HELP! CYA is 0, Free Chlorine 0, and total chlorine 2 POOL CLOUDY AND GROSS

[nld21678]

Hey Everyone,

I could use some help here. Our pool has been cloudy and not swimmable for nearly a month. After spending hundreds on contradictory Pool Store antics, I figured I would ask for help. I recently went into our pool store yet again with tons of questions. My CYA is at a zero, my free chlorine zero and total chlorine 2. They recommended more shock, and clear up. I told them that our pool was blue but cloudy and I could not see the bottom. I mentioned my concern that the FC was zero as it is the sanitizing agent and the CYA is also zero. I asked if I needed a stablizer but they said I did not. My FC will not hold. I am using 7 day chlorine tablets with CYA in it, and asked why it was registering at a zero. Where should I go from here?

 

[Pool Tool]

Welcome, you've come to the right place. Unfortunately this is an oh so typical story. If you are ready for the answer to your question it will cost you about $70 to get a TF-100 test kit. With this kit you will be able to do all your own testing and eliminate the confusion that is the pool store. Once you are able to test your pool accurately, you will be able to take control and add only what you need and their effects on your pool overall. This forum is filled with similar stories so if you get discouraged read the threads or better yet visit the links in Pool School to familiarize yourself with the process.

TFTestkits.net This is the recommended kit, since your pool is cloudy I also recommend the XL option. If you are so inclined you can also get the speed stir to bump up to the free shipping. The K-2006 is also a good kit and available on Amazon, but has less reagents that you may need to get your pool sparkly.

As it sounds like you already know, you need CYA to protect your chlorine from the sun. Too much CYA is a bad thing, but you definitely need some. As to the zero FC - it could that it is zero or more likely that they are testing wrong. Caveat - CYA less than 20 is difficult to test for so you may have some, but less than will show up on a test.

Good luck with but I am certain you will not regret the kit.

Edit - please add your state to your profile location as the advice will differ slightly as to your location.

 

[DMS2014]

i love the speed stir thing!

 

[C3Cl3N3O3]

I let my pool store do water tests occasionally and I check their results against my Taylor results. For the most part they are close, but they are +/- 30 ppm on CYA which isn't very accurate. I carefully check and double check my results as it is the most difficult of the tests, but they just fly through it.

 

[pooldv]

Every pool store is different. They are all capable of providing good test results but the problem is they are inconsistent and just wrong many times. Here are some reasons why
Inexperienced teenagers
Poor training
Poor technique
Poor lighting
Poor clean up after last customer