BB Method (Instead of BBB)

[mfhache]

That makes a lot of sense with the Trichlor tabs and the increased CYA. Is there an alternative puck treatment?

Assuming I just opted for Bleach/Liquid chlorine is there a general rule of thumb for how often we have to apply it?

[Watermom]

There are no other tabs for chlorinators other than trichlor.

Regarding how often you would have to add liquid chlorine or bleach depends on your CYA level and a lot of other factors so I can't tell you specifically.

Do you have a test kit? If so, what type? It might be, depending on your CYA level, that you could get by with adding bleach only 1 or 2 times per week.

[mfhache]

I do have a Test kit but can't for the life of me pull a brand name from it. It's been labelled Pool Shoppe (from where I purchased it) and the Barcode says LIFEGARD #78 Test Kit PRT. Brand. I'll have to double check but I know it measures PH, Chlorine, Alk at the very least.

Unfortunately I can't order the recommended kits from Amazon (Being in Canada and all) and I find it very hard to choke down $100 for a testing kit right now when the $50 one I bought last year still has plenty of chemicals left in it.

[Watermom]

I hadn't caught the fact that you were in Canada.

The problem with NOT having this particular kit is that you are limited to being able to test a chlorine level no higher than 5ppm with other kits. If you are going to run a high CYA pool and thus have to run higher than normal chlorine levels, you are going to have to have some way to test higher than 5ppm. (Did you have a look at the Best Guess chart?) You also have to have a way to test CYA. The only test that can accurately measure CYA is the 'disappearing black dot' test which most kits don't have.

[mfhache]

I hadn't caught the fact that you were in Canada.

The problem with NOT having this particular kit is that you are limited to being able to test a chlorine level no higher than 5ppm with other kits. If you are going to run a high CYA pool and thus have to run higher than normal chlorine levels, you are going to have to have some way to test higher than 5ppm. (Did you have a look at the Best Guess chart?) You also have to have a way to test CYA. The only test that can accurately measure CYA is the 'disappearing black dot' test which most kits don't have.

I'll have to check when I get home in a few hours but I'm pretty sure it has a chlorine readout higher than 5. If needed I suppose I could do diluted tests with distilled water.

I know generally pool shops can be misleading but would it be unreasonable to get the water tested there then act on my own accord? I figure this could probably be a good stop gap measure until I can find a way to nab one of the good kits.

[Watermom]

See what tests your kit has. It is a drops-based kit, right? Does the chlorine sample turn yellow or pink when you add the drops? Check when you get home and report back and then we'll go from there.

[mfhache]

The Chlorine goes yellow. If I recall from last year for the PH test I keep on adding drops until the water goes Clear then refer to the chart.