Chlorine Level Help

Lprecords

Well-known member
Aug 13, 2020
69
Michigan
Pool Size
14500
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
I opened my pool this year about 2 weeks ago, with the perma salt system. I added the tub of chemicals and one bag of salt into the pool and put in the first round of maintenance chemicals. Less than 2 weeks later, I have an algae problem!
I decided to change from perma salt to chlorine. I removed the SWG and I took a sample of water to the pool store. I was told I did not have to drain my water. Here is what I was told to add:

2 qts. Pool Magnet Plus - to get the copper out
5 lbs. alkalinity plus - Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate
1 1/2 pts. Muriatic Acid
4 lbs. Azure Calcium Hardness Increaser - Calcium Chloride
2 Gallons Liquid Pool Chlorine - Sodium Hypochlorite 12.5%
3 "Tablets" in the pool skimmer

All of these chemicals cost me over $300. I did everything they told me in the proper order and time frame. My chlorine is barely registering. I called the pool store, they told me to add 2 more gallons of liquid chlorine. I did. Chlorine is still next to nothing.

Do I need to drain half my pool and start over? If I do, how do I know I have eliminated whatever it is that is eating up my chlorine? The pool water appears clear.
What can I do to get the chlorine level up and stay up?
 
It will be difficult to provide appropriate pool advice without seeing pool water test results from one of the recommended test kits. which kit do you have? Taylor K-2006C or TF-100 from tftestkits.net?
 
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We can help you, but we can't do much without having an accurate grasp on what's going on with your water. You have been Pool Stored, unfortunately.. it happens a lot. To get things back on the right track, you will need either a Taylor K-2006C or a TFTestKits.net TF-100/TF-Pro test kit.
 
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Sad to tell you but the only way to remove copper from your water is to replace it with copper free water. That sequesterant will only hide it & prevent some stains before it wears off & must be replenished $$$$.
Do you know what your most recent copper level was?

Aside from that you need one of the recommended test kits as mentioned above to get a handle on things & do the things we recommend.
The perma salt system uses many products that contain cya so it’s possible that yours is very high making following the
FC/CYA Levels or doing the
SLAM Process impractical.
Like with copper, The only way to reduce cya is to replace water.
As soon as your kit comes do all the tests & post the results here. We will be here to assist.
To keep things from getting worse while you wait for the kit to arrive & take the proper steps you can add 5ppm worth of liquid chlorine to the pool each day away from the pool wall infront of a running return, brush the area well. Add nothing else.
Use
PoolMath to calculate amounts.
 
I'm not sure why I need an expensive kit. The kit I have shows a ph level in the normal range at about 7.2, and a chlorine level less than 0.3.

I also used a test strip that shows: Chlorine - 0, Alkalinity at 120, CYA somewhere between 0-40, and hardness at 400.
 

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Sad to tell you but the only way to remove copper from your water is to replace it with copper free water. That sequesterant will only hide it & prevent some stains before it wears off & must be replenished $$$$.
Do you know what your most recent copper level was?

Aside from that you need one of the recommended test kits as mentioned above to get a handle on things & do the things we recommend.
The perma salt system uses many products that contain cya so it’s possible that yours is very high making following the
FC/CYA Levels or doing the
SLAM Process impractical.
Like with copper, The only way to reduce cya is to replace water.
As soon as your kit comes do all the tests & post the results here. We will be here to assist.
To keep things from getting worse while you wait for the kit to arrive & take the proper steps you can add 5ppm worth of liquid chlorine to the pool each day away from the pool wall infront of a running return, brush the area well. Add nothing else.
Use
PoolMath to calculate amounts.
The metals result from the pool store was at 1.5. Then I added the metal remover. My test strip is indicating it is currently at about .4
How much of the pool would I have to drain for it to be eliminated or so that the chemicals are effective? I won't be able to do this until next weekend. So, I should just keep adding liquid chlorine each day until then?
 
