TF 100 Test kit arrived

[JasonLion]

You can use borax or aeration. I don't think it matters very much which right at the moment.

There are two different uses for borax. One is to raise the PH. The other is to add borates to the pool. When adjusting the PH, as you want to do right now, you add borax without any acid. When adding borates to the pool, you add far far more borax along with acid so that the PH doesn't change.

Adding borates is a good thing. If you want to do that, don't start on it until everything else has settled down and is working normally.

 

[Johnny B]

4/25/09
9:30am, about 38 hours since added bleach, 14 hours since last night’s test.
FC 3.5
CC 1 (but it was super close to 0.5)
Although FC held in my Normal 3-7 range, it did drop > 1ppm so I am not done shocking.
I will shock tonight, after getting a newtest ASAP after sundown, using Shock Target of 15 (unless you want me to shock daytime).
Cool on the borax with no acid “just to raise pH”, which I’ll delay until FC holds & I’ll double check with you guys.
Am I correct, using the calc, I would simply add 70oz by weight or 68oz by volume of borax?

AlsoCool on the borax to to “add borates”, which I’ll delay until things settle down; & I’ll double check with you guys
Thanks

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I think if you wait to add chlorine until tonight it will cause problems...because of your CYA level, you need to keep your FC above 3 and it will likely drop below that during the day. So go ahead and bump it up to 7 at the very least, or shock it. Then check again tonight.

Bummer about the overnight loss. I can't believe it.

Yes, try 70 oz of Borax.

 

[Johnny B]

7:45pm
FC 11 so shocked with 1 gallon 1 quart 1 cup or 1.7 (96 oz) jugs
CC 0.5
I’ll test tomorrow night, my hope is an CC of < 1, if so, verify a Normal FC level; the following morning I’ll confirm the FC hasn’t lost more than 1ppm, if it has then resume shocking.

Thanks about the daytime shocking tip. I would have goofed. Am I correct that if it was at the high end (7) of the Normal 3-7 range, you would have said "ok to shock at night"? Or why risk going backwards ( FC < 3) even if it was at 7, you would advise shocking daytime? That will help me determine shock times later when you aren't holding my hand

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Yes, exactly. You ALWAYS want the minimum FC level for your CYA, so in your case 3. If you left it at 3.5 all day, by the end of the day it would probably have dropped between 1-2 and then you'd be just going in circles, a losing battle.

Check again tonight if you can before you go to bed. Wake up first thing in the morning and test again and compare those two tests....see if your FC holds.

 

[Johnny B]

4/26/09
8:15pm about 24hrs since last added bleach
pH 7.2, unchanged. I have not yet added Borax or aeration because shocking isn’t over.
FC 4.5 so added 3 gallons 1 quart or 4.5 (96 oz) jugs
CC 1
My pump run time is about 8-9 hours per day, 9:30am-1:30pm & 6:45pm – 10:45pm. Would increasing run time help?

4/27/08
9:30am, about 13.5 hrs. since added bleach
FC 10.5
CC 0.5
So I will do nothing unless you advise some action.
Do you want me to test tonight as late as possible, if the FC is < 7 AND OR the CC is > 0.5, shock tonight; but if the FC is > 7 AND the CC is < 1, do nothing & re-test tomorrow am to confirm BOTH FC held 7 or > and CC held < 1?

Thanks

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I'm not sure if increasing the run time would make a difference.

I want you to test after sunset, add enough chlorine to bump it back up the 15 and test again after 30-60 minutes. Record the result. Then test again first thing in the morning, and compare the two results. If the FC holds (you lose less than 1ppm), and your CC is .5 or less, you don't have to shock anymore.

It's important to test again after the bleach addition, to make sure you reached your target, to know for sure what the level was for overnight comparison. KWIM? For example, in your above post, your result was 4.5. You added over 3 gallons of bleach, but you didn't retest. So we don't know what the actual FC level was when you went to bed, so we can't compare it to the 10.5 morning reading....Does this make sense?

 

[Johnny B]

I want you to test after sunset, add enough chlorine to bump it back up the 15 and test again after 30-60 minutes.

Initially I was doing a "1-hr-after-shock" test & re-shock if indicated. Then I was advised that nightly should be ok. So I'm trying to see where I may have missed applying this concept. It's something one does as he nears the end? It makes sense.

1- Am I correct that you forgot, in your above post, to advise me test ALSO as late as possible tonight before bedtime (midnight), and it will be these midnight results which we will be comparing to tomorrow’s am test? (If I am incorrect, then tomorrow’s am test will be compared to the “1hr-after-shocking” results).
2- Am I correct that if shock target of 15 is not reached in one hour, to shock again? And to repeat the same hourly as long as I can stay awake unless of course I get a 1-hour-result of 15?


KWIM?

Means?

Thanks

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

The overnight test needs to be begun after sunset, as it eliminates the sun from the FC loss equasion. It doesn't have to be "as close to midnight" - just after the sun is no longer having an affect via UV rays. It's the only way to know for sure if the FC is being lost to sunlight or something else....midnight really is irrelevant.

