I Want To Be A B/b/b Convert!!!

[nater]

Yup, put the whole box in through the skimmer with the pump running. It will take some time for all to disolve and circulate through the pool.

My 16x32 vinyl IG was in similar condition with pH this spring, and I initially added 16 lbs of Borax and 6 lbs of Baking Soda to get my pH up to 7.4 from below 6.8. I did this over a series of 3-4 days. The good thing is that now my pH never moves off its current level and has been steady for the last three months.

At the same time, I was adding bleach to bring my Cl up to shock level. Unfourtunately for me, my CYA was over 150, so I needed LOTS of bleach. I went through at least 15 gallons in a span of 4 days before my pool was clear. (My SWC was also running at the same time) You'll need to test at least twice a day for CL level with a good drop based kit. Add the bleach as many times a day as it takes to maintain the shock level (KEY POINT!!).

You'll want to be very dilligent to monitor your CYA and pH levels if you're going to keep using the pucks.

[2dogpool]

Ok....added chlorine this morning and a box of borax. 4 hrs. later tested water again. These are my results:

FC = 3.0 or >
CC = 5.0
TC = i'm guessing here 8.0????
pH = 7.6
Alk = 100
Cal = nothing???
CYA = <20

So, since this morning, pH and chlorine levels have gone up, Hardness has dropped to nothing and stabilizer is still the same?? Does this sound right.

[KurtV]

dog,
What are you testing with? I ask because your chlorine and calcium hardness results are both a bit odd (that's a very high level of combined chlorine and hardness can't change that much that quickly, especially in that direction and especially because you added calcium yesterday).

[2dogpool]

just bought a new drop test kit yesterday. I understand the reason for the drastic change in the chlorine level......I threw 2lbs. of granular in 4 hrs. ago. I don't get the hardness level dropping like that. I also put a box of borax in 4 hrs. ago. Actually almost 5 hrs. now.

[KurtV]

It's not that your total chlorine is so high that makes me wonder but that the combined chlorine is so high. By the way, you're correct that TC = FC + CC.

Who makes the test kit? What kind of chlorine test does it have (OTO, DPD, FAS-DPD)?

[2dogpool]

KurtV - It's an AquaChem test kit......I know....not the best but all that K-Mart had. I just retested the cl and hardness. The Cl appears to be a bit above 3 but not to 5 and after waiting a few minutes for the sample to develop it really doesn't change. So I guess, in all actuality, the CC is the same as FC??? Is that right?

Now the hardness testinstructions say to "add 2 drops of solution A....sample with turn violet if hardness is present." My sample does not turn violet. However, it did this morning. Then I'm supposed to ad solution B in drops until the sample color changes to blue. This morning it took 3 drop to change to blue which made the hardness 150ppm (multiply # of drops by 50). This afternoon I had to add 36 drops to get the sample to turn a very pale blue. So that would make my water hardness 1800ppm???? This can't be right!?!?!?

[KurtV]

dog, Sounds like you're using a DPD test for chlorine which is difficult to get good results from with high levels of chlorine (over 5 ppm), which I'm pretty sure you have.

That's probably also the problem with your calcium test; the high levels of chlorine are bleaching out the hardness indicator.

I wouldn't worry about the calcium hardness for right now (until your chlorine comes down to sub 5 ppm). Keep monitoring your chlorine levels with what you have or get a pool store that uses FAS-DPD testing to test your water.

You'll really need think about getting an FAS-DPD chlorine test if you're going to do this yourself. Ben's PS234 and the Taylor K-2006 both fit the bill.

[waterbear]

KurtV - It's an AquaChem test kit......I know....not the best but all that K-Mart had. I just retested the cl and hardness. The Cl appears to be a bit above 3 but not to 5 and after waiting a few minutes for the sample to develop it really doesn't change. So I guess, in all actuality, the CC is the same as FC??? Is that right?

Now the hardness testinstructions say to "add 2 drops of solution A....sample with turn violet if hardness is present." My sample does not turn violet. However, it did this morning. Then I'm supposed to ad solution B in drops until the sample color changes to blue. This morning it took 3 drop to change to blue which made the hardness 150ppm (multiply # of drops by 50). This afternoon I had to add 36 drops to get the sample to turn a very pale blue. So that would make my water hardness 1800ppm???? This can't be right!?!?!?

A few notes about the Aquachem test kit.
First it uses OTO to test for chlorine. OTO is not a reliable indicator of FC. It is really only a test for TC. You need a DPD (turns pink) or an FAS-DPD
(Titration test and very accurate, even at high chlorine levels and can detect as low as .2 ppm CC)

Second, there seems to be some issues with the CH test in this kit. It does not produce reliable results under certain conditions. Check out this thread for more details.

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=1112

Hope this helps.

[Tcap]

Hi,

You mentioned you have a heater - if this is the case, you do need calcium in your water. Your liner doesn't need it, but your heater does. The range is 200 to 400ppm I believe. I have been keeping mine at about 170 and I'm in line with the Langelier Saturation Index so I'm not increasing to 200 or above. Here's the link: http://www.advancedh2o.com/technical.../langlier.html

The others on the forum are much more knowlegable about the other numbers so I will leave that to them.

Hope this helps!
Tracy

[2dogpool]

Hi,

You mentioned you have a heater - if this is the case, you do need calcium in your water. Your liner doesn't need it, but your heater does. The range is 200 to 400ppm I believe. I have been keeping mine at about 170 and I'm in line with the Langelier Saturation Index so I'm not increasing to 200 or above. Here's the link: http://www.advancedh2o.com/technical.../langlier.html

The others on the forum are much more knowlegable about the other numbers so I will leave that to them.

Hope this helps!
Tracy

Not to sound too stupid but......no, doesn't help at all!!! What is the Langelier Saturation Index?????