Was 11 pounds of burnout 73 necessary?

[larmstrong]

Hello,
I'm new here and have been learning to care for my father in laws pool. It has taken me all summer but I finally got the pool clear after telling the pool company to quit coming as they weren't doing much to help the cause. I used test strips in the past and added shock, clarifier and algaecide weekly or according to the test strips if I needed more shock. Its a 40,000 gallon in ground, concrete pool with a sand filter. The pool company stopped to check on the heater and grabbed a pool sample on their way out. They called me and told me I needed $400 worth of chemical in there according to their test results. After doing some research, I'm learning now that pool companys may be just trying to upsell me.

I'm frustrated as I finally got the pool clear, and now the free chlorine is at least 10 or above according to my test strips so the kids aren't able to swim and the pool is now cloudy again. I plan to buy my own test kit so I don't have to rely on the pool company to test anymore.​

My main question is this: My combined chlorine score was "1" and I'm not totally sure what the Free chlorine score was as I had run out of test strips the day before but I had also just done my weekly maintenance dose of 4 bags of shock the day or two prior and the water was finally looking the best it had all summer. They had me put 11 bags of bioguard burnout 73 in to take care of the combined chlorine and 2 bottles of pool tonic to take care of the phosphates. Is 11 bags of burnout excessive and two bottles of pool tonic?

 

[Jimrahbe]

L,

I am not sure where to start.. We don't believe in any of the stuff you have been adding to your pool.

The TFP pool care process is based on valid testing and then only adding what is needed... No magic chemicals with fancy names, just a few basic chemicals.. The key for us is knowing what the chemical is going to do before we add it, so that we can control the outcome.

I suggest that you read through out Pool School.. Here are a couple of starter articles...

ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

FC/CYA Levels

Test Kits Compared

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[larmstrong]

I figured this and have been reading through pool school already. It will help once I have a test kit and understand what the basic chemicals will be after I finish researching through this site. They had me convinced this was a trouble pool because of many trees and its been cloudy for years until I started researching on my own and got it clear myself. After reading more myself I am now seeing that the many chemicals they are selling me aren't necessary. I'd like to cut ties with the pool company as there have been some red flags in the past. Thanks very much for your response.

 

[Shirker]

I plan to buy my own test kit so I don't have to rely on the pool company to test anymore.
My main question is this: My combined

There are essentially two test kits recommend here. I personally like the TF100 (search the forum for links). Once you get your kit, post full results and the experts will help you figure out your next steps

 

[mguzzy]

I figured this and have been reading through pool school already. It will help once I have a test kit and understand what the basic chemicals will be after I finish researching through this site. They had me convinced this was a trouble pool because of many trees and its been cloudy for years until I started researching on my own and got it clear myself. After reading more myself I am now seeing that the many chemicals they are selling me aren't necessary. I'd like to cut ties with the pool company as there have been some red flags in the past. Thanks very much for your response.

You don't need to wait for your test kit to cut ties with the Pool Company.. That will start saving you money immediately Thanks for the list of stuff you have put in your pool. it will be helpful once you post your test results to figure out your chemistry. I'm sure you have already started to realize if you are reading through the Pool Chem info here, you probably have a high CYA and that is why your pool is getting cloudy with high a CL measurement. But we'l know more when you post your numbers.

Since there is likely going to be a SLAM in your future get the XL option on the TF100 so you have he extra reagents.

 

[Jimrahbe]

L,

Most things can be fixed, but if you have high CYA, the only option is to drain some or all of the water in your pool.. I only say this because there is little sense in working hard on getting the chemistry right and then draining the water...

Since you close in the winter (I assume) your CYA may not be too high due to your yearly water exchanges during the close and opening process.. But only testing will tell.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

While you are waiting for your test kit, find a local source for liquid chlorine. 10% chlorine from any or the big box stores if you can find it, or 6% plain bleach, not Clorox, no additives, not splash-less or any fabric stuff in it.

Get familiar with PoolMath. It is the tool we use to determine how much chemicals to add.

1 gallon of 10% liquid chlorine will taise yiur FC by 2.5 ppm.

How are you chlorinating you pool daily right now?

 

[larmstrong]

L,

Most things can be fixed, but if you have high CYA, the only option is to drain some or all of the water in your pool.. I only say this because there is little sense in working hard on getting the chemistry right and then draining the water...

Since you close in the winter (I assume) your CYA may not be too high due to your yearly water exchanges during the close and opening process.. But only testing will tell.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks Jim, now that you mention that...the pool loses a lot of water over the winter and we did completely drain and start all over this summer. About every day to every two days we have to add a couple inches of water as there is that much water loss. I'll buy a test kit and post the results. Thanks so much!

 

[larmstrong]

While you are waiting for your test kit, find a local source for liquid chlorine. 10% chlorine from any or the big box stores if you can find it, or 6% plain bleach, not Clorox, no additives, not splash-less or any fabric stuff in it.

Get familiar with PoolMath. It is the tool we use to determine how much chemicals to add.

1 gallon of 10% liquid chlorine will taise yiur FC by 2.5 ppm.

How are you chlorinating you pool daily right now?

Right now we have been using chlorine sticks in the filter baskets and also weekly we do bioguard smart shock. Our cc was at a 1 and they had me add 11 bags of burnout 73 and that made the fc skyrocket. Just wondered if those 11 bags were really necessary to bring that cc down. I'm guessing that answer is no?

 

[ajw22]

Shock is not necessary. CCs are burnt off by the suns UV rays.

 

[Jimrahbe]

"Bioguard Smart Shock"... sounds like marketing magic to me... I'm pretty sure that it has very little "smart" in it..

 

[larmstrong]

Shock is not necessary. CCs are burnt off by the suns UV rays.

Thank you so much! Happy to be learning this and thanks to all for the encouragement and confidence to cut ties with a pool store.

 

[ajw22]

Since you don’t know your CYA level you don’t know what a good FC level for your pool is. If you keep the proper FC for your CYA you never need shock or other pool store potions. Look at FC/CYA Levels