Let me elaborate;
Even at their most accurate The strips show ranges-
For instance, To clear your pool you need to use the appropriate amount of fc for your cya.
Too little = not effective,
too much = damage to surfaces, equipment, & swimmers.
Knowing your cya is Somewhere between 0 & 40 doesn’t cut it.
IMG_6449.jpeg
what you spend on a proper kit you will save many, many, many times over by not buying things you don’t need.
 
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The metals result from the pool store was at 1.5. Then I added the metal remover. My test strip is indicating it is currently at about .4
How much of the pool would I have to drain for it to be eliminated or so that the chemicals are effective? I won't be able to do this until next weekend. So, I should just keep adding liquid chlorine each day until then?
That is alot of copper- as mentioned the sequesterant has “hidden” some of it so it isn’t currently showing on the test.
Ideally you don’t want any copper in your water but below .5 should prevent staining once adequate chlorine levels are introduced as mentioned in the copper article I posted. That would be 3/4 of your pool volume.
What type of pool do you have? What is your pool volume?
Different pool types have different limitations with draining.
I found a

Taylor K-2006 Complete (FAS-DPD Chlorine) Test Kit​

online for $87.00. Will this work?
Yes - ideally you want the k2006 (c) as it has more reagents.
The tf100 at tftestkits.net
is often the best value (most reagents for the $)
With any of them you can always buy more reagents separately. They all contain the same tests. Up to you.
 

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That is alot of copper- as mentioned the sequesterant has “hidden” some of it so it isn’t currently showing on the test.
Ideally you don’t want any copper in your water but below .5 should prevent staining once adequate chlorine levels are introduced as mentioned in the copper article I posted. That would be 3/4 of your pool volume.
What type of pool do you have? What is your pool volume?
Different pool types have different limitations with draining.

Yes - ideally you want the k2006 (c) as it has more reagents.
The tf100 at tftestkits.net
is often the best value (most reagents for the $)
With any of them you can always buy more reagents separately. They all contain the same tests. Up to you.
I ordered Taylor Service Complete pool Water Test Kit K-2006C. It should arrive in 5 days. Until then, do I continue to add the liquid chlorine -- 1 gallon each day?
 
That is alot of copper- as mentioned the sequesterant has “hidden” some of it so it isn’t currently showing on the test.
Ideally you don’t want any copper in your water but below .5 should prevent staining once adequate chlorine levels are introduced as mentioned in the copper article I posted. That would be 3/4 of your pool volume.
What type of pool do you have? What is your pool volume?
Different pool types have different limitations with draining.

Yes - ideally you want the k2006 (c) as it has more reagents.
The tf100 at tftestkits.net
is often the best value (most reagents for the $)
With any of them you can always buy more reagents separately. They all contain the same tests. Up to you.
I ordered a kit.
I have a 24' round vinyl lined pool. 54" sides. Holds about 13,000 gallons. Will it be okay to drain about 2 feet so that there 2.5 feet left? I'm afraid of doing more harm by draining.
 
That is alot of copper- as mentioned the sequesterant has “hidden” some of it so it isn’t currently showing on the test.
Ideally you don’t want any copper in your water but below .5 should prevent staining once adequate chlorine levels are introduced as mentioned in the copper article I posted. That would be 3/4 of your pool volume.
What type of pool do you have? What is your pool volume?
Different pool types have different limitations with draining.

Yes - ideally you want the k2006 (c) as it has more reagents.
The tf100 at tftestkits.net
is often the best value (most reagents for the $)
With any of them you can always buy more reagents separately. They all contain the same tests. Up to you.
I ordered a kit.
I have a 24' round vinyl-lined pool. 54" sides. Holds about 13,000 gallons. Will it be okay to drain about 2 feet so that there 2.5 feet left? I'm afraid of doing more harm by draining. My pool is partially backfilled on one side.
This seems like a nightmare! All I want to do is raise my Chlorine level.
 
