New Pebble - first tests

[dawndenise]

Thanks again for the info. I just got home from getting bleach and baking soda. I'll use that handy bleach calc, as I need to adjust your 4.5 gallon recommendation a bit since I was able to get 6% bleach rather than the 5.25%. Also came in 182 oz jugs. Anything to make it more difficult, right?

Also noticed at Sam's (where the bleach was) that the Clorox Ultra is a 6% solution and the "regular" bleach packaged the same way in 3-jug boxes, was also 6%. Ingredients on the labels on both kinds were identical - same price. Had I picked up the "regular" bleach without reading the ingredients, I might have put in more chlorine than I wanted.

We'll do some work tonight and see what the tests show tomorrow.

Sandy

[dawndenise]

Re-read your post about the calcium hypo. We'll probably shock with bleach and then try the calcium hypo as more of an ongoing chlorination with frequent testing of that calcium level.

Sandy

[duraleigh]

Sandy,

with a gunite pool, you don't have to be too stingy with the bleach. Might fade a swimsuit if you go in when it's 10+ or so but, other than that, it will ensure you actually reach breakpoint.

4.5 gallons should take your pool to around 16ppm. I would consider that minimum to ensure breakpoint (shock).

Again, it'll disappear almost overnite if you have a lot of organics in there.

[dawndenise]

Dave, you were right on. My chlorine has disappeared! We added 3-182oz bottles of 6% bleach late yesterday afternoon (546 oz vs 544 oz in Bleach Calc!). New readings fresh from the pool:

pH 8.2- (rather than +) Total muriatic acid added is 1/2 gallon - we'll do more
Total Cl 0
Free Cl 0
TA 110 (added 10# of baking soda last night)
CYA less than 30 (redid this test, still not really confident in this measure, as the dot disappears(?) when the solution is right at the very, very top of the vial; another drop and it would spill over)
Calcium hardness 70-80

My Cl really "shocked" me, as there was no change in color for either test! Actually called the 800# to see what high chlorine would register on tests that only go up to 5.0 (I was hoping they'd say "clear"). They said I should see an intense orange color if I were holding Cl levels above 5. I can see I need to get a test that can measure high chlorine levels. Whenever Ben's kit arrives, will it register shock levels, I wonder?

So, I'm guessing that I should continue to add Cl to shock levels until it can hold Cl overnight? - seems like I read that somewhere???

Sandy

[Bleach=Chlorine?]

Try to keep testing and adding Cl to the pool morning, noon and night to keep shock level of 15ppm. Also, continue running the filter 24/7.

[duraleigh]

Hi, Sandy,

get that pH down. Use the bleach calc....shoot for 7.2 - 7.4

Ben's kit will measure as much Cl as you'll ever put in the pool....accurately.

If you've used up your bleach, I would buy a tub of Cal Hypo...you need to get your calcium up, too.

Yes, keep your Cl at shock value 'til it virtually stays constant overnight. 18-20 would not be too high in your pool.

One more thing, Sandy.......GET THAT pH DOWN!

[dawndenise]

OK,OK,OK...now you really think I should bring my pH down???
Actually, I've just added another 1/2 gallon of muriatic and will go back and recheck the actual amount I should add to reduce my pH in a reasonable step, not baby steps. At my current rate, I won't hit target pH until Labor Day. I've added another 546 oz of 6% bleach this AM, even though I know a lot will be used up by the sunlight and rendered less effective by my higher pH.

I'll head out to get some CalHypo today, as it'll only take one more shock treatment to use all the bleach I bought yesterday.

Thanks again for bearing with me.

Sandy