Excessive bleach consumption

[VOLDADDY]

6 AM reading of FC is 11.5, lost around 3.5 PPM overnight. Added 1 jug of bleach to get to 14. Is it a positive that I only lost 3.5 instead of the usual 5 overnight? I had the Aquabot in last night as well, so hopefully the bleach killed whatever it is and the Aquabot picked it up.

[mwsmith2]

Absolutely. That shows a definite improvement. Keep at it!

Michael

[brent.roberts]

A couple of points to think about.

If you're using an Aquabot you might be getting lazy about the backwash and have a lot of organic debris in the sand filter. I can see that coming on my pattern and I've only had the Dolphin about 10 days. Junk in the filter or in the Aquabot or in the pool itself is all the same to the chlorine. It will get consumed trying to oxodize it.

Also there is a chance that the chlorine has lost a lot of it kick before you put it in the pool. I'm sure if you played with numbers you could put a few drops of your bleach in a gallon of distilled water or something to see if it was really still 6% by the time you get it home to put it in the pool. Maybe just try a different source. (just noticed the comments about Clorox ... good move )

When you do your nightly additions of Cl. to get it to 15, I'd leave it an hour and then add another gallon before I hit the sack. If you're just touching your break point at 15, one hour after you got there you will be below the break point already..add some more ..and leave the pump running all night.

[VOLDADDY]

Didn't get a chance to test this afternoon as we took the kids to see Cars tonight after work. I was at 11.5 at 6 this morning. I added 1 jug of bleach to get to around 14. There were people over swimming tonight when we got home. I just tested at midnight and my FC was 6. I added 3 jugs around the pool and slowly poured one in the skimmer to see if that would help kill anything in the filter. I haven't backwashed in a week due to adding CYA through the skimmer Sunday. I will backwash tomorrow morning when I get up and test again. There is going to be straight sun on my pool tomorrow and inm the 90's, with a heavy swimmer load, so I know I will lose some in the day. Whatever I am fighting sure the heck is stubborn. I have been waiting on my replacement test kit since May 3rd and am out of R-0013 to test my CYA, and my DPD powder is getting to the bottom and clumping. I may have to go to Leslie's and just buy a kit there. Has anybody else ever had to fight anything like this before? My water is crystal clear and I have 0 CC. I have been hammering away with bleach all week, and still having to do so.

[CarlD]

Gee, it sounds almost as if you are fighting bacquacil or used a bromine concoction to kill algae. Those folks have to use lots and lots and lots of bleach before the pool settles down. BTW, I've forgotten--is your pH correct? Toward the low end of the 7.3-78 range? Have you considered keeping it between 7.0 and 7.4? Chlorine is more effective at lower pH levels.

Leslies usually has the reagent refills, and they sell them from their on-line site as well. They also have a FAS-DPD kit. Of course, Taylor's on-line site has all that stuff too.

[duraleigh]

VOL,

Rereading this whole thread, I do not believe you have shocked your pool.

Remember, shocking isn't about adding extra chlorine, it's about reaching breakpoint.....a chemical reaction that puts all your Cl back in the free state. I don't think you ever got there.

A complete set of test results....particularly CYA..... would eliminate a lot of guesswork and probably allow you to get your pool cleaned up

[VOLDADDY]

Here's my morning numbers. Last night I shocked to about 16 PPM about midnight. This morning at 9 AM i had a FC reading of 12.5. I will add another jug of bleach through the skimmer to get to around 15 again. I really appreciate everyone that has helped me out here.

I backwashed this morning and had some nasty water for about 3 minutes, I haven't backwashed in a week due to adding CYA through the skimmer. I then rinsed for about a minute and put back to filter. I am running my pump 24/7.

Here are my complete results-at least what I was able to test for with what I have left:

FC 12.5
CC 0
TC 12.5
PH 7.5
ALK 150

I will be going to the local Leslie's today and buying more reagents so I can do the CYA test and new DPD powder. We will have a large swimmer load today so I'm sure my number will drop when I test tonight. I hate going to Leslie's because I aleays spend too much $$$, like a kid in a candy store. I think I will pick up one of the whale brushes and brush my pool thoroughly, which admittedly I haven't done since I converted last year from Baquacil. I haven't seen 1 speck of algae so I have gotten lazy, letting the Aquabot do my work once or twice a week. I will post my CYA level later. Have a great weekend at your pools!

[mwsmith2]

I don't recall off the top of my head if this is a gunite or vinyl pool, but I do sorta remember a pool that Ben was messing with. He took the FC up to some insane number like 45 or so. Maybe it was even 75? I don't remember but it was some crazy big number. Of course, that's only safe to do in a gunite pool, but if you're getting tired of beating on this thing that may be a direction you want to try. I'd use the 12.5% stuff to do that so you don't have to buy out your local grocery store.

Michael