I ordered a kit.
I have a 24' round vinyl-lined pool. 54" sides. Holds about 13,000 gallons. Will it be okay to drain about 2 feet so that there 2.5 feet left? I'm afraid of doing more harm by draining. My pool is partially backfilled on one side.
This seems like a nightmare! All I want to do is raise my Chlorine level.
You don’t want to drain below the surrounding ground level of the part that’s buried.
Check out the no drain water exchange method listed in the draining article I linked - it will not risk damaging your liner or pool structure as the water level in the pool will never change.
Glad you got a kit on order! As soon as it comes post up all the results. The cya is especially important before you drain to ensure that you replace enough water. (You don’t want to have to do this again)
Please understand, The algae is consuming your chlorine, this requires lots of chlorine to overcome- hence needing to do the
SLAM Process at appropriate fc levels.
SLAM stands for Shock Level And Maintain.
The problem is not that the level of copper is preventing this from happening its that when you introduce those necessary levels of fc to the water to eradicate algae the copper will show itself, be oxidized by the chlorine & can cause staining, green water etc. adding to your other issues. Think of the Statue of Liberty 🗽- she is copper but she is green because she has oxidized, the same thing happens in a pool when the level is high enough.
Are you on a well?
 
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Wanted to jump in and give you some support.

@Mdragger88 has cleared more pools than you and I have ever swum in combined. You are in good hands.

I'm sorry that you were PoolStored. Welcome to #TeamPoolStored.

You won't regret the test kit. The payback will be almost immediate...because you won't buy anymore of the pool store potions.

To give you a bit of inspiration. Link-->How Clear is TFP Clear?

Season 1 Showtime GIF by The Chi
 
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You don’t want to drain below the surrounding ground level of the part that’s buried.
Check out the no drain water exchange method listed in the draining article I linked - it will not risk damaging your liner or pool structure as the water level in the pool will never change.
Glad you got a kit on order! As soon as it comes post up all the results. The cya is especially important before you drain to ensure that you replace enough water. (You don’t want to have to do this again)
Please understand, The algae is consuming your chlorine, this requires lots of chlorine to overcome- hence needing to do the
SLAM Process at appropriate fc levels.
SLAM stands for Shock Level And Maintain.
The problem is not that the level of copper is preventing this from happening its that when you introduce those necessary levels of fc to the water to eradicate algae the copper will show itself, be oxidized by the chlorine & can cause staining, green water etc. adding to your other issues. Think of the Statue of Liberty 🗽- she is copper but she is green because she has oxidized, the same thing happens in a pool when the level is high enough.
Are you on a well?
I am not on a well. The water is not green. In fact it looks clear, so whatever is eating up my chlorine, I cannot see. I will send results once I get them.
 
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I'm not sure why I need an expensive kit.
A quality test kit is by far the best money you'll ever spend on your pool. It will save you massive amounts of money, time, and effort while achieving superior outcomes.

All of these chemicals cost me over $300.
You can get a quality test kit with a stirring device for half of what you spend on those chemicals (most of which you don't need).

Less than 2 weeks later, I have an algae problem!
A proper test kit will help correct and prevent these types of problems.
 
I am not on a well. The water is not green. In fact it looks clear, so whatever is eating up my chlorine, I cannot see. I will send results once I get them.
That is a great sign- the level of copper you have in the water may be preventing you from having a full blown swamp at this time but having zero fc means it’s still unsanitary.
until your kit comes add the 5ppm worth of liquid chlorine each day to keep things at bay - this is not the solution, just something you can do that won’t make things worse until you have accurate data & can plan your attack.
We’ll be right here when you’re ready.
Also, while you’re waiting fill out your signature with all your pools details etc
 
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I got my test kit and if I did everything correctly....here are my numbers: (The FC was the most difficult to get an accurate reading) Also, I did the testing after a moderate thurnderstorm.

FC 6ppm
TC 4ppm
CYA 60
PH 7.9-8.0
Alkalinity 110
Hardness 230-300

I was finally able to get the chlorine to hold for a few days. It took about 7 gallons of liquid shock over the course of 5 days.
It is a 24-foot round above-ground pool with approx. 13,000 gallons.
 
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