Famous Chlorine

[gfritz1]

My readings were with a hth 6 test kit.are you saying to now drain as the only option

[Watermom]

I just now kind of reskimmed this thread and see that you said earlier that you had the 6-way kit. Sorry about that. We read and respond to SO many threads that sometimes we forget some of the particulars about a specific poster's problem. Plus, you only gave a TC reading. I thought the 6-way kit also allowed you to either find FC or CC. Can't remember. It has been a long time since I used a 6-way kit.

I'm not saying you have to drain. You can run a pool with a high cya level. You just have to run your cl higher than normal. Take a look at this chart:

Stabilizer . . . . . . Min. FC . . . . Max FC . . . 'Shock' FC
=> 0 ppm . . . . . . . 1 ppm . . . . . 3 ppm . . . . 10 ppm
=> 10 - 20 ppm . . . . 2 ppm . . . . . 5 ppm . . . . 12 ppm
=> 30 - 50 ppm . . . . 3 ppm . . . . . 6 ppm . . . . 15 ppm
=> 60 - 90 ppm . . . . 5 ppm . . . . . 10 ppm . . .. 20 ppm
=> 100 - 200 ppm . . . 8 ppm . . . . . 15 ppm . . .. 25 ppm

Since your cya is 110, then that means that shock level for your pool is 25ppm of chlorine and normal maintenance levels of chlorine must stay between 8-15. It can still be done, though if you don't want to drain. But, it is going to continue to cause you to use a lot of chlorine.

Have you used lots of triclor tablets in the past? They have cya in them and that is how a lot of people unknowingly get such high cya levels.

So -- two options. Either do a partial drain and refill or leave it as it is but use a LOT of bleach and shock that pool up to 25. I'm sorry you are having such a hard time, but ultimately, you will get it taken care of and be able to enjoy your pool.

(BTW -- In a pool your size, each gallon of 6% bleach should raise your cl level by just under 3 ppm.)

EDIT --- Just noticed that you tested and got a cya reading of 60 vs. pool store reading of 110. Don't know why I didn't see that before. Retest and see what you get and/or maybe let a different pool store test it and see what they get. Do this before you decide to drain. If it is indeed 60, that would be a much more manageable level. Note that the shock level would change for that cya level. Check the chart.

[gfritz1]

Ok added 3 additional boxes of Borax to raise the PH .They love me at Walmart

Finally today have success on PH as am at 7.2 --------------YES

Went back to same pool store today to test and they provided the readings on left with mine on right using the Walmart kit
CYA 70 (why did they get 110 yesterday?) I am out of chemical for this but I have been 50-60 . Assume this will impact what you tell me to do ?

Total Chlorine 0 Me 1 My kit only does Total .Will order Taylor in morning
Free Chlorine 0
PH 7.1 7.2 Me
Total Alkalinity 191 210 me
Total Hardness 229 210 me

They also said phosphates at 2500 and wanted to sell me phos out

My water is sparkling and 82F -never this way on Memorial Day in Pa

I added no bleach today - so GROUP what now as still cannot get a chlorine reading?
Another nice day on tap Memorial Day .
I tried to get a second pool store reading which is 11 miles away but closed .Nobody open now until Tuesday

Looking for advise

[Watermom]

Read the following thread. I'm wondering if you are having the same type problem as that guy. Sometimes pools have huge chlorine demands upon opening. That is what this guy's problem has turned out to be. I'm wondering if your pool is having the same thing going on.

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=9547

We'll get this figured out one way or another.

Now that your ph is above 7.0, I want you to start aerating to make the pH rise. (Aim the return jet upward to create as much bubbling and splashing as you can get.) The reason I want you to do this is because your alk is high. Not critical but when your ph gets up to about 7.6-7.8, we're gonna work on your alk. But, that is not a priority for now.

Keep adding bleach. What is the most bleach you have added at one time so far?

Glad you didn't buy the phos out.

[gfritz1]

Most Bleach was 5.6 gals of the 6 % which should have raised the ppm by 17ppm -what do you suggest ?

I now understand the aeration and will add the nozzle and point upwards .Presently no eye ball nozzle on the return

[Watermom]

OK. Unfortunately, this pool situation is not responding like normal pools do to the advice you have been given so far. I suspected that this high chlorine demand is due to stabilizer biodegradation to ammonia and/or urea like we are helping another member deal with in a different thread. (That is why I asked you to read the thread link I posted above.)

I consulted with Ben as to what advice to offer next. A few questions we need to know to help us solve this mystery:

1. Have you used any type of chlorine remover such as peroxide or thiosulfate in this pool?

2. You don't have massive amounts of floating algae, do you?

3. Have you ever used any products such as Yellow Out or Yellow Treat, etc. in this pool?

Can you timeline the pool from opening for us. What water was like when, and what the readings were. What you added when, etc. A timeline so we can see the progression more easily without having to keep scrolling back and forth through the entire thread. In addition, having it be more concise will make it easier to pinpoint the problem.

Also, can you tell us what your cya level was upon closing last fall and what it was upon opening this spring before you did anything to the water? Answer these questions and hopefully we can get this solved.

[gfritz1]

ok will try to answer
No never added a chlorine remover
No floating algae
Never added any yellow out or yellow treat
Did not take any readings last fall when closed thus unsure of cya reading
Do not have copy of initial readings but when pool place opens in morning will see if we can get copy-ok
Today added 6x1.42 gals of 6% and was able to get a chlorine reading with the strips as a quick check about 30 minutes after.
3 hours later none
Added another roughly equivalent to 20 ppm - checked and was able to see on strip
3 hours later none on strip but on chemical tester appears free chlorine was betrween 2-3.
Will hit it again once done mowing the lawn

Have added areator or will plan on treating every 3 hours until bed and then give you complete set of readings in morning-OK

Last shock it did load up the filter so something came out of the water