Saltwater Pool is always reading High Chlorine

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PoolChickTX said:
OK great! Thanks again...I'm looking online to price compare/shipping. I'm shocked Leslie's does not carry it..

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It's not shocking...Leslie's would not carry it because then it would detract from their "Free Water Testing" model where they do a very bad job at testing your water so they can sell you lots of chemicals you don't need ;)

The best place to get a K-2006 is online with Amazon but most folks around here prefer to get the TF-100 kit from TFTestkits.net because it uses the same reagents, just in quantities and sizes that are more suited to a residential pool owner's testing needs. You should also consider getting a Taylor K-1766 salt test kit since you have a saltwater pool and, what most of us around here LOVE, The SpeedStir. Most folks look at the SpeedStir and think, "oh, that's just a toy and you really don't need it." But once they get one they are amazed at how fast it makes their testing go and how easy it is to use. Then they wonder how they ever lived without one.

I also have a Taylor SampleSizer and a Unit-Dose Dispenser but most folks don't have those....they are toys for only the truly nerdiest of pool water testers ;)

Happy Testing!!

Matt

PS - Word of advice, stay away from Leslies Pool Stores and all pool stores for that matter. Their entire business model centers around selling you stuff that you don't really need.
 
JoyfulNoise said:
It's not shocking...Leslie's would not carry it because then it would detract from their "Free Water Testing" model where they do a very bad job at testing your water so they can sell you lots of chemicals you don't need ;)

The best place to get a K-2006 is online with Amazon but most folks around here prefer to get the TF-100 kit from TFTestkits.net because it uses the same reagents, just in quantities and sizes that are more suited to a residential pool owner's testing needs. You should also consider getting a Taylor K-1766 salt test kit since you have a saltwater pool and, what most of us around here LOVE, The SpeedStir. Most folks look at the SpeedStir and think, "oh, that's just a toy and you really don't need it." But once they get one they are amazed at how fast it makes their testing go and how easy it is to use. Then they wonder how they ever lived without one.

I also have a Taylor SampleSizer and a Unit-Dose Dispenser but most folks don't have those....they are toys for only the truly nerdiest of pool water testers ;)

Happy Testing!!

Matt

PS - Word of advice, stay away from Leslies Pool Stores and all pool stores for that matter. Their entire business model centers around selling you stuff that you don't really need.
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Thanks! I eventually will switch to the TF-100. Our prologic has been running our pumps incorrectly by finding very helpful YouTube video's.
I'm trying not to overwhelm myself but I'm so mad that people charge $$ and did not bother reconfigure the outside prologic unit. I'm sure our salt water filter is overdue for replacement.
I will add that test and the speedstir looks amazing! It's on my wish list.
It doesn't surprise me either bc every company is out to make $$ but I'm about to pull my hair out. Not literally ;).
Thanks to everyone who has contributed and I'm SOO grateful for all of you!!!
Laurie

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You're most welcome, Laurie!

You are not alone! You can ask any member on this site and you will hear story after story of people who spent endless amount of money on pool "professionals" or service contracts only to realize that they were basically being taken for a ride. We get story after story of people coming home shocked and bewildered from the pool store after being sold hundreds of dollars in chemicals, 99% of which they don't need and will not fix the problems they had. They get sold what amounts to magic beans and then, exhausted and confused after nothing works, they go back to same pool store and are told to drain their pools as the water has obviously "gone bad". It isn't until that point that most people come here and find out that everything they had been told is basically nonsense and they can hardly believe that the methods we practice here works (simply adding only the chemicals your pool water needs and buying those chemicals, for the most part, from grocery stores). When people first begin to test their own water and see the results of those tests and how they correlate to the methods we teach, it's a light-bulb moment for most.

So don't feel bad. We were all where you are once and believe me, some people here have spent/wasted way more than what you did. Now that you have your test kit and you're starting to test your own water, you're going see how easy it can be to maintain a pool.

Also, don't worry about the salt water chlorine generator cell, it's probably fine. And should you have equipment problems, there are many, many expert members here who can help you diagnose and fix just about anything.
 
Chuckiechan said:
I only use leslies for CYA testing to get "in there" then my own CYA chemicals to zero in. I use the smaller K2006 kit.

IMO, It's best to buy the 2oz bottles (I think they are) when you refill your CYA chemicals.
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I would avoid pool store testing, especially for CYA. its probably the most difficult/subjective test that's done and is hands down the most consistently incorrect test the pool store does. never make adjustments to your pool's CYA based on the pool store tests.
 
PC - Great to see your story and that you are headed towards managing your own pool. I've managed mine from day one, but that's because I found TFP before building. I'm not sure what I would have done had I not...shudder the thought of being Pool Stored! To give a suggestion, don't expect much to happen when it rains, besides your pool getting wet. The amount of rain typically doesn't alter pool chemistry much at all, because it's such a small percentage of the water being added. In fact, if you tested the properties of the rain water and it's relative % addition to the pool water, you'd see by those formulas why there is so small of an effect as to usually be negligible. Although one thing that does happen when it rains, is the can wind blow foreign debris in and sometimes water from other places runs into the pool. Those cases can cause issues as you might imagine. Now if you got 14" of rain in 6 hours like some unlucky souls down your way recently, then be prepared to test and evaluate immediately.

