Help some Cheeseheads please!

[GOFN1]

Ok. Clear on the bleach=chlorine thing. Many Thanks!!

I googled Baquacil and I see nothing around this house that leads me to believe she used that.

I have infront of me

Pool Frog Bac Pac - She left a ton of these. Active ingredient is 99% Trichloro-s-Triazinetrione with available chlorine listed as 89%.

hth Liquid Chlorinator - She left 2 jugs of this. Active ingredient is 10% Sodium Hypochlorite..

Does this help?

Thanks to everyone who replying...it is very appriciated.

The Cheeseheads

[Poconos]

Yeah...a chlorine pool. Good. Don't know about the frog things but the 10% probably isn't anymore but use it up anyhow. Won't hurt anything. Higher concentrations of bleach degrade fairly fast and no idea how long the stuff has been around.
Al

[aylad]

Yeah, that helps..it means that you probably have a chlorine pool instead of a Bacquacrap pool, which is good news! You've already been given the best advice--get your Cl level up to 15 (using the bleach), and keep it there by daily testing and additions to get it back up to 15. If you can do this 2-3 times a day, it will clear faster.

Before you use the pH minus balancer, (which you don't need to worry about 'til after the green is gone, anyway), could you please post the ingredients? I'm concerned with the "balancer" part that it may contain CYA, which you're not gonna need if you're using trichlor.

Janet

[GOFN1]

Can I just say how great the internet is??! It is GREAT! My husband took a 2 hour pool lesson at Pool supply store and didn't get HALF this much info and it has'nt been quite 2 hours since our orig posting! Thanks again!

Ok The pH Minus says it contains:
Sodium Bisulfate 82%
Inert Ingredients (Sodium Sulfate & Water) 8%

[GOFN1]

Before you use the pH minus balancer, (which you don't need to worry about 'til after the green is gone, anyway), could you please post the ingredients? I'm concerned with the "balancer" part that it may contain CYA, which you're not gonna need if you're using trichlor.

Janet

I thought I responded with this but I don't think I did...pH minus contains

Sodium Bisulfate 92%
Inert Ingredients 8%

On the back it says all it contains is Sodium Bisulfate, Sodium Sulfate and Water.

[GOFN1]

Returned home from running errands and the pool is less cloudy than this morning! I can see the bottom again. My husband was going to start to vacuum...is that the next right step?

Once we get the Cl level using bleach to 15ppm is that where we should always keep it? From then I tackle the other levels?

So today...Should we add just one more gallon or two again? Someone replied back that we will add approx a gallon every 3 days but that was said I believe for when this is all under control.

Also can we only add the bleach at dusk or can it be added anytime?

Regarding that testing kit - is the kit only good for one season? Here in WI our pool season is pretty short. Researching the kit it looks around $75 but sounds like it could take a month to get here. Just not sure if it seems worth it to buy this season???

And of course the most important question...when will the pool be ok to swim in?

Oh and one more thing...Watermom - what did you mean when you said I don't have bromine? I just was typing what was located in the testing kit so I just put it on there. Is it on the test kit for another purpose? Do other pools and I just don't? Just trying to learn more...

[GOFN1]

Is anyone there? I haven't heard from anyone since my last posts and want to make sure I am understanding this. I have been reading some other threads trying to find stuff out for myself but am getting more confused in some aspects. I am thinking I am not doing my CYA test correctly though after reading one thread. My test says to fill my pool water to 7ml mark and then take the Cyanuric Acid Reagent and fill to 14ml mark. Mix for 30 seconds and then slowler transfer the mixture into this little tube with a black dot on the bottom. You are supposed to base your reading on the level at which the dot just disappears when viewed from top. Mine NEVER disappears or is cloudy in any way. I am thinking this should change my "shock" cl level from 15 to 10ppm???

I am off to do more reading on CYA...sounds like this is the hardest for everyone to understand by what I am seeing.

Thanks again!

[Sherra]

The mix should be a 50/50 mix, so the 7 then 14 is right (or you can do 10 then 20 if those readings are easier to see on your measuring tube. You should mix well, then let it SIT for 30 seconds then begin the slow transfer into the black dot tube.

[Watermom]

If the cya test never gets cloudy and the black dot never goes away, then you have no cya reading. So, yes, that will change your shock level to 10. Keep the chlorine level up for a few more days until the pool clears and keep running the pump 24/7. You can go ahead and vac if there is something there to vacuum up. Or you can just filter for a few days and vac later.

In a pool this size, each quart of 6% bleach will raise the cl by a little more than 2ppm. Test morning and evening and each time add enough bleach to get back to 10. After you get the pool cleared up, you are going to need to add some cya. (Before you decide to add some, though, retest your cya and verify that your reading is still 0.) Add an initial dose to get to about 30. Add it to the skimmer and then don't add more, retest or backwash for about a week to give it time to dissolve.

The kit will last for a couple of seasons except maybe the DPD-FAS powder may have to be replaced. The other things should be fine for next year.

And, re: bromine - bromine is a different type of sanitizer. This is a chlorine pool, thus no bromine reading. Hope this helps.

[Watermom]

Trichlor is just a type of chlorine that has cya in it. Since your cya is only 30, you can use the trichlor after you get the pool clear. But, you'll need to monitor your cya reading and when it gets to 50, stick with only bleach. Trichlor isn't used for shocking which is what you are being advised to do for now. So just use bleach now.

10% sodium hypochlorite is just strong bleach. Household bleach is 6%. However, if it has been sitting for awhile, it isn't going to be full strength. You can go ahead and use it however. Just make sure it doesn't list any other stuff besides sodium hypo. It may not raise your chlorine level significantly if it is really old and weak, but it won't hurt to use it up.