Pool won't stay clean

[bigbrewbowski]

It sure can. I like to go elbow deep, so I would say 18" - 24" is better.

This morning I ran the test before reading your post. The FC came at 24.5, a drop of 5.5! CC was 1.5??

I didn't believe it. So I reran the test. This time I sampled water from elbow deep, and I gave it more of a heaping scoop of the powder. FC came back at 28, CC at 0.5.

I'm not sure I believe it was a drop of 2 FC at this point.

Anyhow I will go back to measuring from deeper in the pool.

 

[bigbrewbowski]

OK, I'm not feeling like this FAS/DPD Chlorine Test is giving consistent results.

Tested at 28 FC at 5:06 AM
Added 48 oz of liquid chlorine @ 5:17 AM
Tested at 31.5 FC at 5:28 AM
Added 16 oz FC at 6:52 AM
Tested at 30 FC at 7:47 AM
Added 24 oz liquid chlorine @ 7:50 AM
Added 16 oz liquid chlorine @ 8:37 AM
Tested at 28 FC at 9:04 AM

So it dropped by 2 FC in a little over an hour, even though I added 40 oz of liquid chlorine?

 

[bigbrewbowski]

Update:

Tested at 28 FC at 9:04 AM
Added 52 oz liquid chlorine @ 9:14 AM
Tested at 25.5 FC at 10:19 AM
Added 69 oz liquid chlorine @ 10:24 AM


I wonder if the CYA is lower than 50. We had a couple of rain days since I last checked. Sure seems like the FC is dropping extremely fast. This is the sunniest time of the day on the pool.

 

[Texas Splash]

Some quick drops yes, but don't panic just yet. I went back to Post #1 to review your entire thread and this is what I'm seeing:
1. SLAM was recently completed when your CYA was 50 which required an FC level of "20". Since that time, you passed the OCLT, crystal clear water, and low CCs of 0.5 or less.
2. You elected to go to Mustard Algae as a precaution correct?

If that's true, a couple things to remember. When your FC is at MA level, it will fall much faster because the ratio is different for the free chlorine to the CYA. Most of the algae has been killed and the 24 hr elevated FC level is only to kill potential MA spores in the water you may not even see. So once you have reached the 24 hr mark, let the FC fall back down to normal levels.

I'm going to post a couple procedure tips below for you tom compare to what you have been doing there just to make sure you are using the same process.

FC Testing:
Grab a 10ml water sample. Be consistent with the pool location of the water sample and ensure the pump has been on for a while (at least 30 min) to mix the water very well in the pool. If the chlorine mixing tube is dirty, clean it first with a little rubbing alcohol. After the pool water has been added to the chlorine mixing tube (10 ml), add ONE generous scoop of powder. Mix and count drops until it goes clear then divide the result in half. Example: 40 drops to clear equals an FC of 20. If you elect to do the CC test, do it immediately. If you are done, discard of the solution. If you let the FC solution just sit, it will revert back to a light pink color.

CYA Testing:
Proper lighting is critical for the CYA test, so you want to test for CYA outside on a bright sunny day. Use the mixing bottle to gently mix the required amounts of pool water and R-0013 reagent, let sit for 30 seconds, then gently mix again. Recommend standing outside with your back to the sun and the view tube in the shade of your body at waist level. Then, begin squirting the mixed solution into the skinny tube. Watch the black dot until it completely disappears. Once it disappears, record the CYA reading. To help the eyes and prevent staring at the dot, some people find it better to pour & view in stages. Pour some solution into the viewing tube, look away, then look back again for the dot. Repeat as necessary until you feel the dot is gone. After the first CYA test, you can pour the mixed solution from the skinny view tube back to the mixing bottle, gently shake, and do the same test a second, third, or fourth time to instill consistency in your technique, become more comfortable with the testing, and validate your own CYA reading. Finally, if you still doubt your own reading, have a friend do the test. Don't tell them your numbers until they have completed their own testing, then compare the results.

 

[bigbrewbowski]

Ha FC just went from 31 to 24.5 in 1.5 hours.

 

[bigbrewbowski]

I just got in and brushed the pool floor. It was clean, water is crystal clear. Going to do my CYA test now.

 

[bkp22]

Ha FC just went from 31 to 24.5 in 1.5 hours.

Very sunny day?

 

[bigbrewbowski]

Very sunny day?

Yes, it is. Just checked, my CYA is actually at 30. I know it's a subjective test, so I am planning on trying again.

