First Taylor Test - Very High Chlorine?

[mgtfp]

And how much did you dilute the sample with distilled water to get a pH 7.2 reading at 40ppm FC? Even with a 50:50 dilution, FC would still be 20ppm, and I wouldn't dilute more. When we suggested the distilled water method, your FC was still around 20ppm.

 

[bradde]

My SWG has been on and running with my pump 12 hours a day. I understand that I should turn it off when I do the SLAM.

I do not see where Pool Math recommends how much chlorine I should add. When I click on FC it says "There is no recommended chemical to lower free chlorine levels".

If I just wait, will my FC eventually come down from 40 to 16?

Will FC drop when I add chlorine?

Please see my latest tests that were posted a few hours ago and let me know exactly how I should proceed.

Thank you!

 

[bradde]

I did a 50:50 dilution with the distilled water test.

 

[mgtfp]

Just wait for FC to come down. Adding chlorine raises FC ("free chlorine").

Turn the SWG off, and let FC come down to SLAM FC, then run another OCLT - by maintaining FC at more than double the SLAM-FC for a couple of days, you should be done before you have actively started.
Make sure that you don't drop below FC 7ppm for now which is the upper end of the target FC for CYA 40 for non-SWG pools.

Then you'll have to dial in your SWG to maintain that, and I'll suggest to follow the higher non-SWG target FC until you are familiar with your SWG. Then we can start getting your CYA up a bit as recommended for SWGs, but there should be no rush over winter.

 

[mgtfp]

And how exactly are you testing FC? Are you using a 10ml sample, and count each drop as 0.5ppm FC? I.e., when you tested 40ppm, you used a 10ml sample and counted 80 drops?

I'm just a bit surprised that you got a pH test result of 7.2, when the FC after dilution with distilled water must still have been 20ppm.

And how did your CYA come down from 90 to 40? Or was 90 a pool store test and 40 is your own test result?

 

[bradde]

I turned off the SWG.

I did the FC test again using 10ml and got 37 this time (74 drops x .5).

Thank you for setting me straight on not needing to add chlorine.

I'm worried that I didn't do the CYA test accurately the first time. Just did it again and 40 is correct.

I'll wait for the FC to fall to 16 and then do the OCLT again.

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[Mdragger88]

Since you obviously had an algae issue before you still need to be sure & do all the other parts of the SLAM Process to be sure you evict it from your oasis whilst taking advantage of the fact you don’t need to add chlorine for a little while. The elevated fc level is just one part of the process.

*Check & scrub every nook & cranny where algae may hide (light niches, steps, drain covers, ladder handrails, skimmer throats/weirs, etc.)
*Run slam level water through all water features & lines for at least a couple hours a day during the SLAM Process.
*Brush & or vac daily (this breaks up biofilms that algae uses to protect itself from chlorine)
*Backwash/clean filter when pressure rises 25%over clean pressure.

You are done when:

CC is 0.5 or lower;
You pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
AND
the water is clear.
(Crystal Clear w/no algae dead or alive)

 

[bradde]

Since you obviously had an algae issue before you still need to be sure & do all the other parts of the SLAM Process to be sure you evict it from your oasis whilst taking advantage of the fact you don’t need to add chlorine for a little while. The elevated fc level is just one part of the process.

*Check & scrub every nook & cranny where algae may hide (light niches, steps, drain covers, ladder handrails, skimmer throats/weirs, etc.)
*Run slam level water through all water features & lines for at least a couple hours a day during the SLAM Process.
*Brush & or vac daily (this breaks up biofilms that algae uses to protect itself from chlorine)
*Backwash/clean filter when pressure rises 25%over clean pressure.

You are done when:

CC is 0.5 or lower;
You pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
AND
the water is clear.
(Crystal Clear w/no algae dead or alive)

I needed that. Thank you!

 

[Newdude]

Check & scrub every nook & cranny

You're the sherif of NoAlgaeTown and it's time to evict the riff raff. Scan every inch. Establish dominance.

 

[mgtfp]

You'll get there, you're on the right track.

 

[proavia]

How did your CYA go from 80 to 40?
Did I miss where you drain and refilled half your pool volume?

 

[PoolStored]

I'm worried that I didn't do the CYA test accurately the first time. Just did it again and 40 is correct.

How did your CYA go from 80 to 40?

 

[proavia]

Let's verify your CYA first.
Are you using straight undiluted pool water for the test?
Are you following the CYA test instructions to the letter?
50/50 mix of pool water and CYA reagent in the mixing bottle?
Letting the pool water and reagent warm up to around 70° before testing (it only made it up to 64° today at my house in Chandler - just up the street from you)?
Testing outside in bright sunlight with your back to the sun?
Holding the test tube at waist level with only two fingers near the top of the tube?
Are you staring/straining looking for the dot or just glancing?

CYA - Cyanuric Acid Test

Cyanuric acid (CYA) is the chemical name for the product commonly called “pool water stabilizer” … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[bradde]

You're the sherif of NoAlgaeTown and it's time to evict the riff raff. Scan every inch. Establish dominance.

View attachment 465756

LOLOLOLOL!!!

 

[bradde]

You'll get there, you're on the right track.

Thank you for hanging in there with me and putting up with all of my ignorance and confusion.

 

[Newdude]

putting up with all of my ignorance and confusion.

How you think we all came in up in here. I mean. Not the Martybot. He was programmed to calculate 1.2 quadrillion things per second. But the rest of us. Yeah. We had to figure it out on the fly, and didn't forget how bad that sucked.

We got you.

 

[bradde]

Let's verify your CYA first.
Are you using straight undiluted pool water for the test?
Are you following the CYA test instructions to the letter?
50/50 mix of pool water and CYA reagent in the mixing bottle?
Letting the pool water and reagent warm up to around 70° before testing (it only made it up to 64° today at my house in Chandler - just up the street from you)?
Testing outside in bright sunlight with your back to the sun?
Holding the test tube at waist level with only two fingers near the top of the tube?
Are you staring/straining looking for the dot or just glancing?

http://ttps://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/2019/01/18/cya-cyanuric-acid-test/

Well, hi neighbor! i
These tests get harder and harder. Haha. I ran the CYA test again, following the detailed instructions. I'm just looking for the dot to disappear, not really straining I would stay. I still got a result of 40. So when I got a result of 80 I must have been doing something wrong.

My FC is now at 28, so it has come down considerably.