Hi Carl.

Many thanks for taking the time to reply to my mail. Your help is greatly appreciated. Your comment about alligators was very funny. The worst we can expect in the UK are frogs in the pool... certainly no alligators. Apologies for the delay is responding been busy with family and reading your excellent pool solutions website.

1) I have used your dilution method to measure the Free Chlorine in the water and I believe it to be 10.4.

2) I have also lowered the pool water by approx 20 to 30 %. I hear you when you say that this is not going to make a huge difference, but I had started the process, so I let it run for a while. I am now refilling the water and expect this to be complete in a day or so. Also my pool line is really old and faded, so don't want to fade it anymore. My kids also have sensitive skin.

3) You would not believe the hundreds of pounds I have wasted on expensive pool chemicals in previous years. Your pool solutions website is a revelations! I have been hunting high and low for the last few days for cheap bleach. Sadly in the UK most bleach comes with foaming agents or fragrance. This is the only variety that I have found that looks suitable....

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/produ.../?id=260550096

On the plus side it is cheaper than bottled water! On the negative side.. it is only 1.5% so I have had to buy all the store stock! So I have 13 bottles (26 litres). I will need probably the same amount again to finish the job. No big deal, just means I will need to hit another branch of the same supermarket later in the week.

4) The plan is to let the pool water level return to normal. Retest for FC, TA, CYA, PH etc Get the pump going and use the supermarket bleach ASAP. I did by some Algaecide a week ago, but having read your email I have decided to leave it well alone for now.

5) I believe my bottom drain to be blocked, so I am dependent on my skimmer basket return. Water pressure at the sand filter is very good. There seems to be no visible means of playing with the bottom drain. I may try a drain snake when the algae is gone.

6) I skimmed an article you wrote about lowering TA. It said I needed to aerate the water... pardon my ignorance, but my haywards multiport valve has no such option. Do you mean filter? Below is a link to a pici of the type of valve I have.

http://yourpool.co/running/what-do-a...g-actually-do/

Below is a pici of my pool just before I started draining.

http://s46.photobucket.com/user/stan...a44ad.jpg.html


Many thanks again!

S