 

[bkp22]

If your water is clear I bet it's just a combo of sun and low CYA. I'd try to bump to 50 imo.

And yeah I hate that test.

 

[bigbrewbowski]

Some quick drops yes, but don't panic just yet. I went back to Post #1 to review your entire thread and this is what I'm seeing:
1. SLAM was recently completed when your CYA was 50 which required an FC level of "20". Since that time, you passed the OCLT, crystal clear water, and low CCs of 0.5 or less.
2. You elected to go to Mustard Algae as a precaution correct?

If that's true, a couple things to remember. When your FC is at MA level, it will fall much faster because the ratio is different for the free chlorine to the CYA. Most of the algae has been killed and the 24 hr elevated FC level is only to kill potential MA spores in the water you may not even see. So once you have reached the 24 hr mark, let the FC fall back down to normal levels.

I'm going to post a couple procedure tips below for you tom compare to what you have been doing there just to make sure you are using the same process.

FC Testing:
Grab a 10ml water sample. Be consistent with the pool location of the water sample and ensure the pump has been on for a while (at least 30 min) to mix the water very well in the pool. If the chlorine mixing tube is dirty, clean it first with a little rubbing alcohol. After the pool water has been added to the chlorine mixing tube (10 ml), add ONE generous scoop of powder. Mix and count drops until it goes clear then divide the result in half. Example: 40 drops to clear equals an FC of 20. If you elect to do the CC test, do it immediately. If you are done, discard of the solution. If you let the FC solution just sit, it will revert back to a light pink color.

CYA Testing:
Proper lighting is critical for the CYA test, so you want to test for CYA outside on a bright sunny day. Use the mixing bottle to gently mix the required amounts of pool water and R-0013 reagent, let sit for 30 seconds, then gently mix again. Recommend standing outside with your back to the sun and the view tube in the shade of your body at waist level. Then, begin squirting the mixed solution into the skinny tube. Watch the black dot until it completely disappears. Once it disappears, record the CYA reading. To help the eyes and prevent staring at the dot, some people find it better to pour & view in stages. Pour some solution into the viewing tube, look away, then look back again for the dot. Repeat as necessary until you feel the dot is gone. After the first CYA test, you can pour the mixed solution from the skinny view tube back to the mixing bottle, gently shake, and do the same test a second, third, or fourth time to instill consistency in your technique, become more comfortable with the testing, and validate your own CYA reading. Finally, if you still doubt your own reading, have a friend do the test. Don't tell them your numbers until they have completed their own testing, then compare the results.

So I passed the OCLT test on Monday Night/Tuesday morning. On Tuesday after I got home from work I found some algae (dead?) on the pool bottom. Today it has been clean so far. CYA might have been 30 this whole time. I hadn't checked in several weeks.

 

[Texas Splash]

So if you are all clear from algae, I would consider letting the FC fall down to normal levels. FC testing is easier and a bit more consistent that way. Plus you save a lot of drops.

 

[bigbrewbowski]

So if you are all clear from algae, I would consider letting the FC fall down to normal levels. FC testing is easier and a bit more consistent that way. Plus you save a lot of drops.

I vacuumed last night, and am letting the FC drop.

FC this AM is 26.5. I still have a CC of 1.0. This morning I found a couple of small dark brown spots at the creases in the pool floor liner, but I think they are organics not algae. The area is heavily wooded so we get lots of tree stuff in the pool.

 

[Texas Splash]

I still have a CC of 1.0.

Something to watch there. Could be as simple as an early morning elevated level since the sun hasn't had much time to remove/oxidize that trash chlorine. Your elevated FC level combined with proactive brushing should be more than enough to get that AGP in good order. Have a happy & safe 4th!

 

[bigbrewbowski]

Something to watch there. Could be as simple as an early morning elevated level since the sun hasn't had much time to remove/oxidize that trash chlorine. Your elevated FC level combined with proactive brushing should be more than enough to get that AGP in good order. Have a happy & safe 4th!

Happy 4th!

Found more stuff in the pool when I went to vacuum about an hour later. More than the day before.

Yesterday I was seeing high CC, 1.5! Today it's been at 1, though just dropped to 0.5. I honestly am stumped. I don't have confidence in the test results. I think I am going to continue to let the FC drop and keep cleaning frequently.

 

[bigbrewbowski]

Something to watch there. Could be as simple as an early morning elevated level since the sun hasn't had much time to remove/oxidize that trash chlorine. Your elevated FC level combined with proactive brushing should be more than enough to get that AGP in good order. Have a happy & safe 4th!

