Murky Green Water/Sky High Chlorine

[hatsoff389]

Hi everyone,

I opened my pool on Tuesday and the water was black. I did the usual winterizing of the pool and closed the pool properly at the end of last summer. Since Tuesday, I am having trouble with getting the pool cleared up. The pool is no longer black, more like a light green, and very cloudy. Here are my test results.

CL/BR: Sky high, the color of the water in the test tube is orange, instead of yellow. Have not shocked the pool in two days.
PH: 7.8
Alkilinity: 90ppm
Hardness: 300ppm
CYA: 60ppm

I am not exactly sure what to do from here due to the sky high levels of chlorine. I can smell the chlorine when I walk near the pool. I have not added any chemicals to the pool in two days. Any advice?

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[woodyp]

You are NOT smeeling FC -free chlorine, the GOOD stuff.
You ARE smelling CC--combined chlorine, the BAD stuff-------mostly ammonia.

Welcome to the forum! You have not properly shocked your pool. Read the PROCESS of shocking in pool school.

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, hatsoff389

OTO test showing orange means you are somewhere between 10 and 30 ppm Total chlorine (TC). Unfortunately, this is not accurate or selective enough to do the shocking process efficiently. Take a look at this pool school article on appropriate test kits that include the fas-dpd test that is accurate up to 50 ppm FC (free chlorine): http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/pool_test_kit_comparison

At 60 ppm cya, you need to keep your FC level at 18 ppm until you pass the three criteria in the shocking process: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool

 

[hatsoff389]

You are NOT smeeling FC -free chlorine, the GOOD stuff.
You ARE smelling CC--combined chlorine, the BAD stuff-------mostly ammonia.

Welcome to the forum! You have not properly shocked your pool. Read the PROCESS of shocking in pool school.

Tons of good info in the pool school, but I have not read anything in pool school that helps with my current problem. I do see now that I did not shock the pool correct. With the free chlorine so high, should I just keep the filter running until the number comes down? Is there a way to lower the combined chlorine?

 

[linen]

I have not read anything in pool school that helps with my current problem.

Then you haven't read enough

• http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool
  http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/pool_test_kit_comparison
  http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/defeating_algae

You need to pass all three end of shocking criteria simultaneously (also in my sig) before you let your FC level drop.

Until you can test for it, you will not know your CC level...again a proper test kit is required.

 

[JohnN]

With the free chlorine so high, should I just keep the filter running until the number comes down? Is there a way to lower the combined chlorine?

The FC is not high, the CC is high. The way to lower CC is by following the shock process, which was posted above and is linked to in my signature. To properly follow the process, you will need a good test kit, also linked i my signature.

 

[linen]

Just to get us all on the same page...I do not think we know what the CC level is and the FC could indeed be high. The op can only measure TC.

Again, this points to needing a fas-dpd chlorine test (included in kits mentioned in the test kit link above) to be able to differentiate FC (free chlorine) from CC (combined chlorine).

Regardless, the op need to do the shocking process.

 

[JohnN]

True, the FC could be high. I think everyone is saying the CC is high because of the chlorine smell. I should have worded that better. We can all agree that the FAS-DPD test is needed.

 

[linen]

True, the FC could be high. I think everyone is saying the CC is high because of the chlorine smell. I should have worded that better. We can all agree that the FAS-DPD test is needed.

Agreed

Just guessing here, but I would not expect this to be an "ammonia CC" like woodyp suggested since the cya level is still high. My guess this is the normal 1-3 ppm CC that occurs while killing algae and much of the TC level is actually FC...we just don't know how much.

 

[hatsoff389]

True, the FC could be high. I think everyone is saying the CC is high because of the chlorine smell. I should have worded that better. We can all agree that the FAS-DPD test is needed.

Agreed

Just guessing here, but I would not expect this to be an "ammonia CC" like woodyp suggested since the cya level is still high. My guess this is the normal 1-3 ppm CC that occurs while killing algae and much of the TC level is actually FC...we just don't know how much.

Waiting for my new and improved test kit to come in the mail. Thanks for all the advice. The free chlorine is also high per the test strip I just used. I know you guys can't stand them, but the strips, and this other test kit I have is all I can use until I get my new kit. I did shock the pool again today, following the shocking process in pool school, so we will see what the pool looks like in the morning. Thanks again!

 

[linen]

Waiting for my new and improved test kit to come in the mail.

Which one did you get?

 

[hatsoff389]

Waiting for my new and improved test kit to come in the mail.

Which one did you get?

K-2006