Too much free chlorine

[DJSO]

Hello, I hired someone to open my pool this year because I was just too busy. I'm not sure what all was added during the initial shock. I can tell you it is sparkling clean! Unfortunately, the free chlorine is off the charts. In my test, it is turning a burnt orange color instead of yellow, so I can't even tell how high.
CYA is low - 20
TA - 40
PH - 6.8

Total chlorine is also off the charts.

We have an auto cover, and I have left covered on cloudy / rainy days. Kept it open and rad waterfalls on sunny days. I've also added a couple inches of water. Thoughts? It has been over a week, and I'm afraid to swim and turn on the heater with it so high....

 

[JasonLion]

You definitely want to bring that FC level down. With the CYA down around 20 it should only take a day with the cover open for the chlorine level to fall to something much more reasonable.

You need to adjust the PH. The common PH test will report any PH below 6.8 as 6.8, so your actual PH might be much lower. Very low PH can damage the pool, depending on just how low it actually is. Unfortunately you can't do that until after the FC level comes down below 10, because the PH test is not reliable when FC is as high as it is now. Once FC comes down a bit, retest the PH level and adjust PH up to at least 7.2. Most likely that will also raise the TA up to something more reasonable.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

To add to the above advice I would suggest you invest in a real pool test kit, that gives you actual values above just "burnt orange". The one most often used around here is the TF-100, available via the link in my signature line. It's one way in particular to maintain a safe pool. It will tell you up to 50 ppm how much chlorine you have in there, as well as if you have any contaminates to be concerned about.
Keep the autocover open a few days and let the sun work its magic on the high chlorine, but do your own testing for reassurance.

 

[tim5055]

Good advice so far. Did you test the CYA, or a pool store?

 

[pooldv]

More info on test kits here, Test Kit Comparison

tftestkits.net will gladly send you one.

 

[jtaves85mcss]

Four gallons of 10% would raise your pool by 31 ppm, which might be exceeding your FC test limits. Four gallons of shock on opening is a common tactic by pool store crews where I am. On closings they like to use up the old stuff, and you end up being too low. If your CYA is really 20ppm that extra 31 should be gone in a few days in the sun.

How did you get the 20 ppm CYA number? If you got that from a pool store, your CYA is likely much higher, which is what I suspect. The higher your CYA, the longer it will hold the FC in cloudy weather, even though the FC may not be high enough for level of CYA.

 

[DJSO]

I totally forgot about the rest of my TF100. I was only using the quick Taylor kit that I used to maintain the spa over the winter. The CYO reading was from a test strip. So a retest of the numbers this AM-
FC - 22
CC - 0
CYO - 45
pH - the same at 6.8

It's another sunny day. Pool's been uncovered since 7am. Running the fountains. I guess I will wait and see what another day does.