new numbers , dont know what to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[timmie]

hi, I brought my water in today to a pool place and they told me, once again I have copper in my water which is a 2

chlorine 0
ph 7.6

alk 120
hardness 69

they told me that I have to get rid of the copper before I can shock my pool, is this true?? I didnt have copper when I checked my water at the last pool place. Is this a way to get us to buy more chemicals??
What do I need to do in order to get my water up? I have a 70, 000 litre pool......lots of borax at home, hoards of javex and I also have baking soda..........thanks in advance for the advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sherra]

In my unprofessional-but-lurk-on-the-board-a-lot opionion, I'd say just add bleach to get the chlorine level up. What does your water look like? Is it clear or do you have algae? Sounds like they want you to buy some sort of metal-out or something. Your hardness doesn't look too high to me, but I'm not at home to be able to look at my cheat sheet. I know mine runs about 50 and I know I've got PLENTY of wiggle room.

[aylad]

If you do indeed have copper in your water, then yes you do need a product that sequesters metals before you shock it--go to the metals forum and you can read about it--in order to keep the higher chlorine levels from causing the metals to drop out and stain your pool. If you don't have copper or other metals in your water, then you don't need it. Did the other store test for metals specifically? Have you used any algaecide containing copper? Or trichlor pucks made by hth and sold at WalMart? These are all sources of copper that could have been added to your pool since the last test.

Your pH and alk are fine, can't advise you about calcium until I know what kind of pool you have--if it's vinyl, then calcium is irrelevant, but if it's concrete/plaster, then it's way too low. You do need to get some chlorine in the pool, though, because if you don't have a problem now, you will shortly. How much chlorine is going to depend on your stabilizer (CYA) level and whether or not you do have copper in the water

Janet

[timmie]

hi, I went to another pool store and they retested.....a store I trust.......no copper, chlorine is 5. They told me also that I dont need water hardner for a vinyl pool. I called the other store and they couldnt explain why they found such a high number for copper!!! I asked them if they just wanted me to buy more chemicals..!!!!!!!

[tundraSQ]

hi, I went to another pool store and they retested.....a store I trust.......no copper, chlorine is 5. They told me also that I dont need water hardner for a vinyl pool. I called the other store and they couldnt explain why they found such a high number for copper!!! I asked them if they just wanted me to buy more chemicals..!!!!!!!

*LOL*...I was at a pool store last week looking for some sodium bromide and to make a long story short the last thing the store owner said to me was "If it didn't work, or was bad for your pool we wouldn't sell it to you"...I gave her a look as if to say..."are you KIDDING ME????" and walked away...I am surprised Ben's kits don't test for metals....

[timmie]

I am learning alot from this site!!!!!! the pool store owner even told me dont worry about my cynaric acid level cause it is city water. I cant find my results and will go back on saturday. Does anyone know how much chlorine and how often I add to my pool to keep my level up? again, its 70,000 litres and its inground and vinyl. Is it o.k to swim if my chlorine is at 5? my kids are going nuts.................

[tundraSQ]

I am learning alot from this site!!!!!! the pool store owner even told me dont worry about my cynaric acid level cause it is city water. I cant find my results and will go back on saturday. Does anyone know how much chlorine and how often I add to my pool to keep my level up? again, its 70,000 litres and its inground and vinyl. Is it o.k to swim if my chlorine is at 5? my kids are going nuts.................

you can swim at 5ppm...no problems....I had my pool over 12 memorial day weekend to kill some mustard algae i was treating with sodium bromide...but with temps over 80 all the kids were in... I just told the ones I liked not to wear new swimsuits...(in case i got some fade problems).

[ScottS]

They told me also that I dont need water hardner for a vinyl pool.

Happy to see they gave you this advice because it is not something you hear of very often. It goes to show that some of the pool store personel are not all about selling you everything under the sun

[waterbear]

I resemble that comment!