Newbie - Stain removal via ascorbic acid

[herb396]

Test results from pool store as of 10 am today:

Total Chlorine = 1.7
Free Chlorine = 1.7
CYA = 35
PH = 7.2
Total Alkalinity = 95
Adj. Total Alkalinity = 84
Copper = .5

Slight return of stain to steps and small area (10 x 15) in shallow area (near return ports)

[PoolDoc]

Yeah.

Low CYA with full sun will drop your chlorine a lot during the day.

Without a feeder, you probably need to take the CYA on up, so you can start the day with 6 ppm and end with 3 ppm.

Unfortunately, the reappearing stain is probably not really leaving in the first place -- it just changes form, depending on conditions in the pool.

PoolDoc

[herb396]

A week ago my CYA was 100. (where did it go and why?) I only have about 2-3 hrs of full sun.

Should I continue to chlorinate with the cal hypo (I have over 75lbs on hand) or should I return to the BBB method?

The reappearing stain is still dramatically less than when we began. (much more presentable) so were still very grateful to all the guidance.

Thanks

[PoolDoc]

OK, first I need to say the "BBB" method is an approach, not a set of chemicals. (It's my idea, so I get to say what it means! ) Bleach, borax and baking soda just happened to be what's available at the grocery store in generic form. "CHBB" is not as catchy, but if cal hypo were available at the grocery store, that page could have been titled "Cal hypo, borax, and baking soda".

Or, maybe not. My boys used to roll their eyes at me, while griping that I always alliterated at them, accidentally or not, when instructing them in life lessons.
-- Lisa, be nice! They really did! Now, they often alliterate, too, driving Susan nuts, since her alliterative achievements are almost always unimpressive. --

Seriously, BBB is not, fundamentally, about bleach. Bleach was just what was available.

Anyhow, your CYA hasn't disappeared. The only way it can do so is if you drain and refill, or if you have bacterial growth (equal major biofilms, AKA seriously slimy sidewalls*) that can biodegrade the CYA into urea and ammonia.

Most likely the difference is a testing discrepancy. Have test strips been used for any of your testing? I'm not sure if they've gotten better, but I know that when I tested several brands of test strips 4 or 5 years ago, the CYA test results were pretty hopeless.


Ben



* See, I just can't stop myself. Now, no doubt, there will be a new acronym: "Yes, you must have had a bad case of SSS over the winter -- that's why your CYA is missing".

[herb396]

My kids roll their eyes at me all the time despite an unexciting vocab,,I just think they become numb to the sound of my voice.

I have a small test kit using drops but limited to pH and CL. Any other test numbers I've posted have always been from testing at the pool store. But after seeing HS kids working at the store, I have had my doubts to the consistency / accuracy.

[aylad]

Any other test numbers I've posted have always been from testing at the pool store. But after seeing HS kids working at the store, I have had my doubts to the consistency / accuracy.

Yep, that's probably where your CYA "went"!

Janet

[herb396]

OK so the plot thickens..The stain has returned in the shallow area,,keeping the CL low (around 2) and adding a bit of polquat...been trying to boost the CL by adding more cal hypo daily (2 - 3 scoops x2 daily) CL has been up to 5 last two days but now the water pool has gotten cloudy and turning green.

Readings as of today from the pool store:
CYA - 28
Tot. CL - 7.5
FC - 6.6
pH - 7.3
Tot. Alk - 110
Adj. Tot. Alk - 102
Copper - .2

[PoolDoc]

Hi Herb;

1. Don't let it go green -- add a bunch more polyquat and a little more chlorine.
2. Check your chlorine again to make sure it has no copper.
3. Have your pool store retest again, BUT, take some bottled water with you and ask them to test that TOO. Say, "I want to see if my drinking water has copper in it." (No lie ;-) If they find copper in that, the copper reading is probably just testing error. If they do NOT find copper in the bottled water, but DO find copper in your pool . . . you probably have copper in the pool and we need to figure out why.

PoolDoc

[herb396]

Ben
1. Done: added both polquat and CL (chloringting granulars)
2. The CL I'm using is labled as 68% Calcium Hypochlorine and 32% other ingredients as provided by "Poolife". I called Arch Chemicals, the company who produces the product, and had them pull the MSDS sheet. They confirmed that there is no copper in this product.
3. Just to be clear: do you mean I should take store bought "bottled water" or should I be bringing them tap water in a bottle as the second water test / along with my pool water.

Thanks,
herb

[herb396]

OK had the water retested at 4:30 pm:
CYA -70
Tot. CL - 7.5
FC - 6.6
pH - 7.5
Tot. Alk - 125
Adj. Tot. Alk - 104
Copper - .2

Store bought "bottled water" was tested for copper and produced no reading.