Indoor, in ground pool high combined chlorine

[JamesW]

You are still getting CCs, so it is difficult to tell if you are getting close to the end.

The bucket test can help determine the total amount of chlorine that it will take, but you have to do it carefully.

It's tedious to do and it uses a lot of reagent, so it depends on how important it is to know the amount of chlorine it will take vs. just finishing the SLAM.

 

[JamesW]

A bucket test is a model SLAM in miniature.

You can do it faster because you can go higher on the chlorine.

1.28 oz (38 ml.) of the 1.25% solution should produce 50 ppm in 2.5 gallons of pool water.

0.76 ml of 1.25% solution should produce 1 ppm in 2.5 gallons of water.

Get 2.5 gallons and add 1.28 oz (38 ml.) of the 1.25% solution.

Wait 30 minutes and test.

If the level is lower than 50 ppm or if there are CCs continue the SLAM.

Add enough chlorine to raise the TC back to 50 PPM.

For example, if the TC is 24, you need 26 ppm, which is 26 x 0.76 ml = 19.76 ml.

Continue until the FC holds at 50 ppm with no CC.

Get some more reagents as needed.

This can help with measurements.

Keep track of the total chlorine ppm for the bucket test and it should match the total chlorine ppm needed for the pool SLAM.

How much total ppm has been used for the pool SLAM so far?

 

[i_intub8_u]

A bucket test is a model SLAM in miniature.

You can do it faster because you can go higher on the chlorine.

1.28 oz (38 ml.) of the 1.25% solution should produce 50 ppm in 2.5 gallons of pool water.

0.76 ml of 1.25% solution should produce 1 ppm in 2.5 gallons of water.

Get 2.5 gallons and add 1.28 oz (38 ml.) of the 1.25% solution.

Wait 30 minutes and test.

If the level is lower than 50 ppm or if there are CCs continue the SLAM.

Add enough chlorine to raise the TC back to 50 PPM.

For example, if the TC is 24, you need 26 ppm, which is 26 x 0.76 ml = 19.76 ml.

Continue until the FC holds at 50 ppm with no CC.

Get some more reagents as needed.

This can help with measurements.

Keep track of the total chlorine ppm for the bucket test and it should match the total chlorine ppm needed for the pool SLAM.

How much total ppm has been used for the pool SLAM so far?


View attachment 543152

Thanks for the suggestion! Before I did that and used up a bunch of reagent, I decided to just keep SLAMing with my chlorine I already have purchased (and if I didn’t make progress, then I was planning to do as you suggested). The health dept lady came yesterday to take samples and she calculated a FC of 1 and CC of 3 (which seems like progress). My test earlier that day showed FC 1.5, CC of 5.

Their pool water sample test results came back today. Negative for Coliform, E. coli, and pseudomonas. That’s all they can test for free. I ordered a sample collection kit from a lab. They are going to start with Alkalinity, TOC, and TDS to get a baseline. She didn’t want to jump to trihalomethane or haloacetic acid testing yet as it’s quite expensive.

I kept SLAMing yesterday and today. My latest test showed a FC of 0.5 and a CC of 1! When I added the R-0003 reagent, it barely changed to pink/red whereas before this test, it always turned intensely pink/red after 1 drop of the R-0003.

I’m hoping that means I’m on the home stretch. But even after getting the pool balanced, I still need to figure out what the contaminant is in my well water. So the TOC, TDS, and alkalinity should start to help with that.

I’m hoping to finally get a test result where my FC is 20 and my CC is 0 and then let the FC drift down to 4 or so .

 

[JamesW]

My latest test showed a FC of 0.5 and a CC of 1!

That just indicates that most of the chlorine was used up.

It is not necessarily a good or a bad sign.

 

[i_intub8_u]

That just indicates that most of the chlorine was used up.

It is not necessarily a good or a bad sign.

But doesn’t the CC being at 1 indicate I’m getting close to done?

 

[JamesW]

But doesn’t the CC being at 1 indicate I’m getting close to done?

Only if the FC is higher than the CC.

With the FC at 0.5, it really does not count.

You need an FC at 5, or higher, with a CC at 1, or below, to indicate that you are getting close.

 

[i_intub8_u]

Only if the FC is higher than the CC.

With the FC at 0.5, it really does not count.

You need an FC at 5, or higher, with a CC at 1, or below, to indicate that you are getting close.

Oh ok. Well hopefully I’m getting close.

 

[Mdragger88]

Fingers crossed for you!!

 

[i_intub8_u]

Waiting for the lab results from the well water test. I’ve been SLAMing (with a bit of a break when I was out of town).

