slimy, gelatinous strings of goo ruin a good dip.........

[Watermom]

Glad its much improved. Keep at it with the high chlorine levels. Order the good kit. Just saying that the cl is high doesn't really give you enough information. Also, as Dave mentioned, get the pH up above 7.0. Anywhere between 7.2-7.8 is fine. Don't wait days to do it. Add some Borax, let it circulate a few hours, retest, redose, repeat.

[heyred52]

Slime completely gone and water crystal clear.
Chlorine was completely gone yesterday so I put in 4c of granular chlorine (leftovers from last summer)
Ph reading was below 6.9 so I put in a total of 6 boxes of borax in the last two days.

This mornings readings: Ph 6.8, chlorine higher than 5 this morning (my tester only goes to 5)

So now how do I maintain what I have? Its been kind of hit or miss. Thanks.

[Watermom]

The best thing you can do to maintain this pool is to go ahead and take the plunge and buy the good Taylor K-2006 kit that we recommend. (See the testkit page in my signature.) Without it, you're going to constantly be saying exactly what you said in the post above, "my tester only goes to 5."

OR ---- I just looked at your information you put in the Pool Chart and see that you have the HTH 6-Way kit. Another option would be to purchase the FAS-DPD add-on kit that will give you the ability to test higher chlorine levels. The one you want is the K-1515 and is also on the testkit page.

Keep adding Borax until you get the pH between 7.2-7.8. After each addition of Borax, wait a couple hours, retest and redose.

Also, what is your CYA level? Are you only using bleach for your source of chlorine?

[heyred52]

sent son to get me the add-on kit.
Added two more boxes borax: Ph is 6.8, Chlorine is 3 (I added the last of my granular chlorine yesterday---4 cups)
CYA reading: didn't even come up to the first line, about a third of the way to "100" so I guess it is REALLY low.

there are light brown stains on the bottom of the liner now. any clues?

I await your COMMAND and thank you for your help!!

[aylad]

Keep on going with the Borax--if 6.8 is as low a pH as your tester can read, you're still probably way below that. Also, if you're using the "disappearing black dot" test for your CYA, and you didn't even get to the first line before the dot disappeared, then your CYA is REALLY high--not low! Look at the scale on the side of the tube--the lower the level in the tube, the higher the CYA. Try diluting your pool sample 1:1 with distilled or tap water,mix well, and test from that sample. You'll have to multiply your test result by 2, but you need to know the CYA level in order to know where your chlorine needs to be (Cl of 3 isn't high enough, I promist!) Take a look at the best guess chlorine chart in my sig...

[heyred52]

Ph still 6.8
Chlorine over 5 (maybe 6) after a gallon of bleach last night.
CYA was diluted as instructed and still did not come up to the "100" line---basically same as yesterday.

I was told at the Pool Store (sorry) that the "add-on" kits are no good, they don't carry them, they have a short shelf life, whatever..... So I will have to order one on-line or just buy the good one and be done with it. More later.

Water is clear.

Question: Borax is $5/box here and I have put in at least 10 so far. Is there a cheaper alternative?

[BigDave]

Keep adding Borax to raise the pH.

Remember 6.8 means 6.8 or less. Low pH is acidic and will damage your liner. This needs to be fixed right quick. A new liner will cost a lot more than the Borax you'll use.

Since we don't know your TA, we can't advise any alternative to Borax.

[heyred52]

Just ordered the Taylor K2006 from this place: https://www.amatoind.com/index.php for $49.95 plus $9/shipping. Weeee!!!