Help Deciphering My Taylor Test Results

[Watermom]

I bet you got rid of your CC if your cl really is 42.5!!!! You might want to double check that test again. There really isn't anything you can do to lower cl. Lots of sunny days will drop it.

[labdi01]

I hope my reagent isn't bad - I just got it today (the CL reagent was what I had to order). I'll use the other container of 0871 that I got (I ordered 2). I'll repost as soon as I retest.

Yeah, I'm thinking a FC level of 42.5 will kill just about anything!!! But CC is down to 0 P

[labdi01]

Well, I just tested the water again (5 hrs since last test). I used the second bottle of 0871 I just received today.

NOW my FC is 41 and CC is 1 - - how is that even possible?

What to do now...

I ordered the reagents from The Pool Source - but it IS Taylor brand.

Should I presume at this point that the reagent is bad? Is it possible to go from just under 20 ppm FC to 41+ w/ 2 gals of 5.25% bleach? And if so, is it possible it held for over 48 hours?

I'm no mathemagician - but that just doesn't add-up to me!

[Watermom]

2 gallons of 5.25% bleach in a pool your size (12,500 - 13.000 gallons) would raise your cl by approximately 8ppm.

[labdi01]

The pool is 24' round AG. So, we're 13.5+K gals.

This doesn't make sense. What's your initial instinct?

I put 1/2 gal in on Monday am. We had 6 people in the pool for several hours Monday afternoon. That evening, I put 1.5 gals in. I haven't put any more in since. We had 3 more kids on Tuesday.

We back washed, added DE and vacuumed to waste this am prior to receiving reagents.

And then to get a CC chlorine reading tonight? Is it me - or does this sound wonky?

[chem geek]

Since it sounds like you are using the FAS-DPD chlorine test, I assume that if you are using a 25 ml sample size that you are multiplying the number of drop by 0.2 (or dividing the number of drops by 5) to get the FC reading. If you are using a 10 ml sample size, then you multiply by 0.5 (or divide by 2).

Since you reported 42.5 it sounds like you are using a 10 ml sample size and it took 83 drops to go from pink to clear, is that right? If so, then that's a high level of chlorine, but one day in sunlight should bring that down to the 20-30 range given your current CYA level. I think that will happen faster than it will take you to get some chlorine neutralizer which would be your other alternative.

[labdi01]

Hi Chem Geek

Thanks for checking in!

You're correct - I am using the FAS-DPD test system as you described (using the 10 ml mark and dividing by 2).

The math to get there just doesn't seem to be adding up to me (amt of bleach/bleach strength vs time lapse, etc). That's why I suspected weakened reagent - but don't know the science behind this particular reagent. Again, no mathemagician, like you. D

Is it safe for my kids to swim in? And how in the WORLD could I have a CC level? P

[Watermom]

If it really is that high, then I wouldn't let my kids in the pool.

[labdi01]

K. No one in the pool!

Tomorrow is going to be sunny and hot! (should I be keeping my filter on 24/7? I have been.

Don't you know, my daughter is feeling ill after swimming on Monday. Shoot! What did I do?

She woke up with a headache on Tue and "it hurt to try to GO..." She swam again on Tue and today...Montezuma's revenge AND a headache. Coincidence or should I take her to her pedi?

No one else that was in the pool appears to be ill. YET.

Some people shouldn't be allowed to have pools!

[chem geek]

If you have access to an inexpensive OTO chlorine test, then with the chlorine as high as you seem to be measuring, it will be well past yellow and even orange and probably red. Or, gulp, you can take it to a pool store to be measured, assuming they know about diluting the water to avoid bleaching out any DPD chlorine test they may use.