I would also suggest that if your FC is too high (looking forward to your complete test results - FC of 10 or whatever could actually be too low depending on your CYA for example) then just turn your cell off. Turning it back to zero doesn't hurt anything so long as you are testing routinely to see where things are. By having it at 10%, you have no sense of how much FC is being added without the drop test. Your SWCG could be oversized (which would be a good thing) but which would also mean that 10% (of course depending on hours of run-time) might still be too much even for maintenance, much less for allowing the FC to drop.

BTW - Since backyards in many suburban areas are small, they should all be bordered by such beautiful surroundings as yours!

As much as I like to record things in spreadsheets to track them, I actually find that I really like to have my readings in a spiral notebook. I just list the day and whatever readings I took then, along with notes of what I added and other miscellaneous things that I'd like to remember. I've been good about jotting down details about the occasional maintenance tasks such as cleaning the salt cell, cleaning the filter cartridges, sealing the deck, managing water when I have large pool parties, etc. that relate specifically to my situation. It is now a nice repository of information to flip back through. SS's would work fine but I like the convenience of the notebook because it's right there by my testing area. I will be able to fit about 5 years of records in one notebook the way I record things. Our pool is only open 6 1/2 months though (mid-April to end of October) though swim season is more like mid/late May to mid September.
 
PoolChickTX said:
This blows my mind! Our pool guy was paid up until today.
http://imgur.com/3SBODk0 <--- photo of our fired pool guy's ticket.
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PoolChickTX said:
I hate to ask what Dichlor is and how much extra chlorine I have now :mad:
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Dichlor is 1,3-dichloro-1,3,5-triazinane-2,4,6-trione also know as stabilized chlorine. It is a type of granular chlorine that one can add to a pool to increase both FC and CYA at the same time; many refer to it as "pool shock". For every 10ppm FC added to a pool using dichlor, the CYA increases by 9ppm. So, as you can see, if you regularly use dichlor to add chlorine to your pool, your CYA will increase right along with your FC and you will eventually over-stabilize your pool water. Dichlor is a favorite of many pool service companies as they just test your FC level and then dump in a bunch of dichlor to raise your pool water to shock level. Then they usually tell you not to swim for a day. This is often referred to as the "Dump & Pray" Method of pool care - dump a bunch of chess into your pool and pray the water stays clear until you can come back again and dump more chemicals in.

You'll have to test your FC to see where he left it. At this point, the pool guy is fired so there is little to do but wait until your TF-100 arrives and you can properly test your pool water.

Good luck,
Matt
 

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Pool service companies have to follow a method of pool care that enables them to spend the least amount of time and money at your pool so as to be profitable. The only method that works is dumping in lots of chlorine each week in the hope that the FC level stays high enough before their next visit. As the CYA builds up, the FC is more strongly protected from sunlight degradation but the active chlorine level (the amount of hypochlorous acid produce by adding the chlorine) drops as the CYA gets higher. Eventually (usually over 150ppm CYA) the active chlorine levels are too low and then the pool water starts to get cloudy; an algae bloom is imminent. It is at that point that the service companies will start using secondary chemicals like algaecides and floccs and such in the hopes of improving the water. Eventually it all spins out of control and then they inform you that they need to dump your pool water and refill.

There is no way a pool service company can follow the TFP method as it relies on daily testing and dosing of pool water. They could not possibly make any profit that way.


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JoyfulNoise said:
Pool service companies have to follow a method of pool care that enables them to spend the least amount of time and money at your pool so as to be profitable. The only method that works is dumping in lots of chlorine each week in the hope that the FC level stays high enough before their next visit. As the CYA builds up, the FC is more strongly protected from sunlight degradation but the active chlorine level (the amount of hypochlorous acid produce by adding the chlorine) drops as the CYA gets higher. Eventually (usually over 150ppm CYA) the active chlorine levels are too low and then the pool water starts to get cloudy; an algae bloom is imminent. It is at that point that the service companies will start using secondary chemicals like algaecides and floccs and such in the hopes of improving the water. Eventually it all spins out of control and then they inform you that they need to dump your pool water and refill.

There is no way a pool service company can follow the TFP method as it relies on daily testing and dosing of pool water. They could not possibly make any profit that way.


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Wow!! Guess what last weeks invoice read?? They added algaecides. Unbelievable! So it's all to make a $$.. Wow!

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PoolChickTX said:
Wow!! Guess what last weeks invoice read?? They added algaecides. Unbelievable! So it's all to make a $$.. Wow!

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Do they say what algaecide they used? TFP does recommend the use of algaecides. Hopefully they have not been using copper based algaecides as those can lead to staining.

Have you ever had your water tested for metals (Fe and Cu)?


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JoyfulNoise said:
Do they say what algaecide they used? TFP does recommend the use of algaecides. Hopefully they have not been using copper based algaecides as those can lead to staining.

Have you ever had your water tested for metals (Fe and Cu)?


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Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet < -- that is all that was left when he came last week. Should we ask?

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JoyfulNoise said:
Do they say what algaecide they used? TFP does recommend the use of algaecides. Hopefully they have not been using copper based algaecides as those can lead to staining.

Have you ever had your water tested for metals (Fe and Cu)?


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I have not unless Leslie's tested for it...We have a rust tint near the deep end. I just took a photo - it's like a shadowy color?
36ae6dee2d5abecf87315a5f8c1dfeed.jpg

PoolChickTX said:
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet < -- that is all that was left when he came last week. Should we ask?

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