Chlorine testing

[alfred]

I test the chlorine level in our saltwater pool often because its a new toy. Today I thought I would use the same kit to test the water we drink. ( this is Discovery Bay, Calif. well water} I have a charcoal and fabric filter and a water softener for the house water. I tested the kitchen tap and no yellow showed up in the test. So I assume the filter is doing its job of reducing the chlorine in my water. I next tested the water straight as supplied by the township. It tested yellow between 2-3 ppm and you could smell the chlorine when you turned on the outside tap. I next tested the pool and it was a lighter yellow maybe 1-2 ppm.

I was surprised to see that our township water had so much chlorine in it.
I also added a half gallon of liquid chlorine to the pool and put longer time on the filter mode which should rise the chlorine level for the pool. I will test the poolagain tomorrow to see how many more hours I need to add.

 

[tim5055]

It's fun playing with a new toy.....

Pay attention to your testing and the way the water looks. It's funny, but you may see a problem long before any green shows up because you pay attention to it.

Some utilities are using chlorimines to treat their water (I'm sure Patrick will show,up and correct me in some way) and that shows up as CC on our test..... I know now,to expect CC if I have added water to my pool.

 

[Patrick_B]

Tim is right. Many utilities are using Chlorine and Ammonia to create a potent type of CC to sanitize drinking water. Your charcoal filter catches FC and CC. Typical FC residuals should be from 0.5-4.0 PPM so it's about normal.

 

[alfred]

My pool evaporate 2-3 inches per week. Which is the better water to fill it with:softened and filtered house water or straight township water.

Also my pool water ph is off the scale as being way up there. Is it better to put all the required muratic acid in at one time or a little at a time over a 12-23 hour period.
The ph has never been brought down to 7.2 and so far I have added 4 gallons of meratic acid over a period of two months. So if my re-fill rate is 2-3 inches per week then I have refilled about 8 times for 16-24 inches of water. I guess I should go to the pool calculator section and figure out how many gallons that is.

I know that the salt never evaporates from the pool. You only lose it by water loss from the pool. Since I am currently replacing the water with softened water ther is a little salt content in that water it might balance out. I still take a salt reading from thr diagnostics on the chlorinator.

Does any of the other chemicals, minierals or anything else evaporate in the water?

I have also been told that the plaster and gunite will leach or bleed stuff in the water.

I am sorry that there are so many questions, but these are some of the smaller nagging questions that I am looking for better answers that what the local trade has supplied me with.

My other pool, I did not find this site and we only put chlorine in it and it turned a lot of colors on us, the common color was yellow sides. My wife said if I took care of this one and not hire the pool guy and pay him for chemical services only that I better not end up with a yellow or green pool.

I have learned a lot about the equipment parts of the pool and now its time to learn about the water part of the pool. THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR HELP.

 

[tim5055]

Only water evaporates, so the minerals stay behind in the water. I would top off with softened water myself.

I would add the acid you need in two,batches about 30 minutes apart. Test the pH after the 30 minutes to see if the first addition had the desired effect. Once you get it in line it is better to adjust smaller amounts every day or,two,rather than waiting for big changes.

Post a full set of test results so we can look at the whole picture and comment on TA or CH and their effects on your rising pH and your worry about calcium leaching.

 

[alfred]

Thanks, I have to learn how to do a couple of those test. Good training for tomorrow morning.

 

[alfred]

Did some testing on my pool yesterday evening

FC 3
TC 2
CC= 1
PH 8+ acid demand 11 drops
Akal 30 drops +300
Cal 10 drops slight blue w/ red dots in mixture = 100
15 drops darker blue w/ red dots in mixture =150
CYA 30
the above was made with the Taylor K2005c

HDx kit chlorine 2-3

In the cal hardness test there were very little red dots through the mixture, is that normal for that test.

I have not added any chemicals yet. Will do after you look at these results.

I have on hand 2 gallons od muratic acid, 4 pounds of Cya acid ot stabilizer, 1.5 gallons of liquid chlorine.

I upper my SWC to 95% to produce more chlorine.

I personnaly do not like swimming in a heavialy chlorinated pool water, what is the minimun level that I can get away with and not have too many problems?

 

[Texas Splash]

For pool water, you'll want that PH down to the mid 7s quickly. So use muriatic acid per the Poolmath calculator to help you determine how much to put it. Consider using your calculator NOW value as 8, and your target value as 7.4. After 30 min or so of mixing with the pump on, check PH again and keep adjusting as needed. This way you don't add too much acid at one time and end-up too low.

I'm not seeing your CYA on this thread, but your FC looks low at 2, even for a SWG system. Make sure the FC is at the TARGET level as required by the Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart. Find your CYA, then the appropriate FC target value. Adjust or boost your SWG to the appropriate FC, or augment with bleach 30 minutes after the acid treatment. NEVER at the same time.

 

[alfred]

After a lot of small poures of muratic acid got the test to read 7.2-7.6

The color difference is close and I can't tell which is which. It close enough and better than it was.

My cya was about 30 so I am going to raise it a little by adding 2 pounds od powder acid ot stabilizer. This site reccommends to put it in a sock and place it in the ____________ and run the system for the next 24 hours. Hopefully I can get it up to 40-50. I will look up the method in pool school.

 

[Texas Splash]

Here you go:
To increase CYA via granular stabilizer, simply place the required amount as calculated by the Poolmath calculator into a white sock and suspend it near a return jet. You can squeeze the sock occasionally to help it dissipate. Once dissolved, it may take about a week for the CYA readings to fully adjust.

 

[alfred]

Thanks for sending the links.

I will shoot for a CYA of 70. I added a few pounds of cya a few day ago and used the scok method. I will test in another couple of days when it maks a week and adjust accordingly.

 

[alfred]

Yesterday evening I tested my chlorine levels and it was a bright yellow, the color os higher on the scale at least a 4 or 5. the CYA has all dissolved. I will test that level in a couple of days. I also tested my ph and that was still too high. The results said I needed to add anothe 2.5 quarts of acid. My pool also has evaporated 2.5 inches in 9 days and that will add some untreated water, which means more high ph water.