KWIM - Know what I mean.

Yes, you have to have one final result before bedtime after shocking to compare to. You can't compare your morning 10.5 to the result you had BEFORE you shocked....

You are correct. If you test, put in bleach to shock at say 7:30 and you test at 8:30 and your FC is 10, you haven't reached shock level, you have to add more bleach, wait an hour, test again and ensure you have reached 15.

 

[Johnny B]

4/27/08
9:30am, about 13.5hrs since added bleach
FC 10.5
CC 0.5
Do you want me to test tonight as late as possible, if the FC is < 7 or the CC is > 0.5, shock tonight; but if the FC is > 7 AND the CC is < 1, do nothing & re-test tomorrow am to confirm BOTH FC held 7 or > and CC held < 1?

8:00pm about 24hrs since last added bleach
FC 5
CC 0.5
Shock, right? And test per above, hourly till shock holds etc...

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Shock, right? And test per above, hourly till shock holds etc...

Yes, do as instructed above.

 

[Johnny B]

9:00pm, 50 minutes after shocking
FC 17 (Shock Target was 15)
CC 0.5
So I’ll do a late night test tonight & compare THAT to a morning test.
Is 9-9:30am too late tomorrow? I can test any time

 

[JasonLion]

Ideally you want to test the water around dawn in the morning. In practice one or two hours later is nearly as good. Three hours after dawn is pushing it a little, unless your pool is heavily shaded in the morning.

 

[Johnny B]

4/28/09
1:00am
FC 13.5

6:45am
FC 11.5
CC 0.5
So don’t bother shocking until tonight, right?
I’ll definitely get a late night test to compare to tomorrow’s dawn test, but do I still need that “1-hour-after-shock”test?

Thanks

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

9:00pm, 50 minutes after shocking
FC 17 (Shock Target was 15)
CC 0.5
So I’ll do a late night test tonight & compare THAT to a morning test.
Is 9-9:30am too late tomorrow? I can test any time

4/28/09
1:00am
FC 13.5

6:45am
FC 11.5
CC 0.5
So don’t bother shocking until tonight, right?
I’ll definitely get a late night test to compare to tomorrow’s dawn test, but do I still need that “1-hour-after-shock”test?

Thanks

If you compare the 9pm test to the 6:45 am test, it shows a drop of 6.5 FC overnight, so you should still shock at night and repeat the shock/overnight test process just like that, until the FC shows a drop of 1ppm or less overnight. Hopefully the CC will remain at .5 or go to 0 - FYI, the 1:00am test was unneccessary (save your test reagents!), you only need to do the 1 hour test after shocking and the 6 am-ish test to compare.

 

[Johnny B]

Thanks. I didn't know that.
There must be a time frame to this "overnight-FC-holding concept", what is it?
If you guys like the 9pm-6am then it must be 9 hrs plus/minus?
Reason I ask is I can shock at midnight or 1am & test at dawn, but you prefer a longer time frame?
I know that either way, I need to test 1 hr after shocking.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Darkness is the key, moreso than timeframe/specific hours, but a longer period between the tests is obviously a better indicator. So if your FC were to hold between 9 and 6 that is a great indicator that shocking worked. The longer the period of darkness that the FC were to hold, the better, KNIM ?

Two things consume FC. Sunlight, and Organics. When you have a drop of FC during the darkness, that rules out the sunlight, leaving only organics as the culprit....

Because in your case we are dealing with a difficult ammonia situation, you are requiring lots of chlorine to oxidize the ammonia, it is frustrating I know...but as you look back at the threads, you are making excellent progress when you consider how high your CC was before, and that the FC wouldn't hold at all. Keep it up

 

[Guest]

I want to add that you are doing GREAT. Opening a pool with high ammonia compounds is NOT easy and very frustrating. It's just something that happens from time to time and can happen to anyone. (It even happened ot one of our resident pool chemistry Gurus, chemgeek, this year!)

Just keep with it since we can definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Johnny B]

Waterbear, thanks for watching & the encouragement.

4/28/09
Removed to cleaned DE grids,
8:00pm, 24hrs since last added bleach
pH 7.2
FC 5 so added 3 gallons 1 quart or 4.3 (96 oz) jugs
CC 1

1 hour after shocking:
FC 16.5
CC 0.5

4/29/09
7:30am. , about 10.5 hours after shocking
FC 11.5
CC 1
So I ‘ll be shocking tonight

 

[Johnny B]

4/29/09
9:30pm, about 24hrs since last added bleach
FC 5, shock Target 15 so added 3 gallons 1 quart or 4.3 (96 oz) jugs
CC 1

1hr after shocking
FC 17.5
CC 1

4/30/09
About 9.5 hours after shocking (shock Target 15)
FC 12.5
CC 1
So I’ll be shocking tonight, shock Target 15
Rain expected on & off for next several days.