Cloudy, then green with a never ending chlorine demand

[cleancloths]

Well I'm going to have to go out and buy some more reagents to do those tests, but it appears to be getting better finally. Its just strange how it went from crystal clear on Weds to milk white on Fri, and dark green on Sat. Its now clear in the shallow end and slightly green tinted in the deep. I did add 4 pounds of CYA on Saturday, as I have not added any in a year or two and figure between rain dillution and filter backwashing I have lost a bunch.

This is the first time in 10 years I have ever had a problem. You are not going to believe how I normally test my water and determine when to add bleach. Not scientific, but it has worked well -- I use the taste test. Yes I am serious.

[Watermom]

Hmmmm......... now, that's different.

BTW -- Welcome back. Nice to have you back on the forum this year!

[cleancloths]

Today pool is fairly clear in shallow end but still has a green tint in dark end.

Total and Free Chlorine both read 2.0
pH is 7.0
Total Alk is 50.

I just added another 4 pounds borax, 12 pounds baking soda and 1.5 gallons chlorine.

[aylad]

If it's still greenish in the deep end, I'd go back to shock level and hold it there until it all turns blue..

Janet

[CarlD]

What is your CYA reading? With that, we can tell you what an effective chlorine level is.

[cleancloths]

What is your CYA reading? With that, we can tell you what an effective chlorine level is.

Need to go out and get that tested. I did not add any last year, and only used about 20 pucks all year. When this mess started I added 4 pounds, but that is all I have to go on right now. I just don't understand why the pH keeps dropping.

[cleancloths]

Just checked pool this morning after making yesterday's additions:

Cl Free 0.75
Cl total 1.5
pH 7.3
Total Alk 100

So, except for chlorine it is looking much better. Added another 3 gallons bleach.

I'm going to take a sample to the "pool store" and have them test it today to find out what the CYA level is.

[cleancloths]

So I went to the pool store and had them test the water. They have a fairly sophisticated setup. They have a bunch of square-sided "testtubes" that each have powdered reagents in them for a set test. They use a pipet to inject water into each one and then use a computer controlled colorimeter to directly measure and record the readings into the computer. Any way, here is what they came up with:

Chlorine Total and Free both 3.8
pH 7.7
Alk 90
CU & FE ~0
Stabilizer 10 ah ha!, BUT wait...

How can we believe the stabilizer is only 10? Wasn't it on Saturday that I added four pounds of CYA to my 20x40 IG pool. Doesn't that increase the level by about 30 all by itself? So, now what????