Yeah, the "ideal" range of 1.0 - 1.5 is for an inside pool without CYA, or an outside pool with a very low stabilizer level--but then the chlorine doesn't stay in the pool for long. Since the advent of stabilized tablets, the folks who write the guidelines either have forgotten to update the ranges, or never figured out the CYA/chlorine relationship to begin with--but it's been proven over and over again that as the CYa level rises, so must the chlorine level to be as effective.
When you manage your pool, a good test kit will save you tons of time, money, and aggravation. We recommend the Taylor K-2006 kit. It can be found online at several different places, but if you get it here http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002IXIIG?ie=UTF8&tag=poolbooks&linkCode=as2&camp %20=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0002IXIIG"><b >Ta%20ylor%20Complete%20FAS-DPD%20Pool%20Water%20Test%20Kit%20K-2006</b then the Poolforum gets a commission from the order. In the meantime, here's a link http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=10073 that describes how to force your kit to measure higher chlorine levels. It's only gonna give you a ballpark, but it's better than nothing until you can get a good test kit.
I would stop using the tablets in your pool at this point--the CYA will continue to rise as long as you're using it, and when you get to CYA of 100 or so then it's very, very difficulty to maintain a clean, clear pool even with elevated chlorine levels. It's your call, though....
Janet
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