High chlorine levels after Ike

[gwingard]

Here in Ohio, my pool and I were without electricity for about 40 hours. During the storm I got a lot of tree debris in my fiberglass, in ground, pool so I shocked the water with my usual about of Chlorox with the hope that my water wouldn't turn green while the pool and filter weren't circulating. I managed to get all the debris out of the water when the power came back up but now I have what appears to be a super high chlorine level, this afternoon it was at 23 ppm. I've added as much water to the pool as will fit to dilute the chlorine but since I have a well that pumps water with 500+ppm alkalinity I now have a pool with alkalinity in the 190 ppm range. I should also say that the high oxidizer level has confused my alkalinity testing. I'd like to close for the season but some other factors are prevening that for another week or two so due to wind and falling leaf and temperature conditions I've been forced to keep my solar cover in place. Should I just wait out the high chlorine level and aerate when possible for the alk or should I go to the trouble of using muriatic acid? Could the debris in the water possibly have created or added to this situation? Sorry for the lengthy post.

Geoffrey

[aylad]

If you want to lower the alk, you need to use the muriatic....aerating alone won't do the job. You lower the pH (and alk simultaneously) by adding the acid, the aerate to raise the pH back up with out raising the alk.

I doubt the debris in the water created this situation. If anything, it would lower your chlorine level rather than keeping it high. I think keeping the solar cover in place is keeping your chlorine level high. In any case, Cl of 23 really isn't that high--just wait it out and it will come down, if you're not planning to swim anymore.

Janet