Chlorine Lock ?

[PoolDoc]

It's very unlikely that you'll be able to buy a K2006 locally. I've encountered exactly one case of a pool store stocking that kit . . . and hundreds that don't. It's hard for pool stores to get excited about a test kit that is, fundamentally, designed to put them out of business.

Please go ahead and order one. You're going to end up in real trouble without it.

[mjsboone]

Good evening! Just tested the pool with a new basic testing kit (have to order the "good" one). And here are my numbers after putting in 2 gallons bleach last night and 2 two more this morning. Chlorine is almost non existent at the 0.6-1.2 and ph is 7.6. We added 2 more gallons after the water was tested. I will test again in the morning to see where it's at. Any other suggestions at this point?

[Watermom]

Test it again an hour after you added the bleach and report the chlorine reading. Don't need to test pH again.

[mjsboone]

Test results one hour after adding 2 gallons bleach: chlorine 1.5-3

[PoolDoc]

2. Keep adding 2 gallons of PLAIN 8% bleach EVERY night till this is resolved. (Doing so will GREATLY reduce the risk of you developing a swamp in your back yard!)

Unless your water looks bad, I wouldn't worry about adding in the AM. I'm guessing your stabilizer is low, but we won't know till you have a kit.

What would be interesting is to add 2 (or 4) gallons at night, and then test in the AM BEFORE the sun starts hitting the pool. Again, once you have the K2006, we'll be able to tell more.

[mjsboone]

It will be a week before we are able to get the more extensive testing kit. My question now is, do we keep adding the bleach every night and for how long? Would this be the routine from this point forward or at some point do you just add the bleach on a maintainance schedule? The water is clearing nicely, but we see slight algea by the ladder and a little in the shaded corner of the pool.

[CarlD]

Just keep doing what you are doing. WM and PD know best. I'm surprised there isn't a WalMart near you with the HTH 6-way drop test kit. That's the best thing short of the Taylor K-2006.

WaterMom uses bleach in her pool. I use Liquid Chlorine in mine. Same thing, but there is ONE store that sells LC in 5 gallon carboys that turns it over so fast their stuff tests out at 14% though they nominally sell it as 12.5%. What's the difference between that and 8.25% chlorine bleach? Only in the amount of chlorine added to your pool.

If your pool was 10,000 gallons, one jug (121 ounces) of 8.25% bleach will add 7.8ppm of chlorine. But if you add 1 gallon of 12.5% LC, it will add 12.5ppm of chlorine. (you need twice as much of each to get the same addition of chlorine in a 20,000 gallon pool). That's the only difference between bleach and LC.

As for bleaching your liner, you need to really raise your chlorine level very high before you do that--and EVERY kind of chlorine can do it regardless of the source.
Generally, if you "shock" your pool to the recommended level based on your stabilizer (aka CYA) level, you have NO fear of bleaching your liner. However, over the years, the sun WILL fade it anyway. Personally, it's not a big concern of mine as long as it's not weakened. But that's me.

[mjsboone]

Just found out that Ace Hardware carries HTH 6-way drop test kit. I've been everywhere today looking for ANY test kit and ended up at the pool shop buying the very basic kit to get by. I fail to understand why the stores in South Carolina, where the pool season begins in April and ends in October, do not stock pool supplies once you hit July. It is slim picking! Off to Ace Hardware tomorow. Continued thanks to all for the advice!

[PoolDoc]

Nobody wants to carry expensive inventory all winter.

Keep up with the bleach till you have test results from the K2006. The 6-way will help -- you can test stabilizer -- but in your particular situation, accurate measurement of FC vs CC is needed, and only the K2006 will give you that.

But, the 6-way is compatible and useful, so don't regret having both. Do post CYA results from the 6-way -- watch the Taylor video for the K2006 CYA test; it's almost the same as the 6-way.