My Green Pool Saga - Help!

[waterbear]

when using the sequestering agent, place a chlorinating tab in the skimmer, you need the cya anyway, it'll help the metal come out of solution in the filter where it belongs.

Don't do this if you have a cartridge filter. The low pH from the trichlor could cause damage to the cartridge. If you have a sand or DE filter it can help the metals precipitate out on the sand or the DE but run the pump continuously while you do this.

[Pamsel]

Thank you Waterbear and Waste . . . very helpful posts! I have been trying to correct PH, TA and CL at the same time. I guess I'll concentrate on one thing at a time. At 8:30 pm I tested (2 hrs. after my last 24 oz dose of acid) and my PH has finally come down - 7.5 now (but I'm wondering now if the reading is accurate since my chlorine is high). My TA is still at 330 and CL reading above the kit range - orange in color. I will do the dilution method in the morning when I test and am going to get Ben's kit so I can do this right. Even though the numbers are starting to improve, the appearance of the water is not yet. I have been brushing, but have not vacuumed to waste since I started this process yesterday, since I can't see the bottom, but I will vacuum anyway. Problem with that is, then I have to add more water again. . .

Waterbear, the 3-mo algicide is Pool Pride brand, and I just looked at my invoice and it is listed as Copper Algicide. I guess that answers that question.

Waste, I did use the community well water to refill and yes, I have used it to top off for the last 5 years. I will have my husband see about getting the water tested and see which source is best.

My heartfelt thanks to each of you for caring and helping! It is greatly appreciated. I will keep you posted.

"Pamsel the Damsel" (in distress)

[waterbear]

Check your pH once the chlorine level is below about 10 or 15 ppm. It should be in the ballpark if you have a decent test kit. the 'cheapo' ones are usually worse about the interferance but the better kits by Taylor, LaMotte, and the kit sold on the poolsolutions website work pretty well up to about 15 ppm chlorine. Even the cheap walmart 6 way kit works at chlorine levels up to a bit over 10 ppm but if your chlorine is really high even these kits will show a PH of 8.2 or close to it when the pH is actually lower.

[Pamsel]

I have the Wal-Mart kit. It was the only place within 30 miles that had anything that tests for CYA. I plan to concentrate on the CL level now, brush and vacuum and stop with the acid until the water clears up. I am continuing to aerate. If this is not the right plan, someone please correct me.

[Pamsel]

This mornings test results:

CL 15
PH 7.8
TA 330
Water appearance unchanged.

PH may be testing a little high since the CL level is high. I plan to leave that alone for now and concentrate on maintaining the CL at 15. Or, since the water still is not changing in appearance, do I need to get the CL up to 20?

Also, will the TA begin to come down, if I stop putting in acid and just keep aerating?

[Rangeball]

Pamsel, We had a new vinyl liner installed last year. I used bleach for 1/2 the season, had to use a few jugs of acid to straighten out the pool store recommended mess my water was in, closed the pool with bleach and opened this spring with bleach. Liner still looks brand new.

I add bleach after sundown, and pour it directly into the skimmer. This way it's diluted when returned to the pool, and get's evenly distributed.

When I added the acid, I did it slowly, pouring a small stream in front of the return stream, to make sure it was dilluted and dispersed before it ever had a chance to contact the liner.

Good luck. The light is at the end of the tunnel, and it's so much easier/cheaper staying ahead of a pool that playing catch up.

[waterbear]

This mornings test results:

CL 15
PH 7.8
TA 330
Water appearance unchanged.

PH may be testing a little high since the CL level is high. I plan to leave that alone for now and concentrate on maintaining the CL at 15. Or, since the water still is not changing in appearance, do I need to get the CL up to 20?

Also, will the TA begin to come down, if I stop putting in acid and just keep aerating?

Keep hiiting it with chlorine and keep it at about 15 ppm. Like I said before, If your CYA biodegraded then there are a LOT of organics to burn off, Keep brushing and vaumning out as much as you can.
Airating is not going to have too much effect on the TA until you get the pH down to about 7.0. Reason is fairly technical. If you are interested in the reason let me know and I will post it but be aware it is chemistry nerd stuff!

With the walmart kit your pH readings are probably fairly accurate to maybe a little high with your CL at 15 ppm so don't worry to much about the pH right now. In fact, in a post about CYA biodegredation PoolDoc (Ben) said that in cases like this a pH around 7.8 is beneficial to helping clear the water. I would guess that your pH is in the 7.6 to 7.8 range now.

[Pamsel]

Ok, will just keep working on the chlorine, brush and vacuum for now. Will post an update tomorrow. Thanks!