Taking over care of parents pool

[PoolDoc]

1. So just to be sure I understand, I can use the K2006C kit FAS-DPD test or an OTO based test and just multiply whatever drop/color based result I get by 2.25 to get the Bromine ppm?

Yes.

2. When I questioned my parents about why the switched to the oxygen shock the answer I got was that they thought it was safer and when they had used chlorine shock in the past it turned the water brown. I read the answer to the safety part of the question on your site already but is there anything that might be in the pool that could react with the chlorine to turn the water brown or cause brown staining? Is it possible that they are confused and something else they added turned the water brown?

Brown, as in brownish-red? Probably bromine gas in partial solution. If the brown disappeared after mixing, then that's what it was . . . and it probably indicates an extremely high bromide residual. Short term, you can avoid that by chlorinating via the skimmer.

Long term, it indicates that it will be really important to drain, rinse and flush (pipes, filter, pump) and then re-drain.

3. I'm slowly making my way through reading you site as time allows so my apologies if this next question is answered there. If I start using bleach or some other chlorine to shock how much should I be using per dose? Also, is there any type of chlorine that I should NOT use to shock the bromine pool because it has something else in it?

Calcium hypochlorite will add calcium; dichlor and trichlor will add stabilizer, but that will not affect your pool at present. Bleach will add a bit of salt, but because it's instantly in solution, you're more likely to see the bromine gas formation.

4. The pool has not been drained since a new tile and plaster patching job was done somewhere in the area of 1997-2000 so I assume it may well have the high hydantoin levels and associated problems?

Very likely.

5. I would love to convert the pool to chlorine but do to water use restrictions, the cost, and the time of year (the pool is unheated so there is only about a month or so of use time left) it won't happen this year. That leads to the next issue of cost and a perhaps bigger problem plaster condition. I didn't mention it before but the plaster is starting to come off the pool walls in a significant amount. This seems to be occurring a few inches below the tile line and progressing downwards. It's actually flaking off in significant size pieces ( I've seen a few that were 2-3" in diameter) and there is clearly more plaster beginning to separate away. Given this, I'm guessing the pool needs to be replastered sooner rather than later. I assume that replastering the pool would eliminate the need for the washdown and just require flushing the pipes? I also assume that given the plaster condition it would not be worth it to go through the chlorine conversion process before replastering?

All you say seems to me to likely be correct.

6. Assuming they decide to replaster and convert to chlorine rather than fill in the pool, any recommendation on going with a SWCG system versus a traditional chlorine system?

If you are having to care for the pool, and are not living there, an SWCG would make things easier. But they don't actually save money. They just provide a very reliable continuous chlorine feed system.

Keep in mind that the salt levels required may not be compatible with some of your pool hardware. But that could be replaced when you re-plaster.

[FormerBromineUser]

Chris: I keep seeing you online. Do you have any questions or are you good?

[cconte]

Yes I seem to need some advice. I apologize for bringing up a bromine question but I can't really find any other place to go. The pool was opened about three weeks ago. after being open about a week the pool went from a nice blue to green but clear water. I immediately suspected a lack of bromine. I emptied out the bromine canister myself and confirmed that water is at least flowing into the canister. I reloaded the canister with Bromine and then put some tablets in the skimmers and ran the pool continuously for a couple days. This seemed to restore the normal water color. Unfortunately at the time my new Taylor kit had not arrived so I was flying blind. This was on a sunday, the following thursday I had the water tested at Leslies, the results were Bromine 1 ppm, pH 8.0. TA 100 ppm, Dissolved Solids 700, calcium 200 ppm, and phosphates 1000 ppm. The pool company came and "inspected and flushed" the Bromine Cannister the following saturday, told us it was ok, and left a nice bill behind. My taylor kit came the same day and on Sunday (last sunday) I tested the water using the kit with the following results Bromine 0.5 ppm, pH 8.0, TA 160 ppm,calcium 280 ppm. I then tested again today and the Bromine is down even lower, i'm just guessing .25 or less ppm, everything else is the same as monday. Obviously there is something wrong, my question is is it definitely the delivery device for the Bromine that is not working (despite the pool company's claim that they checked it and it is fine) or could there be something going on chemically with the pool water. I'm starting to see a little black (I think) algae pop up which I've brushed and treated with polyquat. I'm just getting nervous that a full algae bloom is not far of given the low Bromine. I was hoping that Leslie's would give results for individual metals rather than TDS but I think i'm going to risk it and start shocking with choline to try to get the bromine levels back up. Any thoughts?

The pool is a 36,000 gallon in ground gunnite/plaster with DE filter. Test kit is Taylor K2006

Anyone know of a reputable pool company in Northeast MA?

[CarlD]

I'm not knowledgeable about bromine but your pH is too high. You need to bring it down to the mid 7's. If bromine is anything like chlorine, it's gets far more effective at lower pH levels. Also I have NO idea if you use Cyanuric Acid with bromine and how much. But it sounds like you desperately need to shock the pool. I don't know what will happen if you use chlorine, either.

[FormerBromineUser]

Carl is super correct about getting that pH down. Yes, you can use liquid chlorine/bleach to shock your bromine pool but when testing for shock level, use FC, not Br. My previous history with a bromine pool was that adding CYA actually made things worse.

How old is the water?

[CarlD]

FBU knows bromine (hence her name). So I defer to her on that.

[FormerBromineUser]

Reading your whole thread again, I realized I somehow missed the bit about how old the water is and that you need a replastering job. Sometimes on my phone I scroll too fast. Sorry. Forget that question from the previous page. Get that pH down as CarlD suggested, also on previous page.

Here's a new one: Is the bromine canister called a bromine/chlorine feeder? Is it inline?

Do NOT add liquid chlorine/bleach to your skimmer as mentioned last year with any bromine tabs in that feeder.

Add your chlorine in the evening as the sun will burn a lot of it off during the day. Distribute it evenly around the pool or slowly in front of a return jet in the deep end.

Water that old (1997-2000) that has been treated with bromine can be rather risky. There is a compound called DMH that is used in producing the bromine tabs that never really goes away and just builds up over time. High levels in your pool can cause bad skin rashes.