So I'm at a loss for what's going on. Pool was doing fine on the auto chlorine feeder. I am trying to switch over to liquid only. Haven't been having any luck. Just started the such over last week. Chlorine has been dropping everyday. I have checked the CYA and it has been rising over the last couple months. Originally it was around 40 to 50 and FC was around 5 or 6. My CYA is now around 60 to 70. Confused on how it's creeping up. I haven't added any more to the pool. Think it could be the chlorine packs that go to my aqua smarte feeder? Now I noticed today that I'm starting to get a small amount of algae. I just scrubbed and cleaned the pool last Thursday and had people over to swim Friday. We had a ton of rain last week. Upwards of 4 inches over the week. So much that the water was coming out of the skimmer. Just looking for ideas on what to do. I'm considering going back to the auto feeder packs tomorrow. I just shocked the pool by adding in alot of liquid chlorine. Hoping to SLAM it and go from there.
Really confused on CYA
- Thread starter dleague
- Start date
Any chlorinating product that is powdered or granular is going to add either CYA or Calcium. CYA is the most common.
The packs I was using were basically smaller tablets packed all into one package. In the process of SLAMming now. Waiting to see if that cleans up the algae. There isn't much but it just started. Want to get on it while I can. Also was going to get in the pool and scrub the edges. That's the only place I see the algae.
SLAM went good and passed. Still need to read up on switching over to the liquid though instead of just the packs. I did find out they contain trichlor. Which explains why my CYA kept going up. Scrubbed the pool though the other day during slamming and no signs of any green since. So good news. Appreciate this sign more and more I'm on it. Thank u everyone for the help!
Congrats! I am assuming that "pass" was referring to the OCLT???
Maybe using this tutorial will help with using liquid chlorine/bleach: Pool School - PoolMath
Maybe using this tutorial will help with using liquid chlorine/bleach: Pool School - PoolMath
Fighting this algae. CYA still hovering around 60. Trying to keep the chlorine up around 7. But it drops fast. Then if I don't check it every single day it can run out then fighting algae. Not sure what's the best method for keeping chlorine up. All other chemicals are greathe in range. Just FC I'm battling. I read the chlorine part here on TFP. But mainly emphasizes bleach. I don't use the actual bleach but I have been using the liquid chlorine at 10%. But of course the store ran out. So switched back to the trichlor tans for now. Just lost at what to do. I had the algae gone and passed the OCLT after slamming everything was good. Then bam the chlorine runs a little low and algae in no time. Any suggestions? I'm baffled at this point.
With CYA at 60 you should be targeting 7 ppm for FC. FC dissipates thru sunlight, evaporation, and battling algae and other organics. If the FC doesn't drop overnight, then you're not battling algae or organics - purely a result of sunlight and temperature in the day. Add sufficient chlorine every day to maintain that 7 ppm. If you let it drop too low you'll have algae problems again.
You need to find liquid chlorine. Those tablets are going to give you CYA trouble.
You need to find liquid chlorine. Those tablets are going to give you CYA trouble.
No more packs, no more pucks. They are raising your CYA.
Bleach and liquid chlorine are the same chemical, just in different strengths. If you can't find liquid chlorine, please use bleach.
If you are fighting algae, and you must be if you can't hold FC, you are going to have to slam: Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain
Bleach and liquid chlorine are the same chemical, just in different strengths. If you can't find liquid chlorine, please use bleach.
If you are fighting algae, and you must be if you can't hold FC, you are going to have to slam: Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain
Since you say you're battling algae, you should be targeting 24 FC. And checking it at least every couple of hours. As marian said, you should be SLAMMING that pool.
Thank you for the quick responses! I can hold the FC and have passed the overnight test. But have let the chlorine get low twice now. Down to around 4 at the lowest and when that happens it get the algae within a day or 2 most. It's not bad algae where the whole pool is covered but it starts to where you can see it along the edging. I then typically raise the chlorine level up above the 7 to get rid of the algae asking with vacuuming and scrubbing the pool. Just crazy that letting it get down to around 4 on the FC with a CYA of 60 can flip the pool that quickly. I guess I'm going to have to use bleach since I couldn't find the liquid chlorine. But next month it will be time to close the pool up for the year. Am I going to have any issues with closing it? Don't really want to open the pool next year covered in algae. Newbie here and trying to learn as much as I can. I went thru the pool school and try to follow that. Just trying to understand better through experience and others. Appreciate all the help!
It is amazing how fast a pool can turn for some people.
