Newly re-balanced water, where to go from here

That chlorine was manufactured in August of 2020. 219th day of 20, is August 6th. It has lost a lot of its effectiveness and is likely very weak. You need to pick up some fresh LC to be dosing with.

--Jeff
 
That chlorine was manufactured in August of 2020. 219th day of 20, is August 6th. It has lost a lot of its effectiveness and is likely very weak. You need to pick up some fresh LC to be dosing with.

--Jeff
Thanks. Even at half strength it is slightly cheaper than bleach at home depot, so still the cheapest option. I went back to the pool store and bought two more cases, these show 330th day of 2020, and I asked for their most recent shipment and they pulled these off a pallet still in the shrink wrapping that had just recently arrived, so that may be the limit of the supply chain freshness. I will use this older bleach up, and just keep adding and testing until I arrive at my SLAM level of 16ppm. I should be cracking open the newest bleach during this SLAM process.
 
Marty, thank you. Closing out the night with phase 1 of SLAM complete. Started by bringing my Ph down to 7.3, then raised FC to 20ppm, with CC at .5ml. The bleach required was nearly double the Pool Math recommendations. Marty was right, my chlorine was weak. For now on I will ask for their most recent shipment, and I will check the mfg. date. I am suspect someone is bottling 7.55% and selling it as 12.5%. Either that or this stuff is sitting in the heat too long in the supply chain. This amount of 12.5% LC should have raised my FC from 0ppm to 15ppm. But it yeilded exactly what 7.55% should have.
 

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Silly question. When testing for CC, when I add the reagent R-0003, sample stays clear so I assume I have zero or near zero CC. If the sample sits for 5 minutes it turns a very slight pink. Should I ignore that or is that a more accurate reading? I add another drop reagent and it goes back to clear. (EDIT: after five more minutes it went back to pinkish again. Assuming this is just a chemistry drift that should be ignored?)
 
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No color change when adding the R-0003 means no CC's. The sample will turn back pink again if you let it sit few minutes. Ignore that. Whatever results you have in the first go around is all you want to pay attention to.

--Jeff
 
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That chlorine was manufactured in August of 2020. 219th day of 20, is August 6th. It has lost a lot of its effectiveness and is likely very weak. You need to pick up some fresh LC to be dosing with.

--Jeff

20 219. It was bottles the 219th day of 2020. So about 8+ months old. Probably about 5-6% strength.

Thank you both. I cannot find a setting on my calendars to show days of the year, so I found this, if it is any use to you. There is also a NOAA table showing sunrise/sunset and civil twilight data that I use for my pilot logbook, but for some reason I cant find it now. By the way, I deduced Marty's name from another post. I am Gerald Herbert, so my forum name is my initials. Nice to meet you and thanks.

DOY Calendar
 
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I have a 55 lbs drum of boric acid and Pool Math is calling for 31 lbs to bring my borate level to 50. What is the best way to measure this? Should I just add to the pool until I use a little more than half? Or should I just keep putting the drum on a scale until its 31 lbs lighter? Also If I recall correctly, I should break this addition up over 2-3 days. OK to do this during SLAM? Finally, if all my other chemistry is great, what are the effects of swimming in SLAM levels? I just turned on my heater and it should be swimming temp by tonight. Gotta love the deep south for some things.
 
Wait until your pool chemistry levels are within TFP recommended levels before adding boric acid.

I would measure out 10 lbs at a time and add.

You can swim when your FC level is at or below SLAM levels based on your CYA levels.
 
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Revisiting this question. The first two levers on the left are my two skimmer baskets, in the open position. The lever on the right, I assume is my bottom drain? Should it be in that closed position or in the open position? My pool was re-plastered this past summer and wondering if the plaster guys closed it and forgot to re-open. I know very little about the plumbing of a pool system, and not sure what the function of the bottom drain is. Does it serve the same function as the skimmers, or would it drain the pool in the open position?
https://www.troublefreepool.com/attachments/unnamed-jpg.172249/

My filter gauge was showing 18psi with the two skimmer valves open and the third one closed. When I opened the third it remained there. With all three closed (for less than 5 seconds), pressure dropped to zero, as expected. With the third one open and the other two closed, it showed 15psi. With all three open, it went back up to 18psi. So am I safe to assume that valve is for the main drain and its ok to open it?

Add 5 ppm worth of liquid chlorine. Circulate pool for 30 minutes. Test FC. Sounds to me the liquid chlorine is weak.

