My turn to ask questions

My dad bought a farm with two homes and a pool on it and he wanted to know how much it would cost to fill it in (we begged, so it stayed). This is our third year in Upstate NY, opened the pool this year and the filter broke; so now we have a new filter and pump. Think it's 35K gal. with a few inches of new rain on top. Today I tested the water which is cloudy and bluish, visiblity is about a foot.

I am using the HTH 5 way test kit, purchased in the fall:
(which of the chemicals is likely not up to snuff after 8 months?)

Cl =.5 its not any shade of yellow
pH = 7.0 just over min
CYA = less than 30 ppm
TA = 30 ppm
Cal Hardness = 80-90 ppm

No one is swimming in the pool because it's cloudy (in and out)...
But I ask if I might; which deficiency should be corrected first?

I have applied to the Poohbah for a better test kit, not sure if he'll go for it since he's spent over $800 and not had a swim...
Thank you for any help...
Karen Lee

Hi, Karen,

I would suggest the following:

1. More accurately calc the gallons in your pool. Within 1k or 2k for that size pool is fine. 1 cu. ft. of water = 7.48 gallons.

2. Download bleachcalc from any of mwsmith2's posts...put it on your desktop...you'll use it all Summer.

3. Buy enough Cl to get your ppm up to 15 if it's vinyl lined, 25ppm if it's plaster.....buy plenty...you'll use more soon.

4. buy enough CYA to get to 30+ppm...40 is a good target.

5. Add the Cl to your pool at dusk....do this as soon as you can...you currently have no protection from algae. Test again just before you go to bed and add enough to bring it back up to 15ppm/25ppm. Repeat this procedure 'til your water is clear. It may take a few days.

6. During this procedure, run the pump 24/7 and backwash each time your filter pressure raises by more than 8psi or so.

7. When your water is crystal clear, backwash one last time and add the CYA directly into the skimmer, pump still running. It'll take the CYA a few days to dissolve and show up on your test.

8. Lastly, maintain a constant Cl level between 3-7ppm the rest of the Summer and your pool will sparkle the whole time.

Post back questions any time...lots of help here on the forum.:)

Great - that sounds like a plan...

OK I'm back, slow going here... actual pool volume is 33000 w/vinyl liner. Got a brand new cheap test kit today because I ran low on CYA reagent. My pool is slowly clearing. Some won't go near it because it's abit cloudy, I've been in twice to vacuum the past three days. I hope to get to crystal this week.
Now, I have the pool chlorine at about 12 as of 1PM. I could not get it to stay there without adding stabilizer which I did yesterday AM (one canister). I tested this level twice today since I had one old kit's worth and the new kit; first test CYA was 50 then using the new kit it tested less than 30! I had the test water in a measuring cup but ran both tests within 10 min using the tubes which came with each kit respectively. I am perplexed about this, I was happy with the first result but wonder why the second was so far off. From an answer by Carl about this chemical on another post I am thinking this chemical doesn't age much but, also...
My ph is still at the minimum and TA at 50. I am planning putting 3 smaller bottles of last years 6% bleach (which has degraded I know) in tonight, in hopes that I'll see the bottom of the deep end in the morning. I don't know if I've left out an important detail, let me know as I need advice from you folks.
Can I tell people it's safe to swim or is the high chlorine level and low ph going to rot flesh or suits - not worried much about hair since I'm the only one who swims underwater and I don't care what color it looks. -OR should we all wait until tomorrow and see if it's clearer. AND/OR anything else that might help. Can I go on to raisng ph levels now or tomorrow- or do I wait until clarity improves. I need this to happen ASAP because my Dad bought this bottle of blue clarifier and I'm afraid he'll use it when I'm out walking the dog or something (he's getting near that forgetful stage in his life, knows I am trying to educate myself about all this, might do it just to be ornery).
Karen

Karen,

Your chlorine is not staying in the pool because it is being consumed by organics.....per my earlier post, you MUST get your Cl level to 15ppm and keep replenishing back up to 15ppm 'til your water clears. 12ppm won't get it. (well, if you've got all Summer.....)

I see no mention that you ever brought it to 15 at dusk and kept it there overnight. If you did, do it again. You're "tiptoeing" up to your problem instead of jumping on it with both feet.

It's fine to swim in. It's possible you might fade a swimsuit but nobody's gonna' rot.

Synopsis....YOU NEED CHLORINE TO 15PPM AT DUSK!!!. KEEP IT THERE! BE PREPARED TO PUT MORE IN BEFORE YOU GO TO BED......BACK UP TO 15PPM (Well, I wasn't really yelling but I want you to get my point.:) :) )

No you're right I did not mention - Got chlorine up to 15 for two nights but in AM it was never higher than 5 (one day it was 3). I will do better I am sure. I was encouraged to be able to make out the liner yesterday AM, and it was clearer again today. Between you, the 9 month old puppy and my dad with his blue bottle I have to stay on my toes. Thanks very much, I am listening, really.

