Getting frustrated - new comer

[Bama Rambler]

When you say you're doing the CYA test 50/50, is that 50% pool water and 50% reagent? If so you don't multiply it by 2, you just read it direct.

Don't worry about using the algaecide yet. Let's get the water cleared up and balanced first. Adding more stuff just confuses the issue.

You should start seeing improvement each day now.

 

[britishexpat]

When you say you're doing the CYA test 50/50, is that 50% pool water and 50% reagent? If so you don't multiply it by 2, you just read it direct. I was adding 50 pool and 50 tap water however for some unknown reasons the normal test taken is now at 50 to 60... so, we are good there.

Don't worry about using the algaecide yet. Let's get the water cleared up and balanced first. Adding more stuff just confuses the issue.

You should start seeing improvement each day now.

it sure is, it is now a nice sky blue colour....
what do you suggest about these backswimmers? they are defo backswimmers to, killed a few and noticed that they were indeed swimming upside down... do these bite? do we continue to ignore them for now until all the algae has gone?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Don't worry about the bugs until it's completely clear and balanced. I think they'll go away on their own once it's all balanced.

 

[wetchem]

what do you suggest about these backswimmers?

On the brightside, they're earning their keep... they're eating any other insects that may decide that your pool looks like a good place to live. :-D
From what I've read about them, they seem fairly harmless to humans... not so for the other insects.... death from below, sorry about that Mr. Fly/Mosquito... (evil laugh) -wc

 

[britishexpat]

Pool is cleaning up nicely now.... thanks for the help so far.... i'll keep on the shock shock shocking.....

 

[Bama Rambler]

Once the water gets clear you can run the OCLT and that will tell you if you can stop shocking and go to regular maintenance levels.

 

[britishexpat]

Just had a thought, should I place the ladder inside the pool to kill off any algae spores that may be on it? or clean it down with bleach when the pool is fully ready to go into? I totaly forgot about the ladder whithin all this shocking process?

 

[Bama Rambler]

What I would do if there are holes and hiding places in the ladder, is spray it with bleach and inject bleach in the holes. Then once you do that set it I. The water at shock level.

 

[britishexpat]

Sorry all helpers here, we have had some pretty horrible weather over the last month or so, last few days have been great and now I have been able to get some cleaning done with the pool.
I have been adding a large bleach each day and a quick FC test during the bad weather but that's about it.
Pool has completely turned back to a crystal clear color and today I have hoovered all the remaining scum etc from off the pool floor.
Test taken at 8pm as an overnight test to see if water is clean.
FC-20 CYA-50 CC-0.5 PH 8.0> TA-300 CH-125 SWT-4000

When I re-take the test 1st thing in the morning what should I then do if the water is clean etc?
I have acid ready to add to help bring down the PH/TA etc. is this correct?

Ps, all the back swimmers have now disappeared somewhere else, thank goodness!

 

[aa62579]

If you pass the OCLT, let your FC fall below 10, then test pH and go from there.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Just ditto what Allison said. Once the FC is below 10 ppm retest and adjust pH then.

 

[britishexpat]

Baffled right now,
done a test @8pm sunday night and the FC was at 26. Well above shock.
I was unable to take a new test 1st thing monday morning to confirm the overnight FC loss, best I could take the next test was taken at 10am morning after there was a slight sun out over the pool.... anyway's the FC was at 24, a loss of 2ppm in 14hrs. Hoovered the bottom of the pool and brushed the sides etc, cleaned out pump and changed filter.

I added x 2 96oz bleach jugs to the pool as I was going to be away all day.

Taken a new test at 10pm tonight and the FC was only at 16. That's a loss of around 26 in 12hrs... also my CYA is down to 30, although this test had to be taken within the house under a lamp.

That's a lot of FC loss in one afternoon is it not? It is very humid here and the temp today was around 98, my weather system showed a index over 110.
any thought's about why so much FC loss please? appreciated.

The pool water is sparkling indeed, I will be defo up at 6am tuesday to re-test and see what the actual FC overnight loss is.

if I am losing stabilizer(CYA) due to this heat and what not, what do I need to buy to rectify this issue with raising the CYA please????

I bought a new off set umbrella today with a pool fountain aerator to help shade and cool the pool water... the pool water temp thermometer has been near 96 degrees...

 

[jblizzle]

The CYA should not be letting unless you are physically removing water from the pool: splash out, backwash, leak. Weather will not affect it.

That is a pretty large FC loss, could be due to the CYA being low. If it is low, you just need to buy some cyanuric acid ... called either stabilizer or conditioner.

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

 

[britishexpat]

The CYA should not be letting unless you are physically removing water from the pool: splash out, backwash, leak. Weather will not affect it.

That is a pretty large FC loss, could be due to the CYA being low. If it is low, you just need to buy some cyanuric acid ... called either stabilizer or conditioner.

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

where can I buy some cyanuric acid from please, being british not sure where to buy stuff here?

 

[britishexpat]

Dang I sold all my old pool stuff along with all the hth chemicals, I did have a container of 15oz stabilizer/conditioner, should I go and buy the same product or is there another type as in an acid or is that fine to use?

 

[britishexpat]

is the cyanuric acid that I bought for testing the same stuff? I have a large 32 oz of that??

 

[jblizzle]

is the cyanuric acid that I bought for testing the same stuff? I have a large 32 oz of that??

I am not clear what you mean. I am not sure why you would buy it for testing ... I would have to look back through the thread to see what you are taking about.

The stabilizer comes in either granules or a liquid.

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

 

[britishexpat]

is the cyanuric acid that I bought for testing the same stuff? I have a large 32 oz of that??

I am not clear what you mean. I am not sure why you would buy it for testing ... I would have to look back through the thread to see what you are taking about.

The stabilizer comes in either granules or a liquid.

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

What I mean to say is I have a large cyanuric acid "reagent"... I was wondering if this is the same thing?

I guess it is not the same thing as the liquid acid, I would like to know though where do you buy the liquid acid from?
I am looking on amazon but cant find any other than the reagent type?
Thanks and sorry for the confusion.

 

[Bama Rambler]

The test reagent is not the same as the cyanuric acid itself.

Don't add any more CYA until you've passed the OCLT.

With a CYA of 30 ppm your shock level is way too high. You should only be keeping it at 12 ppm. Let the FC come down to 12 or so and hold it there.

Calm down and do this thing one at a time. wait till you finish the shocking process to start adjusting the other parameters.

 

[britishexpat]

I did the FC test @10pm it was on 16 re-taken again 1st thing this morning at 7am and it was still on 16... That's the OCLT test taken and passed,
I have not put anything else into the pool yet. what should I do next please????