Hi from SoCal

[TheDude26]

Hey Guys, I have no idea what I am doing, new pool owner. I don't trust pool guys as they keep suggesting I replaced my sand filter (not common here in Socal). I have a green pool with high CYA. I am slowing educating myself but feel there's so many options. Right now, I prefer to go with the chemistry route instead of replacing filter. In addition, I would not want to drain and refill either.

What are my other options? If anybody is in South OC or knows somebody who's been through the same headache, I'll be happy to pay for their time and knowledge. Just need to figure out how to get it blue, I feel I can maintain it from there.

 

[Jeff J.]

Hey Guys, I have no idea what I am doing, new pool owner. I don't trust pool guys as they keep suggesting I replaced my sand filter (not common here in Socal). I have a green pool with high CYA. I am slowing educating myself but feel there's so many options. Right now, I prefer to go with the chemistry route instead of replacing filter. In addition, I would not want to drain and refill either.

What are my other options? If anybody is in South OC or knows somebody who's been through the same headache, I'll be happy to pay for their time and knowledge. Just need to figure out how to get it blue, I feel I can maintain it from there.

I see you ordered the K2006. Good move. If you haven't, read Pool School on this site. Once your kit arrives, post your numbers here, like this

FC
CC
PH
TA
CH
CYA

Until then, use Pool Math to figure out how much liquid chlorine will add 5 ppm every day. Don't add anything else.

 

[cowboycasey]

there is nothing wrong with your sand filter but there is something wrong with the pool store... They are wrong and just have you spend your money...

You CYA may be way too high so you "may" have to drain some of your water but you will not know until you can test it... Make sure you got the Taylor K2006C if it is truly over 100 it is very costly to SLAM your pool as you need to keep chlorine at a high level.... for your area your CYA should be between 40 to 50.. At 50 your SLAM Free Chlorine will be 20 and at 100 SLAM will be at 39 Free Chlorine... Do you have a salt water generator, if not it may make sense to get one as we recommend a CYA of 70 to 80 and it is easier than getting liquid chlorine from the store..

for 20000 gallons put 2 gallons of 12% liquid chlorine in a day until you get your kit (from poolmath that will give you 11 free chlorine a day)... You should have a HASA dealer near you.. Dealer Locator | HASA Pool

I hope this helps

 

[TheDude26]

Thank you, TC level is low so I poured in 2 gallons of 10% this morning from Home Depot and brush down the walls as I notice a little algae. Going to measure with K2006 kit this afternoon.


Watching these HASA videos about triclor tablets are scaring me, should I remove the tablet floater? Looks like it's the main culprit of my high CYA.

 

[Jeff J.]

Thank you, TC level is low so I poured in 2 gallons of 10% this morning from Home Depot and brush down the walls as I notice a little algae. Going to measure with K2006 kit this afternoon.


Watching these HASA videos about triclor tablets are scaring me, should I remove the tablet floater? Looks like it's the main culprit of my high CYA.

Yes, you should remove it until you know what your CYA is.

 

[Richard320]

A steady diet of trichlor pucks and the weekly dichlor shock will drive the CYA up in a big big hurry. And the amount of chlorine needed to overcome the stabilization soon gets excessive and the pool store announces the problem is high TDS and the solution is to drain. And then get right back on that merry-go-round.

First thing you need to do is get full test results. Do the dilution test if needed. It's Step 8 here. To get the half-strength solution without a lot of effort, borrow a measuring cup from the kitchen. A cup of pool water and a cup of tap water. Mix well, then draw your CYA sample from that. Double the result. Then you will be able to figure how much water to replace. The only other alternative is reverse osmosis, which is probably available where you live, but which still loses about 25% of the water and costs about as much as replacing it all.

A sand filter filters plenty good. No filter will strain out live algae, only dead. If your water looks cloudy, it's not the filter's fault. And if you want to improve filtering, all you have to do is add some DE or cellulose to your filter and it will work almost as good as a straight DE filter. Like setting window screen on top of chicken wire, but microscopically.

 

[TheDude26]

I shocked it this morning with 2 gallons of liquid chlorine (still looks greenish) and just tested the water 9 hours later. TC is 7PPM but CC is like less than 1PPM does that sound right? I have the k2006 kit and when it says colorless does it mean from pink to white?? It took me 35 drops to get it from Pink to white for TC test and 4 drops to get it from white to a very light pink. Hopefully, I am doing this right. I know I am above the TC measurements but I believe it still safe to swim even above the recommended level of 4ppm right?

