Nitrates

[Pommy1970]

Just been told that I will have to change my pool water due to high nitrate levels.
I have an in ground pool, about 40,000 gallons. With a D.E filter. Right now I cannot maintain any sort of of chlorine level, and the Ph is about 7.2 . The water is clear and blue. All the other chemicial levels are within range. I have an in-line chlorinator which I am filling up and leaving on full! In addition, I am putting 3 to 4 lb of powded Cl in every other day. I live in NJ and close it down for the winter, dropping the water level down way below the water return . I don't really want have to pay out for 'clean'water and new chemicials, is there anything I can do?

 

[carlscan26]

What's your CYA level? Can you post a complete set of test results? FC, CC, pH, TA, CH, CYA

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

The nitrate level has nothing to do with it, but several of your other levels being off could cause problems like this and it might instead be because you have ammonia in the water, which uses up huge amounts of chlorine.

 

[dhorning]

My pool store gave me the same advice once upon a time. I foolishly took their advice and changed out 18,000 gallons of water. It my have lowered my nitrates I have no way of knowing but I continued to have algae problems until I found this web site. My humble advice is to buy a good test kit (TF-100) and read all you can on this site to educate yourself. If you keep the free chlorine level where it needs to be based on your CYA level you will not have algae problems no matter what your nitrate level is! I am in my second year of BBB pool maintenance and couldn't be happier.

 

[Pommy1970]

Free Cl is 0
Total Cl is 0
PH is 7.2
TA is 80
CYA is 30
Ca hardness is 260
Phosphates 100
Nitrates using a stick test was reading" pink?" 3 squares from where it should have been
I have been using the same store for the last 7 years, and their results are normally ok.

 

[JasonLion]

Your other levels look good, so it is most likely ammonia. You should shock your pool, see the instructions in Pool School, basically add chlorine to bring FC up to shock level, around 2 to 15 in your case, over and over again until you can maintain an FC level overnight.