Going. Insane. Need help, please

[USAMariner]

Thanks for your help and insight.

The test kit I use also tests for acidic levels, is this the same as the CYA test? If not, I can research and pick up a new kit that covers all the neccesary tests. Any suggestions?

For now I will take your advice and stop using the Dichlor shock and just concentrate solely on using the Trichlor and some vigorous brushing/vacuuming and backwashing.

Based on my levels above, and should my test kit I currently have not be able to test CYA, is there an acceptable amount of bleach (store bought) that can be added without doing any "damage".

Also, what is borax? I've never heard of it, and is it also available at say Walmart?

Again, thanks for your help!!

[madwil]

first, don't use the triclhlor either- it adds CYA same as dichlor... and trichlor will also cause a pH drop.
Borax is found in the grocery aisle at Walmart...
As far as how much bleach, the amount depends on your CYA. 1.4 gal Walmart bleach should add around 3.8 ppm FC in your pool- that's the big jug of walmart 6% bleach.
your target FC is based on CYA- do you have a pool store in your area that can test your water and give you an initial CYA until you get your own CYA test?

[Watermom]

Until you get a CYA level, stop using dichlor AND trichlor. For now, just use bleach as your source of chlorine. If your kit doesn't test CYA, go to a reputable pool store and ask them to test it. Then post it here. But, don't buy all the stuff they are going to push at you.

In your pool, each gallon (4 quarts) of 6% bleach will add about 2.7ppm of chlorine. Test two or three (or even more if you able) times per day and each time, take the chlorine back up to about 10 for now. (When we know what your CYA reading is, we may advise a different level but go with that for now.) Continue to sustain the high cl level until you can go from sundown one day until sunup the next day without losing more than 1ppm of cl overnight.)

Your pH needs to be brought up ASAP. A reading below 7.0 is acidic and can damage your pool. Actually, a test kit cannot differentiate below 6.8 so yours may lower than 6.8. 20 Mule Team Borax (laundry aisle at Walmart) can be used to raise pH. Start by adding a box slowly to the skimmer while the pump is running, breaking up any clumps. After 2 or 3 hours, retest pH, and add more if needed. Anywhere 7.2-7.8 is Ok, but I like 7.4-7.6.

You may want to bump your alk up a little to help control those pH swings. Add 2 lbs. at a time slowly to the skimmer. Wait a few hours, retest and redose until you get alk around 100 or so.

Do yourself a favor and get a good test kit so you won't have to rely on a pool store for readings. We recommend the Taylor K-2006 or 2006C which is the same kit with larger quantities of some of the most used reagents. If you order it through the Amazon link in my signature below, the Pool Forum makes a little money on the sale which helps keep the forum online. Only buy if the seller is Amato Industries, however. Some other sellers are substituting the K-2005 which you do NOT want.

Repost with your CYA reading.

(By the way -- ignore the bromine reading. You have a chlorine pool.)

[USAMariner]

Thank you for your help everyone. Sorry I was not back on sooner, but work and other commitments kept me away.

All that I have done the last couple of days is give the pool some vigorous brushing etc and have notice the shade of algae start to lighten which is giving me some hope.

I will get the water tested ASAP (by tomorrow at the latest), but in the meantime since my FC is so low and based on the above post where I should bring it up to around 10, I will go ahead and add some bleach to the pool. Since it is so low (less than 4) I think that around 2 gallons will be safe (should bring the ppm up by about 5.8)

I will also pick up some Borax and add that to the skimmer line and retest every couple of hours until I achieve the correct reading of approx 7.4.

And of course I have the Alkalinity Up already which I will add to help steady those pH swings.

[madwil]

I wouldn't worry about the alkalinity right now...
just adjust the pH up, and keep the chlorine up, as the algae clears
The more often you can test and add chlorine, the quicker it clears!

[Watermom]

I would go ahead and raise the alk a little as I suggested above. It will help with your pH swings. Since you already have it, go ahead and use up the alkalinity up. But, in the future, don't buy any more. You can just use baking soda to raise the alk and it is cheaper.

[USAMariner]

OK, so I was finally able to get my water tested at the local pool company and here's what I got:

Free Chlorine: 5
pH: 7.4
Total Alkalinity: 70 (the pool place advised I add 10lbs on Alkalinity)
CYA: 50
Calcium Hardness: 150ppm
Total Dissolved Solids: 400
Phosphates: 300

What should my next steps be? I am still continuing to brush and vacuum as best I can.

I have no chlorine tabs in the skimmer line and I have not added any shock in 4 days.

I am off tomorrow and plan on spending as much time as possible out by the pool to make this right,

I have read in other threads about advising people to take their FC up to 20, but my test vials only go as high as 5. Is the figure of '20' figured by adding bleach into the pool and multiplying by a certain number?

I bought 2 4lb boxes of Borax and also 2 bottles of Clorox bleach (1.42 gal.) Should I add either or both? I know the borax will go into the skimmer basket, and I'm assuming that the bleach I add directly to the pool.

The Borox is what I am using as the Alk Up, correct? If not, what little I added the other night so I may to get more - regular Arm & Hammer baking soda? and how much?

oh, and should I space out when I add the chemicals, or is adding Borax and bleach at the same time safe?

[Watermom]

With a CYA of 50, you need to be shocking your pool up to 15ppm and try and hold it there as best you can. (Chlorine levels are based on CYA levels. Take a look at the Best Guess Table" in my signature below.) Test as many times a day as you can and each time add enough bleach to get the cl back up to 15. There is no such thing as testing and adding bleach too often when you are trying to clear a pool. In a 22K pool, each gallon (4 quarts) of bleach will add 2.7ppm of cl to your pool. Use that as a reference to help you determine how much bleach to add each time you test. When you get to the point where you can go from sundown one day to within 2 hours of sunrise the next day without losing more than 1ppm of cl, I'd suggest holding the cl at the shock level one more day and then you can let it drift down and keep it between 3-6 ALL the time. If you let it drop lower than 3, you'll risk another algae bloom. The key to killing algae is to sustain the high cl reading, so tomorrow test and dose every hour or two if you can. You can either pour the bleach slowly into your skimmer or slowly in front of a return jet. Both ways are fine.

Your pH is fine. Don't add any Borax at this point. Borax is used to raise pH. Baking soda is used to raise alk. It will take 3 lbs.of baking soda to raise the alk 10ppm. You can add it slowly through the skimmer while the pump is running. After several hours, retest and you can add more as needed to get to 80-120. Having said that, let chlorine be your main priority tomorrow.

Run the pump 24/7 and backwash any time your filter pressure increases 5-10 psi over clean filter pressure.

By the way -- it is ok to add bleach and Borax or bleach and baking soda one right after the other.

I would not use any more trichlor pucks or dichlor shock in this pool this year. Your CYA is already at 50 which is great, but you don't want it any higher.

Try and get the good kit I told you about in the post above. It will allow you to test higher chlorine levels and you won't have to depend on the pool store for your testing. In the meantime, you can use a dilution method to force your kit to go higher. You'll need to do this tomorrow to measure up to 15ppm of chlorine. More info at this link:

http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/how-...d-testkit.html

Keep us posted how things are going tomorrow!