Shiny's about to get a SWCG!

[PoolDoc]

#1 - buy DE where you can find it. Home Depot type stores may be cheaper.

#2 - DE will rinse free from all filter types.

#3 - Fix your gauge ASAP -- it's the only way you can monitor performance and tell when to backwash.

#4 - A cheap OTO will distinguish 7 ppm from 15, but not 13 from 15. Use an OTO now, and for quick tests. Get a K2006 or 2006C for better info. (Amazon links in my sig).

Sounds like you're getting the hang of it.

Ben

[ShinySideUp]

Thanks! The cheap oto kit did not change color at all when I added the chlorine test drops. That's bad, right?

I'm off to buy some bleach and DE. And to find a calculator to figure out how much 6% bleach to add to 27000 gallons to get 15 ppm.

[PoolDoc]

A gallon of 6% bleach has about 1/2 # of chlorine gas equivalent in it. Your pool, at 27,000 gallons is a little less than 1/4 of the famous million pound pool. So, in your pool, each gallon adds (1/2)/(1/4) or 2 ppm of chlorine.

Ben