Chlorine Lock ?

[Big Splash]

[mjsboone]

Yikes! Pool experts, I believe I have screwed up my pool even worse! Received new bottle of reagent this afternoon and tested tonight. My numbers...FC 36, CC 7. I kept putting bleach in morning and night for the past 3 days hoping I would keep up the progress we were making in the numbers. I far surpassed the 25ppm I was shooting for. And went way up in CC also. Pool is not quite as clear as it was a few days ago and saw some algae on bottom-not a lot. Looking for some guidance please. Did the supposed chlorine lock break and,even worse, did I keep adding when I should not have.? I starting to freak out again!

[PoolDoc]

In a complicated situation like yours, it's hard to track the changes unless you record and present them systematically.

If you would please us the form, http://pool9.net/pf-hist-form/ to enter your observations. Feel free to post earlier observations if you have retained them.

Let me know when you have a couple of records up, and I'll take a look.

[PoolDoc]

One more thing: if you have done so, please watch the testkit videos completely; they are linked off the test kit page => http://pool9.net/tk/

[mjsboone]

We have kept a record of testing FC and CC since the first round of complete testing for everything when I got the official k2006 test kit. I did post those numbers. We did have to stop for a few days when we ran out of FAS-DPD and had to order. Tonight was the first test since Mon.-am.

[mjsboone]

Also...watched, watched and re-watched all the videos when doing the complete line of testing.

[Big Splash]

It's odd that CC is so high with all that bleach in there. You might want go ahead and double check your CYA test using the diluted sample mentioned earlier. In other words... if the CYA is truely at 80 it'll read 40 with a 50/50 sample of pool water and distilled water. You'll notice the testing tube is easier to read the differences in amounts at around 40 than at 80 due to the graduated scale of the test tube readings.

[mjsboone]

I am going to start a whole new testing round today so I have current, hopefully correct, numbers. It's a very rainy, hot day here in SC and when my #1 son gets home (and if it is not pouring) we will start from scratch and log the numbers on the guide provided by Pool Doc last night. This pool is not going to get the best of me!
Thanks to all for continued guidance.
-Jane

[Big Splash]

Some testing tips for you... If you're unsure of the CYA reading / result, you can retest with the same sample. Just pour what you got into the test tube back into the little dispensing bottle with the remaining leftover sample, shake, and then pour it back into the test tube for another look. No need to use more reagent for another test. Also, it is best to look down the tube in outdoor daylight with the sun at your back. Lastly, the pH reading will be artificially high due to the high amount of FC you have. So, don't let that surprise you.

[mjsboone]

Good evening. I did the full testing tonight and have posted on the guide PoolDoc gave me. My numbers are terrible-especially the CYA of 130. I tested with the diluted test using distilled water and pool water.
Other numbers:
25.6 ppm FC6
3.6 ppm CC
7.4 PH
150 TA

Feeling pretty bad that all this effort is not producing results. I'm ready to drain my pool...