New Member, yucky pool

[Watermom]

How much stabilizer did you put in the sock and how much of it would you guess is still in there? [And, where did you locate the sock? Is it in FRONT of the place where water comes back into the pool? PoolDoc ]

How often are you adding chlorine and how much are you adding at a time? Are you using bleach for your source of chlorine?

[PoolDoc]

Please record any new test results with the form below:

Pool History Entry Form for old bat
Pool History Results for old bat

Also, if you'd enter your pool information here:

Pool Chart Entry Form
Pool Chart Results

Those extreme alkalinity and calcium levels will be hard to work with. We can probably work out a process to clean them up, but it will take a little bit of doing -- and some good info.

Please do all these things:

+ List, by exact brand and product name, the chemicals you have on hand.
+ Complete the pool info chart (second set of links). Your actual pool gallons are about 4,900 & PF=24
+ Tell me if you have access to Arm and Hammer Washing Soda, at Walmart of where-ever.
+ Don't worry too much about stabilizer right now.
+ Keep your pool from getting slimed by adding 1/4 gallon each EVENING.

[Old Bat]

Hi Pool Doc,

I want to retest tomorrow for the alk and calcium. Still seems like those numbers are impossible. And I still only have the 6 way kit from WalMart. Don't think I can afford $87 yet for the Taylor 2006. Would ordering just the FAS DPD kit alone work out? And with the 6 way I only get enough reagent for 2 CYA tests, so could order more of that reagent while I'm at it.

As far as chemicals on hand.

I have the HTH stabilizer/conditioner
Bleach
20 Mule Team Borax
Muriatic Acid
Baking Soda

Last years pool chemical leftovers, (I will have to get back to you on this, they are out in the dark dangerous deck box, will inventory when it's light out)

Now I can't fill out these forms completely just yet without the proper test kits. I will attempt it, but not sure of how it works, will it save it somehow? And our pump gauge is busted, so I go by feel on the return jet.

[Old Bat]

Oh Ben, yes I can get washing soda. And what does PF=24 refer to? Sorry for lameness.

[PoolDoc]

It's a factor for calculating your chemical doses. For example, stabilizer is usually 100% concentration, so 1 lb of stabilizer will add 24 ppm of CYA to your pool. And, a gallon of 6% bleach has about 1/2 pound of chlorine gas (100%!) in it, so a gallon of bleach will add about 12 ppm of chlorine (24 x 0.5) to your pool.

[BigDave]

Not lame. PF is Ben's sizing shorthand for pools. It is the number of your pools required to make a milion pounds of water.

This facilitates quick dosing calculations. An easy example:

1 lb granular stabilizer
x 100% Stabilizer available in granular stabilizer
x 24 Your pool factor
======
24ppm stabilizer added to yur pool by adding 1lb granular stabilizer

[Old Bat]

Retested for what I could this AM. Expected to find that I had perhaps done the test wrong the first time.

No such luck. Alkalinity titrate 550!
Hardness is 630! Unbelievable.

Ph is 7.2, Chlorine via the OTO is 1.

But on the bright side the water is nice and clear. For now.

We used to run a water softener. Our leach field then plugged up. After some research found that the high magnesium content in our soil reacted with the sodium in the softener cycling and turned to thick sludge. Quit using the softener. Needless to say, we go through a lot of lime away and stuff around around here.

[Old Bat]

I bought 2 boxes of Arm & Hammer washing soda. Didn't know how much I was supposed to get.

[Old Bat]

Hello,

Well I'm using that HTH purple cap stabilizer. And I only put in 9oz. per the cap measure. Didn't want to put too much. Today I was kind of milking the sock to get more into the water. I am so confused all the time. The more I read the worse it seems to get!

And so far we are just using plain store bleach 6%. I've added about 3 1/2 gals. No, wait those are only 96oz. bottles. I started with 1 1/2 gals and add about 1/2 gal every couple days. I still have a lot of shock left from last year, but don't know if I should use some of that or not. I think Ben said to just use the bleach.