High Phosphates > 1,000 & High Nitrates 90ppm

[chem geek]

Take a bucket of pool water and add chlorine to it. 1/4 teaspoon of 6% bleach in 2 gallons is 10 ppm FC. I'll bet you'll be able to have it register chlorine and hold it. If so, then you just haven't been adding enough to the pool and/or your chlorine generator may not be producing chlorine. You can take a water sample from the return when the SWCG is on to see if you register any chlorine.

It sounds like you've got nascent algae growth in the pool consuming the chlorine OR your SWCG isn't working.

[applepar]

Sorry I didn't get back to anyone - was having trouble logging on and then we were gone for a week. Happy to report that came home to a crystal clear pool - the chlorine level was very high 5.0!

Ok - I actually use both the OTO test kit and a K-2005 at home. The OTO shows plenty of chlorine but the k-2005 says it's low. (I will buy new kits today)

I took my water to two different pool companies. Yes, one used the digital test strips. The other used chemical drops. I am going to take water samples again today.

Both pool companies were telling me that it would be extremely difficult to maintain chlorine because of the phosphate and nitrate levels.

I will report back this afternoon.

Thank you

[Watermom]

If you are going to be buying a new kit, why don't you get the one that we feel is the best which is the Taylor K-2006 or 2006C (same kit, larger bottle of some reagents). If you buy it through the Amazon link in my signature, the Pool Forum makes a little money on the sale which helps us keep this form online. Only buy if the seller is Amato Industries, however. Some other sellers are substituting the K-2005 which you do NOT want. Having this kit will make your pool maintenance much easier and you won't have to rely on pool stores for readings.

[PoolDoc]

Both pool companies were telling me that it would be extremely difficult to maintain chlorine because of the phosphate and nitrate levels.

And, lemme guess, they had something to sell you to fix that?

Please, please post your K2005 test results . . . and please consider purchasing a K1515 DPD-FAS add-on for your K2005. (link to PoolSolutions page with links to items on Amazon, in my sig below)

Meanwhile, keep your chlorine high.

(By the way, I deleted your other posts asking the same question. Please ask once, in one place. It makes forums really really messy when people start asking their question in multiple places.)

[PoolDoc]

In the blue table, underneath the moderators and my posts, are a group of links. One says "Amazon Links for FAS-DPD Kits".

[Watermom]

Ben -- you beat me to it. I was also getting ready to find the other posts and delete them.

I also forgot about the add on part of the kit.

Applepar --- don't buy a whole K-2006 or 2006C. Just buy the K1515 kit. You have all the other parts of the K-2006 in your K2005 kit. That will give you the component that you are missing, but do need.

Regarding signatures ---- at the bottom of my post (and Ben's above) are some blue links. Click on the Amazon link and you'll find the K-1515 kit.

[applepar]

Today's readings with the k-2005 kit:

FC=1 Ph = 7.4
TC = 2 Bromine = 1
CC= 1 Alkalinity = 100
CYA = 65

I feel like an idiot, but I don't see any blue links at the bottom of any replies.

Still don't see blue links, but found it thru Pool Solutions.

[PoolDoc]

Not your fault; mine, with help from vBulletin.

You should see more, now, plus get notifications on posts you've made.

[Yeggim]

Not your fault; mine, with help from vBulletin.

You should see more, now, plus get notifications on posts you've made.

Ben, I had to go into Settings and check mark view signatures in the Thread Display Options. I don't think I unchecked it last year--so maybe the default is unchecked? I did this a few weeks ago.

[waterbear]

Today's readings with the k-2005 kit:

FC=1 Ph = 7.4
TC = 2 Bromine = 1
CC= 1 Alkalinity = 100
CYA = 65

1 ppm CC is good indication of a nascent algae bloom. This will consume all your chlorine
You are not using bromine so ignore the reading BUT if you are reading 1 on the bromine scale that is .5 on the chlorine scale so your chlorine readings are possibly off!

What kind of SWCG do you have? 65 is on the low end of where your CYA should be (higher CYA means slower pH rise for technical reasons so bump this up to the manufacturer's maximum)

100 is a bit high for TA in a salt pool and can lead to a higher acid demand because of more outassing of CO2. 70-80 ppm is better.
Also, maintain your pH at 7.6 instead of 7.4. The lower you put the pH the faster it rises (technical reason -- faster outgassing of CO2)

Phosphate and nitrate readings are generally bogus and are just used to sell (unneeded) phosphate remover products.