FC and TC Too High and won't come down

[GAPool]

I have a 25K inground vinyl lined pool. Opened it a few weeks ago and after seemingly getting it balanced (had to add algecide, Alk up, Stabalizer up and Calcium Hardness up) it seemed to be ok but then after shocking it with 2# shock 4 days ago, the FC is at 10 and the TC is at 4 and aren't moveing down any each day. Also, my Stabalizer is showing maxed out. Do I need to drain some water and add fresh to try and dilute the high levels? Thanks.

[GAPool]

Ok, I've backwashed really well and rinsed and wasted to lower the pool, then I added fresh water. I know it's not been long enough to get an acurate read, but I tested the water in the shallow end where I have the hose running in and it's still all very high. I added 1 1/2# PH down and I'm on the way to HomeDepot to get a drop tester kit to see if it's more accurate than my strip test kit. By the time I get back it will have circulated 2 hours and I will retest. I really need to get this balanced asap as the kids just got out of school and my daughter's 6th Bday party is next weekend and it has to be balanced. Help!!!

[PoolDoc]

then after shocking it with 2# shock 4 days ago, the FC is at 10 and the TC is at 4 and aren't moving down any each day. Also, my stabilizer is showing maxed out.

Not possible. TC (total chlorine) = FC (free chlorine) + CC (combined chlorine). All we've learned from your test results is that test strips are really 'guess-strips'. But, we already knew that, here.

Ok, I've backwashed really well and rinsed and wasted to lower the pool, then I added fresh water. I know it's not been long enough to get an accurate read, but I tested the water in the shallow end where I have the hose running in and it's still all very high. I added 1 1/2# PH down and I'm on the way to Home Depot to get a drop tester kit to see if it's more accurate than my strip test kit.

OTO (yellow drops) will be some what more reliable than 'guess-strips', but you'll still need a K-2006 (see test kit info page in my sig). Other than the HTH 6-way kit, available at some Walmarts (but not yours -- I checked), there are NO good test kits available locally. Pool stores have no interest in selling kits that essentially replace them!


Do this:

1. Test with OTO -- if you are medium yellow to dark yellow, you are fine. If you are orange, you are too high . . . but do NOT panic, and drain more.

2. Take your water to the pool store, and have them test your stabilizer. Strips can't test stabilizer worth a darn, but the readers the pool stores use are a bit more accurate then just 'eyeballing' it. They will probably tell you that you must drain, refill, and add $400,000 dollars worth of chemicals, or your whole backyard will explode! Just ignore them, and tell us what the results were.

3. Stop adding ANYTHING except bleach, borax and pH down. If your pH is ABOVE 7.8, add some pH down. If your pH is BELOW 7.2, add a box of borax - SLOWLY, to the skimmer, with the pump running. If your chlorine goes below dark yellow, add a gallon of bleach. You did NOT need any calcium hardness -- you NEVER need to add that to a liner pool. You almost certainly did not need any alkalinity+ . . . and you will most likely NOT need any of the other stuff they told you to put in. So, if you want your pool to be ready soon, STOP adding all that goop!

4. Read the "Best Guess" page, the testkit info page, and the using muriatic acid page that are linked in my signature.

5. You will need a K-2006 -- pool store testing is almost never reliable and is almost always just a tool to frighten you into buying more goop, most of which you don't need. Get a good kit, and stay AWAY from the store, unless you need parts!

6. Post your pool info: dimensions, pump/filter make/model, other equipment and so on. Your gallons are almost certainly incorrect: 90% of the time, figures supplied the homeowner are the "gallons if your pool is spilling over" figure, not the actual amount of water in your pool. You've probably been overdosing, based on an inflated figure.

Good luck!

[GAPool]

WOW! Thanks. Looks like I've been bamboozled by the pool store people for years. I'll follow advice and get the drop kit at HD and check it and also take it by the store and let them give me readings. Then I'll report back with the results and my dimensions, etc. I've never used bleach or borax, I'll look for it at the store.

[Watermom]

You can find 20 Mule Team Borax in the laundry aisle at Walmart and as far as bleach goes, you want plain, unscented household bleach. Generic is fine and is what most of us use.

You won't be able to buy a Taylor K-2006 test kit locally. It is only sold online. The test kit links in our signatures go to Amazon which sells the kit for a good price. Also, any purchases made from Amazon through those links earn a little money for the Pool Forum which helps keep us online.

[GAPool]

Couldn't get to the pool store that does water testing. I bought a Basic 5 Test Kit. The 1st Chlorine reading at 2-3 seconds was a 5.0. After 2 minutes, it was > 5.0 (it looked a bit darker (more orange) than the sample guide color.) The pH was 7.6. It said to add an extra drop of #4 when doing the pH and Alk tests, so I did. The Alk took 17-18 drops to turn clear/light yellow (so it's 170-180 when it should be 120-150). So while my pH is good, my Alk is too high and my Chlorine levels are still out the roof. My pool is 9 years old, 18x36 Grecian shape with a swim out and built in covered steps. It gets at least 8 hours of full sun. All of the equipment is Haywood and it's a sand filter. I also have a pre-plumbed Polaris 360 and pump.
What should I do next? Drain more water out and add fresh?

[Watermom]

I'm not sure how you are interpreting your chlorine as being "out the roof" with those results. Try this. Use the dilution method described in this link to see if you can get a little closer with your chlorine reading. This dilution method is not super accurate, but better than nothing. It does not replace having a good test kit, however. You will still need a Taylor K-2006 kit.

Testing Without a Good Kit

We still need a CYA reading. That is one of the critical test results to help us help you.

Do not drain more at this point and do not worry about the alk at this point.

[GAPool]

OK, I'll try that. Is there a CYA test I can buy locally? I won't be able to get the K-2006 until next week. Is it safe to swim in the pool? I'll report the results with the diluted test shortly.

Edit by Watermom to merge two posts in the queue:

Results of diluted test: Chlorine looks to be 6.0. I did the diluted test at equal parts x2 and 2/1 x 3 and came up with 6.0 both times. Whew, it's not as high as I had thought. The pH was 7.4 (between 7.2 and 7.6) and the TA was 170. After reading some older posts about CYA being realy high, made me think that mine probably is, but I won't know until the pool store opens Monday or I get my K-2006 next week. My reason for thinking the stabalizer was too high is because upon opening the pool it tested low (nude color on the strip) and I was to add 7.5# of increaser which I did. Now it's a magenta/maroon color, which on the stick is "very high" I'll just leave the pool alone until next week when I can get the CYA tested. I had already taken out the chlorine tablets from the skimmer basket so it's not getting any more chlorine. Thanks for all of your help. Sorry I've been panicky.