I need some help!

[Willis]

My pool was clear until July 3rd, now it is cloudy and cant see the drains in the deep end. Smells of chlorine. I tried some of the store bught shock, but then I found this excellent forum. I just received my TF-100 test kit, and here is what I came up with after two testings.
FC-85 yes, 85! MY SWG has been running as usual, but the intellichem readout shows chlorine at 635, down from 650 last night. For the past three years it has been working and staying between 650 and 750, and when I would shock it would go to about 800, but not these last two attempts. It moved the number up to 650 for a day.
CC- 5
CYA-- 80
TA 500
CH 400
PH 7.5

Not sure how to proceed. Also seeing a little white foam? on the top of the water. I have not backwashed sand filter as the pressure gauge has not moved. Thanks for your help!!!

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello Willis and welcome! I'm no SWG expert, but I can say confidently that an FC of 85 is extreme. Not sure how much manual feeding of chlorine (bleach) you used in conjunction with using your SWG, but that much chlorine may have an effect on your vinyl liner. You might want to consider shutting-down your SWG temporarily to let the FC come back down. At a CYA of 80, your SLAM/Shock FC would be 31 so I wouldn't add any more chlorine until your FC is down to at least 40.

That's my initial thoughts. I suspect others will have some advice shortly as well. If you have any more questions, let us know. Good luck!

 

[pooldv]

I believe the FAS/DPD test in the TF100 is only accurate up to 50ppm. Also, the PH test is not valid when FC is above 10 ppm. Definitely need to turn off the SWG and let FC drop a lot.

 

[Willis]

I will do that. I have been for 3 years going off the orp value on my intelllichem system and adding chlorine went that went low and it always worked fine but maybe it is not reading correctly at this time for some reason. Or Ive got something else going on. The new test kit is something I should have had a long time ago!! Thanks

 

[Pogueld]

The new test kit is something I should have had a long time ago!! Thanks

You are right! At least you are using yours, I waited a year - lol! I'm a full convert now and wonder why I didn't have it sooner!

Welcome!


[emoji176] Lisa P.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[singingpond]

My pool was clear until July 3rd, now it is cloudy and cant see the drains in the deep end. Smells of chlorine. I tried some of the store bught shock, but then I found this excellent forum. I just received my TF-100 test kit, and here is what I came up with after two testings.
FC-85 yes, 85! MY SWG has been running as usual, but the intellichem readout shows chlorine at 635, down from 650 last night. For the past three years it has been working and staying between 650 and 750, and when I would shock it would go to about 800, but not these last two attempts. It moved the number up to 650 for a day.
CC- 5
CYA-- 80
TA 500
CH 400
PH 7.5

Not sure how to proceed. Also seeing a little white foam? on the top of the water. I have not backwashed sand filter as the pressure gauge has not moved. Thanks for your help!!!

Could you please review how you did the FC measurement to get your result of 85 ppm? What sample volume did you use? Did the sample turn a vivid pink when you added the powdered reagent? How many drops did you put in before the pink color disappeared?

This is such an extremely high value that it is a bit hard to believe, especially since you didn't describe adding huge amounts of chlorine. It's worth double checking the test procedure.

 

[Willis]

I used 10 ml pool water. Very pink after powder. And put in 170 drops before it it turned clear. I did it twice because I was surprised at the first reading. And I had been adding some chlorine based on my intellichem reading, so I did add some granulated pool shock, then chlorine, and my reading for orp on intellichem was still on the low end. That's why I got the test kit because I felt I was just guessing and what had worked in the past was definitely not working now! Thanks for your help!

 

[jaduck]

Welcome to TFP!

My pool was clear until July 3rd, now it is cloudy and cant see the drains in the deep end. Smells of chlorine.

That is the CC = 5 causing that Chlorine smell, just FYI...

I tried some of the store bught shock, but then I found this excellent forum. I just received my TF-100 test kit, and here is what I came up with after two testings.

You're ahead of the game with the TF-100 purchase! How much is some and what, exactly, is the name on the shock?

FC-85 yes, 85! MY SWG has been running as usual, but the intellichem readout shows chlorine at 635, down from 650 last night. For the past three years it has been working and staying between 650 and 750, and when I would shock it would go to about 800, but not these last two attempts. It moved the number up to 650 for a day.

That is a very high FC! Please turn off your SWG, as you will need it to be off during your upcoming SLAM. As for adjusting your chlorine based on ORP readings...nope, not me, never! ORP is great when trying to balance a nice reef environment for Fish, Corals, and Invertabrates, but when balancing a pool I just think it is unnecessary. Keep your FC up and in the proper range for your pool/CYA. ORP probes/sensors go bad pretty quickly as well.

I recommend that you let the FC fall to about 31 ppm and then start your SLAM. Remember to test your FC often and try to maintain a FC of 31 ppm (use liquid bleach only) until you meet the following:

1. CC =/<0.5
2. Pass OCLT
3. Water is crystal Clear

Brush your pool often, Backwash when your pressure rises, and keep testing that FC and maintain a 31 ppm level.

 

[singingpond]

I used 10 ml pool water. Very pink after powder. And put in 170 drops before it it turned clear. I did it twice because I was surprised at the first reading. And I had been adding some chlorine based on my intellichem reading, so I did add some granulated pool shock, then chlorine, and my reading for orp on intellichem was still on the low end. That's why I got the test kit because I felt I was just guessing and what had worked in the past was definitely not working now! Thanks for your help!

That certainly sounds like the proper test procedure... assuming you were swirling the sample as you added drops.

You've stopped all sources of chlorine now, including the SWG, right?

When you say you put in some granulated pool shock and some chlorine (liquid??), do you know about how much you put in?

While the FC levels are up, you could save on reagent by using a 5 ml sample size - each drop would then indicate 1 ppm.

I might be inclined to get a cheap OTO drop test as a sanity check on that 85 ppm reading - the calibrated test block on those only goes to 5 ppm, but the indicator keeps changing from light yellow through darker yellow and then shades of orange and even brown as chlorine levels go up.

Ummm, wait, you have an OTO test kit as part of the TF-100, I believe, so give that a try.

 

[Willis]

Thanks. I did the oto test and the color was very dark. FC levels went down overnight as I did turn off the Swg. I will monitor and hold FC levels as advised until pool is clear. Thanks for your help. At least the test kit gives me a piece of mind as to what is going on. This forum has been extremely helpful.

 

[DanielP]

I wonder if more than just the pH can be wrong with FC that high. If it has been a long time since you tested ph when you knew FC was less than 10ppm, I would take a bucket of pool water to the side and test it a couple days after pool gets to shock level. Keep bucket in same sun as pool. Once bucket has less than 10ppm fc, test the bucket water to see if high ph, ta, and ch is part of your cloudiness issue. You can't pass OCLT with cloudy water, and I don't think it will clear if those levels being high are causing cloudiness. I think the high fc may be bleaching out some of the dyes so your levels of ta and ch may not be as high as you tested. I agree you need to SLAM with the chlorine smell you're having.