I tested this evening found I was at 10ppm, about sunset put in a small bottle of 6% (2.84 gal). My Dad complained about the cost of bleach. I invented a weighted cup on a string to get a deep sample without kneeling. Went over at midnight and tested - damn its dark out there- looked like I was at 15 to me - why can't we have a hand tester for this stuff (wish I could invent that). Anyway I still had a couple of quarts of old open bleach from last year (old Walmart - I had 4 bottles of the 5.14 liter size and there is no indication of strength - just says Great Value Ultra made in Canada - this years stuff is marked 6%). So I tossed that in before I split for my quarters. Tomorrow we will vacuum if it doesn't rain too hard.
Karen

Test it as many times a day as you can - 3x a day is good, and each time add enough bleach to take it back up to 15. The key to clearing up problems is to sustain the high cl reading and not let it yo-yo up and down. Also, I am skeptical about your cya readings. Testing for it the day after it is added doesn't give you a reliable reading. After it has been a week after it was added, retest for it, (but not sooner since it takes that long to dissolve completely and you'll just be wasting reagent) and then post that reading. It could be that your cya is now much higher than you think and that may be why the pool isn't clearing. (Higher cya levels require higher cl readings to clear things up.) Run your pump 24/7 while you are trying to clear it.

Quote:

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about sunset put in a small bottle of 6% (2.84 gal).

---

2.84 gallons = 2 large bottles

(becoming clearer where the deficiency really is now). I guess I got a small break then since at 9:30 AM I tried the test and since it was light out I am fairly sure a 3 part dilution was 15 and a 4 part dilution was 12, so I added a Large size bottle which would be just shy of what was needed if it measured a hard 12ppm. Am I getting warmer? If we have trouble like this next year I am popping for a better test kit or inventing an electronic one. I will be going back out in 4 hours to vacuum if it's not pouring. I will retest then. I don't blame you for any negative thoughts, I should have asked a few more questions earlier on and I would be more on the ball. I changed the settings in bleachcalc so I understand them better, or so I thought but I think metric is less confusing since it's Imperial and not US it hurts my brain a little. I really appreciate your patience so far.
Karen

Three days over 12 ppm, three nights over 15; and we can make out the pattern on the bottom of the deep end and the main drain is now visible. My Dad can see it with his good eye and is beginning to believe in the system, in spite of what it "cost". Thanks very much Dave S. for your help thus far. I am hoping to get the ph out of minimum range next.

So... the pool is clear and at 4:30 the readings were:
Cl 10-12 let's say 11 using 3:1 and 4:1 after a full day of sun,
(will bring it back to 15 later tonight with 9qts, right?)
pH 6.8 (a whole box,ok?
TA 50 (9lbs baking soda? and see what I get tomorrow?)
CYA 30 (just glad I can measure it!, should I adjust?)

The only thing greater than your patience has been your advice (or the other way round? Let me know if I'm on the right track...
Karen Lee

Hang in there, and keep shocking--the good news is that once you get it cleared up, it's MUCH simpler and a lot less work to keep it up! Go ahead and add a box of Borax to your skimmer--you don't have to wait until tonight. I would start with about 4 boxes of baking soda and then retest tomorrow before adding the rest. Leave the CYA alone, it's fine for now.

Janet

Hi, Karen,

Nothing to add to Janet's post other than to chime in my encouragement. I think you're doing well. Keep us posted:)

I just came back from testing and
Cl= 12
ph= 7.2
TA= 100 (yesterday)
CYA= 30 (yesterday)

I have thing where I think they should be- pool looks clear needs, to be vacuumed but I didn't because my dad's SO is having a get together with her friends today, (she wouldn't lift a finger to help get it ready), just wants to lie on a float for hours talking.

I will start to let chlorine lessen tomorrow and try to keep it where, between 3 and 5? I think the rest is tracking good so far.

Good Job! 3-5ppm works.

Just a quick note of encouragement for you:-)

Clearing up water problems is all consuming and expensive - I know! I spent two summers as an undereducated pool owner, trying to clear up algae and then the calcium precipitate that resulted from the way I used the pool store chemicals. (It wasn't the pool store's fault; I misunderstood how long to go between doses and messed it up myself).

But keeping the water clear using the information from this website is really cheap and takes 5 minutes a day, plus standard maintenance of vacuuming about once a week and brushing 2-3 times a week. Ocassionally, you may fall behind or miss a few days of checking, and then you may have a small water problem to clear up. But its not a big deal to get it back again.

Eventually, the pool will be a wonderful family blessing, the place where everyone wants to be, great exercise, and just plain fun. Don't give up!