Hello! Thanks for your responses in advance. I have a 25,000 Gallon concrete pool. I am having trouble bumping up the free chlorine in my pool. I have added about 10 lbs of Clorox Shock over a span of 3 days, 18 lbs of Hardness Control, clarifier and a bottle of pink-algae (Pink -X) compound to get rid of water mold as told by local pool company. Yet, no luck. I have uploaded a video and an attachment from of chemicals tested. I am completely lost on what to do next. Advice from the local pool store is not being helpful. Thanks again.
Water color from jets is cloudy white, pool is cloudy, cannot see the deep end.
- Thread starter rbsb108
- Start date
Hi there, welcome to TFP.
First bit of advice is- Stay the heck outta pool stores!!! They have sold you products that actually cause problems to your pool and water such as copper stains (Clorox XtraBlue) and let algae grow amuck!
Advice # 2...get your own trusted test kit and test yourself! www.tftestkits.net sells my pick, the TF-100, OR find the Taylor K-2006C online. No others. Run tests and tell us:
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Salt if you use it.
Untill you get your tester, add one gallon of plain unscented, non-thickened, non-Clorox'd liquid bleach, or preferably the Walmart 10% Pool Essentials Liquid Chlorine found in the pool section. Brush it daily after adding. Keep pump running and eye on filter pressure to clear that out when it needs.
Let us know questions and results of test
Maddie
ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
First bit of advice is- Stay the heck outta pool stores!!! They have sold you products that actually cause problems to your pool and water such as copper stains (Clorox XtraBlue) and let algae grow amuck!
Advice # 2...get your own trusted test kit and test yourself! www.tftestkits.net sells my pick, the TF-100, OR find the Taylor K-2006C online. No others. Run tests and tell us:
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Salt if you use it.
Untill you get your tester, add one gallon of plain unscented, non-thickened, non-Clorox'd liquid bleach, or preferably the Walmart 10% Pool Essentials Liquid Chlorine found in the pool section. Brush it daily after adding. Keep pump running and eye on filter pressure to clear that out when it needs.
Let us know questions and results of test
Maddie
ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Can you show the bottle of this Pink X potion to us? I see a Bromine potion called "Pink" but that would be an unwelcome addition to a chlorine pool?
Maddie
Maddie
- May 3, 2014
- 58,303
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Ugh.....ammonia. Will chew thru your chlorine bad.
Thanks, Maddie. I am going to follow your guidelines and stick with TFP 
What's done is done and I am trying to be optimistic to get this going again. My kids miss the pool and we started off great for almost a month now but since last week things took a U-turn. This morning I added 2 gallons of Walmart Pool Essentials after backwashing as the pressure went up to 20 PSI. I have a sand filter, will circle back with water results later today.
What's done is done and I am trying to be optimistic to get this going again. My kids miss the pool and we started off great for almost a month now but since last week things took a U-turn. This morning I added 2 gallons of Walmart Pool Essentials after backwashing as the pressure went up to 20 PSI. I have a sand filter, will circle back with water results later today.
SouthVirginiaPool
Silver Supporter
Hang in there - you can see my other posts about how the pool stores steered me wrong. So much happier following this site and the pool has stayed crystal clear blue. Mknauss usually will ask you to also include your pool/pump info so that better recommendations can be made (see my example below).
I find it disturbing that the pool store printout lists a recommended CYA range up to 300 ppm. Your chlorine level is very low and your CYA is probably a bit high at close to 100.
mguzzy
Gold Supporter
That pic looks like phosphate treatment... did they have you add a phosphate remover too? I say that because the pool store print out shows high phosphates and surely they would have made you buy something for it.
BTW welcome to the Forum. I will second Maddie's suggest that you get the TFTestkits TF100 so you can do your own testing. Once we get your own results we can proceed with making recommendations. And could you put your equipment in your signature? it will provide and easy reference what you have installed.
