just started using BBB

[frustratedpoolmom]

Your losing more at night that during the day? That doesn't seem possible.

Describe to me your testing method, for when you do the overnight test.

You go out to the pool to collect a sample. Then you:

 

[8corneflakes]

I reach down as far as I can and get a sample.
I rinse the Chlorine Only vial.
I fill it to 10.
I add a heaping blue spoon (the tiny end) of the powder.
I swirl it and it turns a very dark pink.
I start putting in drops two at a time and swirl again.
When it barely starts to lighten, I add one drop at a time.
Swirl swirl swirl.

Then i go straight to the calculator and see how much bleach I need to add.

I then slowly add the bleach into the jet flow of water (where the water returns to the pool after it comes out of the filter.

I wait 40 minutes and retest. I get the test water from the same area of the pool everytime.

I check the water and add bleach every morning and every night. I would say I'm using a total of three 96 oz jugs everyday.

When brushing this morning, I did notice that area furtherst from the pump and skimmer had just a tiny bit of cloudy sediment that came up, but just the tiniest bit. I also took out the ladder this morning and I'm going to keep it out a few days and see if it makes a difference.

I don't mind the amount of bleach I'm using because it is far cheeper and more readily available. It would just be nice to see the FC hold. Maybe it just takes this long. I can keep trying!

 

[8corneflakes]

on yeah, then I drag myself up before the sun hits the pool and do it all again.

thanks,
theresa

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Sounds like you are doing everything right, the only thing I can suggest, as tedious as it sounds, is do it one drop at a time instead of two. IDK if it would make a difference but ya never know.

It is possible the hidden lurking stuff is what's taking longer, but you are discovering those so I think you are in the home stretch.

 

[8corneflakes]

I will keep going.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Theresa

 

[8corneflakes]

I left the ladder out all yesterday and last night to see if that was the culprit. Here are my numbers this morning.

FC 22 (dropped from 28 last night) :grrrr: Getting discouraged.
CC .5
pH 7.5
TA 170
CH 640
CYA 45

This is my 17th day shocking. Water is crystal clear and I'm now brushing two times per day. Pump is running 24/7. My liner is stained from iron in my water. Would that have ANY effect on my numbers? We are planning to put in a new liner this fall and then have the water trucked in. Maybe I need to just hold on (and put more stock in clorox) for the rest of the summer and start fresh in the fall. Any advice?

Theresa

 

[Buggsw]

Make sure you look for algae everywhere, around and in skimmer niches, inside floating thermometers, pool toys, light niches and any nook and crevice that comes in contact with your water. The tiniest bit somewhere can set you back.

 

[8corneflakes]

I shocked the pool toys and haven't let my kids play with them since. As long as I'm thorough, is brushing the pool with the pool brush adaquate?

thanks

 

[teapot]

Swith off the pump tonight and test as usual, wonder what might be growing in your sand filter, when was it last changed?

 

[reebok]

why would you switch off the pump? not only would it not be advised due to obvious organics, but you'd also have to get up early do to the overnight test because the pump has to be running for 30 mins before testing.

 

[8corneflakes]

we started the season with new sand. Of course, we also started the season with algae. We had poor circulation to no circulation in previously years due the our sand was a clump of concrete. Should I be taking the pump apart and cleaning it already?

 

[duraleigh]

Should I be taking the pump apart and cleaning it already?

That's very unlikely. Most pools go years without clumping, if they ever do. Infact, many of us on the forum never change the sand. You will find many folks with sand 10+ years old.

The reason yours clumped and got hard was improper chemical balance and allowed dead algae, perhaps calcium (not likely) or something else to accumulate without it being backwashed out.

It would not be a bad idea to remove the lid from you filter and inspect the sand to reassure yourself. You will likely find some gunk around the top and it may be just a little bit crusty but you should not have to change it.

Your continued overnite FC loss is very puzzling to me. Do you have entrance steps or anyplace else where algae might hide. Removing the ladder was a good idea but, even with what you found on it, I don't think it would account for the FC loss you are experienceing.

