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Hello,
I'm somewhat new to this forum, so please excuse me if this question is redundant. I have an issue with CC, when I use the powder(R-0870) the sample turns slightly pink, I then add the R-0871 drops and it starts to clear then slowly changes back to pink and then stays there. This makes it hard for me to get a FC reading, I really don't want to rely on the pool store readings. Has anyone seen this before?
Have you been able to establish what your chlorine level is in your water, even if you have to use an OTO measure for total chlorine? It sounds like you don't have much chlorine. What happens if you use two scoops instead of one of your powder? Is it better?
I'm a little baffled. Can you give us your other readings?
Well, here's what has happened, after this original posting I went out and shocked the pool with roughly 30+ bags of Burnout 3 per the pool store as they felt I had a "chlorine Lock". At that time my readings per the pool store were:
temp-74
saturation index .8
TDS 900
CYA 31
Tot. CH 6
Free CH .7
Ph 8.4
TA 135
total hardness 199
Phosphates @ 500 PPB
After I super chlorinated most of yesterday, I awoke this morning and took the following readings:
Fc 5.2
cc .4
TA 111
Cya .....lower than my test would register
CH 250
Water temp 74
Ph 7.1
S/I .4
The pool is still cloudy, I believe there is dirt still on the bottom but I cant see it to clean it properly. By the way the pool is 20x40 I/G w/ vinyl liner.
I have spent so much in chemicals already and the season is just begun.
We don't allow duplicate threads so I deleted your other one. There is just as much traffic in this section of the forum; it's just that today there hasn't been a lot cuz everybody must be celebrating Memorial Day!
What is the ingredient in Burn Out 35? Your readings are all over the place. Did you add anything else? That is quite a drop in pH. What kind of filter do you have and what size of pump?
You'll spend a whole lot less if you'll stay out of that pool store. There is no such thing as "chlorine lock"--rather, you shock your pool to the chlorine level that is determined by your CYA level (see the link to the best guess chlorine chart in Watermom's sig for more information on that). You can shock the pool with plain, unscented bleach for a whole lot less than you paid for the "burnout", and without adding any extra goop to your pool to create more problems (if it's cal-hypo, you're adding unneeded calcium..if it's dichlor, you're pushing your pH way down and adding stabilizer.)
I'm sorry, also it's Burn Out 3 my mistake....57.8% cal hypo 42.2% other ingrediants. I have a 300# sand filter with a 1 H.p. pump with 1.5" piping. I dont know that the pool stores readings are that accurate....three days ago I did add the phosphate remover per the pool store.
Phosphate removers will cloud the pool for the long term -- don't look for it to clear up quickly!
Do you know what your CYA level was last fall? You reported 31 from the pool store, and unreadable using your K2006 -- was the CYA sample CLEAR, or just not hazy enough to give a definite reading?
What I'm asking about is this: bacteria can degrade CYA over the winter, often to something that's not a problem. But occasionally, CYA will be degraded to ammonia, which consumes HUGE amounts of chlorine during clean up. We've been seeing a LOT of those 'occasions' this spring.
I would most definitely trust K-2006 readings over the pool store. The phosphate remover was almost certainly unnecessary, and only really accomplished emptying your wallet a little further. When you run the chlorine test with the K-2006, try using the 10 mL sample, where each drop counts as 0.5 ppm, and see if that's any easier for you.
just an update to my readings only a couple hours later
FC .4
CC .4
PH 7.0-7.1
TA 111
CH 245-250 ppm
CYA ...still does not register(solution stays pretty clear)
Maybe I should have provided some more details that may help, this pool was the worst I've seen it this year upon opening because I did very little to close it last year due to some health issues. When I first removed the cover you could see the bottom, but there was visible algae and a dead squirrell that got under the cover. In just a matter of a couple days it turned dark green with all the heat in N.E. Ohio, during which time I was searching for a replacement pump motor because mine was locked up tight. Since then I have had multiple trips to the pool store and been sold mutard algae killers, phosphate removers and tons of shock. Dont get me wrong there has been improvement to the poool since the start but not like I would have thought considering all of this. ( Sorry about being windy :) )
Let's do a chlorine demand test. You'll need a cheap OTO kit, as well as the K2006.
1. Get a clean 5 gallon bucket or waste can. (really clean)
2. Put 4 gallons of pool water in.
3. Add TABLESPOON of PLAIN 6% household bleach; mix.
4. Test chlorine levels with OTO immediately after mixing. You should see a BROWN or DARK ORANGE color. If the color is orange, yellow or clear, you have a chlorine demand problem.
5. Test again after 1 hour. If the color is NOT the same . . . you have a chlorine demand problem
Don't use the K2006, at least the first time -- you'll use up too much reagent.
Ok I did just as you said and the color was kinda a reddish orange, not sure if I would say it was dark, I retested an hour later and there was no change in color.....maybe I should've snapped a photo.Quote:
Let's do a chlorine demand test. You'll need a cheap OTO kit, as well as the K2006.
Sounds like you're good to go!
You'll need to get some stabilizer in there. If you have a Sams Club nearby, and have access, one easy way is to buy their 24lb box of dichlor shock, for about $2.50/lb (at least, that's what they charge here). Almost every other retailer of dichlor, including Walmart and Costco, is selling a variety of hodge-podge blends, that should be avoided! You can check at HomeDepot and Lowes, but you have to be an expert label inspector, to avoid the stuff!
Anyhow, 24lbs of dichlor will add about 50 ppm of chlorine, and about 45 ppm of stabilizer to your pool.
If you can't buy from Sams, you can usually find unblended (100%) stabilizer locally, though it's often quite expensive. 1 lb will add about 4 ppm of CYA to your pool, so you probably want at least 10 lbs.
As an alternative, you can get trichlor tabs from Sams in a 40# bucket, and use them in a floater or your skimmer, along with bleach to stock. Again, most other retailers are selling hodge-podge trichlor, often with copper (= stains & green hair) added.
If you can't find what you need locally, you can get the products from Amazon:Kem-Tek Dichlor 22.5 lbs @ AmazonRegardless, if you use bleach for shocking, you should be able to avoid having your CYA get too high, over the course of the summer.
Kem-Tek 3" Trichlor 35lbs @ Amazon
Kem-Tek 879 Pool Floating Tablet Dispenser
Best wishes.
So I should get this shock and use all 24#'s immediately? What about maintenance shock, use the same stuff or just the chlorine pucks and/or bleach?Quote:
Originally Posted by PoolDoc
Thanks Sam
Get it, but do not use it all at once. You don't need 50 ppm of chlorine right now!Quote:
Originally Posted by hvactech2
You can't use pucks to 'shock' a pool: they dissolve too slowly. But you can use bleach (and leave the CYA unchanged) or dichlor (and raise CYA too).Quote:
What about maintenance shock, use the same stuff or just the chlorine pucks and/or bleach?