 

[Richard320]

I shocked it this morning with 2 gallons of liquid chlorine (still looks greenish) and just tested the water 9 hours later. TC is 7PPM but CC is like less than 1PPM does that sound right? I have the k2006 kit and when it says colorless does it mean from pink to white?? It took me 35 drops to get it from Pink to white for TC test and 4 drops to get it from white to a very light pink. Hopefully, I am doing this right. I know I am above the TC measurements but I believe it still safe to swim even above the recommended level of 4ppm right?

"Safe to swim" depends on the CYA level. Up to SLAM level for your CYA is okay. FC/CYA Levels

When you do the chlorine test, use only 10 ml water and 1 scoop of powder. Then each drop counts as ½. So you divide drops by 2. After the pink goes to clear, you add five drops of the R-003. If it stays clear, you have no CC. If it turns pink, add drops of the R-0871 until it goes clear again. If you leave the solution sit for a few minutes after the test it will turn pink again. Ignore that.

And dumping two gallons of bleach in once is not a SLAM, It;s not really even much of a "shock." But I'm getting aheaad. Back to what I posted hours ago: First thing you need to do is get full test results.

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• Richard320
• May 25, 2020

 

[TheDude26]

FC - 4
CC - 1
PH - 7.4
TA - 150
CH
CYA 150+?

I am noticing brown algae on the steps. I think its time for a drain and refill but is there anything I can do before that?

 

[TheDude26]

Also want to add, how does one drain and refill? I'm clueless to this stuff. I read that I can rent a pump at homedepot.

 

[Richard320]

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Jeff J.]

FC - 4
CC - 1
PH - 7.4
TA - 150
CH
CYA 150+?

I am noticing brown algae on the steps. I think its time for a drain and refill but is there anything I can do before that?

100 is the limit of the CYA test. You should do a diluted test, half tap half pool water, and double the result.

In the meantime, you should get your chlorine up, probably to 13.

 

[beegee226]

Also want to add, how does one drain and refill? I'm clueless to this stuff. I read that I can rent a pump at homedepot.

Head down to Harbor Freight and pick up a submersible pump. For me it's easier than messing with the filter and skimmer and worrying about the pump running dry. If you can wait, you can get this one from Amazon for a little cheaper. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X07GQS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I have that one and it works great. It's good just to have one of these pumps any way.

 

[TheDude26]

Poured 2 gallons of 12% HASA chlorine, the strong stuff, last night. Tested this morning FC at 17.5PPM and CC .5PPM? is that normal? Not sure why there's such a major difference between Free Chlorine and Combined Chlorine.

I will try to test again in the evening.

 

[mknauss]

Not sure why there's such a major difference between Free Chlorine and Combined Chlorine.

Review ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry again.

 

[Pam in Texas]

Poured 2 gallons of 12% HASA chlorine, the strong stuff, last night. Tested this morning FC at 17.5PPM and CC .5PPM? is that normal? Not sure why there's such a major difference between Free Chlorine and Combined Chlorine.

I will try to test again in the evening.

When you get the pool all cleared up, look into adding Borates 30 to 50 ppm to ur pool. I'm in my second year and not a single spot of algae! I'm in Texas and battled algae for 3yrs...no more!

 

[TheDude26]

Is Borates for PH? My PH seems to be in line.

I tested last night 14.5 PPM FC and this morning it was 10.5PPM FC. Not sure where to go from here. Water is bit clearer but not blue but then again it's a black bottom pool so maybe it doesn't go blue. Should I continue to shock and maintain?

 

[beegee226]

How long are you running your pump each day?

 

[Jeff J.]

Is Borates for PH? My PH seems to be in line.

I tested last night 14.5 PPM FC and this morning it was 10.5PPM FC. Not sure where to go from here. Water is bit clearer but not blue but then again it's a black bottom pool so maybe it doesn't go blue. Should I continue to shock and maintain?

Borates have several benefits, although not everyone notices them. They buffer PH, so it tends not to drift as much. They make the water look and feel better, on the skin and eyes. They are a mild algaecide. And they seem to keep bugs out. The main downside, aside from the cost, is that you would need more acid or base to change the PH. I've put them in, and I'm a big fan.

 

[TheDude26]

I run it at 1300 rpm from 8pm-8am and then 2300 rpm other 12 hours. I've ran it for about 36 hours straight.