I understand what teapot was suggesting. He/she was eliminating the filter as a source of the FC loss. That's not a bad idea but I think it would be as easy to remove the lid and visually inspect. I don't think any algae in the filter could survive your constant barrage of high FC but I am puzzled as to the source.

Are you observing you filter psi? With that much FC loss, the dead organics should be causing your filter pressure to rise. What has been your backwashing history during this 17 day period?

After you post back, I've got some more questions but let me say this good news.........The constant level of high FC will work. It has worked on every pool on this forum for years and it will work on yours. You must stay the course and your pool will get clear. I am convinced we can figure out the chlorine loss and solve it but, in the meantime, it is essential that you stay the course and continue to keep your FC up in the 20ppm range like you have been doing.

 

[teapot]

17th day of shocking, about time to start eliminating causes don't you think?

Quest: What is the largest surface area of any setup.

Answ: the filter.

So if you want to take the lid off the filter no problem, I would still switch off the pump tonight to isolate the filter from the pool basin and test again.

Do not start up the pump 30 minutes before testing as that kind of negates the point of isolating.

Sand can last quite a time but some people use it to filter a swamp and then want the very best water.

 

[8corneflakes]

Here is a pic of my pool. It is so very basic. Round AG. No wedding cake steps or fancy anything. We stopped using pool toys days ago. You can see that the water is quite clear. The yellowish color is staining.

As for backwashing and such, my husband says the psi thing is broken. I just backwash when the water coming out of the return jet isn't as strong. In the beginning of the 17 day process, I backwashed everyday for the first few days and very dirty water came out. Then every other day during the second week, then about every four days. For the last two weeks, the waste water has been clear. I just backwashed again this morning after about five days and the water was clear again. My husband is very handy. If you can tell me what to do about the filter and how to check to see if that's the culprit, he will be able to handle it. I will just hand him the tools and the beers!

Are you saying it is possible for the actual filter and hoses to be harboring algae? We also replaced all our hose this year. The old ones were cracking and leaking.

On a good note, I'm getting some killer biceps and a savage tan from brushing!

There you have it!

Thanks for the continued help![attachment=1:2ybolu58]pool.tif[/attachment:2ybolu58]

 

[8corneflakes]

I guess I can't upload the photo. It just shows as a red X. Sorry.

Imagine the most boring basic round 24' pool.

 

[duraleigh]

8cornflakes,

check your PM's. It's in the upper left corner of your screen and will say "1 new message"

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Upload your pics to Photobucket.com (or similar free hosting site.) Choose the "large" size, then copy the IMG Code, and paste it into your message here.... Super easy...

Hang in there...

 

[8corneflakes]

It worked!

I just love you guys!!

 

[8corneflakes]

here are this mornings test results. They are VERY mind boggling. Especially the CYA. I'm at a loss as to what's going on. Here is my CYA history. Wednesday of last week, I noticed my CYA dropped to about 30, so I added the recommended dosage through a tube sock on Thursday. It took almost three days to dissolve. Then, I assumed that I was at my target level of 40. On Monday night, I tested my CYA and it read 50. Hmmm. Also, it rained, but not a monsoon or anything. This morning, one week and one day later, I retest CYA just for the fun of it. It is reading 30. I redid the test and asked my husband to confirm. If it can't 'go' anywhere, where did it go? The rain we got was well under 3/4 inch. I can only assume I tested it too early the first time. But I would have guessed that it would have been a lower number first. Also, my CC went up. :grrrr:

FC 22 (down from 29 very late last night)
CC 1
TC 23
pH 7.8
T/A 170
CYA 30

Also, could someone discribe to me what active mustard algae looks like. My skimmer was stained yellow and I assumed it was from iron scaling. It is gritty feeling but can not be brushed off. It will come off if scraped with a razor blade. It is not slimy at all, just gritty. My ladder was affliced with the same thing. I tried iron out on the ladder and it couldn't even touch it. We have a pond...maybe we'll just start swimming it that!

 

[teapot]

Did you switch off your pump last night?