Virgin pool opener w/ K-2005C test kit & n00b questions

[aylad]

Unfortunately, it looks like they substituted the K-2005 for the K-2006 that you ordered...I would call them and raise some cain--maybe you'll get lucky and they'll offer to swap you for the right one, or at least send you a DPD-FAS that you can use for high chlorine levels. I would point out that the reason you ordered the K-2006 is for the high chlorine measurement, and they've subbed a kit that won't do the same thing. Never hurts to try!!

The foaming is probably the clarifier breaking down. Clarifiers work by making smaller particles stick together so they can either be filtered out through the filter media or drop to the bottom of the pool so they can be vacuumed--they do not kill algae. It takes chlorine to kill algae. The 10% liquid chlorine bottles from HD are fine--but we really need an estimated volume to be able to tell you how much to use. Hopefully one of the construction (or at least geometry) gurus will be by shortly and can give us an estimate.

Your CYA will only come down over time due to splashout or frequent backwashing, but it will be very slow. There really is no disadvantage to running higher chlorine levels, with the exception of the limitations of your kit. I run my CYA at 80-90 on purpose and maintain a high-chlorine pool, since my pool is in full Louisiana sun all day--and I have much less chlorine loss and have to add it less frequently.

Janet

[PoolDoc]

If you used the links from here to order from Amazon, post a complaint and negative rating on Amazon for that seller. That WILL get their attention. Also, if you feel comfortable forwarding the info to me, maybe I can also talk to Amazon, and get this straightened out.

You can email me at poolforum AT gmail DOT com.

ALSO: the CYA test is NOT a drop-count test. Your CYA may be MUCH lower than you think. To do the CYA test, you mix 1/2 pool water with 1/2 CYA regent, shake, wait 1 minute (60 seconds, not 59!), and then fill the tube slowly till the black dot disappears. THEN, you READ your CYA level from the sides of the tubes.

Counting drops has nothing to do with it!

[Jeremiah]

Skip this if you're not interested in the sent-me-the-wrong-kit-drama
I called the customer service line for In The Swim, and had to deal with a nasty little customer service rep who claimed I ordered the wrong kit (according to my Amazon confirmation email and the original receipt, I ordered the K-2006C). When he started becoming curt with me, I asked to speak with someone who was less rude or his supervisor. He continually refused to transfer me. Only after I claimed "I hope to God someone over there is recording your bad attitude, 'cause I sure am, and I'm more than happy to email the MP3 conversation to Amazon" did he reluctantly transfer me to the supervisor he'd previously claimed wasn't there. THAT supervisor was a very pleasant person to talk to, researched my order further, confirmed the error was on their end, and has forwarded the issue to the customer service department who should be calling me back today. So they claim.

Clearly my notes weren't very clear. I just re-ran all my tests, and they're all about the same, EXCEPT for CYA. Forget what I said before about the drop test (I had this test confused with another, now I get it ^.^ ) The first time I ran the test, I counted to 30 (as the box said 30 seconds). This time I used the kitchen timer, and waited 60 full seconds, and I have a CYA of 75. So ... looks like I need to get the chlorine up to 20. Should I just add a bottle, and test ... or am I out of luck until I get the proper test kit? Also ... anyone know why this kit came from In The Swim, and not Amato? I'm concerned Amazon may be diverting some of the sales to alternate vendors?

[PoolDoc]

If you are concerned about PF getting a cut of the sales, don't be -- it's a referral link. PF gets 4% of anything you buy from Amazon, after following that link -- even if it's polka dotted bows for pigs at 4H fairs.

Also, there's nothing nefarious about substitution -- the link I have goes to the Amato K2006, but if they're out, Amazon auto-magically substitutes another seller listing the same item. That would be a good thing (for you), except that . . .

Some of the alternate sellers can't tell the difference between a "5" and a "6", except maybe that the K2005 costs them (the seller) $10 less!

I've spoken to Amato, and she says they've complained to Amazon, but from Amazon's point of view it's one of those icky-picky things that takes more time than it's worth. Since I don't have a phone number for Amazon's seller service dept, I can't do anything.

But . . . if you post negative ratings in the Amazon listing for In The Swim -- don't exaggerate, just tell what happens -- you'll not only get faster correction from ITS, but you'll get Amazon's attention AND the Amazon relations manager at ITS will likely issue a "never-again" order. Those ratings have a BIG impact on sales.

I hope that's kinda clear. It's only somewhat clear to me -- I think Amazon explains this in detail somewhere, but it's probably in the middle of the 20+ agreement pages I signed but didn't read.

[CarlD]

even if it's polka dotted bows for pigs at 4H fairs.

I can't tell you how many times I order those things! Now I'll know to go through Ben!

Carl

[Phillbo]

If you are concerned about PF getting a cut of the sales, don't be -- it's a referral link. PF gets 4% of anything you buy from Amazon, after following that link -- even if it's polka dotted bows for pigs at 4H fairs.

(

Good to hear as I was just about to place a very large order for polka dotted pig bows.... and i don't even have pigs.

[Watermom]

By the way, Amato usually restocks pretty fast when they sell out of the kits. I typically click on the Amazon link every day to see if it is available since I am constantly referring people there. There have only been 3 or 4 times so far this season where Amato did not show up as the seller, presumably out of stock. But, every time so far, they have restocked quickly and within a day or so, they are again listed as the seller.

How great is it that anything bought from Amazon (as long as you go through the test kit link) will get some $$$$$ sent to the forum. That is great! I hope people will remember that when they are ordering other things from Amazon besides test kits!

[Jeremiah]

Drama here:
I do purchases @ Amazon a few times a year, so that's good to know. Hopefully I can divert some of my sales to you guys I didn't receive a phone call yesterday, so I called this morning. They don't carry the 2006C, so they're sending me a call tag (to pick up this kit) and will give a refund at a future date after this kit is returned. This rep was probably even more snooty than the last one. Maybe it's a West Chicago thing? So ... Looks like I'm re-ordering through Amato ... hopefully.

Between yesterday & last night, I dumped in 3 bottles of 1.4gal bottles in the skimmer, have cleaned the filter every day, and re-ran tests this morning:
TC & FC are off-the-chart
PH: looks like 8, but I'm guessing this could be off-the-chart as well?
TA: 175
CYA: ~70 (about the same as yesterday)

The water doesn't seem any clearer or swimmer friendly. The more bleach I dump in, the more foam I get. I suspect the water filtration system is sucking in air somewhere, as I can see little explosions of bubbles popping a couple feet away from all return lines. Perhaps the chlorine is raising the surface tension of the water, and that's creating foam?

I can dump more bleach in during the day and see what happens, but the wife is now pushing to "Quit dumping money in the pool; just drain the [explative deleted] thing, and start over.". Given it looks like it may be next week before I have the correct test kit, and chemical gremlins seem to be living in my pool, that solution is looking rather attractive. I know you mentioned I could float the pool out of the ground, but if I fill as I drain (or maybe drain 1/4 - 1/8th, fill, repeat), wouldn't that keep my little swamp in the ground?