Ignor the ch now. Now that we know it's not high, who cares about it. Test every month or two to make sure you don't mess up and add something that adds ch. Keep your FC above 13 and the last bit of cloudy will go away. With a .5cc reading, and cloudy it shows some smalllllll item is still holding on in the pool. Most likely a monster of some sorts. Keep the FC above shock during the day as the cya will help hold the FC in the pool. You're soooooo close. Finish off everything!! You're fine to swim up to shock level, but again I'd suggest a quick rinse afterwards as you're a touch high.

Vacuum and brush.....go for the sparkles now! You're past the hard part, now it's in the details.

Yeah, safe up to shock level. I think you will see a little cloudy for awhile due to the shock. When you are comfortable with your chlorine level and it has circulated in the pool for awhile, you might want to turn the pump off for a few hours and let the flock settle and then vacuum. At least that is what I remember having to do and one reason I have never flocked again. It just took a long time to get all that stuff out. On the other hand you are much better off being able to see the bottom. All your numbers look good. CH is not a problem for vinyl pools so you do not need to worry about it unless it goes way off the chart and yours isn't. The level is probably a function of your fill water and will probably be fairly stable. What is your TA? That you will want to work to get down to the 70-80 level. On Thursday, check your CYA level and make sure it is at least 30. Once you are done with the shocking process you will want to raise the CYA to the 40-50 level.

It appears my TA is 170-180...

That's not good huh.

Mine started around 190 due to the stupid pool store saying its always low. You'll use a touch more acid to lower the PH plus the PH will raise faster than a low TA level. Don't worry....focus on the FC for now.

Well i'll tell ya this...

My pH has been low since the beginning of the swamp/swap when i had to add the acid to lower it. It was reading 6.8 or lower (thats as low as the number went). I've worried about it here and there so last week (and i posted this) i raised it some. The calculator said to put double the Borax that i actually had on hand, to get it to go to 7.2.

So, i put 1/2 what it said to put. Now my pH is 7.5...so it raised it a lot. Thinking that's because my TA is high and that also made my TA higher?

Still trying to figure out how all this chemistry works together...

But, yeah i won't worry for now...

Another item to keep in mind that as you've got such high FC levels the PH test isn't as accurate. Often if my memory serves me correct, you'll get higher readings with a FC level over 10. Your PH level maybe lower now than 7.5. Hard to tell with a high FC level.

Had an amazing time playing in the pool today. Came in took a much needed nap, went out played again.

I will get that FC level up now and see how she does tonight.

Felt wonderful. It was nice to be in there and actually see my feet!!!!

It was probably nice to be in the pool without a brush, vacuum, or rake in your hand.

Did you ever get that margarita that was prescribed?

Great news! Glad you were finally able to enjoy the fruit of your labor. Yeah!

That's WONDERFUL Nicki!

Now where's the pic? lol!

NO NO NO

You weren't playing in the pool, you were helping the filter by stirring the water around!

I agree with Leebo, don't worry about TA now. It is not too high. After you get through with the shocking process, you can start working on getting the TA down. Having vinyl pools we do not have to be as careful with TA & CH as plaster pool owners.

Leebo.....Ohhhhhhhhhh that's right!!!!! Golly i forgot!!!! I wasn't playing no no no. I was still working churning up the water. There will be no playing until it is sparkling. Geeze what was i thinking!!!!!

You are right techguy. I was having withdraws from it though. I felt guilty. I swear i did. No margarita yet. I'll get to that this week though!!!

Thank you BethyM!!!!

Jule!!!! I'll get one up here i promise. Gotta have that margarita in hand first!!!!

You got it Txmat!!!! No worrying bout no letters 'cept FC and CC and pH!!!

ha ha ha! So THAT's what it's called?

So if I get in tomorrow withOUT the brush, that's legal? yay!

My father-in-law who's pool I take care of is in his late 70's. He would ALWAYS encourage the kids to go swimming in the pool when it was dirty. He always would say it "helps mix things up". I call it 100% legal....just take a quick rinse afterwards.

Jule....can you post a link to your thread. I must have missed it?

Yeah NikiBelle!!!!! So glad you are starting to enjoy your pool. I know how the frustration can wear on your nerves. But your diligence and patience has paid off. Can hardly wait to see an updated pool. Enjoy the holiday!!!!

Mornin!!!!!

Still somewhat cloudy but can still see the bottom.

Here is the latest pic....

Good Morning - That pool is sure looking good. You are going to have a Happy 4th tomorrow! Your in a kind of no man's land at this point and just need to follow your instincts. Part of the cloudiness is probably due to dead organisms that are still in the water and part probably due to flock. The shocking protocol states you continue to keep the FC up and the pump and filter running until the pool is clear and the flock protocol calls for the pump off so the flock can settle out. Continuing shocking will clear the pool as the filter captures the flock. Stopping the pump and letting the flock settle and then vacuuming will clear the pool as well and maybe faster. But you run the risk of algae coming back. What I would probably due is bring my pool to shock level, brush, let the pump run for an hour, check my chlorine level and make sure it was still at or near shock level and then turn the pump off for six hours, then vacuum, then replace water, bring chlorine to shock level and leave my pump on. Tomorrow, would just keep the pool at shock level and enjoy the pool and then on Thursday, if the pool was still cloudy, I would repeat today's regimen. Now that is what I would do, but others might take a different course. You really are pass the worse and you can begin to enjoy the pool. One other thing, if you are going to have little kids in the water tomorrow then I probably would let the FC level come down from shock tomorrow until the kids were out of the water. It's safe to be in the water when it is at shock level or lower, but since little kids tend to swallow water, I just am more comfortable at 8 or lower. Anything above 4 should keep new algae from growing as long as it is not too long at that level, but that will not be high enough to clear the pool.

Sounds like great advice Txmat!!!!

No little kids around here, yet. Kids are grown and no grand-young'ens in the immediate future for me.

This morning..
FC 13 at 10:00...sun has been out since before 8
CC .5

Yes the pool is cloudy and it's hard to see from the pics but it's really less cloudy than those pics show. I can see the bottom all the way across the pool. I agree it's left over dead algae and flock. I thought i'd swim this afternoon, then turn off for about 6 hours and vacuum before it gets dark.

Also for the first time, it is beginning to sparkle in the sun some. I've not seen that until late yesterday and today. I suppose it does that as it gets more clear. It is a tad clearer today than yesterday as well.

Tomorrow i won't be home the biggest part of the day and tomorrow night i'm going out to see fireworks. So, I love your plan, i'll just have to wiggle in on days i'll be in the pool and days i won't be here. At night i do feel i need to keep bring it up to shock level for that good 12-14 hours of dark time.

I've heard some of these conversions take a month or longer. I started June 11. So, i'm still under a month. Hopefully i'll make that cut off for it to be complete. But, if not, i'm still so very happy with my pool right now. What a difference it makes to see, feel, smell clean water. This has been a two year process actually, of getting all sorts of advice from neighbors, the pool store and finally finding this site and finding all of ya'll. This site and all of you and your wisdom is the only thing that has worked.

I can't say enough how thankful i am. Truly.

You have a great plan and attitude and we all are happy for you. Thank you for the kind words. Most if not all of us have been in your shoes - at wits end - and then finding this site and working through the process with the help of others that have gone before. If we have been a little help then I know I speak for all we are glad we were here.