BTW welcome to the Forum. I will second Maddie's suggest that you get the TFTestkits TF100 so you can do your own testing. Once we get your own results we can proceed with making recommendations. And could you put your equipment in your signature? it will provide and easy reference what you have installed.
Get your self a good quality FAS/DPD based pool test kit such as a TF 100 from tftestkits.net or a Taylor K2006 and complete the SLAM Process to clear your pool. If your CYA is close to 100 you will need to drain about 1/2 your water before starting the slam process in order to get the CYA level lower.
Could you please add information about your pool and pool equipment to your signature?
Could you please add information about your pool and pool equipment to your signature?
You can take complete control of your pool and save a lot of money in the process, if you're willing to get a quality test kit (not test strips) and learn a little about pool water chemistry. It isn't hard at all.
In your situation, the short answer is that your CYA is way too high at around 100. You should be at 50 or less. And your chlorine level is way too low. As your CYA goes up, your chlorine level needs to be increased. Pool stores do not understand this.
CYA does not decrease on its own, like chlorine, so it builds up over time from adding shock and tablets. The only practical way to decrease CYA is to drain some water. In your case, draining half your pool would decrease the CYA from 100 to 50.
In the short term, buy a quality test kit, buy some liquid chlorine, and dump at least 2 gallons of that into your pool immediately, and another gallon per day until your test kit arrives. Then report your test results here and folks can give you more specific guidance.
In your situation, the short answer is that your CYA is way too high at around 100. You should be at 50 or less. And your chlorine level is way too low. As your CYA goes up, your chlorine level needs to be increased. Pool stores do not understand this.
CYA does not decrease on its own, like chlorine, so it builds up over time from adding shock and tablets. The only practical way to decrease CYA is to drain some water. In your case, draining half your pool would decrease the CYA from 100 to 50.
In the short term, buy a quality test kit, buy some liquid chlorine, and dump at least 2 gallons of that into your pool immediately, and another gallon per day until your test kit arrives. Then report your test results here and folks can give you more specific guidance.
Latest test results:
FC: 0.2
TC: 1.03
CC: 0.83
pH: 7.2
Hardness: 174
Alkalinity: 100
CA: 86
Water from jets look a little less cloudy this evening or the twilight is playing tricks Is it possible that the water mold is continuing to be caught in the filter.
Thank you all for your input. If I need to drain 1/2 way down so be it. Lesson Learnt.
FC: 0.2
TC: 1.03
CC: 0.83
pH: 7.2
Hardness: 174
Alkalinity: 100
CA: 86
Water from jets look a little less cloudy this evening or the twilight is playing tricks
Is it possible that the water mold is continuing to be caught in the filter. Thank you all for your input. If I need to drain 1/2 way down so be it. Lesson Learnt.
Yes, added 2 gallons of liquid chlorine yesterday morning, 1 last night and 1 this morning.
Pump has been running non-stop for 24 hrs. The filter was supposed to catch any water mold but no luck so far.
Need some pointers please: (1) Should I keep running the pump for 24 hrs? (2) Can I use the regular bleach of 4-5% strength in lieu of WMT Pool Essentials? It's running out of stock locally. I guess it will not be strong enough? (3) Pump/Filter setup is attached. Feel free to comment. I hope I have the settings correct for complete & thorough filtration.
Thanks again!
Attachments
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Correct in the interim until the TF100 Test Kit arrives to check progress. Not buying anything else from this store. Test Results are no charge, luckily.
If anyone is here from TFTestkits who processes orders (ending in xxx571), kind request to expedite processing if feasible.
mguzzy
Gold Supporter
When was the last time you did a deep clean on your sand filter?
Sand Filter Use and Care - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
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Hello! Thank you for your response. I have put new sand this season back in 2nd-3rd week of May. I have used 3 bottles of flocculant this season. I read somewhere on TFP that flocculant messes the sand. Maybe this could be part of the puzzle.When was the last time you did a deep clean on your sand filter?
Sand Filter Use and Care - Further Reading