ppm of CC. Either of these is no big deal and by itself, does NOT indicate an algae bloom.

Was your pool green? Or do you think it was a bloom simply because your sample turned slightly pink when testing for CC?

One other question --- are you losing more than 1ppm of chlorine overnight (from sundown to within 2 hours of sunrise)?

Yes, the K-2006,
10ml,
yes, you have the scenario correct
yes, it was green
It's hard for me to tell about the drop because I often test late at night and add bleach then. I'm asleep before an hour of circulation to see what the actual level is before I go to bed. I will try to take a more accurate reading tonight/tomorrow.

BTW - Can hubby get a sample in the early a.m. and leave it on the counter with the cap on? He's the morning person. I am not. Would the readings be accurate that way, or does it need to be fresh?

Another question - since my CYA is so low, could I use the chlorine from the pool store in this instance? It sure would cut down on my trips to Sam's, but, also, I was wondering if it would help - it is stablized, isn't it? It's so hard to keep the chlorine levels up w/so little stabilzer in the pool.

Thank you,

Jennifer

Teach hubby to run the test instead of leaving it to sit. Even hubbies can be trained! ;)

What kind of chlorine from the store are you talking about? If your stabilizer is low, it is ok to use a stabilized form of chlorine for awhile but you need to make sure what you use does NOT have copper in it.

Is your pool still green or now clear? What kind of chlorine have you been using so far, only bleach?

Crystal, sparkly clear. Bleach only.

Do the overnight test. If you don't lose more than 1ppm of chlorine from sundown til within 2 hours of sunrise, then I'd say you're good and you can let the cl drift down.

Well, only a 1ppm drop overnight. Still turned a little pink with the R-0003, cleared with 1drop. Will let the ppms drift down to 3-6 now and deal with the CYA today.

How much stabilizer should I add since I can't get an accurate reading? When I do the test, the black dot is just a little cloudy at the top of the tester. Assume 30 and add enough to hit 50? Is the final goal 50?

Also, I should wait to adjust ph/alk until the ppms are down, right?

Just want to make sure. Don't want to mess things up and have to go through all of this again!!!

Good that it was only a 1ppm drop in chlorine overnight. A CYA of 50 is good. It is not a precise test so hard to hit a target exactly. You are correct to wait until the chlorine drops some to test and adjust pH and alk.

Following up: Tested today and here are the results:

Chlorine: 7ppm
pH: 7.4
Alk: turned barely pink at 210, very pink at 220
CYA: barely above the 40 line, but I will retest in a couple of days - just added stabilzer on Sunday

Should I adjust pH up a bit? If so, how? I've never had to adjust it up before - I usually have the opposite problem. Is the Alk a little high? If so, when I add the muriatic acid, I guess that would mess with the pH too - pushing it down, right? Then I should bubble the pool?

Please advise. I'm on such a good track - I really want to get it right.

Thanks!

Jenn

Add your acid til the pH is 7.0, and the alk will also drop. Then aerate the water, and the Ph will come back up without raising alk. That way you can ratchet the. TA downward. Otherwise, a pH of 7.4 is fine.