Okay, news to report.

I didn't add any liquid chlorine yesterday. FC dropped to 20 at 3:30 p.m..

This morning the pool was absolutely filthy. Yesterday was the first day that we allowed any floats back in the pool so I assume we got reinfected.

I'm going to throw them all out.

What's curious is that my test results came out with a higher FC this morning. I did the test twice. First time it came out with 21.5 FC. Second time the test said 22 FC. Both had 0.5 CC.

So it seems obvious that the pool got reinfected from the floats. But could there be any other source of algae that is reinfecting the pool as well? I did have a very small amount of algae yesterday morning.

 

[Texas Splash]

Something doesn't add up that's for sure. The only pic I recall seeing of your pool was fairly close up. I couldn't see everything. Could you post a couple more pics so we can see the entire pool please?

 

[bigbrewbowski]

Just replaced the ladder yesterday. This one has sand inside, but also some water. I added some bleach to the inside of the ladder during installation. I re-used the ladder stantions attached to the deck, as they are the same as what was provided. I had to move one, and noticed that there was algae under it. So the one which I did not move I poured bleach over.

 

[bigbrewbowski]

Something doesn't add up that's for sure. The only pic I recall seeing of your pool was fairly close up. I couldn't see everything. Could you post a couple more pics so we can see the entire pool please?

What is puzzling to me is that I had the FC approaching 30 for 2 days and it didn't seem to be effective.

 

[Texas Splash]

Very nice set up. So aside from the old ladder issue and lots of trees in the area, the pool itself should have no other contributing factors to eat-up chlorine other than sunlight and what's in the water now. You have plenty of room and I suspect you've brushed that thing a hundred times by now. So now we need to find out what this debris is you are finding. I would consider the following:
- Generally speaking, algae simply cannot survive in a body of water when the FC level is maintained at a relatively high/elevated FC level (i.e. SLAM). You have been doing that diligently for quite some time.
- The only way algae could survive in your pool is if there is a place for it to hide. I believe you have addressed all of those.
- If you are still maintaining FC overnight with less than 1 ppm of loss, then the stuff you are seeing may not even be algae at all. Perhaps debris blowing onto the water from the trees?
- Mustard Algae has been a concern of yours for days, but the elevated FC level should've eradicated any residual MA spores if that is indeed what this stuff is.

At this point I would be inclined to offer the following advice:
1. Continue with what you are doing for today and consider another Overnight Chlorine Loss Test starting this evening. If you pass, that stuff in the water is most likely organic debris blowing or falling into the pool from your surrounding area.
2. If you fail the OCLT, then of course go back into SLAM mode. Once you pass, you certainly can elevate the FC to MA level for another 24 hr period to be sure. When you do that, throw everything into the pool, hoses, brushes, toys, etc so that those items can get disinfected as well.

 

[bigbrewbowski]

Very nice set up. So aside from the old ladder issue and lots of trees in the area, the pool itself should have no other contributing factors to eat-up chlorine other than sunlight and what's in the water now. You have plenty of room and I suspect you've brushed that thing a hundred times by now. So now we need to find out what this debris is you are finding. I would consider the following:
- Generally speaking, algae simply cannot survive in a body of water when the FC level is maintained at a relatively high/elevated FC level (i.e. SLAM). You have been doing that diligently for quite some time.
- The only way algae could survive in your pool is if there is a place for it to hide. I believe you have addressed all of those.
- If you are still maintaining FC overnight with less than 1 ppm of loss, then the stuff you are seeing may not even be algae at all. Perhaps debris blowing onto the water from the trees?
- Mustard Algae has been a concern of yours for days, but the elevated FC level should've eradicated any residual MA spores if that is indeed what this stuff is.

At this point I would be inclined to offer the following advice:
1. Continue with what you are doing for today and consider another Overnight Chlorine Loss Test starting this evening. If you pass, that stuff in the water is most likely organic debris blowing or falling into the pool from your surrounding area.
2. If you fail the OCLT, then of course go back into SLAM mode. Once you pass, you certainly can elevate the FC to MA level for another 24 hr period to be sure. When you do that, throw everything into the pool, hoses, brushes, toys, etc so that those items can get disinfected as well.

How can I tell if it is indeed algae? I can try and take some photos. The stuff I'm seeing is light brown. It seems to like to accumulate at the creases in the floor, but sometimes in spots all over the floor. I also get some very dark stuff that looks like bits of stems smaller than the head of a screw.