Hi everyone. Just found this site and found it to be refreshing and enlightening. After mediocre success over the last 3 years with my pool I’m ready to leave the ‘dark side’ and give this a shot.
Here’s my situation:
My pool (see signature info) this year after encountering open season woes of green cloudiness has basically been crystal clear all summer up until about 2 weeks ago. Inadvertently ran out of tabs in the chlorinator and pool went from clear to cloudy in a matter of a few days. My normal method of checking chemical balance has been using check strips and an occasional trip to Leslies for a water analysis. According to the test strip I had zero FC and zero CYA. So I turned up the dial on the chlorinator and started shocking with a couple bags of CalHypo (Power Powder Plus) with little success. After a water sample test from Leslies they said FC was 2, CYA OK and to shock with 2 bags every 24 hrs. After 4 days and 8 bags of shock, the water again looks clear but FC reading according to strips each time is around zero.
After reading this forum it sounds like I have a looming algae issue as basically it is just eating my chlorine as FC is not rising. So I decided to go all in and ordered a TF100 test kit yesterday, but not arriving until mid next week. Understanding now the importance of CYA, I realize I need this number before I begin my shock process. For the heck of it I went to Leslie’s again last night and they said CYA was OK and at about 100 but ‘he was not quite sure’. How nice. My strips indicate zero. So basically I have wait until my TF100 comes as I have no idea what CYA is at.
My question to this forum. In the meantime (until mid next week) should I do anything? If my CYA really is 100 or more I expect I will be draining off part of the pool. If not, I will begin the bleach dump to try to sustain the shock level. However, if I have to drain I assume adding bleach now is just wasted effort.
Interested in thoughts. Thanks to all.
Here’s my situation:
My pool (see signature info) this year after encountering open season woes of green cloudiness has basically been crystal clear all summer up until about 2 weeks ago. Inadvertently ran out of tabs in the chlorinator and pool went from clear to cloudy in a matter of a few days. My normal method of checking chemical balance has been using check strips and an occasional trip to Leslies for a water analysis. According to the test strip I had zero FC and zero CYA. So I turned up the dial on the chlorinator and started shocking with a couple bags of CalHypo (Power Powder Plus) with little success. After a water sample test from Leslies they said FC was 2, CYA OK and to shock with 2 bags every 24 hrs. After 4 days and 8 bags of shock, the water again looks clear but FC reading according to strips each time is around zero.
After reading this forum it sounds like I have a looming algae issue as basically it is just eating my chlorine as FC is not rising. So I decided to go all in and ordered a TF100 test kit yesterday, but not arriving until mid next week. Understanding now the importance of CYA, I realize I need this number before I begin my shock process. For the heck of it I went to Leslie’s again last night and they said CYA was OK and at about 100 but ‘he was not quite sure’. How nice. My strips indicate zero. So basically I have wait until my TF100 comes as I have no idea what CYA is at.
My question to this forum. In the meantime (until mid next week) should I do anything? If my CYA really is 100 or more I expect I will be draining off part of the pool. If not, I will begin the bleach dump to try to sustain the shock level. However, if I have to drain I assume adding bleach now is just wasted effort.
Interested in thoughts. Thanks to all.