Latest tonight is FC 0.5ppm and CC 0.5ppm. I added another 4 gallons of 12.5% chlorine and will check in the morning. I’m hoping to see a FC level above 5 and CC of 0. But who knows at this point. I’ve got to be getting close.

 

[JamesW]

Thanks for the update.

Hopefully, you are getting close to the end of the SLAM.

 

[JamesW]

Waiting for the lab results from the well water test.

Hopefully, they will be able to figure out what is in the water and figure out a treatment plan to make sure that you have clean and safe water.

She didn’t want to jump to trihalomethane or haloacetic acid testing yet as it’s quite expensive.

I would have included the trihalomethane and haloacetic acid tests as the contaminant is likely to be a carbon based molecule.

 

[i_intub8_u]

Hopefully, they will be able to figure out what is in the water and figure out a treatment plan to make sure that you have clean and safe water.


I would have included the trihalomethane and haloacetic acid tests as the contaminant is likely to be a carbon based molecule.

Each of those tests were $700+ each. So they wanted to start with the others. We will move on to those if nothing comes up on the current labs. Thanks.

 

[JamesW]

SDWA Price List | Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene

www.slh.wisc.edu

 

[JamesW]

Each of those tests were $700+ each.

That seems high.

Shop around for better prices.

https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/egle/Documents/Forms/RRD/Laboratory/EQP2301-Testing-Fee-Schedule.pdf

 

[JamesW]

https://www.anateklabs.com/wp-content/uploads/PriceListHoldingTime/Price-List-PWS.pdf

https://www.tceq.texas.gov/downloads/drinking-water/chemicals/lab-fees.pdf

https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2017/03/PHL_Water_Testing_Test_Descriptions.pdf

 

[i_intub8_u]

View attachment 544587

https://www.anateklabs.com/wp-content/uploads/PriceListHoldingTime/Price-List-PWS.pdf

View attachment 544588

https://www.tceq.texas.gov/downloads/drinking-water/chemicals/lab-fees.pdf

View attachment 544589

https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2017/03/PHL_Water_Testing_Test_Descriptions.pdf

Ok I’ll shop around.

I really don’t understand what’s happening. I thought I was getting close, but I went and purchased 4 more cases of the 4 gallon 12.5% chlorine bleach (total of 16 gallons). I decided I wanted to see what happened if I added all of that at once (SLAM calculator calls for almost 4 gallons to go from 0 FC to 20 FC SLAM level).

I waited 3 hours to test with pump running continuously.

Results:
FC 0.5ppm
CC 4.5ppm

Up to around 80 gallons of 12.5% chlorine used for the SLAM so far.

I just don’t understand.

 

[JamesW]

I just don’t understand.

Maybe the chlorine is bad or maybe there are just a lot of contaminants in the water.

It's probably some sort of contaminant in the water.

As I have been saying, testing is probably necessary to identify exactly what is in the water.

Without knowing what the contamination is or how much contaminant is in the water, we cannot estimate how long it will take.

It might take 1 more gallon or 100 gallons or 1,000 gallons.

You can do the bucket test if you want a better idea of how much chlorine it will take.

 

[JamesW]

Up to around 80 gallons of 12.5% chlorine used for the SLAM so far.

That is 588 ppm of chlorine.

It takes about 18.4 ppm of chlorine per ppm of methane in the water to convert the methane into carbon dioxide.

That will convert about 32 ppm of methane to carbon dioxide.

If we knew that there was 64 ppm of methane, then we would know that you were about half way through the SLAM.

However, we have no idea what is in the water or how much.

 

[Mdragger88]

Wow! This is wild.
@i_intub8_u just wanted to chime in and say we’re all rooting for you & that you have a resolution for this epic journey!

 

[i_intub8_u]

Here are the lab results. I’m still checking for better prices for some of the other lab tests. Any insights this tells me?



I took a sample to of the pool water to Petsmart as they test aquarium water for free. They got 0 chlorine, no ammonia, high nitrates (they said over 150ppm). There doesn’t seem to be a way to eliminate nitrates from the water other than draining and filling with fresh water?

I’m talking to Culligan about treating the well/testing the well.

My latest test showed FC 0.5ppm and CC 3.5ppm.

The local pool/environmental health lady suggested trying some non-chlorine MPS shock as an oxodizer. Does that screw up my testing if I add some of that? I’ve read that MPS can distort the CC reading. She suggested 5 pounds of MPS shock.

I also have 12 packs of this 1lb Clorox chlorine shock.



At this point does adding 12 bags of this hurt?

I’m getting to the point where it’ll be cheaper to drain most of the pool and have a tanker come with 12000 gallons of fresh municipal water. I’ve spent $500 on chlorine bleach. The guy can haul in that much water and will charge me $700 total.

That may fix the pool, but doesn’t figure out the issue with the well.

Any thoughts?