Time to replace sand?

[CarlD]

Remember to approach adding chemicals conservatively. Usually, bleach/chlorine is the exception but given your unusual circumstance even that should be done with care. Your FC is down so you need to raise it to the level Ben recommends.

Carl

[jonno]

Thanks Carl. Ben's chart shows that given my CYA of 100 to 200, my FC level should be 8 to 15 ppm). However, I have a lot of ammonia so Ben gave me a treatment plan to follow until the CC is down to 1 or 2. The interim plan is to add 6 gallons of bleach every evening, add a pint of muratic acid when the pH creeps above 7.0, and keep aerating.

[jonno]

Evening numbers - pool color is changing from blue to yellow green!
FC 0.0
CC 3.0
pH 7.2
TA 180
I added another pint of acid this morning and will get some more tomorrow to keep the pH low, but today the color of the water no longer has any blue coloration and is more lemon lime. Visibility is still only 20-24 inches. This is nerve-racking. I really don't want to replace the water. Ben, Janet, Watermom - is there anything else I should be doing?

[jonno]

Morning report - color still yellow green, little bit of foam on surface. Still aerating and adding 6 gallons of bleach nightly.
FC 0.0
CC 2.5
pH 7.2
TA 180
Happy Father's Day everyone who is or has a dad.

[CarlD]

POPP! Pool Owner Patience and Persistance!

Carl

[jonno]

Evening numbers:
FC 0.0
CC 2.0
pH 7.3
TA 180
Headed out to get more acid to keep the pH at 7.0, but glad to see that the CC finally is in the 1 - 2 range. Thanks for the reminder about POPP Carl.

[jonno]

On 6/17 Janet wrote:
"So..his (Ben's) recommendation was to break it (the ammonia) down slowly with the lower doses of bleach, until you start getting CC readings of 1 or 2--at which time you can up the doseage and go ahead and get rid of it. So...stick with the 6 gallon dose for now."

This is the 2nd day that my CC was 2 or lower. Is it time to up the dosage of bleach?

Here're this evening's numbers:
FC 0.0
CC between 1.5 and 2.0
pH 7.4 (put in 30 oz dry acid)
TA 190

Thanks!

[jonno]

Here is a photo of my pool taken this morning. This is the BEFORE photo.

I've spent the past two weeks working to eliminate the excess ammonia and lower the TA - this was not a process where progress is visible.

Now that Ben has increased the evening dosage of bleach to shock levels (considering my high CYA), there should be some visible progress as the algae and visibility problems resolve.

I'll post an AFTER photo as soon as everything is balanced and clear. This is day 33 since opening the pool - wish I'd never gone to the pool store...

[jonno]

Evening numbers:
FC 4.0
CC 2.0
pH 7.2 (added 1 pint of m. acid)
TA 170
Evening bleach dose = 9 gallons

[jonno]

Morning numbers:
FC 18.5
CC 2.0
pH 7.2 (added another pint of m. acid)
TA 180
This morning the FC was much higher than in the past and I think it may be affecting the TA test. Today the TA test water turned from green to briefly bluish to pinkish. All other days the TA test water has changed from green to briefly purple to a deeper red.

The pool water has a little more visibility (almost 30") and the shade of green is lighter so the shock is attacking the algae and POPP seems to be paying off.

The recycle man has dozens of bleach bottles to pick up this morning, but my 5 gal. carboys arrived last night and today I'm making my first run to fill them with 5 gal of 12.5% bleach.

• Given that my CYA is between 100-200, can anyone give me a ballpark estimate of how much bleach I'll be using each week to keep my chlorine in the 8-15 target zone (once my water is balanced and clear)?

I'm using a 9 gallons/day dosage now until the FC holds within 1 ppm from one evening to the next (once I switch over to 12.5% bleach, the 9 gallons will convert to just under 4.5 gal).
Thanks!