Can't keep chlorine levels up

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K

kbur6

0
Feb 22, 2015
3
Parrish, FL
We have had problems keeping our chlorine levels right for the last few weeks. We took a sample of our pool water to a company, 4-25-16. Total Chlorine level was 3.0 ppm, Free Chlorine, 3.0, total Alkalinity was 155, Stabilizer 150. Total Dissolved solids 3,200
We were told to add 3.5 qts of Muriatic Acid.

4-26 testing
total chlorine 0.0
free chlorine 0.0
ph 7.0
basic demand 6
Total Alkalinity 60
Stabilizer 120
T Solids 3,400

Tested phosphates this time, 2,000

Add phosphate remover 17.1 oz
add alkalinity increaser 4.5 lbs
Add Liquid chlorine 3.2 gal

4-28

T. Chlorine 0
Free Chlorine 0
ph 7.2
Total Alkalinity 75
Stabilizer 120
T. dissolved solids 3,800
Phosphates 800

Add total Alkalinity increaser 2.8 lbs

add Liquid chlorine 3.2 gal

Phosphate remover 7.7 oz


5-6

T chlorine 0
Free Chlorine 0
PH 7.4

T Alkalinity 120
Calcium Hardness 225

Stabilizer 115
T dissolved Solids 2500

Add liquid Chlorine 3.2 gal

Add Phosphate remover 21.3 oz

As you can see, we are going round and round, nothing is getting us where our pool should be.

Please help
Thank you
 
:wave: Welcome to TFP!!!

First, realize we do not trust pool store testing. So if you want to take control, the next step is to invest in one of the Recommended Test Kits and stop getting advice from the pool store.

Forget about phosphates.
There is no need to raise your TA.

Your problem is lack of chlorine (FC) and thus there is likely something in the water consuming it. Teh required FC level is a function of the stabilizer (CYA) level according to the FC/CYA Chart.

Your CYA is way too high, so you likely need to replace at least half the water (after confirming with the recommended test kit), and then follow the ShockLevelAndMAINTAIN Process to eradicate whatever is in the water consuming your chlorine.
 
Welcome to TFP!

What a merry go round! And all stuff you don't need and isn't helping. As you have found out the hard way. We call that being Pool Stored. Get Taylor K-2006C test kit or a TF-100 from TFTestkits.net and take control of your pool and get off the expensive pool store merry go round.

Start here to see how we take care of our pools, Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

And tell us more about your pool by updating your signature as shown here, Pool School - Read This Before You Post
 
Welcome! :wave:
A few things
  1. We don't trust pool store testing
  2. If the test results are accurate, you have too much Cyanuric Acid aka stabilizer
  3. Even if the stabilizer was perfect, you still need to feed the pool every day
  4. Phosphates are immaterial if you maintain adequate chlorine every day

How have you been chlorinating? Things like Calcium and CYA are generally set-it-and-forget-it. pH may require adjustments every week. TA slightly less often. Chlorine, though, is a consumable item. It needs to be added daily. Have you been adding chlorine every day, or trusting in pucks? If you've been feeding the pool a steady diet of pucks, that's what drove the stabilizer so high. The problem is that you need to maintain a certain ratio of CYA to Free Chlorine to keep things sanitary and kill any algae. But Chlorine dissipates in sunlight and through oxidizing the nasty stuff. So you add more. But you also add more CYA if you're using pucks. So you need even more FC. Which raises CYA. It's an endless spiral and eventually, you go too long with too low FC and algae gets started, and at that point, any chlorine you add gets eaten up almost instantly.

If you're pool isn't green yet, it will be soon. The only thing stalling it now is the lack of phosphates. Some blown in dirt and some pollen and twigs and it's all over.

So, the questions...

Are you ready to ditch the pool store?
Are you ready to invest in a proper test kit?
Are you prepared to give your pool two minutes a day for testing and dosing (after this current mess is cleaned up)?
If your own test results confirm the high CYA, are you up to draining over half the pool water and replacing it and starting over?

If you're ready, we can help.
 
Thank you for your reply and great information.
When all this started we were told to take the pucks out of the automatic feeder, which we did. We have been adding liquid chlorine every day, at the rate of 2 gallons a day.

The last pool we had was In California, dozens of years ago, I never had so much trouble with chemicals getting out of whack. We live in Florida now and the pool is covered with a screened cage, you would think that would keep a lot of "junk" from getting in the pool.
 
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