TC red, not yellow?

[mcgeggy]

I'm opening my pool this weekend. This is the first year I'm opening and have the TF-100 test kit. The tester that tests PH and Chlorine side by side is very red for the chlorine (should be a shade of yellow). Is this a result of the closing chemicals that I used last year before putting on the cover? Maybe I over shocked it?

The water is crystal clear blue...

Next step after I get the pump/filter running this afternoon?

 

[Richard320]

Use the FAS-DPD test to see what your chlorine actually is. That's the R-0870 powder and R-0871 drops.

Once you get above about 10FC, that color tester will go school bus yellow to safety orange and on into shades of brown, so you may very well just have high chlorine.

 

[mcgeggy]

Use the FAS-DPD test to see what your chlorine actually is. That's the R-0870 powder and R-0871 drops.

Once you get above about 10FC, that color tester will go school bus yellow to safety orange and on into shades of brown, so you may very well just have high chlorine.

Ok, that explains it. The FAS-DPD test result was 23.

Is this unusual for a first reading upon pool opening? I'm used to shocking to get chlorine up after taking the cover off! Is it too high to swim in? I haven't added any additional chlorine yet.

 

[duraleigh]

Is it too high to swim in?

What is your CYA test result?

 

[mcgeggy]

Is it too high to swim in?

What is your CYA test result?

45.

Been doing yard work on a humid evening - too tempting - I'm jumping in... :sun:

 

[chem geek]

It does seem that you over-shocked it and I'm surprised the chlorine lasted as long as it did over the winter, though perhaps you shocked it when the water was very cold and are opening now with the water still cold. Anyway, if you expose the water to sunlight, the FC should come down reasonably fast.

 

[mcgeggy]

It does seem that you over-shocked it and I'm surprised the chlorine lasted as long as it did over the winter, though perhaps you shocked it when the water was very cold and are opening now with the water still cold. Anyway, if you expose the water to sunlight, the FC should come down reasonably fast.

It was fairly cold when I closed it last Fall, and was a bit chilly when I jumped in tonight... It just threw me off because my understanding was that you get the PH and alkalinity balanced first, then go to the chlorine, so when I saw the high TC, I thought hmmm...

But it was nice to see a crystal clear pool under the winter cover, and get in it after only a few hours of running the pump/filter!