Should I drain?

[lulupalooza]

I've spent the last 4 days putting in chems and filtering the pool (I've been using Baking Soda, Bleach and Aqua Chem Shock Xtra Blue) Last night I added more BS to get the pH to 7.5 (it's been hovering around 7.2) And I added 1 bag of shock and 2 182oz bottles of bleach. Ran the filter all night. Check the levels this morning- FC levels are low and about 2-3 and pH still at 7.2. And no noticable improvement in the clearning- It's a light pale green/blue. So the better part of today I spent vaccuming the bottom to waste and scooping leaves- Not a whole, whole lot, but non the less more than I was expecting. There is A LOT of white gunk and just so much small particles, etc. I am wondering if it would not be best to partially drain the pool, at least half way or maybe to 1 foot of water. At least I can then probably see what I am facing clean up wise on the bottom. We don't have a deck around the pool, so vaccuming is a PITA to say the least. Would be soooo much easier if I can just get in and just vaccum away. But the vaccum wasn't even picking up what I had scooped out.

I really don't want to dump any more chems in it and keep running the filter. It's very costly chem and electricity wise! I'd rather drain, refill. Our pool was installed in 2008 and was covered every year to be reopened to clear water. Our cover needed to be replaced and hence I slacked and didn't do it,NEVER again! Advice please!

 

[PSW]

Hi Laura, can you share your full test results with us? Was your pool covered over the winter? Do you typically have this issue when opening your pool for the season? Sorry for all the questions, but the more information we have, the better we can help!

 

[Butterfly]

Hey Laura, please post a full set of test results and we will help you get up and running :-D

 

[lulupalooza]

Hi

This morning it was...

FC is 3
TA 60
pH 7.2
CYA 30

Blake, no normally we cover our pool (it opens clear every year) - only this year we didn't. So it was green.

I just checked the chems this evening...

FC 2
pH 7.2
TA 60

I'm thinking of trying to bring the pH up a little more with BS- I usually keep it in the 70-90 range and bring the FC up to shock level- which according to the Pool Cal is 15 ppm- Only I don't have a way to measure it at the moment. Need to order more of the regent for that. I use the T100 test kit.

 

[linen]

Need to order more of the regent for that. I use the T100 test kit.

Do this first.

Then review the shocking process: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool Remember it is a process of keeping it high and not a roller coaster ride...you need to keep up above your minimum shock level or you are wasting your chemicals. Speaking of chemicals, why are you using the "xtra blue"? I believe it adds copper and maybe other stuff that you do not need or want in your pool. It also adds CYA since I believe it contains dichlor. Just use bleach/liquid chlorine to shock.

Also, what are your CC and CH levels?

 

[duraleigh]

Stop using chemicals other than bleach and you will save some money.

You must run your pump 24/7 when you are shocking. Turning it off is costing you money not saving it.

Disregard pH, CH, TA and CYA (they're close enough for now) until you have your water crystal clear with bleach and filtering, then you can fine tune these parameters.

Baking soda is incorrect to raise pH....raise the pH with 20 Mule team Borax. (but not 'til your pool is clear)

 

[cramar]

Ditto with only using bleach, I recommend reading pool school so you fully understand the BBB approach, don't augment the process with other chemicals, stick solely with BBB - it works.