High PH - Feeling stupid

[CarlD]

Here's the Jen-You-Whine CarlD Shot Glass Method!

1) Get a shot glass (like you use to mix drinks).
2) Get a gallon of steam distilled water--most mass-market drug chains stock it, and many supermarkets.
3) Mix one shot glass full of pool water with one shot glass full of the distilled in a clean container (like a Pyrex measuring cup).
4) Fill your test cell to the line with the mixture. Add your drops and take the reading.
5) Whatever you read, double it. If it says "3ppm", you have 6ppm. If it reads "5ppm", you have 10ppm.
6) If it's STILL seems like the chorine's too high to read, go to step seven....
7) Mix 1 shot of pool water with TWO shots of distilled water, and re-run the test using that.
8) Now TRIPLE your reading--if it reads "3", it's 9. If it reads "5", it's 15ppm.
9) Going beyond two shots of distilled to 1 shot of pool water is possible (3 shots, quadruple your reading) but you lose accuracy fast. Still if it's the best way of reading chlorine, then you have to do it.

CAVEAT: ONLY use this method to measure chlorine levels. Do not use it for the other tests you run, and do not use it with the FAS-DPD powder test--that goes to 50 to 100ppm of Free Chlorine anyway.

There you have it!

[Simmons99]

CarlD:

I think I am confused in general on testing kits for clorine. I keep reading that Ben's test kit is only accurate up to 15ppm and it is a FAS-DPD test isn't it? (I don't have it so I don't know). Above 15ppm - doesn't it start to bleach the reagent so you can't read it? The OTO clorine test doesn't bleach - but it only reads up to 5ppm?

But then I read that the FAS-DPD is for high clorine readings.

So my confusion is that if you have to shock your pool to a theoretical 25ppm, what do you use to measure it?

(this may be a totally stupid question, and if my pool was ready and I had the tests- it might make more sense)

[Watermom]

Ben's kit will test to 25 and even beyond. You use the DPD-FAS powder and a water sample. No dilution needed. The dilution method that Carl is explaining above is when you have a test kit that will only measure to 5.

[Newbie65]

Thanks for the dilution explanation! It worked great. My pool is really coming along. The only other problem I have now is the scaling problem on the sides and a few places on the bottom. Anybody have any advice on that?

[CarlD]

You'll have to lower your T/A to do that. Check out the Alkalinity forum for a sticky thread on how to do it. It's a repeated process. High T/A can cause scaling, so start by fixing that first.

[waterbear]

CarlD:

I think I am confused in general on testing kits for clorine. I keep reading that Ben's test kit is only accurate up to 15ppm and it is a FAS-DPD test isn't it? (I don't have it so I don't know). Above 15ppm - doesn't it start to bleach the reagent so you can't read it? The OTO clorine test doesn't bleach - but it only reads up to 5ppm?
The DPD drop test (such as the one in the Taylor K-2005 kit) for FC/TC can bleach out. It is not the same as the FAS-DPD titration test that is in Ben's kit.
But then I read that the FAS-DPD is for high clorine readings.
Correct. (or you can use OTO with dilution of the sample but it will only measure total chlorine)
So my confusion is that if you have to shock your pool to a theoretical 25ppm, what do you use to measure it?
FAS-DPD
(this may be a totally stupid question, and if my pool was ready and I had the tests- it might make more sense)

Hope ths clears things up.

[Simmons99]

It sure does - thanks!

[Newbie65]

Okay, folks here's the newest readings:
TC = 5 after dosing and holding at 15 ppm for 2 or 3 days
PH = 7.2 holding steady after first dose of muriatic acid at beginning of thread
Alk - 180 not really a problem (I don't think) always runs high
CYA - 30 - 50 last time I checked w/strip test

Can't afford Ben's kit right now, daughter just enrolled in college!

I have a 27,260 gallon AG pool, 1.5 hp pump, 300lb Hayward 244T sand filter, w/2 skimmers and 2 returns.

This morning is the first time since May 18 that I have been able to see the bottom. Let me say thanks again to all who helped! My problem now is, I can see light tan stuff on the bottom. The water is not completely clear but clear enough to see the stuff. I got home and vaccumed to waste until my water level caused me to stop. I wasn't able to make a very big dent in the tan stuff, seems like it just moved around.

Since the tan stuff on the bottom is probably algae should I go ahead and raise my chlorine level to 15 or 20 again or just keep vaccuming when I get more water back in the pool?

Do I brush and stir everything up again? I'm really not sure what route to take and I've got bleach bottles coming out the wazoo! Recycle day can't get here soon enough!

Hope someone replys soon, it'll be dark soon.