Normal chlorine usage??

[uncledeadly]

Greetings...
Here's my story:

Early this swim season I switched our pool over to the BBB method and have been getting excellent results.
We went on a short vacation of 7 days and while away I put some pucks in the skimmer to help keep up. On returning I adjusted the balance to normal levels and saw that I was getting small patches of green algae showing up in the less circulated portions of the pool. I brushed and cleaned it thoroughly and did an overnight FC drop test with the following numbers:
FC- 5
CC- 0
PH 7.8
TA- 90
CYA- 50

In the morning I retested and found that the FC had dropped only .5 which in my experience does not indicate a need to shock. The water looks perfectly clear.

It had been quite some time since I tested the CYA and after realizing that it was 50 I raised the FC from my usual 5 to 8. The algae does not seem to be returning, the water is clear and the CC remains at 0.

Here's my question:

I tested the following morning and found that my FC was down 4 PPM.
Is this normal?

 

[reebok]

1ppm or less overnight is acceptable. this can also be seen here:
pool-school/overnight_fc_test

 

[duraleigh]

Hey, UD,

You needed to shock the pool as soon as you saw the algae......and probably still do.

The presence of CC's indicates the need to shock.

The absence of CC's does not mean you don't need to shock.

Algae can form in a pool with no CC's present.

I suspect there is a testing error in your overnight FC loss test but I'm not sure because I can't follow the sequence of events very well.

 

[uncledeadly]

Duraleigh:
After your recommendation to shock the pool I went and picked up 10 goallons of 12 % and started the process.
I'm not surprised but I think I had a bigger problem than I realized.
I am a new pool owner as this is the second season that we're in this house and the previous owner "taught "me how to run the pool. Now I realize that he was not looking after it very well at all.
I've learned much in the last couple of months on this site, thank-you all for that!

Here's the situation. I beginning to think that I had a problem right from the start and didn't realize it.
When I started the shock process yesterday morning there was a spot approximately 10" round in the bottom deep end corner that was lighter blue than the rest of the pool (looked brighter and cleaner). The rest of the pool liner appeared dirty, appeared to be a film over the liner except for this one small spot. I attributed it to either the Previous owner's neglect and that he probably stained the liner somehow or it was just the light and possibly shadow, or something. It didn't really concern me as we're in the planning stages of an entire backyard reno including a pool reno next year.

I now see more small bright blue patches showing up. Is it possible that there is an algae film over the entire liner and that I didn't realize it? The water is perfectly clear and the liner is not slimy at all.
If this is algae, what brand of algae do you think it is?
Does the algae breaakdown speed up the further into the process you go because at this rate it's going to take forever to get the liner totally clear?

The FC last night was 19 and this morning 18 so I guess that it's working on something.


Which leads me to another problem. I'm running very low on R-0871 so yesterday I stopped testing as frequently and just dumped in a liter of 12% every hour at the end of the day I had picked up 3ppm but at least it wasn't getting too low and it remained in the shock range .
I went to the Pool store yesterday they didn't even know what 0871 was. She finally found it in one of her catalogues and the price was...38 dollars for a small bottle!
Seeing that I paid around $80 for the entire kit I told her that, No , I didn't want her to order it.
What should another bottle of 0871 cost me and can I get it shipped to Canada?

 

[uncledeadly]

I found an online store that lists a k-2006C (which comes with 2 oz. ragents instead of .75 oz bottles)for under 100 bucks. If I get this kit can I store it over the winter and continue to use the remains next season?

Thanks in advance for your help.
RR

 

[JasonLion]

Yes, if stored carefully, in a cool dark place (but not freezing), the K-2006C should last two to four years. Taylor says that it is only good for one year, but many people have used theirs for much longer without any trouble.

The TF100 is a better deal. It includes 2 oz of most of the reagents and costs less.

 

[reebok]

unfortunately http://www.tftestkits.net can't ship to canada.

 

[uncledeadly]

Jason:
Can you comment on my second last post?
Yeah, I looked at the 100 kit and I think you're right , I'm going to order that one.


Reebok: No prob. I'll just get it shipped to my US address and go down and pick it up myself. Only 20 minutes away, depending on border lineups.

 

[JasonLion]

It sounds like you have organic staining. High FC levels will clear that up. Algae would brush off, so it doesn't sound like algae. Metal stains either stay the same or get worse when you are shocking, so metals probably aren't involved.

 

[uncledeadly]

When you say high fc levels will clear it up. What is high, shock levels or slightly elevated, say 10ppm given that my CYA is at 50?

 

[JasonLion]

I was thinking shock level. Somewhat elevated FC levels will do the same thing, but much more slowly.

I am not absolutely sure of my diagnosis. If you have a trichlor tablet, you can verify that I am right by placing the trichlor tablet on one of the hazy areas for two minutes. If that spot improves then what I said applies.