The use of Lithium Shock

[goldslinger]

Thanks for that.

Well, My water was crystal clear yesterday but I apparantly didn't stay on top of it. This afternoon, I noticed yellow algae and whitish water. I tested the FC, and it was I would guess .7

Well that explains it.

I went to My grocery store and bought 6 x 1.4gallon of 6% bleach; generic (3.15 a bottle). I added 2 of them tonight. WOW, I tested 1 hour later and it's off the chart! It cost me 6.30 plus tax for this treatment, where as 3 bags of lithium would have cost me over 32 bucks.

Off the chart of my cheap tester means over 3ppm.

Man, I can't wait for the good tester to get here, so I can see where my CYA levels are !

I never put pencil to anything. I always assumed the liquid bleach was very weak, diluted. I guess that I thought the granulated chlorine was some kind of super chlorinator; packing a lot more whollop with it's explosive action. Well, tonight totally negated that myth.

With everything I am reading here, I might be able to afford to keep this thing awhile longer.

Thanks so much to everyone for Your help and expertise !

I guess now I need to vacuum, as there is visible dirt and algae; I probably should have done that first, but it was gettting dark on Me and the neighbors were swimming and didn't want to bother them (in my own pool, haha).

I guess vacuuming released the algae so that it is in suspension and killed easier by the shock?

Gary Gipson

[Watermom]

Any time you bush the pool, it helps the chlorine be able to better get at the algae. Vacuuming is basically brushing the pool.

BTW -- Until your good kit arrives you can force your other kit to read higher by using a dilution method described below. It isn't super accurate, but better than nothing.

Testing Without a Good Kit

[goldslinger]

I brushed the pool and added another 3.5 gallons to it last Night. It seems to be clearing some; the water is cloudy (white) with what I brushed off. I brushed off a real fine powdery silt (Farming community) with the yellowish algae growing on top of it. I think I am going to have to let it settle and vacuum to waste (a good name for it); I hate doing that, but the sand filter refuses to catch it. It kinda accumulates over 3 or 4 weeks and I just ignore it until there is enough to warrant vacuuming to waste.

My testing kit should be here Today from Amazon. I will know alot more to post after I learn to use it. I really would like to see the whole picture I've been missing. Glad I found this forum.

Bought 9 1.4gallons of 6% from Sam's Club for 2.49 each; not bad. It is clorox brand, but unscented, and is not the 'no splash' goop.

I am very interested in seeing what My CYA level is and an accurate PH reading for a change.

I would like to post specs about My pool, but even after subscribing to this forum, I am still blocked by everything. I paid via PAYPAL.

Gary

[Watermom]

Post those readings as soon as you get them. BTW-- You don't have to buy Clorox brand bleach. A lot of us use generic Walmart bleach. As long as it is unscented and just regular bleach it is fine. (Make sure it is at least 6% sodium hypochlorite.)

You might be interested in viewing some of the online demos regarding testing with your new kit.

http://www.taylortechnologies.com/pr..._slideshow.asp

I will check with Ben in regards to your subscription and see if he can see what the problem is.

[aylad]

Have you tried adding a small amount of DE to your sand filter to see if maybe that will catch it? Watermom, Carl, and Poconos all do that with their sand filters, with good results. Start with only a cup or so--you only want enough to raise your psi by 1 ppm, and that rise isn't always immediate. Add the DE through the skimmer, give it 20-30 minutes or so, and check your filter pressure. If it rises too much, you can always backwash it out and start again. The DE will help the sand pick up finer particles and may save you some vacuuming time.

Janet

[CarlD]

Had quite an education here! All chlorine is just chlorine. It's job is to kill stuff and break down other stuff like suntan lotion. The various forms just add other junk that you may or may not want. Tri-chlor tabs add stabilizer and acid...very good for new gunite, tile or shotcrete pools that are curing as the make the water alkaline and...new water needs stabilzer. But tabs are VERY bad for high stabilizer, low pH pools as they make it worse. Di-Chlor powder is similar to Tri-Chlor. Not as acidic but add just as much stabilizer. Cal-Hypo add calcium. I don't know what lithium adds, or if it's a problem or not. I know what it subtracts: Lots and lots of money from your wallet.

[PoolDoc]

I would like to post specs about My pool, but even after subscribing to this forum, I am still blocked by everything. I paid via PAYPAL.
Gary

Gary,

Would you send me the "Unique Transaction Number" from your PayPal receipt? I have no record of any payment from you. Send it to poolforum AT gmail DOT com.

Ben

[goldslinger]

Will do, Ben. I will post it here, too. Unique Transaction ID # (deleted by mod).
It says it is 'unclaimed'

Yea, Sam's club only had the Clorox (Our Sam's club is an experimental 'mini' version).
Still, at 2.49, it is cheaper than lithium. One thing the Taylor Test kit said about Lithium shock (Yes, it arrived Today !) is that Lithium puts the 70% inert ingredient to add to Your TDS.

I am curious and intrigued about the DE; so the sand WILL catch the DE? So I add it to the filter until the pressure goes up a pound or so, vacuum, then backwash; which will also rid of the DE? Then at that point, I can add some more DE and leave it there until I need to vacuum/backwash again? I guess I suppositioned that DE was too fine to be catched by the sand. I certainly don't want DE suspended in the pool water as it is very abrasive to the eyes. If I only need a cup or so, that expense will be less than vacuuming out several hundred gallons of treated water onto the lawn, I suppose.

That's interesting that the tri-chlor tabs add acid; that explains Me having to dump Borax into the water once a week at the rate of a 1/2 lb. or so; just another added bonus of using something else.

I will post My test results Tonite or Tomorrow; hopefully tonight.

Gary

[Watermom]

Here is a little more info that you might like to read: Adding DE to a Sand Filter

[PoolDoc]

OK, I have no "Unclaimed" payments showing in my account. No idea what happened.

I have seen some evidence that PayPal is experiencing some sort of fraud attack, and is having trouble processing things appropriately. Another subscriber's payment was flagged as likely fraudulent and is being "held". I can't cancel or refund it -- it's just 'stuck'. They had to subscribe again, but the 2nd payment went through just fine.

The only thing I can recommend is that you cancel that payment and try again. PayPal may well have the money from your present payment, but I don't.

Ben