Another Newbie needs help

[mattbgm]

Hi Everyone,

I recently moved into a new home and inherited the ig pool. So this is my first time dealing with opening the pool. I have read a lot of the porblems and solutions in the forum and I wanted to start a new thread to pinpoint my issue.

When I opened the pool the water level was low so I filled up the pool to the mid skimmer level. I added the shock at that point. I then cleaned the pool and the water started to get clearer. As a result of reading all the solutions I started using the bleach method and the pool kept getting clearer with vacuuming and keeping the filter on 24/7. I noticed a yellowish ring around the pool that is about 1 ft wide all around the pool right around the original water level when I opened the pool. The pool water looks clear with a little cloudiness. I have put my chlorine level to 15, reading with the kit from Leslies Pool store and using the shot glass method. I have tried the Erase It stick that a pool store suggested and it does not work. I have a few questions:

1. What can I do to get rid of this ring around the pool?

2. What readings do I need for the different chemicals?

3. What is this yellow ring and is it harmful?

3. When can my kids start swimming?

Readings.

FC = 15
TC = 15
pH = 7.0
Alkalinity = 60

Please someone help me, my kids can't wait to get into the pool.

Thanks,
Matt.

Sorry, here are some details.

Pool Size: 16 x 32 inground pool
Type: Vinyl

[Simmons99]

You need to post all your numbers including your CYA. Have you tried to rub a vitamin C tablet against the stain - does that help? If it does it is a metals stain. There is a sperate forum for dealing with metals.

[mattbgm]

Thank you for responding Simmons99. I have not tried to rub a vitamin C tablet against the stain, I will try that. As for the CYA number, I do not have a tester for it. I bought the test kit from Leslies and that is not one of the tests. Are ther individual test kits just for CYA? If not should I bring my pool water into the pool store to test?

Thanks again.

[Pamsel]

Yes, you should take a sample into a store that does accurate testing, because you do need to know your CYA level in order to know how much chlorine you need. Use Ben's chart to determine your correct levels -

Ben's 'best guess' FC/Stabilizer table for algae free operation of OUTDOOR pools -- as of July 2003 --

Use the info in this chart to help you figure out what levels of chlorine you need to maintain in your pool based on the amount of CYA (cyanuric acid, also called stabilizer) that you have in your pool. (FC = free chlorine)

Stabilizer . . . . . . Min. FC . . . . Max FC . . . 'Shock' FC
=> 0 ppm . . . . . . . 1 ppm . . . . . 3 ppm . . . . 10 ppm
=> 10 - 20 ppm . . . . 2 ppm . . . . . 5 ppm . . . . 12 ppm
=> 30 - 50 ppm . . . . 3 ppm . . . . . 6 ppm . . . . 15 ppm
=> 60 - 90 ppm . . . . 5 ppm . . . . . 10 ppm . . .. 20 ppm
=> 100 - 200 ppm . . . 8 ppm . . . . . 15 ppm . . .. 25 ppm

[mattbgm]

Hi Pamsel,
I got my CYA test result and it is at 0 ppm.

Just a few more details on my pool location. My pool is actually very shaded because of the trees. Hardly any sunlight gets to the pool. So I don't have many problems in keeping my chlorine levels highNothing seems to work in taking off the ring around the pool. Does anyone have any other suggestions.
Thanks.