Very Low Free Chlorine Level.

[jytchu]

I have a 9400 gallon rectangular in-ground pool with color plaster surface. I am trying to balance the water in the pool. Everything works fine except I am unable to bring up the Free Chlorine level even after adding 15 lbs of Bioguard Burn Out 35 (Shock product). Any suggestion?

[PoolDoc]

1. Stop using Bioguard Burn-Out -- it's expensive and low in chlorine.

2. Purchase a cheap OTO/phenol red kit, like these Walmart kits: #1 (preferred) #2

3. Test your pool. If it comes out DARK yellow to ORANGE, your chlorine is too HIGH for a DPD color match to test. (15lbs of BurnOut 35 added all at once in a 9,400 gal pool => 64 ppm chlorine!) DPD color match tests begin to bleach out around 10 ppm.

4. Don't panic. People are EXTREMELY chlorine resistant, and so is pool plaster. Women's fashion swimwear, not so much -- wear old suits if you find the chlorine is high. Also, keep treated (permed, colored) hair out of water with very high chlorine. Otherwise, no problems: dermatologists prescribe "bleach baths" at 50 - 100 ppm chlorine, even for young children!

5. Order a K2006 test kit, so you can "properly balance" your water, after "properly testing" it. Link in my blue signature block.