Hello, New to Forum.

[mcbdz]

Good morning.

Ok last night added 1lb of the PoolBrand Quick Dissolving shock. From Sam's club. reads active ingredients: Sodium Dichloro-s-Triazinetrione Hydrated....99%, Other Ingredients.....1%, Total.......100%, Active Chlorine.....55.5%. And put pool cover on since still having lots of rain. Also to help keep bugs and leaves out. Filter running 24hrs.

This mornings readings About 1 hr after cover removed but still overcast. OTO=5/10Dark yellow not orange. Phenol red 7.5 still and with my master kit pH= 7.8. Still waiting on Test kit and filters from Amazon. I think I need to test in a few hours again. Maybe the sun will come out.

Is this way too high to use pool?

I vacuum better in the pool.

[Watermom]

This may help you to decipher the OTO readings until your K2006 arrives: http://pool9.net/oto-chart/

It is fine to swim but if the chlorine is closer to 10 than 5 (since you have little CYA in there yet), I'd suggest wearing old swimsuits. Your pH is fine.

(I vacuum better when in the pool, too. Hard to reach over those high walls! )

[mcbdz]

Great, thanks watermom. I'm thinking it was closer to the 6 or 5. Checked again around 2pm and a little lighter. Noticed putting the cover on made such a major difference in the debris that i need to find a away to do that every night. Also need a good vacuum. What do ya'll suggest for the intex pools? Thanks for all the help by the way. :O)

[Watermom]

i can't help you with the recommendation for the Intex vacuum but hopefully someone will chime in who has a similar pool and an idea to share.

And, you are welcome!

[BigDave]

I used an inexpensive robotic cleaner (cost more than twice what the pool cost). It was great while it lasted. One failed after three seasons, I wrote it off as bad luck and bought another of the same - it only last two seasons. I'm now shopping for a different robot - a Father's Day robot.

[mcbdz]

Not sure a robotic vacuum would work since my bottom isn't smooth. Will need to research more I guess. Ok. Added 1bl dichlor last night. This morning about 1 1/2 hrs after cover removed. pH=7.6, red Phenol= 7.5-7.8. 5-10. dk yellow but not orange. Should I skip a night and see what it reads in the morning?

[Watermom]

Test tonight after the sun is off the pool and see what you have then before deciding to skip or not skip a dose. A lot can happen in a day especially if it is hot and sunny.

[mcbdz]

Ok, I just tested my water again and the OTO= 3/6 and the phenol red= 7.5. Should I skip dosing tonight and retest in the morning?

[Watermom]

I just realized why you have been listing two numbers when reporting your chlorine readings. The OTO tester can be used to measure chlorine and bromine. Just ignore the bromine column.

Tonight, your chlorine reading is 3ppm. (The 6 is in the bromine column -- ignore.)

A chlorine reading of 3ppm is not very high. Go ahead and add more chlorine.

[mcbdz]

Ugh, well I didn't see this until this morning so here's reading 1 hr after top off and sun is now on the pool. OTO=2, red phenol=7.5. Going to go ahead and add dihclor now. Will let you know tonight readings.