You should be running the filter 24/7. Aren't you already? That is outlined in the "green swamp" article you referenced in your first post....
Running on low is fine.
Running on low is fine.
Diary of a swamp
- Thread starter Krickett
- Start date
Bob_Funk
0
duraleigh said:
Krickett have you done an over night free chlorine loss test?
pool-school/overnight_fc_test
That is the only way to know if you are done shocking.
Krickett said:
Below 20? something isn't right.
I would really like to know what your actual CYA level is, you say you added
on 7/7, 5#-that should have gotten you to 30
on 7/16, 1# that should have taken you to 35
on 7/21, 51oz-that would have taken you to close to 50 with the back washing
What was the strength, % CYA you added?
Bob - I thought I read somewhere that the water should also be clear which it hasn't fully reached yet, so I didn't see the point in that just yet. Am I wrong?
Concerning the CYA, I realize that I mismeasured the first time. It was probably more like 3 lbs. I started with a new 8lb container and accurately measured 51 oz. on the 21st so the other 4+ lbs is what I added the first two days. I started chlorinating a couple days later which possibly caused some loss due the bacteria eating it up but I don't think just a couple of days would have much affect but it might and then several backwashes and vacuumings leaving it a little below 20. The point is I didn't add as much as I thought but hopefully it should be up with the additional stabilizer and the use of trichlor.
Concerning the CYA, I realize that I mismeasured the first time. It was probably more like 3 lbs. I started with a new 8lb container and accurately measured 51 oz. on the 21st so the other 4+ lbs is what I added the first two days. I started chlorinating a couple days later which possibly caused some loss due the bacteria eating it up but I don't think just a couple of days would have much affect but it might and then several backwashes and vacuumings leaving it a little below 20. The point is I didn't add as much as I thought but hopefully it should be up with the additional stabilizer and the use of trichlor.
The third "criteria/criterium" of knowing when you are "done" shocking, being "clear or sparkly" water, really only applies when the pool owner doesn't have an FAS-DPD test to "know" the algae is dead.
Often the algae can be dead and it just takes a sand filter (especially sand) a long time to filter out, and there are some things you can try to help with that.
So tonight, 30 minutes after the last bleach addition, if any, you test the FC and record the result, then first thing in the a.m. before the sun hits the pool, test it again, and compare. If you lose more than 1ppm the algae is not dead yet.
Often the algae can be dead and it just takes a sand filter (especially sand) a long time to filter out, and there are some things you can try to help with that.
So tonight, 30 minutes after the last bleach addition, if any, you test the FC and record the result, then first thing in the a.m. before the sun hits the pool, test it again, and compare. If you lose more than 1ppm the algae is not dead yet.
Day 18 (7/22/09)
10:30 am - FC=16.5, Added 1 jug 182oz 6% bleach. Stabilizer gone. Loss=.2 ppm/hr
5:00 pm - FC=16, Added 1 jug 182oz 6% bleach. Loss=.6 ppm/hr
9:30 pm - FC=19. Loss=.2 ppm/hr
I can see the bottom of the spa and shallow end of the pool :-D . I will have to vacuum again, but I figured that. Will attempt overnight test tonight.
10:30 am - FC=16.5, Added 1 jug 182oz 6% bleach. Stabilizer gone. Loss=.2 ppm/hr
5:00 pm - FC=16, Added 1 jug 182oz 6% bleach. Loss=.6 ppm/hr
9:30 pm - FC=19. Loss=.2 ppm/hr
I can see the bottom of the spa and shallow end of the pool :-D . I will have to vacuum again, but I figured that. Will attempt overnight test tonight.
Bob_Funk
0
Krickett,
I am glad to hear you didn't overshoot, my pool with a sand filter took 4 or 5 days to fully clear after it passed the overnight test.
I know you have been putting the DE in there to help it clear, so I wish you the best, you have been at
this for the better part of 2 weeks but I see a clear pool in your near future
Bob
I am glad to hear you didn't overshoot, my pool with a sand filter took 4 or 5 days to fully clear after it passed the overnight test.
I know you have been putting the DE in there to help it clear, so I wish you the best, you have been at
this for the better part of 2 weeks but I see a clear pool in your near future
Bob
Day 19 (7/23/09)
6:00 am - FC=16. Overnight test failed
. Added 182 oz 6% bleach will retry tonight. Loss=.35 ppm/hr
1:00 pm - Received about 1/4" rain.
5:30 pm - FC=18. Added 88oz bleach.
8:45 pm - FC=20. Performing overnight test.
6:00 am - FC=16. Overnight test failed
. Added 182 oz 6% bleach will retry tonight. Loss=.35 ppm/hr1:00 pm - Received about 1/4" rain.
5:30 pm - FC=18. Added 88oz bleach.
8:45 pm - FC=20. Performing overnight test.
Day 20 (7/24/09)
5:30 am - FC=18. Test failed. . Added 88 oz bleach. Visibility is about 5'.
10:30 pm - FC=14.5.
5:30 am - FC=18. Test failed.
. Added 88 oz bleach. Visibility is about 5'.10:30 pm - FC=14.5.
Day 21(7/25/09)
7:00 am - FC=14. CC=1-1.5. CC is too high I believe. Did it pass? According to http://www.troublefreepool.com/turning-your-green-swamp-back-into-a-sparking-oasis-t4147.html it failed but according to http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/overnight_fc_test which doesn't take CC into account it passed. Which is right? Adding 261 oz of bleach (~1.4 jugs) just in case.
