Time to replace sand?

[Watermom]

I think I would see what my cl reading was before adding bleach and then make a decision. Taking cl up to 38 is pretty high for a vinyl pool. I would probably not take it any higher than 25ppm.

Keep working on lowering TA. If you don't work over the weekend, see if you can test as many times per day as you can and each time, take the cl back up to 25ppm. Every hour or two or three would be great. No such thing as testing and dosing too often when you are trying to clear a pool. If you can do this for the next two days, maybe you can turn the corner.

EDIT -- Since you have the Taylor K-2006 kit, your pH test will be accurate if the cl level is lower than 15 instead of 10 like some other kits. So, check your pH as soon as your cl drops below 15ppm.

[jonno]

Thanks Watermom. This mornings FC was 23.5 so I added 0.3 gal of 12.5% bleach, at 6.8 ppm per gal, this should raise the FC by 1.5 to hit the 25 mark. I'll do this every hour or so throughout the day and see if I can get someone to do it more frequently tomorrow (a work day for me).

I'm off to the pool store now. I never thought I'd darken their threshold, but I'm almost out of R-0871 and my re-order from Amazon is not due until the end of the week.

If in any of the FC tests today is 15 ppm or below, I'll test pH - otherwise I'll check it in the morning and add muriatic acid if it is above 7.0. The water is definately blue again. It's still cloudy but less so than yesterday.

[Watermom]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that two consecutive days of non-stop babysitting this pool will make a difference. Keep us posted!

[jonno]

Just returned from a 2 hour quest for R0871 FAS-DPD Titrating Reagent. Leslie's told me over the phone that they had it in stock, but they had only the DPD Reagent #2 (item # 81345). The item I need is in their online catalog, #81348, but not on the shelves. Tried 3 other pool stores - no luck.

I ordered 2oz of R-0871 from Amazon last Wed, but it won't arrive until Thursday. I had to resort to Carl's shot glass method and mixed 1 part pool water to 4 parts distilled water then used my pre-Taylor K2006 test kit to test for total chlorine and multiply the results by 5. Since the highest readings I can get with my old kit maxes out at 5 ppm, the best I can do is get a vague sense of whether I'm dipping below 25 ppm (since 5 x 5 = 25).

When I did the test it appeared to match the color for 3. Multiplying by 5 gives a result of 18ppm - but it is a guess at best. Based on that I was conservative and added 1/2 a gallon of 12.5% bleach - waited 30 minutes then retested - it seems to have pushed it up from the 3-ish level to the 5-ish level (x 5 = 25ppm).

I'll try it again in a few hours and adjust accordingly. Every pool store I visited said the max chlorine level they can test is 5 ppm. If anyone knows of way I can do this more accurately before my Amazon shipment arrives - please let me know. What a bad time to run out of reagent!!

John

[Watermom]

If anyone knows of way I can do this more accurately before my Amazon shipment arrives - please let me know. What a bad time to run out of reagent!!

John

Nothing else to do. Just have to wait on that kit.

Are you testing and dosing every couple of hours today?

[jonno]

Yes. Here are today's results through of 3pm (weather here in Maryland is sunny, mid-80s, low humidity, light breeze)

8:30a FC 17.5, CC 1.5 - added .3 gal bleach (using Taylor K-2006) - increased FC by 1.5
11:30a TC between 18 and 25 - added .7 gal bleach (using old kit because I ran out of titrating reagent) - increased FC by 3.5
1:30p TC 25ish - nothing added
3:00p TC between 18 and 25 - added .7 gal bleach to be on the safe side - increased FC by 3.5

I will test TC again in an hour or so. My bleach is 12.5% so each gal should be upping the ppm by 4.8.

[Watermom]

Also, watch the filter pressure. Backwash when the pressure rises 5-10 psi over clean filter pressure. Run the pump 24/7. Looking any better yet? Keep at it.