Water has a blue tint - too much chlorine

[jagger2005]

My pool has had water in it for 2 weeks. The PB was not around for 5 days (no notice) so I was a little worried about the chemistry and started using my test kit.

The first thing I checked was the CYA and it was 70. FC was 4.5 so I was not too worried about it so I took his floater out because of the CYA

The next day I tested the CYA was 90 and FC was 1.5. So I added liquid chlorine to get the FC up to 7. This was on 7/1 in the evening.

When I got up the next morning (7/2), the FC was actually 8 so I might have my gallons calculated incorrectly.

On 7/3 in the morning, the FC was 3, so I lost 5 FC in one day. Is this loss normal in a startup?

I have been double dosing the last 2 days to try and keep the FC between 4 - 7 because I do not want to mess with the PB startup process. I called him this morning and he happened to be at the house working on some flagstone steps and discussed the CYA/FC, he stated that he can tell the pool has to much chlorine in it because it has a blue tint. Is this even for real? There is no way the FC is above 5 because I ran out of liquid chlorine and threw the floater back in for the day - about an hour before he got there.

He also told me that I am testing to much and the chemicals take 24 hours to settle. I should only need to test every 4 days. BTW, the pool is not on the SWCG yet.

 

[n240sxguy]

I don't know what is causing it to be blue, but I can tell you mine has 70 CYA and the FC was 8.5 yesterday, and the only blue was the liner. Everything besides CYA can be circulated and tested in 30 minutes. Are you using one of the two recommended test kits?


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[jagger2005]

I am using the TF-100...forgot to put this in my signature when I got it in.

My CH is 260 and my TA is high - 190. The TA was actually 220 the first time I test it so I lowered the PH down to 7.2. Next 2 days it was 7.5 and then it shot up to 8.2 yesterday morning, so I lowered it to 7.5. To me the water looks the same as when it was filled. I have white plaster and blue tile and the water has always looked light blue - it is clear in a clear measuring cup and I can see every spec of sand settled in the bottom just fine. Driving my wife crazy that we cannot vacuum it yet.

 

[BoDarville]

I think your PB is giving you a load of you-know-what on several counts. First, chlorine does not take 24 hours to "settle". Within about 30-60 minutes of adding chlorine and leaving the pump running, you will be able to retest the chlorine level and it should reflect the original amount + the amount you just added. Second, I have never heard of chlorine turning the water blue (assuming you are using plain unscented liquid bleach w/o any added thickeners). Now, if the pucks you have in the floater contain any additives such as an algaecide, then that might contribute to tinting the water. Third, you need to test FC daily during the swim season - not every 4 days like your PB is suggesting. In a well-maintained pool, about 33-50% of chlorine is lost per day during the summer. Testing and dosing FC every 4 days is like putting out a welcome mat for algae.

I will say that if your PB gave you some specific start up instructions on a new build (which it sounds like), you should follow those in order to keep your warranty valid. However, I don't think my comments above should conflict with any specific start-up procedure especially now that you are starting week 3. It is quite common for pH to rise somewhat dramatically on a new build or when a pool is resurfaced. It sounds like you are doing the right things on a new start-up such as not adding salt and turning on the SWG just yet. However, I would still test FC daily and keep the recommended maintenance amount - no more than that - in the water.

A closing comment...the only chemical that does take several days (between 5-7) to fully register on a test is CYA (stabilizer). The granules usually take a few days to dissolve and then circulate through the system.

 

[tim5055]

I agree with Bo. That your PB said to test every 4 days is very poor advice. Until you learn your pool and you get teh SWCG running testing once a day is a minimum, twice a day is better. I would get that floater out of there an don't use it again. You are already above the recommended CYA levels. Make sure your FC stays above 5, 8 is probably a good target for now. With rain, splashout and backwashing you should be able to get the CYA back down in the recommended range.

 

[jagger2005]

Thanks to all for advice and comments. I pulled the floater...got some more liquid chlorine on the way home last night.

I do have some questions about the CYA test. First time I tested indoors at night with my all the lights on in my kitchen/breakfast area (a lot of lights) and I got a reading of 70. The next morning I was outside, back to the sun but it was cloudy at the time, and got 90. Last night I tested again in the house and got 70. For consistency is outdoors the best place to test - back to the sun, not cloudy? I am struggling to determine if I am doing the test properly. Mentally I know that black dot is in the tube, so even when I still can faintly see the outline of the dot, I still keep adding to the test tube, and I am not sure if that is correct.

Also for clarification, I have seen 2 videos on the test - the TFP version and someone on youtube showing how to do it using the taylor 2006 kit. In his demonstration he shakes the mix of reagent and pool water for 30 seconds (actually shook it for closer to a minute) and then appears to immediately test. In the TFP instructions and video it states to mix, wait 30 seconds, shake it again and then test. Would the end result of either method end with a different result?

 

[chiefwej]

Ideally the CYA test should be read outside with your back to the sun and the tube held at waist level. You want to watch for the dot to disappear, (you may still see the outline of the sticker that the dot is printed on after the dot disappears). Keep pouring the solution back and forth into the testing tube until you are satisfied that your reading is consistent.