Drain pool or add 77 lbs of shock - other options?

[Barbsite]

Additional updates. We ran the pump on high without the filters and the pressure seems good. We are going to order new filters (large, medium, small) today. It appears that the filters are hindering the pressure significantly. The filter is a few years old. I will also order the better test kit.

[Barbsite]

Another Update -

SUNDAY A.M.
Checked all chemical levels except CYA using hth 6 way kit (kit only has 2 doses for CYA so waiting to do this again)
- Chlorine/Bromine: 2 / 4
- pH: 7.2
- Alkalinity: 160
- Hardness: 240
Also used hth test strip as a comparison -
- Free Chlorine/Bromine: 0/0
- pH: 7
- Alkalinity: 150
- Hardness: 200
- CYA: 0
Brushed pool
Used net to clear off anything on the surface
Closed cover during day

SUNDAY P.M.
In evening added 6 gallons of bleach

MONDAY A.M.
Pool water is very clear and clean (small amount of white stuff and debris on surface)
Checked all chemical levels except CYA using hth 6 way kit –
- Chlorine/Bromine: 1 / 2 initially, but if I wait 5 min it shows 2 / 4
- pH: 7.2
- Alkalinity: 160
- Hardness: 260
Also used hth test strip as a comparison -
- Free Chlorine/Bromine: 0
- pH: 7.5
- Alkalinity: 180
- Hardness: 200
- CYA: 0

IS IT SAFE TO SWIM IN THE POOL? We have someone from out of town here today and they would like to swim (2 adults, 1 baby)

[PoolDoc]

Your chlorine is too low, so you'll need to add bleach before & after each use. Your PF is 5, so 1 gallon of 6% household bleach will add (5 x 0.5 lbs Cl2/gal 6%) about 2.5 ppm of chlorine to your pool.

Add 1/2 gallon 15 minutes before swimmers enter, and after they leave. Also if it's sunny, add 1/4 gallon every hour during use. If you can add via the skimmer, that would be best -- just keep swimmers away from the returns for 15 minutes after you add, so their swimsuits don't get 'white-spotted'.

BUT . . . you need to get some CYA in that pool. Dichlor is the easiest way. I've copied some info on that, below.

Other than that, you need to keep adding large doses of bleach at night, till you can hold chlorine levels overnight. If there are any tabs in the feeder, it would be best to remove them. Bleach in the skimmers is not likely to cause a problem, but it's better to be safe.

Also, you should detergent clean your filter when you get a chance. With those System3 beasts, you'll need quite a bit of TSP and a BIG garbage can, but it needs to be done. Here are the instructions: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?18044 . Remember, you also need to read the S-3 manual: http://www.pentairpool.com/pdfs/System3SMOM.pdf . And, you'll need a helper to lift those cartridges in and out of place without damaging anything!

If you want to do a chlorine demand test, to see how much more bleach it's likely to take, here are instructions for that:
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?16973

Ben

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+ If you need stabilizer, and have access to a Sams Club, buy their 24 pack of 1# bags of dichlor shock. Each bag will add about 7 ppm of chlorine, and about 6 ppm of stabilizer, per 10K gallons of water. Otherwise, order dichlor from Amazon:

Kem-Tek Dichlor 22 lbs

We do NOT recommend buying dichlor locally, otherwise, at least until you are an EXPERT reader of chemical labels. The chlorinating pool chemicals sold at Walmart, Kmart, Costco, and most other local stores are diluted blends, sometimes with copper and other products with bad side-effects.

[Barbsite]

I ordered and received the dichlor from Amazon: Kem-Tek Dichlor 22 lbs. How do I add this - a little each day or a lot initially or ?

We also purchased new large and medium filters. The medium filter has arrived but the large filter is estimated to be delivered next week. I had cleaned our existing filter with a special soap purchased from the pool store about a month ago, but we decided that the filters probably needed replacing, possibly because last year my husband used a power washer on them. Regardless of the reason, the filters don't seem to be working well.

[PoolDoc]

2 lbs (4 cups) at a time will add 5 ppm chlorine doses to your pool, and 4 ppm CYA doses. Just use the dichlor to add chlorine.

Power washers will definitely destroy cartridges. You don't need a special soap; the cartridge makers all recommend TSP. Full instructions here:
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthr...ut-Damaging-It!