Where to start?

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Allene

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May 18, 2013
6
I have a swamp with all levels at or near zero. It has been this way for over a year. I'm ready to try the BBB method but am not sure where to start. What should be addressed first?

FC = 0
CC = 0
pH = 6.8
TA = 40ppm
CH = 250ppm
CYA = 0

Thanks
 
Welcome to the forum. :lol:

1. Start in Pool School. read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry". Then, read "How to Shock Your Pool".

2. Get your pH up to 7.4 or so

3. Start the shock process. Follow the Pool School article very carefully.
 
Welcome to tfp, Allene :wave:

Duraleigh beat me...here are my thoughts:

What did you use for a test kit?

In addition to what Duraleigh said, first you need to get your TA up to 60 ppm using baking soda, then adjust ph. Use poolcalculator.com to get your doses.

Bottom line you need to start the shocking process.

Have you read this pool school article yet? http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/defeating_algae
 
Just want to add that if your CYA is truly zero, you will lose a lot of FC to the sun. Here is the way I see it.
1) Get a good test kit if you don't already have one. See the link in my signature.
2) Perform full test.
3) Post results.
These next steps are assuming the results you get from step 2 are the same as, or at least close to, what you posted above.
4) Raise TA to 60 or so.
5) Raise pH to 7.4 or so.
6) Start the shock process based on a CYA of 0.
7) Add enough CYA to get up to 30. To do this, put it in a sock (or in your case probably a few socks) and hang them in front of a return.
8) Keep shocking until CC<.5, OCLT<1, and the pool is clear.
 
Thanks for the replies. I will check out pool school and try learn the ongoing process. Looks like I need to start with the TA first and then raise the PH. I just bought the Taylor K-2006 test kit and when doing the CYA test the solution never turned cloudy so the black dot never disappeared. That's why I am guessing that there is very little stabilizer. From what I have read so far I didn't want to start wasting chlorine without getting the proper level of stabilizer.

Thanks
 
JohnN's advice is rock solid. I might suggest reversing 6 and 7.

Add CYA dosed correctly to get to 30, then start the shock process based on a CYA of 30, even though the CYA won't register on the test for a few days. The two steps can be done one after the other with perhaps a 6 hour or so delay to get SOME of the CYA dissolved in the pool.
 
Hello all, After a week of testing, adding and waiting, things are looking better. The water is a much lighter but cloudy green. Also my once white steps are turning a rust color. I am still working to get the TA and PH up slowly. How much bleach (6%) should I be adding at one time?

FC=1
CC=3
PH=7
TA=40
CH=100
CYA=30

Thanks
 
Hi, Allene,

You are NOT shocking the pool. Your chlorine should be up around 12 ppm ALL THE TIME. You must constantly replenish your chlorine or you will take forever to get your pool crystal clear.
 
Thanks for the advice. I am still having trouble getting the chlorine up to "shock" level. I have added 10 gal. of 8.25% bleach for two days in a row (20 Gal total) and still can not get above 5 for a free chlorine level. The water is still a cloudy green and although I can not see the bottom there are minimal leaves etc. when I use a leaf net. Please advise....

FC= 5
CC= 10
PH= 7.6
TA= 80
CYA= 60

Thanks
 

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Allene said:
Thanks for the advice. I am still having trouble getting the chlorine up to "shock" level. I have added 10 gal. of 8.25% bleach for two days in a row (20 Gal total) and still can not get above 5 for a free chlorine level. The water is still a cloudy green and although I can not see the bottom there are minimal leaves etc. when I use a leaf net. Please advise....

FC= 5
CC= 10
PH= 7.6
TA= 80
CYA= 60

Thanks
Click to expand...
We have a clue!
file.php




That high CC level makes me suspect Ammonia, from broken-down CYA. There's some sort of bacteria that does it, and you're one of the lucky few who has it.

Here's a few others with that problem. excessive-chlorine-consumption-t62260.html?hilit=Ammonia

no-free-chlorine-in-tn-t61691.html?hilit=Ammonia

Sad to say, More bleach is the only solution. It has to neutralize all that Ammonia, and then the shock process will actually begin.
 
You CC are sky high which indicate a need for more chlorine ... keep adding more eventually the CC will drop and the FC will rise and hold.

How did your CYA now double from 30 to 60ppm? If it is really 60, then you new shock level that you need to maintain is 24ppm.
 
Use poolcalculator.com
Input your pool volume, your current FC reading and your target FC level and it will tell you how much to add. You could likely do this every hour at the start as your FC is going to be used up quickly.
 
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