ok i finally tested my swamp...i mean pool...with a dpd test

[Watermom]

In my pool, adding bleach does nothing to affect the ph level. In other pools it seems to somewhat, but that has never been the case for me.

Watermom

[fog80]

thanks for the help guys.

just to clear up a few things.

i added 5 lbs of cya to a pool with an initial reading of zero.

then i added 4 lbs of baking soda to bring my alkalinity to 100 ppm

i then added 5 lbs of cal-hypo shock powder

ive been running the filter non stop for two days. my de filter pressure rises pretty quickly and then i have to bump the filter and restart it to get the pressure down again (my bump handle is broken so im doing the best i can with that)

i dont want to backwash yet because i added the cya and fresh de a couple days ago.

the water went from dark green to semi-blue overnight. I cleared out most of the leaves off the bottom today and just added 3 1.42oz jugs of clorox and will keep the pump running tonight.

for some reason when i checked the water ph last night before adding the chlorine the ph level went down to 7.2 from 8.0 and i didnt add any muriatic acid at all.

[waterbear]

Even though the baking soda is alkaline it introduces a buffer system into your pool. Without it the pH can bounce all over the place. Perhaps when you took your previous reading it was during such a bounce and now that the water has buffer reserve a truer pH reading is what you are seeing... Also the CYA, as it dissolves, can temporarily lower the pH. (It does it in my pool) It is acidic.

[fog80]

Also the CYA, as it dissolves, can temporarily lower the pH. (It does it in my pool) It is acidic.

that must have been what did the trick!

anyway, my pool is really starting to look good again. I just need to keep brushing the walls and the floor and get the rest of the gunk out.

thanks for all your help. I will post some more current results tomorrow.

[fog80]

ok as of tonight my pool readings are:

fc-15
cya-45
ca-250
ph-8

the chlorine is pretty stable because i put in chlorine almost 24 hours ago and its still showing 15 (i think its higher but my kit will only let me go as high as fifteen)

the water looks pretty clear now, and my cya readings were up so i backwashed the de filter, bumped it, and backwashed some more and then added 5 lbs of fresh de.

i still have some dots (algae?) on the walls that wont go away though.

[CarlD]

Lower you pH to 7.3-7.5 and the chlorine will be FAR more effective--and may just get rid of those dots.

BTW, you need to brush your pool everyday when you have an algae bloom--knocks the algae loose where the chlorine can get at it. That WILL get rid of those dots. Forgot to mention that-still rusty as I haven't even begun the pool opening process.

[fog80]

Lower you pH to 7.3-7.5 and the chlorine will be FAR more effective--and may just get rid of those dots.

BTW, you need to brush your pool everyday when you have an algae bloom--knocks the algae loose where the chlorine can get at it. That WILL get rid of those dots. Forgot to mention that-still rusty as I haven't even begun the pool opening process.

thanks. i'll add some muriatic acid tonight.