If you slam now, and then close properly, the odds of you opening clear and balanced are very good. If you let it sit with algae over the winter, you could open to a swamp.
If you slam now, and then close properly, the odds of you opening clear and balanced are very good. If you let it sit with algae over the winter, you could open to a swamp.
The only thing I can and will add here since I am also in Cincinnati is that Kroger is stocking pool shock (10% bleach) @ 9.99 for a case of 4. It's getting hard to find because of the time of the season but if you're on the east side the Eastgate Kroger still has cases. I'm sure others do but I only checked there since it's close.
I converted to trouble free earlier this summer and underestimated how much chlorine my pool went through at first so I flirted with low chlorine levels till I got my Liquidator dialed in. I also learned the hard way that it is critical to take 5 minutes each day and test for chlorine and ph. Now it's just part of my routine so it's no biggie. Good luck and stick with it, now that my pool is under control I'm using about a gallon a week to keep it happy so it's becoming very economical compared to frequent visits to the pool store.
I converted to trouble free earlier this summer and underestimated how much chlorine my pool went through at first so I flirted with low chlorine levels till I got my Liquidator dialed in. I also learned the hard way that it is critical to take 5 minutes each day and test for chlorine and ph. Now it's just part of my routine so it's no biggie. Good luck and stick with it, now that my pool is under control I'm using about a gallon a week to keep it happy so it's becoming very economical compared to frequent visits to the pool store.
Just be careful of close-out sales. Check the date code on the bottle. It's usually a 6 digit number starting with the last two numbers of the year, (now would be 16), and then the julian date (What's the Current Day Number?). I have that link bookmarked on my phone.
You don't want stuff that is beyond a couple of months old.
You don't want stuff that is beyond a couple of months old.
How quickly your FC drops is primarily a result of 2 things. 1. How much UV your pool gets. UV destroys Free Chlorine. 2. Chlorine killing biological material such as algae, bacteria, eating on leaves and grass clippings, bugs and other such things. Also if your bather load is high, thats another thing that will consume the FC.
If you have steps going into your pool, check on the bottom sides of the steps for any algae. Or steps with hollow legs or supports. Algae can get in there and eat up your FC. We see quite often that people forget to check these places. Check any place else you can possibly imaging where it will hide, beceause if it can, it will.
As you are finding out, if you are using liquid chlorine, you need to add it every single day to keep it within range.
If you have steps going into your pool, check on the bottom sides of the steps for any algae. Or steps with hollow legs or supports. Algae can get in there and eat up your FC. We see quite often that people forget to check these places. Check any place else you can possibly imaging where it will hide, beceause if it can, it will.
As you are finding out, if you are using liquid chlorine, you need to add it every single day to keep it within range.
So I have my FC level ironed out with the liquid bleach. Still having algae issues. It takes a few days for it to appear. I monitor the testing everyday. I have slammed the pool and passed the OCLT. But algae appears every few days. Usually it's a dark looking shadow color on the pool bottom and usually around the edges. I have talked with other people. Some have above ground and some have in ground. Everybody I know uses the chlorine tabs with no issue. Could it really be that simple as to switching over to those? I'm just lost. All my testing comes out good. My CYA is right around 60 to 70 aND I don't let the FC drop below 8. A few people have mentioned they put the auto pool cleaner in every few days. Or at least 2 to 3 times a week. I'm starting to do that. It cleans up the existing algae but doesn't keep it from coming back. I am not sure if it's because I have a tree nearby that is dropping a few leaves in the pool or what. Should I pull the steps out and give them a scrub? The pool will be shut down this time next month. Not sure what else I can do to keep things good until that time. I'm going to pay a pool company to come out and close it since it's the 1st time I've had a pool. Just so I can learn. But I'm baffled with the algae....
It may be helpful to post a full set of test results, from your own test kit. What may appear as one thing could be something else all together.
If you can, I would definitely pull the steps. It has happened before that people have passed an OCLT only to find that algae had returned. Steps and light niches are two common culprits. Usually we figure that out prior to completing a slam, but those hidey places can be tricky.
I brush about 3 times a week from the outside. Then I get in and vacuum and brush once a week. I'm leaning that the tree by the pool or the stairs are causing the issue. Getting ready to close it down for the year so the stairs are coming out.
Latest test results
FC 15
PH 8 only cause the FC is up. Normal runs around 7.6
TA 90
CYA 65
Latest test results
FC 15
PH 8 only cause the FC is up. Normal runs around 7.6
TA 90
CYA 65