So I went away for 4 days and came back to a warm, slightly green pool. I've started the shocking process, but I'm wondering if I should keep the cover on and hope it cuts the uv down, or just take it off altogether?
Solar cover or not when shocking algae bloom?
- Thread starter brianf
- Start date
I would go with taking it off, you need the chance for the sun and air to remove the CC from your pool as you go. Other than that just keep that chlorine level up until you can pass the OCLT!
Leaving it on at the start of the shock process can help ensure that any algae on the cover is also exposed to the chlorine.
But, after that, leaving the cover off can help any CC be broken down by the sun.
Post up a full set of levels so we can offer better advice.
But, after that, leaving the cover off can help any CC be broken down by the sun.
Post up a full set of levels so we can offer better advice.
When I came home last night, the FC was 2, CC 0. I tested the CYA today and it read about 60 but that is with the cloudy water. Previously it was closer to 20 and I've only sparingly been using up the trichlor tabs that I had on hand. Regardless, the FC has been at 20 all day. I'm unfortunately rapidly running out of the 0871 reagent so I haven't been able to test more than a few times today (new reagent ordered but not handy at the moment).
I was curious about the cover holding in the CCs and if the temperature being higher is helping the algae bloom faster. I need to add some water to the pool, which is from a well and cold so that will drop the temp quite a bit. Should I do that now and compensate with chlorine or just wait?
I was curious about the cover holding in the CCs and if the temperature being higher is helping the algae bloom faster. I need to add some water to the pool, which is from a well and cold so that will drop the temp quite a bit. Should I do that now and compensate with chlorine or just wait?
The water would have to be VERY VERY cloudy/dirty to affect the CYA test that much ... I would go with the 60ppm test to be safe and confirm when you get more reagent.
What are all your chemical levels?
What are all your chemical levels?
Continue the shock process, with a CYA of 60ppm = shock FC level of 24ppm.
Sorry I misread your previous post about what reagent you were running out of. It is going to be tough to follow the shock process until you get more since there is no other way to measure the high FC levels.
Sorry I misread your previous post about what reagent you were running out of. It is going to be tough to follow the shock process until you get more since there is no other way to measure the high FC levels.
Yeah it kinda sucks. I had plenty of reagent left when I was testing out around 6-10, but now putting 40 drops in every time eats it up quickly. I had a crappy HTC test on hand but I didn't realize that was only good up to 5ppm. Sigh.
Which kit do you have K2006 of TF100? The TF100 comes with a lot more of that reagent than the K2006 ... you can get larger refills from tftestkits.net
K2006, I ordered a 2oz refill from Amazon along with more of the power and CYA fluid. Too bad it's not available for prime.
24 hours at shock... I tested this morning with the last of my reagent and got a FC around 35 (whoops). The green seems to be about the same as yesterday.
Major facepalm. I had been counting 25ml drops as .5 not .2. So I started this morning at 14 FC, no CC. Rechecked CYA and it's again at 60. I added 2x96oz of 6% cl this morning...and I acquired some more 0871 reagent so I can actually test accurately today ;-)
Starting the clock over again...
Starting the clock over again...
you can still use your htc test kit by dilution testing your water, using source water or bottled to get a chlorine reading, providing you are accurate with your dilution, 1 part pool water to 9 parts source will give you a reading which you can just multiply by 10 - i.e. your 35ppm FC reading would be 3.5ppm.
I know it's not ideal, but the on the other hand, it seems bizarre to me sometimes that you all use so much dropper re-agent when testing, or is that reagent just old coppers in money? I don't know because I use comparator and tablet re-agents.
Regards
Stuart
I know it's not ideal, but the on the other hand, it seems bizarre to me sometimes that you all use so much dropper re-agent when testing, or is that reagent just old coppers in money? I don't know because I use comparator and tablet re-agents.
Regards
Stuart
Unless you have specialized equipment, diluting your pool water 9 to 1 will be hugely inaccurate. And accurate knowledge of your pools chemistry is one of the major points of this forum.
@brianf ... use the 10ml sample of water and save yourself some reagent ... each drop of 0.5ppm is nearly always accurate enough, especially at the higher shock levels.
@brianf ... use the 10ml sample of water and save yourself some reagent ... each drop of 0.5ppm is nearly always accurate enough, especially at the higher shock levels.
Yeah I've been using 10ml all along, but somehow I started using 25ml and didn't realize it. Anyway less than 24 hours after getting to the proper shock level, the pool turned cloudy blue and it's constantly getting clearer. Yay!
Sounds like progress 
Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short
Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short