FC problem

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GoolsbyMD

0
Feb 21, 2012
10
8500 gal SWG vinyl pool
Water temp 53F
Following stats using Taylor K-2006 kit
Salt per swg when water was 56F 3200PPM
FC 0
pH 7.8 close to 8.0
CYA 33ish
Borates approx 60


So here's my confusion. I went to test the FC filled up to 10mL mark added two dippers of R870. Zero reaction no pink hint at all. Ok maybe the reagent is bad the bottle looked kind of nasty anyways, I ordered a new bottle of R0870 and retested. No reaction again. Thinking maybe pool really has zero CL in it due to the tons of rain and draining down level in pool. So I added 1/4 cap on the Clorox 6% bleach bottle into the test comparator filled to 44mL, surely that will turn mega pink when I add the R0870. Added two dippers and thick chunks of the new reagent turned a deep red then when I shook it it clears back up.

Am I dealing with absolutely no FC or Two bottles of bad R0870 (1 fresh brand new)? Thinking about giving th pool sample water a heating via a water bath to being up the temp but don't think that will help. Or am I testing the CL wrong?
 
If you have the OTO (yellow) chlorine test (comes with the TF100, so you may not have it) that is the best way to confirm the presence of chlorine. From what you describe, I think your FC is 0.

Note, most SWG do not work in cold water (50-60 degrees). So, if you have been relying on it to maintain your FC all winter ... it has not actually been doing that.

I would suggest you start supplementing your pool with bleach to maintain your FC until the water heats up enough for the SWG to start generating again.
 
Sorry dinner was beeping and I hit submit a little early. But this winter I did not cover the pool or close it, I relies the swg doesn't work below I suspect 55F so I was adding bleach but not at a... Test and correct way, simply adding a few cups every now and then which is why I was thinking it was 0 FC as well until I added that mega amount of bleach (1/4 cap) to 44mL of pool water and it was still clear except for a few chunks then when I shook it to dissolve it, completely clear.


Edit I do have an OTO test kit from Leslie's that was replaced with the Taylor kit, ill run a sample through it and update here in a minute.

Edit 2: just did the OTO test, clear as glass. Dropped three drops of 6% bleach in and BAM deep red. Gonna go with 0FC in pool. Thanks for reminding me I had an OTO kit. It was replaced so long ago by Taylor's kit that I had forgotten about it being tucked away. Shock time.
 
I think your Mega test was likely a VERY high FC level which ended up "bleaching out" the test ... if you added a lot more powder it would likely eventually stay red (I think).

You can buy the OTO test for pretty cheap anywhere (usually comes with a pH test as well).

In your Mega test, that would likely have turned brown indicating very high FC. If using the OTO on the pool stays clear, that means you have 0 FC.

If you do not what to buy that OTO, realize that a cup of bleach is only adding 0.5ppm of FC to your pool (use poolcalculator). I would recommend adding about 106 oz of 6% bleach to your pool. That should raise the FC up to 6ppm which is your recommended range. Then wait an hour and test using the FAS-DPD test again.
 
GoolsbyMD said:
I added 1/4 cap on the Clorox 6% bleach bottle into the test comparator filled to 44mL, surely that will turn mega pink when I add the R0870. Added two dippers and thick chunks of the new reagent turned a deep red then when I shook it it clears back up.
Click to expand...
I think that was too much bleach - it literally bleached the color out of the sample. That's the flash you saw.

You might try again with just a drop or two of bleach in the sample. Hopefully, it will work. In which case, you have no FC. How does the water look?
 
Never thought about bleaching out the color. Good call. Yea I use the pool calc and TFP along with best guess shock chart all the time, even got the apps on my phone. Ill bring FC up slowly and probably start the shock tomorrow then address rest of the chems later in the week.
 

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No it's extremely clear, I'm very paranoid about clearing out any yard debris and flushing the filter. I added in some more stabilizer as my CYA had dropped down to 30PPM about 2lbs worth and commenced aeration. I'm gonna take another reading in a few minutes when the sun is off the pool and compare it to tomorrow mornings test. I suspect it will pass but ill see tomorrow.
 
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