Chlorine not working!

[prh129]

Momspool,

Before you started adding bleach, what type of chemicals were you using to maintain your pool? If this pool is new to you then what chemicals were previous owners using?

Since the chlorine does not seem to be immediately helping, I would suspect there's a chemical conversion issue here. Just a guess though.

Peter

[waterbear]

Just a thought, are you using well water for your fill water? if so there might be metals that are causing the color. Only way to tell is to get the water tested for copper and iron at the pool store.

[prh129]

On another thread I have also seen that copper can cause a green color but it would be a clear green color. How would you describe your water - clear or cloudy? Are you using well water in the pool? The more information you can provide, the better chance that someone can help you fix it.

Peter

[momspool]

Checked my chlorine when I got home, 0 FC
I have a drop test kit and have had to dilute pool water/distilled water 1:2 to test chlorine.

I have a vinyl above ground 7500gal pool.

Added 3 gal bleach then:
Waited 2 hrs and tested everything:
Chlorine (about) 12
pH 8.0
Alk 230
CYA 45
Hardness 0 could not get a reading after 10 drops!

[Watermom]

If your FC reading is 0, then you wouldn't have needed to dilute your sample to get a reading. Add enough bleach to raise your cl up to 15 and try and hold it there. In a pool this size, each quart of 6% bleach will raise your cl by 2ppm. Test 3x a day and each time, add enough bleach to bring your cl back up to 15. Run your pump 24/7.

Also, your ph is too high. Add some muriatic acid carefully in front of a return jet. Be careful not to breathe the fumes or splash any on you. Start with one cup and then let it circulate for several hours, retest and redose until you get it to 7.2. Your alk is high, but you can worry about that after the pool clears. Don't worry about a hardness reading in a vinyl pool.

[momspool]

Tested water at 6:30 tonight. It has been cloudy today and is raining a little right now.

Water seems to be clearing a little. I can bearly see the bottom in the middle now. Edges seem to be greener than middle.

Chlorine is still somewhere between 12 and 15
pH is 7.8
Alk is now reading 320
Stabilizer now 65

Just put in 1 c. Muratic Acid

Should I add more Acid than this?

18' round 7500 gal vinyl pool. I have a sand filter.

[ivyleager]

Here's a handy download that calculates many pool chemicals. Developed by one the members here on this forum. That way you won't have to guess at how much to put in. Some folks recommend adding only 1/2 the calculated amount when dealing with alk, pH, CYA. Don't want to overshoot when dealing with these levels. Always best to undershoot and adjust/add more if needed. Good luck!

http://www.hal-pc.org/~mwsmith2/BleachCalc262.exe

CaryB
Go 'Canes in Game 7!!