Chemistry is my worst subject

[HotAZPool1]

Good morning all...
I know you all get this a bazillion times but seeing this is just getting started please go easy.

Was gone for the weekend and my family isn't good with pool matters.

last night my FC was <5 and my pH was 7.5

According to the calculator I need to add chlorine, so I added a gallon last night.

FC is off the charts like a SLAM
and
pH is >8.5
CYA is 70

Calculator calls for acid...?
CYA says replace 57% of my water? Not happening I just refilled the pool last weekend!?!?!?!

WTH!!!!



Help me please...

 

[Richard320]

The pH test is invalid if FC is above 10. It reacts with the red drops and makes it read falsely high. That's precisely why we suggest adjusting the pH before the SLAM, and then ignore it until FC drops again at the end. So don't add acid until FC drops and you can get a valid pH reading.

Why did you add so much bleach?

 

[timerguy]

Off the charts is not an adequate description of your FC level. Without a full set of test results, and how they were determined it's almost impossible to help you, but yes, your ph may or may not need acid to get it down. A gal of 8.25% should only raise your FC by 4 ppm.

 

[HotAZPool1]

>5 the scale goes to 5 and stops. Last night it was <.5

- - - Updated - - -

I added liquid chlorine because that was what the calculator called for last evening...

I wasn't intended to slam it.

 

[Richard320]

Off the charts is not an adequate description of your FC level. Without a full set of test results, and how they were determined it's almost impossible to help you, but yes, your ph needs acid to get it down.

I disagree. His pH was 7.5 before overloading with bleach. The pH test results are suspect at best, and almost certainly wrong. Check the pictures and captions in this thread:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/58834-Accurate-pH-test-during-shock-levels-with-R-007

 

[timerguy]

I edited my post, but the point was there's insufficient detail in his test results to give him definitive help. More glaring is there's no cya test. He has a swg so he might not have that running properly either. No telling what his goal is for FC.

 

[HotAZPool1]

I edited my post, but the point was there's insufficient detail in his test results to give him definitive help. More glaring is there's no cya test. He has a swg so he might not have that running properly either. No telling what his goal is for FC.

CYA is posted... 70
CWG is "NOT" running as of yet, 2 more weeks till Pebble Tec cures and the start it up...

Would like my FC 3-4 not sure yet, just learning, thus the post. "Chemistry is my worst subject."

- - - Updated - - -

Those pics help.
FC is Bright >>>BRIGHT<<< YELLOW not orange
and the pH is a brighter than 8.2.

- - - Updated - - -

@ TFP EXPERT - so FC should be referred to as bleach...?

 

[Richard320]

CYA is posted... 70
CWG is "NOT" running as of yet, 2 more weeks till Pebble Tec cures and the start it up...

Would like my FC 3-4 not sure yet, just learning, thus the post. "Chemistry is my worst subject."

- - - Updated - - -

Those pics help.
FC is Bright >>>BRIGHT<<< YELLOW not orange
and the pH is a brighter than 8.2.

- - - Updated - - -

@ TFP EXPERT - so FC should be referred to as bleach...?

You're running into the problem with most test kits - they can't measure free chlorine at the levels you need. Remember, for now, yours is a bleach pool, so FC needs to be at minimum 5. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/128-chlorine-cya-chart-slam-shock Your tester maxes out at 5, so you're working blind above that. Bright tweety-bird yellow is about 10, but it could be 7, it could be 14. You just don't know... Adding the FAS-DPD test will close that gap. http://tftestkits.net/FAS-DPD-Chlorine-CC-s-test-p47.html

FC is not necessarily bleach. When your SWG is running, FC will be generated right inside the cell. It can also come from trichlor or dichlor or Cal-hypo, or Lithium hypochlorite. Bleach just has the fewest unwelcome byproducts. And before you ask - no, there are no powdered chlorine products that don't add something else. More detail here:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/142-how-to-chlorinate-your-pool

Bottom line, the FC level will drop with time and sunlight, and your pH test should start reading correctly later today.

 

[HotAZPool1]

@ Richard - thanks. I had I feeling the FC/Bleach would burn off. But the pH clarification was what I needed. I just didn't want to throw the water chemistry completely out of whack.

 

[HotAZPool1]

Is the K-2006 the best(reasonable) kit to purchase?
Thanks for all the help...
Dennis

 

[Richard320]

Is the K-2006 the best(reasonable) kit to purchase?
Thanks for all the help...
Dennis

If it's not too late, the TF100 is actually a better deal. The quantities are more realistic. Check out Test Kits Compared.

 

[HotAZPool1]

@Richard - nope not too late. I will take your advice.
Also the chemistry is back to normal this morning,
FC 5
pH 7.5
CYA 40