How to test for CC

[sabres07]

I have a Taylor 2006c test kit coming, but won't be here until the end of the week. In the meantime, I am using a drop test kit I fot from Walmart. It only tests to 5 ppm chlorine. I have used the dilute with distilled water to approximate my higher chlorine levels as I battle algae.

My question is this: how do I test for CC? On my kit you test for TC and then wait 2 minutes and look at the yellow range again. If it is vastly different, that means you need to super chlorinate, accodrding to the directions with this kit. There seems to be a lot of estimating when using this method. Is there a better way to measure CC?

[Watermom]

Probably your best bet is to just wait on the K-2006. That test makes it easy to check CC.

[sabres07]

Thanks for the quick reply! So while I wait for my Taylor kit to arrive, should I maintain my pool at shock level? That could be up to a week away. My water looks very blue, but cloudy. Filter is not building pressure.

[Watermom]

Probably. Also, keep your pump running. Have you checked to see how much chlorine you are losing overnight? If you are losing more than 1ppm from sundown one evening til within 2 hours of sunrise the next morning, then you are fighting something in the water.

What are you using to chlorinate with? Does the pool still have algae or is it no longer green? What kind of kit are you currently using?

[sabres07]

Probably. Also, keep your pump running. Have you checked to see how much chlorine you are losing overnight? If you are losing more than 1ppm from sundown one evening til within 2 hours of sunrise the next morning, then you are fighting something in the water.

What are you using to chlorinate with? Does the pool still have algae or is it no longer green? What kind of kit are you currently using?

It is tough to figure how much chlorine loss at night since my test kit only measures to 5 ppm (it's a dropper type kit from Walmart). Based on the amounts of chlorine/ bleach that I have been adding over the last three days, I estimate that my pool has been kept at 15-30 ppm, steady. I would say that there is minimal loss at night, if I had to go by what I see in my tester. The pool has been blue but cloudy since I began this regimen three days ago. I just tested using the distilled water method and used 4 parts distilled water and 1 part pool water ( I know the accuracy becomes an issue when diluted so much) and my results are deep yellow indicating higher than 5 ppm, which when multiplied out yeilds an estimate of 25 ppm or higher. My water looks very blue and inviting, just cloudy.
I am not looking forward to keeping my pool at "shock" level all week until the arrival of my Taylor test kit, especially if it is unnecessary. I will do it, though, if it is advised.

By the way, I have used approximately 30 gallons or so of bleach in 2-3 days.

[PoolDoc]

I am not looking forward to keeping my pool at "shock" level all week until the arrival of my Taylor test kit, especially if it is unnecessary.

If you've brushed your pool completely -- to make sure there are not pile so of accumulated algae -- then you have the option to let levels fall to the 5 ppm range, and then see if THAT will hold overnight.

[sabres07]

OK, I will try that. I think my cloudiness is related to an elevated ALK and ph level. If my chlorine drifts back to a normal level, I will be able to work on those numbers to improve clarity.

No piles of algae and I have scrubbed repeatedly.


Thanks for all the help.

[PoolDoc]

Sabres,

I've said this several times lately, but I'm not sure if I've said it in this thread: contrary to much swimming pool literature, pH + alkalinity does NOT equal cloudiness. Even if you had high pH + high alkalinity + high calcium . . . it STILL wouldn't equal cloudiness UNLESS you had a sudden precipitating event, such as:

1. A sudden rise in pH, especially from a carbonate, such as bicarb or soda ash, OR
2. A sudden addition of calcium, from calcium chloride or calcium hypochlorite

A clear pool with high pH + high alkalinity + high calcium does not suddenly get cloudy! To get calcium carbonate based cloudiness, you have to change something SUDDENLY. If you change it GRADUALLY, the calcium tends to come out on the filter OR settle to the bottom of the pool.

You had algae, and apparent ammonia from CYA degradation -- that's a more than sufficient explanation for cloudiness.

Also, I'm discovering that
(a) most people are cleaning their cartridges incorrectly, AND
(b) the majority of replacement cartridges sold are substandard.

You haven't posted your exact pump and filter info, but we know that MOST pumps are oversized and MOST filters are undersized. So -- without knowing for sure -- it's likely that your problem is related to those factors, and NOT to your pH and alkalinity.

BUT . . . if you want to check for yourself, do a WHITE bucket test; calcium carbonate cloud WILL settle, if you give it time:
(1) take a CLEAN white 5 gallon bucket;
(2) add 4 gallons of pool water;
(3) add 1/8 cup of bleach;
(4) DON'T add bicarb, since we're not testing for heavy metals
(5) cover and wait 24 hours -- see if there's any sediment. Algae sediment will be brown to khaki; calcium sediment will be white to light tan.