I need help please!!

[cowboycasey]

I think you went to low on FC and have some algae growing.. I see a SLAM in your future, lets see what the OCLT comes up with..

 

[kcmonarch55]

Tend to agree with Jim - assuming your test kit is working correctly, running at 75% for 24 hours should have generated plenty of chlorine. If you're still dropping in chlorine level, something else (algae?) is consuming it. Per cowboycasey - use liquid chlorine to bring your levels up quickly, SWCGs are not very good at doing so.

I would at least bring your pool up to the 7 or 8 ppm level using liquid chlorine before attempting to do the OCLT. You're already too low in chlorine, you want to try and stay ahead of anything that might be brewing.

You did mention you had reagents for the FAS-DPD chlorine test coming - those will be a good check against your current testing kit.

Okay so here are my results from this morning. I added a one pound bag of shock in the pool last night around 5:00pm and I tested this morning at 7:00am.
I had the pump running all night at 1900rpms and the salt level at 87.5%
Salt: 410ppm
FCL: 3.82
TCL: 3.82
PH: 7.5
ALK: 96
CH: 96
CYA: 99

Below, are the results I had yesterday afternoon when I tested:
Salt: 410
FCL: 0.68
TCL: 0.85
PH: 7.4
ALK: 105
CH: 67
CYA: 73

 

[PieterS]

Glad to see your Chlorine away from that '0' point - nice job! Have a few questions/concerns as a follow-up:

1) Are you using Poolmath to help you decide what/how much to add? You state 'added a one pound bag of shock' - for your size pool, how much should that have raised your chlorine?

2) I'm suspicious of the test you're using if the CYA went from 73 one night to 99 the next morning. You don't mention adding stabilizer? What sort of 'shock' did you add?

3) You're running your salt level awfully low for any SWCG I've seen. Usually they like being around 3000 PPM. Are you sure your SWCG is actually generating chlorine??

Thanks!

-Pieter

 

[kcmonarch55]

Glad to see your Chlorine away from that '0' point - nice job! Have a few questions/concerns as a follow-up:

1) Are you using Poolmath to help you decide what/how much to add? You state 'added a one pound bag of shock' - for your size pool, how much should that have raised your chlorine?

2) I'm suspicious of the test you're using if the CYA went from 73 one night to 99 the next morning. You don't mention adding stabilizer? What sort of 'shock' did you add?

3) You're running your salt level awfully low for any SWCG I've seen. Usually they like being around 3000 PPM. Are you sure your SWCG is actually generating chlorine??

Thanks!

-Pieter

Yeah I am happy that the chlorine went up from yesterday. I'm not sure if it was the shock, or the SWCG, or a combo of both that raised it that much
To answer your questions:

1. I am using PoolMath. I was raising the chlorine from 0.68 (yesterday's FC level) to 6 or 7 and it recommended 1 pound of 65% cal-hypo so I added one bag (pound) of the GLB super charge shock. As you can see though, it did not get the FC up to 6 as pool math stated it would

2. CYA went up high yesterday......I believe it may have been from the CYA that was still dissolving, but Pool Math stated I needed 4 pounds of it when it was in the 50's to get it up to 80. I added half a bag to dissolve and then I added the other half of the 4 pound bag a day and a half ago.

3. I'm sorry.....the salt is right around 3500 and 4000 ppm......not 400. I am hoping it is generating chlorine. I do see bubbles when the VS pump is on and running around 1800rpms. When I pause the pump, I see the cloudy gas form in the cell.

 

[PieterS]

OK. That all makes sense. Hope you didn't overshoot on CYA - it's notoriously slow to dissolve and show up on tests. Even at 99 you're arguably too high already.

When are you expecting your reagents so you can double-check your test results? Reliable chlorine testing is what you're going to need! Sure sounds like you have something consuming your chlorine (algae...)

 

[kcmonarch55]

OK. That all makes sense. Hope you didn't overshoot on CYA - it's notoriously slow to dissolve and show up on tests. Even at 99 you're arguably too high already.

When are you expecting your reagents so you can double-check your test results? Reliable chlorine testing is what you're going to need! Sure sounds like you have something consuming your chlorine (algae...)

That would really suck because I just spent a fortune having fresh water poured in to fill the pool.
What algaecide do you recommend? Should I add it either way?

 

[PieterS]

Algaecide or other quick fix solutions sold by the pool store are rarely - if ever - recommended on this forum. I should let @cowboycasey or @mknauss chime in and confirm.

And don't fret yet - while a nuisance, folks on this forum will help you get through how to get you in tip top shape with clear water. A reliable source of chlorine is all you should need.

To really establish if you have the start of an algae bloom, an overnight chlorine loss test is needed. Make sure you review the ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry as well. If it's confirmed you have something eating up your chlorine, a SLAM is the tried and true way of dealing with it - sounds a bit overwhelming at first, but really fairly straightforward.