Don't worry about TA. It will come down as you keep your pH in line. Whenever your pH gets to 7.8, lower it to 7.2 with muriatic acid. This will, over time, bring the pH down. For a CYA of 50 (if that is what your true level is) your FC is at the very minimum. You should never let it drop below 4.
Free Chlorine Usually at ZERO/Vinyl Wrinkles -- Help!
- Thread starter Dborgill
- Start date
JohnN,
This is the biggest problem that I run into. I have pool service guys locally telling me one thing, the Leslie's Manager telling me another and people online telling me another. It's very frustrating because I keep getting conflicting messages on all angles.
I really appreciate the help and patience here but I am at a bit of a loss. I have spent so much money on liquid chlorine and it just keeps going down. The lady I buy my liquid chlorine from yesterday (13% chlorine content) says I need to just completely overload the pool with chlorine to REALLY shock it and all will come in order. Etc etc.
This is the biggest problem that I run into. I have pool service guys locally telling me one thing, the Leslie's Manager telling me another and people online telling me another. It's very frustrating because I keep getting conflicting messages on all angles.
I really appreciate the help and patience here but I am at a bit of a loss. I have spent so much money on liquid chlorine and it just keeps going down. The lady I buy my liquid chlorine from yesterday (13% chlorine content) says I need to just completely overload the pool with chlorine to REALLY shock it and all will come in order. Etc etc.
Listening to different sources of advice NEVER works and you end up getting caught in the middle. You should ditch us, ditch the pool guy or ditch Leslies. Pick one and go with it.
Only when you pick a single source will you get the pool clear. You should make that choice before you try to go further.
Only when you pick a single source will you get the pool clear. You should make that choice before you try to go further.
This is exactly why we tell people to pick one source of information and stick with it. Everyone has different ideas for ideal levels, and trying to listen to everyone at once only causes more confusion. I can say that if you choose to listen to us, your pool WILL be free of algae and whatever else may be consuming your chlorine at a rapid rate, and you WILL save money in the long run.
jcowart
0
This is the cycle of pool stored. She says to completely overload the pool with chlorine. Well that's the start but a preset level needs to be maintained. It might be 1gal a day, it might be 2gal or more a day. Shock is not a one time thing or product. The pool stores are in the chemical sales. That is how they make there money. They will tell you what they need to just to sell you chemicals. What this site teaches you is how to maintain YOUR pool. They are all different and all have their own personality. Your pool might want to live at a higher TA. The problem is without a good FAS/DPD test kit, the best one to trust is the pool store chemical salesmen. You will be flying blind without it getting advise here. Don't take this post the wrong way but you need to make that decision. This site has hundreds of users that learn from each other and it's been proven that it works.Dborgill said:
I apologize for my message. It didn't come off right. I trust the people here most, hence, me coming back with the results.
I am going to get the TFT-100 and at least we can all get on the same page
In the mean time, until my kit gets here, any opinions of if I should raise my chlorine levels higher for now (liquid chlorine is the only method that seems to work for me) --?
Thanks again!
I am going to get the TFT-100 and at least we can all get on the same page
In the mean time, until my kit gets here, any opinions of if I should raise my chlorine levels higher for now (liquid chlorine is the only method that seems to work for me) --?
Thanks again!
He's full of it about pouring the acid in a column. That's been debunked and it could actually harm your pool. espsecially since it's a vinyl pool.
Here's the list; Keep in mind that we don't trust the pool store testing.
pH = 7.5
FC = 4 ppm
CC = 0 ppm
TA = 190 ppm
CH = 200 ppm
CYA = 50 ppm
Since they tested the FC at 4 ppm what did your strips show it as?
The pH, FC & CH are fine. The TA is a little high but all you need to do about it is adjust the pH with acid poured in front of a running return whenever it gets high.
They list the CYA as being 50 but that's usually the one test that they're most wrong about.
For now we'll assume that it's 50. You need to add enough bleach to get the FC to about 7 ppm.
If you haven't learned how to use the Pool Calculator yet, now would be a good time to start. Since you have numbers it makes learning it easier.
Here's the list; Keep in mind that we don't trust the pool store testing.
pH = 7.5
FC = 4 ppm
CC = 0 ppm
TA = 190 ppm
CH = 200 ppm
CYA = 50 ppm
Since they tested the FC at 4 ppm what did your strips show it as?
The pH, FC & CH are fine. The TA is a little high but all you need to do about it is adjust the pH with acid poured in front of a running return whenever it gets high.
They list the CYA as being 50 but that's usually the one test that they're most wrong about.
For now we'll assume that it's 50. You need to add enough bleach to get the FC to about 7 ppm.
If you haven't learned how to use the Pool Calculator yet, now would be a good time to start. Since you have numbers it makes learning it easier.
All, THANK YOU so much for the help. I have read the SLAM, OCLT, and other articles and it's all making a lot more sense. Another moderator earlier mentioned that I may have some stubborn algae of sorts and since I haven't TRULY shocked the pool enough, it would make sense, no thanks to the home sellers who opened the pool without doing any chemical maintenance..
It's good that you're reading and things will make more sense the more you get control of your pool.
You may need to SLAM your pool, but until you get a good test kit you should just try to maintain your pH and FC.
You may need to SLAM your pool, but until you get a good test kit you should just try to maintain your pH and FC.
Found big jugs of concentrated bleach at Wal-Mart. 8.25% for $2.90 a bottle.
I'll have to calculate if the 12.5% from a local pool store is a better deal.. I'll keep everyone updated and I appreciate the help!
I'll have to calculate if the 12.5% from a local pool store is a better deal.. I'll keep everyone updated and I appreciate the help!
Thanks for the calculator!
I put in 6 gallons of the bleach from last night. I used the only two test methods I have early this morning: Leslie's Pool Strips and HTH Pool Strips. The max they both read is 10 for FC. Both read 10 this morning so that is definitely a huge improvement of where I have been because it's never read above 4..
When I get my real testing kit, I'll report back. Thanks again!
I put in 6 gallons of the bleach from last night. I used the only two test methods I have early this morning: Leslie's Pool Strips and HTH Pool Strips. The max they both read is 10 for FC. Both read 10 this morning so that is definitely a huge improvement of where I have been because it's never read above 4..
When I get my real testing kit, I'll report back. Thanks again!
So until my REAL test kit gets here, I thought I'd post some interesting results.
A few days ago, I measured the highest reading for FC (10 on both sets of my retail test strips) -- Yesterday morning, after testing again with both tests came back around 2 for FC. The pool was covered, no one used it during those days or anything. Seems like chlorine is being eaten up at VERY rapid rates.. unless that is somewhat normal.
Any feedback is welcome.
A few days ago, I measured the highest reading for FC (10 on both sets of my retail test strips) -- Yesterday morning, after testing again with both tests came back around 2 for FC. The pool was covered, no one used it during those days or anything. Seems like chlorine is being eaten up at VERY rapid rates.. unless that is somewhat normal.
Any feedback is welcome.
From my own experience with the cover being clear it doesn't lessen the FC loss during the day so what you saw is prefectly normal.
So really, I need to be planning on adding 5 or so gallons of chlorine into my pool each week regardless.. right?
So the OCLT test is with a full cover or why does that state I should be losing 1 ppm or less overnight?
So the OCLT test is with a full cover or why does that state I should be losing 1 ppm or less overnight?
It doesn't matter if you have a cover or not when you do the OCLT. It should be less than 1 ppm regardless. The point is to eliminate sun as a possibility for consuming your chlorine, which means a cover would have no effect.
JohnN said:
Ok, so that is still an extremely rapid rate of decline right? Cover or not.