New to using liquid chlorine needing some help!

[BigRedRam95]

OK guys I'm new to the forum.
I have a 24 foot round 48" deep aboveground pool. I had the worst timing getting the pool opened this year. I have never covered the pool in the last 10 years. So I started with a green swamp. The first thing I did was get my filter going and took a water sample to the pool shop. Was told everything was in range just shock it. I got the pool to turn blue but would not hold chlorine. I hassled with the Ph getting a bit low over the time finally got the pool to hold chlorine using bleach. But was so cloudy that you could only see about a foot down. The pool shop told me to run my filter 24/7. Which I was doing most of the time anyway. I was also using a skimmer basket sock. I went camping over the long weekend and left the pool filter off for 3 days and came home to a clear pool. I vaced to waste and shocked. The next day we got in and it got cloudy. I have been having filter problems for a few years now ever sense I put a new bigger pump motor on. I must have went to big for the filter. So I got a new 300lb sand filter and hard plumed it in so I would not have to worry about the crappy flex hoses busting. The next day after putting on the new filter my pool was Crystal clear. So now that I am using liquid chlorine I am needing some help. I have been maintaining my chlorine by adding about a quart every 4-5 days. But I know I will need to shock at some point how much do I put in? How often do I do it? When I was using powered chlorine I shocked 1 time a week with a pound and used algaecide 1 time a week and that was it. Just looking for some help. Thanks

Also I had my water tested today

total hardness: 200
total chlorine: 3
free chlorine: 3
PH: 7.6
Total alkalinity: 140
cynauric asid: 150

Also what test kit do you all use?

 

[JasonLion]

If your CYA level is really 150 you are going to need to replace a lot of water. Maintaining a pool with CYA that high is nearly impossible. I recommend replacing water until CYA comes down to around 60.

 

[BigRedRam95]

If your CYA level is really 150 you are going to need to replace a lot of water. Maintaining a pool with CYA that high is nearly impossible. I recommend replacing water until CYA comes down to around 60.

Well see that is the thing. I only have strips at the moment. I am needing to get a good kit but don't know which one of the three I saw on here to get. But anyway the last time I had them check my water my cya was at 90. I have not used any stabilized chlorine and have drained the pool down a few times when using my vac to waste and then refilled. So I don't see how I could still be going up.

 

[JasonLion]

The test results might well be wrong. That is worth investigating. But if true, that would explain what is happening. Actually, even CYA at 90 would explain what is happening.

At higher CYA levels you need to maintain higher FC levels. With CYA at 90, routine day to day FC levels should be 7 to 12. You have FC at 3, which is way too low.

There is no need to shock unless something is going wrong. Since you are getting algae, something has gone wrong, and you should shock. However, before doing that, it is important to find out what your CYA level really is.

 

[BigRedRam95]

The test results might well be wrong. That is worth investigating. But if true, that would explain what is happening. Actually, even CYA at 90 would explain what is happening.

At higher CYA levels you need to maintain higher FC levels. With CYA at 90, routine day to day FC levels should be 7 to 12. You have FC at 3, which is way too low.

There is no need to shock unless something is going wrong. Since you are getting algae, something has gone wrong, and you should shock. However, before doing that, it is important to find out what your CYA level really is.

I am not getting algae now. I had it before but now my pool looks great

 

[Smykowski]

Take a look at Pool School. The link is in the upper right corner of every page (and in Jason's signature). I think a lot of your questions will be answered there.

 

[BigRedRam95]

Take a look at Pool School. The link is in the upper right corner of every page (and in Jason's signature). I think a lot of your questions will be answered there.

I was just looking at that. It was sounding to me like Jason was saying I dont need to bring my water up to shock level unless I have a problem. If I use aleside to keep the alage at bay and keep my FC at 5 would it keep my pool clean? Or do I need to keep it up at 7 which will be hard I would think.

 

[chem geek]

It won't be hard to keep your pool at a higher FC level if the CYA is really as high as you say. This is because the higher CYA level protects chlorine from breakdown from the UV in sunlight. If you wanted to have a lower FC level and use an algicide, you could do that but it will cost you more since algicides are more expensive than chlorine so hardly anyone on this forum does it that way (i.e. uses an algicide).

 

[BigRedRam95]

Hey guys I got that new filter which is a 300lb with a 1.5 hp Hayward power flow lx pump. What is a normal clean filter pressure? I had a 3/4 eye ball and running pressure was about 10 psi and I had swept the pool once. I changed to a 1 inch eye ball and now the gauge is reading about 7psi. Is that normal or too low and to much water flow? I will take pictures of the pluming so you can see what I have.

 

[duraleigh]

While there is no "normal", a psi of 10+ is more common.

What is your "backwash" psi?

 

[BigRedRam95]

I don't know. When I got the filter the gauge was broken but I had to get the filter running. So I ran it with no gauge. I just put it on today. I will backwash it tomorrow and see what the clean psi is.

 

[BigRedRam95]

I have two valves one in the suction line and one in the return line I also have unions I can take every pipe inside over the winter.

I dont know why I put this up

I am going to run a water line from the house with a valve by the pool so when I need water it is just the flip of a valve. No more draging out the hose!

Just some shots of the pool

 

[ultra800_96]

Welcome to TFP! On your test kit question, TF100 from www.tftestkits.net is the best bang for your buck to have the proper test kit. I also have the Speedistir available from the same site.

Just an aside but looking at your pics, your top ledges & two piece caps look identical to my Swim N Play brand pool, circa 1995.

 

[BigRedRam95]

The pool is a swim n play pool I think it was put in in 91 or 92 I cant remember. But I need to replace those top ledges. Mine are steel and are rusting and dropping pieces of rust into my pool.