Start-up with chorine after 2yrs of Baqua-yuck

[csupp]

I have ditched the trichor tabs because I found out they were the "dual action" w/ the copper. Hopefully I got them out before my pool became too polluted with copper. Green cast to the water this morning, but by afternoon it has cleared up for the most part.

Still trying to figure out the home HTH kit. First test I did showed pH around 7.0 range and chlorine was inaccurate because I shocked the pool with 3lbs of cal hypo again this morning. I did get another pool store test reading (somewhat limited because their printer was down).

CL - 1.5
PH - 7.2
TA - 145
CH - 182

The CYA isn't showing up on the test yet, since I just put stabilizer in the filter last night.

Pool store doesn't like that I'm using the cal hypo to shock and chlorinate because of "inert materials that will clog up the sand filter".

[madwil]

you mean the inert materials that dissolve in the water and pass through the filter? lol
Pool stores- they don't understand their own products, much less someone doing it different!

[csupp]

Like everywhere else, lots of storms here. Rain might be lowering my pH, so I may hit it with Borax soon.

Ran the HTH 5-way test. Still scratching my head a bit.

Chlorine is reading in the 5 box. So I'm max out on the kit, unless I go to the distilled water method. Until the Taylor kit arrives. But I'm scratching my head because the pool store read the chlorine at 1.5 yesterday. Would 5# of HTH Super Shock N Swim juice the chlorine that much in less than 24 hours? It's only 49% cal hypo with all those darn "inert materials".

(I'm very new at this, and failed chemistry, so I'm at a disadvantage here.)

My pH is reading 7.2 on the kit, so that jibes with the pool store.

Water is clear as glass. But a definite shade of green in the deep end. Which I'm very concerned may be the copper.

[Watermom]

Doesn't the bag of cal-hypo tell you how much so much quantity should raise the cl per amount of volume. i don't use cal-hypo, so not sure. Al (Poconos) uses cal-hypo and he says that his guess is that it easily would give you that much of an increase. That is a pretty hefty dose

[csupp]

Taylor Kit K2006 arrived last night. Did my first test this morning with the following readings...

FC - 4.5
CC - 0
PH - 7.0
TA - 120
CYA - Not registering

Couple things... 1) I'm guessing my pH is low because of rainwater in the pool this week, and a possible overreaction on my part to last week's high pH. I added a gallon of MA over the course of two days. Probably not necessary. So I'm off to Wal-Mart to get some 20 Mule Team. 2) I only added the CYA on Tuesday, so maybe that's why it isn't showing up. But I put 4lbs of stabilizer in the skimmer S-L-O-W-L-Y. Would it be dissolved and ready to register by now?

Thanks for all the help folks. I will say the water has never been clearer in this pool, since the switch from Baquacil. Really enjoying the independence from my pool store.

[Watermom]

Your numbers look good especially when you add a little Borax to bump the pH up a bit. Give it a few more days before checking the CYA reading so you don't waste the reagent. It can take up to a week to totally dissolve.

[PBLsQuad450]

I can't imagine you added enough copper to turn things green that quickly with dual action pucks. From your post it seems like you only used a few. More worrisome is using pucks in your skimmers, I know folks who have caused real hardware problems from "burning out" skimmers. I use Cal-Hypo (73%) to shock on opening. 15 pounds. Gets me to 50ppm. I keep CYA between 60 and 75. I open early (colder) and just don't think about anyone getting in the pool for 10 days at least. I find this the easiest and my CH always stays just fine, I use BBB completely otherwise. I think of shocking just like Z Pack. The nuclear option. I close with 25+ ppm and that CYA, figuring on keeping Cl until the temps drop. My pool has never been better since finding the Pool Forum.