Good afternoon,
First I want to say that my pool water is crystal clear thanks to the advice I've received on this forum for the past three pool seasons and my ability to test my own water and use the pool calculator to adjust. Thanks!!!
My poor neighbor however needs some help. Last year, he did not get his inground pool covered for some reason. You can imagine what it looked like. They fished out two dead squirrels, one dead cat, one dead snake, and a whole heaping load of leaves, etc. Ordinarily they take the cover off the first week of June, but this year, there was no cover.
We live in a rural area. The farmer behind us sprayed his beans. My neighbors water was already yucky so they didn't notice any immediate effects. However, when they started taking samples to the pool store, the pool store folks asked where the water came from. Pool store told my neighbors it looked like something from the gulf oil spill on paper - and high in phosphates. Several hundred dollars worth of chemicals later, I heard they were having a devil of a time getting their pool clear, so I headed up the street with my test kit. The initial results were:
FC. 0
CC. 0
pH. 7.6
TA. 200
CYA. 40
I told them how much bleach to add to get it to 20 ppm. The cya/chlorine chart says 16 is shock level. I figured 20 would be even better. I gave them a gallon of muriatic acid and told them to add that, direct their returns upward, brush sides and bottom daily, run filter on main drain only, and backwash often. They have diligently kept enough bleach to maintain at least 16 ppm FC. Today's results were:
FC. 16
CC. 5.
pH. 7.2
TA 180
CYA. 40
They said when they first began adding pool store chemicals, they had a layer of gunk on top that looked like nacho cheese and smelled like a decaying corpse. Not surprising given what they fished out. Now they have a foam that sits on top the water that looked white until they scoop it off with a net. Then it looks likes like a frothy caramel frappe.
They ran into a friend (agricultural chemical sales rep) last night. Got to talking about their pool problems, and he told them that the herbicides farmers use contain an oil to help the chemical adhere to the bean leaves and that their only hope was to completely drain, scrub their liner, and refill.
My neighbors have so much confidence in my test kit and the advice on this forum. Is there something else they can do?
Another question - did the initial CC reading of 0 come from everything bring settled on the bottom ( they had filter on skimmer)? I've told them to add another gallon of muriatic acid.
I know this is s long post. I apologize. They have an inground pool, 16 X 32, vinyl liner, sand filter, Hayward pump.
Thanks so much for your help,
Cheryl Reddin
Kenton, TN
30' AG, vinyl liner, sand filter
First I want to say that my pool water is crystal clear thanks to the advice I've received on this forum for the past three pool seasons and my ability to test my own water and use the pool calculator to adjust. Thanks!!!
My poor neighbor however needs some help. Last year, he did not get his inground pool covered for some reason. You can imagine what it looked like. They fished out two dead squirrels, one dead cat, one dead snake, and a whole heaping load of leaves, etc. Ordinarily they take the cover off the first week of June, but this year, there was no cover.
We live in a rural area. The farmer behind us sprayed his beans. My neighbors water was already yucky so they didn't notice any immediate effects. However, when they started taking samples to the pool store, the pool store folks asked where the water came from. Pool store told my neighbors it looked like something from the gulf oil spill on paper - and high in phosphates. Several hundred dollars worth of chemicals later, I heard they were having a devil of a time getting their pool clear, so I headed up the street with my test kit. The initial results were:
FC. 0
CC. 0
pH. 7.6
TA. 200
CYA. 40
I told them how much bleach to add to get it to 20 ppm. The cya/chlorine chart says 16 is shock level. I figured 20 would be even better. I gave them a gallon of muriatic acid and told them to add that, direct their returns upward, brush sides and bottom daily, run filter on main drain only, and backwash often. They have diligently kept enough bleach to maintain at least 16 ppm FC. Today's results were:
FC. 16
CC. 5.
pH. 7.2
TA 180
CYA. 40
They said when they first began adding pool store chemicals, they had a layer of gunk on top that looked like nacho cheese and smelled like a decaying corpse. Not surprising given what they fished out. Now they have a foam that sits on top the water that looked white until they scoop it off with a net. Then it looks likes like a frothy caramel frappe.
They ran into a friend (agricultural chemical sales rep) last night. Got to talking about their pool problems, and he told them that the herbicides farmers use contain an oil to help the chemical adhere to the bean leaves and that their only hope was to completely drain, scrub their liner, and refill.
My neighbors have so much confidence in my test kit and the advice on this forum. Is there something else they can do?
Another question - did the initial CC reading of 0 come from everything bring settled on the bottom ( they had filter on skimmer)? I've told them to add another gallon of muriatic acid.
I know this is s long post. I apologize. They have an inground pool, 16 X 32, vinyl liner, sand filter, Hayward pump.
Thanks so much for your help,
Cheryl Reddin
Kenton, TN
30' AG, vinyl liner, sand filter
I've been too busy to check on my neighbors, and I don't think they've ordered any oil absorbing pads or Pool Perfect.