Test results on new pool in Tucson

[FormerBromineUser]

Oh my. You want a minimum 10 ppm FC (free chlorine) in your pool. You have Tri-Chlor pucks. They add FC but also add CYA and you don't want more CYA. You mentioned Di-Chlor, same thing. HTH shock adds FC but also adds calcium and your CH is high enough. You have used bleach (sodium hypochlorite), which will add FC but not affect CH or CYA. Is there any particular reason you prefer not to continue using bleach?

[Wilco]

At this point it seems that I will be pouring a gallon of bleach into my pool EVERY day. That doesn't seem feasible, but you are correct in exposing my faulty logic.

[FormerBromineUser]

Wilco, I hope you don't think I was hollering at you. I work with school kids and tend to "teach" in most things I do.

You just want to make your pool better and to use the BBB method; that's great! BUT it can be overwhelming at first. The time and energy it will take now to learn about pool chemistry will be greatly rewarded. You will become more than a pool owner; you will become a pool OPERATOR. The freedom and the sense of accomplishment, pride, and control you will gain is your gift from PoolDoc. Accept this gift.

Here is what I humbly suggest you do:
1) Conduct all testing below using ONLY your K2006
2) Add bleach to get your FC to at a minimum of 10ppm
3) Perform an overnight chlorine loss test. ASK if you don't know how to do this.
4) Report your results clearly on this thread
5) Do nothing other than maintain FC >=10ppm until you receive a response
6) Do not bring up any other side issues in the meantime.

Others who are more knowledgeable than I may disagree and if so, I hope they speak up, but I believe we need to get back to figuring out why you are not able to maintain your FC with reasonable quantities of bleach.

[Wilco]

As long as someone sticks with me, I'd like to do that. FCL was 1ppm this am, added another gallon of bleach.

[Wilco]

Retested an hr later, up to 7ppm. So seems to be correct that I can get 6ppm per gallon of bleach. I added another half gallon, will retest this evening. I searched some older posts on here regarding hard water, high cya pools here in az. Saw some recommendations for pool chlor company, who apparently use cl gas once a week? And possibly a calcium chelator? Wondering how many people have had to go to this and if it is an option. I'd rather do it myself overall, but time becomes an issue at some point.

[PoolDoc]

Essentially, FBU is right: you need to get your chlorine up, and keep it there for awhile, and THEN see if you still have a problem.

We encounter many 'mystery' problems that go away once users do just that. Usually, the problem is resolved fairly quickly that way; sometimes it takes weeks rather than days.

Unfortunately, we often don't know why.

The level of chemical analysis that would exactly answer the "What?" and "Why?" question is almost always out of reach, not only for the pool owner, but also for us. So we have to be satisfied with solving the problem, without necessarily understanding its orign.

[Wilco]

I'm in health care, same deal a lot of the time. Seems like I have a good plan now, will roll with it and keep updating. Thanks

[Wilco]

Hope the kids hair doesn't turn green as well

[FormerBromineUser]

.
Wilco,

1) As long as people feel that you are listening to their advice, there will be someone "sticking with you". Members here like to help. No worries!

2) I neglected to mention in my instructions that you need to keep monitoring your pH and adjust as needed.

3) As for bringing up CL gas/calcium chelators, etc.: Worry now about getting your pool safe-and-sanitary and holding FC. When this is done, then you can explore and discuss alternatives all you want.

4) Green hair? That's a whole different topic which we can discuss in the future. Let's not go there at this point lest this thread get lost in ANOTHER side issue. For now, know that bleach does NOT cause green hair.

[Wilco]

Retested 8 hrs later, upper 90's here today. FCl down to 4ppm.