Chlorine from the first batch that was under performing, as previously noted, was from August 20, 2020. The next batch, which showed more potency, was from Dec. 1, 2020. By my guestimation it retained about 80% to 90% potency. Today, the lot was from Jan. 20, 2021 so things are looking up as far as the supply chain goes. They told me they move a lot of chlorine palettes since they have buyers who service universities and major hotels in the area and he said he was surprised they had some that old. They know me now and my standards for freshest available, so I can verify right off the palette before I put it in my truck.

Regarding the SLAM for mustard algae, I see some brownish residue on the cable for my robot and would like to scrub it down. What would be the best thing to do that with: straight LC, or something else like Jomax/chlorine mix, or an algeacide?

One last note: we had another epic rain event last evening, about 4 inches of rainfall, and the pool overflowed onto the deck. I backwashed to bring it down then water from the deck was flowing into the pool. Ugh! Fortunately I was already at SLAM level, pump was running continuously through the night, and after spending the morning maintianing the SLAM level, scrubbing the debris off the tiles, netting all the debris, hosing down the deck away from the pool, swimming laps to mix up the chlorine ;) its looking great. So glad I had the day off to baby it, but pool water looks clear and great. I appreciate all the help and guidance here.
 

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So am I safe to assume that valve is for the main drain and its ok to open it?
Sounds like. I would suggest just barely opening the valve to the main drain. You need essentially no suction from the main drain to operate the pool.
Regarding the SLAM for mustard algae, I see some brownish residue on the cable for my robot and would like to scrub it down. What would be the best thing to do that with: straight LC, or something else like Jomax/chlorine mix, or an algeacide?
I would not put straight liquid chlorine on the cable. Just try using a cloth or whatever to wipe it off.

I appreciate all the help and guidance here.
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We are staffed by volunteers and are registered as an IRS 501 (c) (3) charity and donations are what keeps the forum operating without advertisements.
Support TFP!
Done. Thanks!
 
When testing TA, should I record the first drop when it turns red to light blue, or the next drop when it becomes deeper blue? After it turns deeper blue, the next drop registers no change. I am assuming the endpoint is when it turns the deeper blue, before the drop that registers no further change.

Also, my CYA level seems to have dropped and I'm consuming a lot of LC. Now I can clearly see the dot at the 30ppm index. I am using a newly ordered R-0013 reagent with an expiration date of 5/22 so it should be good. Also, I have noticed that the pool store's water analysis of my CYA is always consistent with my Taylor testing, so I think that aspect of their test is pretty accurate (not so much on others) and they too are showing 25ppm CYA. This likely is from water exchange from two storms this week, one which overflowed the pool, and one that filled it to just under the coping. The ideal CYA level for my pool is 40-50ppm. I am no longer using any product containing stabilizer, so the only stabilizer addition would be by me to specifically raise CYA, so not expecting a gradual increase of CYA through other means. I live in New Orleans that I believe on average has a high UV index. Should I shoot for 40 or 50 ppm, and what do you recommend to bring up the CYA, dry or liquid stabilizer?

Finally, I bought a 24 lb. box of DE to aid filtration by my sand filter. Would a K-95 mask offer sufficient protection while handling? I also have a respirator with cartridges at my hanger I can use if necessary. How long does a DE treatment last (how frequently should I use it), and how should I store it, given it is a carcinogen? I'm not keen storing in my garage unless the exposure would be deemed minimal. I could store it in a cabinet in my garage as an added buffer to air circulation, I just don't know how bad this stuff is.

Clorox DE
 
When testing TA, should I record the first drop when it turns red to light blue, or the next drop when it becomes deeper blue? After it turns deeper blue, the next drop registers no change. I am assuming the endpoint is when it turns the deeper blue, before the drop that registers no further change.
Check your test methods. The TA test goes from green to red/pink.

Should I shoot for 40 or 50 ppm, and what do you recommend to bring up the CYA, dry or liquid stabilizer?
Yes. And cheapest is dry stabilizer. Use the sock method to add CYA.

I have no experience with DE.
 
Check your test methods. The TA test goes from green to red/pink.


Yes. And cheapest is dry stabilizer. Use the sock method to add CYA.

I have no experience with DE.

Sorry, I meant CH, not TA

And should I shoot for 40ppm, or 50ppm given my location? Higher end of that range or lower end?
 
Sorry, I meant CH, not TA
You continue to add drops until the sample turns blue.
As you stated "I am assuming the endpoint is when it turns the deeper blue, before the drop that registers no further change."

Higher end of that range or lower end?
I would target the upper end of the range for your climate.
 
Added some stabilizer. Taylor CYA test: dot clearly visible at 50, dot not visible at 40. Calling that reading 40 or 50?
 

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