adjust cya before or after shocking

[Kateyru]

So next step is to raise the pH with borax or should I wait on new test kit? If I raise the pH first, then I wait on new kit unless I can read chlorine level with current kit, right? then I would shock the pool? Will bleach be better to use than cal-hypo to shock? Should I leave filter running for now? Thanks!

[BigDave]

I wouldn't add another dose of dichlor with the pH at 7.2 as it could push your pH below 7.0. How low does your pH comparator read?

We're not sure how high your chlorine is, just that it's above 5ppm. You need to be at 15ppm for shock level - we'll be able to measure this directly when the K-2006 arrives. If your chlorine reading looks the same today as yesterday, then it's not being consumed fast and I'd be concerned with over-dosing until it can be reliably read.

When you can get a reliable (in range) chlorine reading, you can decide to: 1) Bring pH up with borax and dose with dichlor - or - 2) Dose with bleach or cal-hypo. I would avoid cal-hypo at this point as we have no CH reading (we will when the k-2006 arrives).

[Watermom]

To get a ballpark figure of where your chlorine is until your good kit comes, you can dilute your water sample. This is not super accurate, but better than nothing at all.

Testing Without a Good Kit

Either use bleach or dichlor but if you use dichlor, you do need to raise your pH some with Borax or it may drop below 7.0 which you don't want. Yes, to running the pump 24/7 while you are trying to clear the pool. What kind of filter do you have?

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[Kateyru]

I wouldn't add another dose of dichlor with the pH at 7.2 as it could push your pH below 7.0. How low does your pH comparator read?

We're not sure how high your chlorine is, just that it's above 5ppm. You need to be at 15ppm for shock level - we'll be able to measure this directly when the K-2006 arrives. If your chlorine reading looks the same today as yesterday, then it's not being consumed fast and I'd be concerned with over-dosing until it can be reliably read.

When you can get a reliable (in range) chlorine reading, you can decide to: 1) Bring pH up with borax and dose with dichlor - or - 2) Dose with bleach or cal-hypo. I would avoid cal-hypo at this point as we have no CH reading (we will when the k-2006 arrives).

pH comparator goes down to 6.8. I just checked chlorine and it looks like it is still at 5. Kind of hard to tell as it is 8:20 at night so my indoor light is not as good as day light. I have a sand filter. Should I be running pump 24/7 even if I am not adding anything right now? Glad to help financially...it didn't seem right to get all this advice and assistance for free!
sorry if i replied multiple times...

[Watermom]

While you are trying to clear the pool of algae, you should run the pump 24/7. Watch your filter pressure. When it rises 8-10 psi over your clean filter pressure, backwash it.

[Kateyru]

Morning! PH is 7.2 and chlorine is still at 5. I misspoke yesterday about the color. I would say it is a medium yellow at most and not dark. I'm planning to get distilled water this morning to do the test without a kit since I haven't heard that the 2006 kit has shipped. I am leaving town in 24 hours (Fri am) and will be back on Sunday evening. Any way to shock with bleach (based on distilled water test results) in 24 hours successfully or will I be wasting bleach?
Thanks.

[BigDave]

Medium yellow meaning matches the color of the 5ppm on the comparator or darker than that?
A one to one dilution (shot glass method - Multiply result by 2) should give you a good idea if you're in range.
Four gallons of 6% bleach should raise your FC 11ppm which puts you at shock level if the initial is 5ppm.
A three to one dilution (Multiply result by 4) should indicate if you're at shock level.
Run the pump, brush the pool, test again this evening and bring it back to shock as necessary.
Are you planning to leave the pump running while you're gone?

Have a great trip!

[Kateyru]

Medium yellow meaning slightly darker than color of 5ppm. I just retested chlorine with kit and got about the same as before (slightly darker than 5). Then I mixed 1/4 c. distilled water and 1/4 c. pool water and tested and got 5 ppm. so if I multiply that by 2, I'm at 10. Pool calculator says to go from 10 to 15 ppm, I need to add 1 gal., 3 qts and 1 c bleach (6%, I'm clear on that). After I add bleach and scrub, how often should l check to see if I'm at shock level? Also, is 3 to 1 dilution 3 parts pool water or 3 parts distilled water? Can you see that I am getting anal...
Does this sound correct?
Sure, I can leave the pump running. Thanks, I'm off to visit my daughter and her family. My 2 ADORABLE granddaughters (ages 8 1/2 and 7) LOVE the pool and go in NO MATTER WHAT the outdoor temperature is. Sometimes they aren't in long They first went "naked swimming" 2 days after Christmas 4 years ago. One of the funniest thing I have ever seen...lots of squealing!
I'll have to add you to my Christmas card list after all this help