At My Wits End

[Jeannie]

I only had 6.84 gallons.. I threw it all in. I was going to add the 3 lbs of Power Powder Plus that I had.. but figured I'd stop adding that stuff!

[Jeannie]

Okay... 1 drop of the OTO turned the water orange.
My CH was 120
My Ph looked to be red.. way up matching the 8
My TA was weird. It never turned red. It went from a very odd looking green (blueish) to YELLOW. It took 8 drops.. so 80.
CYA also seems to have gone up? It looks about 55.

I am - quite honestly - ready to just close the pool and my kids are devastated.

[PoolDoc]

Your pH and TA readings will be weird with chlorine that high -- that's normal. Ignore them. (Don't test them! -- Don't test anything but chlorine.)

Here's the important question, once the sun hits your pool: what does the water LOOK like?

If it looks at all better, plan to put up to 8 gallons in tonight. But, test first -- don't add that much unless (a) the water looks better and (b) the OTO is no longer orange.

. . . . and Jeannie, I'm sorry, but we can't magically undo all the wrong things that have been done to your pool, under your pool store's instructions. We can help you recover, but when you hit yourself in the head with a hammer -- even when though the 'doctor' told you to do so -- you're gonna get a lump, and all we can do is try to take the hammer away, hand you some ice, and say, "don't do that any more, please!".

[Jeannie]

Oh.. and with all that.. not a SINGLE change to the pool water. Still dark green, still cloudy.

[Jeannie]

Your pH and TA readings will be weird with chlorine that high -- that's normal. Ignore them. (Don't test them! -- Don't test anything but chlorine.)

Here's the important question, once the sun hits your pool: what does the water LOOK like?

If it looks at all better, plan to put up to 8 gallons in tonight. But, test first -- don't add that much unless (a) the water looks better and (b) the OTO is no longer orange.

. . . . and Jeannie, I'm sorry, but we can't magically undo all the wrong things that have been done to your pool, under your pool store's instructions. We can help you recover, but when you hit yourself in the head with a hammer -- even when though the 'doctor' told you to do so -- you're gonna get a lump, and all we can do is try to take the hammer away, hand you some ice, and say, "don't do that any more, please!".

I get that. I don't expect miracles... but there has been absolutely ZERO change. Not even a little bit. I don't blame you or anyone but myself... but I am frustrated and I just can't afford 8 gallons of bleach a night. I'm sad.

[PoolDoc]

I just can't afford 8 gallons of bleach a night.

Do you have an OTO test -- the test sample should be ORANGE.

Honestly, if I was there, I would buy the chemicals myself, because I'd like to know what's going on. But, I'm not, so I can't. I'm afraid the best I can offer, is to help when you start up next year!

Please come ask EARLY (March!), so you can get what you need, BEFORE you're ready to open.

Best wishes!

[Jeannie]

What about draining the pool? Maybe that's an option? There is no sediment or slime or anything.. maybe if I just drain it down and add new water it would work?

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Do you have an OTO test -- the test sample should be ORANGE.

Oh and it's ORANGE. Like.. the test kit says adds 3 drops.. it's ORANGE with just one drop.

[PoolDoc]

If you can drain and refill, it's VERY likely you can start up with no problems. And, if you are OTO-orange, with CYA=40, then draining might be the best idea.

Have you drained before? Do you understand the danger of the walls collapsing inwards?

Also, you need to understand you'll STILL have some chlorine resistant algae left in your pool -- you'll eliminate 90% or more of both the algae and the goop, but we'll need to make 100% that the remaining algae DIES as you refill.

You do realize you'll have to buy a number of additional chemicals? Probably your best bet for startup, if you can get access to a Sams Club, is their PoolBrand 24/pack of dichlor for about $50.

[Jeannie]

I've never used any start up chemicals? Maybe that's part of the issue? They gave me Jump Start and other stuff.. but I never put it in. I have a HUGE bucket of hockey pucks and a bucket of CYA and some Borax left. Oh.. and some soda ash. Plus the Jump start, the Black Algae Out and some bottles of winterizing chemicals they gave us with the pool.

What is DiChlor?

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We bought the pool last year and there was a massive issue because the installers ripped the liner. After a year of back/forth they gave us a new liner this year.. but the pool was mostly empty from last autumn until May. I didn't have any collapse problems.. but now I'm worried. Maybe I should cover and then empty and refill when we get closer to swim season next year?

[PoolDoc]

1. List exactly what you've got -- brand name, % ingredients, product name, so we can see what you can use.

2. If it was empty all winter without problems, it's probably safe to drain.

3. Dichlor is sodium dichloro-isocyanurate -- equivalent to trichlor (probably the main ingredient in your pucks), but less chlorine and less acid. Both add chlorine and stabilizer and lower pH.