2:00 pm - FC=16.5. Added 1.3 jugs to bring to 22
6:00 pm - FC=17. Added 1.1 jugs to bring to 22. Removed pucks.
9:00 pm - FC=17.5. CC=1
Took cover off and have been brushing throughout the day.
7:00 am - FC=14. CC=1-1.5. CC is too high I believe. Did it pass? According to http://www.troublefreepool.com/turning-your-green-swamp-back-into-a-sparking-oasis-t4147.html it failed but according to http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/overnight_fc_test which doesn't take CC into account it passed. Which is right? Adding 261 oz of bleach (~1.4 jugs) just in case.
2:00 pm - FC=16.5. Added 1.3 jugs to bring to 22
6:00 pm - FC=17. Added 1.1 jugs to bring to 22. Removed pucks.
9:00 pm - FC=17.5. CC=1
Took cover off and have been brushing throughout the day.
reebok
0
you passed the overnight fc loss test, however if your cc's are above .5 then you are correct, you need to continue shocking per pool-school/
someone may come in and say just keep your levels elevated (above target, under shock) and the cc's may go away, but according to pool-school/ you are supposed to be shocking. I would continue shocking until I heard otherwise.
someone may come in and say just keep your levels elevated (above target, under shock) and the cc's may go away, but according to pool-school/ you are supposed to be shocking. I would continue shocking until I heard otherwise.
I'd shock for one more day, make sure the pool is uncovered so sunlight can do it's thing (destroy cc).
This is very, very good sign.
So, how's it look? 
This is very, very good sign.
So, how's it look?
Visibility has increased I can see the shallow end through the cover quite well including all the dirt at the bottom. Last night I saw some dirt at the deeper end and I figure I should be able to see the main drain in the next day or two. I've also noticed that the plaster is a darker color where I had the water drained down over the winter compared to that above the water level. I've scrubbed it but it still remains. Will this go away? Do I need to do something additional?
Yeah, that looks like organic staining. It should fade overtime with proper FC levels, if it's organic. Sometimes the staining is so bad the only thing that removes the stains is an acid wash....hopefully that's not the case here.
You can try a couple of things. Take a trichlor puck and rub the stains with the puck, see if the stains fade. If that does anything post back.
The stains could also be metal. Try holding a Vitaminc C tablet on the stain, if it the stain fades in seconds, the staining is metal and you need to do a metal stain treatment and use sequesterants.
You can try a couple of things. Take a trichlor puck and rub the stains with the puck, see if the stains fade. If that does anything post back.
The stains could also be metal. Try holding a Vitaminc C tablet on the stain, if it the stain fades in seconds, the staining is metal and you need to do a metal stain treatment and use sequesterants.
I couldn't notice any discernable difference. I don't have any Vitamin C tablets to test metal with, but I haven't been adding anything that would result in metal increases. I didn't have this problem last year.
Tested CYA=35-40.
After taking the cover off I noticed some dark splotches (sp?) where the winterized water line was. Its coming off with some strong scrubbing. I also noticed that when I brushed it was as if a whitish powder was being brushed off. This is what I noticed last year when I deduced I had a yellow algae which I shocked for last year and the problem cleared up. Could I have yellow algae? Last year it was hard to tell the difference so should I have been shocking for a higher level or am I just clueless or both? The second pic is of the splotches, taken in the currently shady side of the shallow end and the first is a pic from the sunny side of the shallow end showing a somewhat yellowish tint I think but I may be wrong.
Tested CYA=35-40.
After taking the cover off I noticed some dark splotches (sp?) where the winterized water line was. Its coming off with some strong scrubbing. I also noticed that when I brushed it was as if a whitish powder was being brushed off. This is what I noticed last year when I deduced I had a yellow algae which I shocked for last year and the problem cleared up. Could I have yellow algae? Last year it was hard to tell the difference so should I have been shocking for a higher level or am I just clueless or both? The second pic is of the splotches, taken in the currently shady side of the shallow end and the first is a pic from the sunny side of the shallow end showing a somewhat yellowish tint I think but I may be wrong.
Attachments
The second pic looks like rough plaster where it's possibly etched, or scale, allowing algae spots to settle in. I'm concerned about the quality of the surface - it's integrity from a point where water balance was previously not maintained and it deteriorated? That it perhaps suffered some irreparable damage.... that only acid washing or replastering would fix....
I honestly don't know enough about it to offer appropriate opinion. I would say keep rubbing the crevices, nooks, etc with trichlor - but the fact that you are seeing white clouds and fleks concerns me about the plaster surface....
The first pic looks like you have an iron stain. I could be wrong but that's how it looks in the pic. Try the Vit C and if it does nothing then it's probably organic staining that hopefully will fade overtime. If not, again, an acid wash/replaster is the only option.
I honestly don't know enough about it to offer appropriate opinion. I would say keep rubbing the crevices, nooks, etc with trichlor - but the fact that you are seeing white clouds and fleks concerns me about the plaster surface....
The first pic looks like you have an iron stain. I could be wrong but that's how it looks in the pic. Try the Vit C and if it does nothing then it's probably organic staining that hopefully will fade overtime. If not, again, an acid wash/replaster is the only option.