Pool can't keep chlorine ARRRGGH!

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Andyc83

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May 8, 2013
43
Southern IL
Hello. I have a 30,200 gallon pool. I had been getting some wrinkles in my liner and the pool store owner told me it was because my chlorine was high. So, I took my sample out there, I had 8.5. So, they had me add chem out. Few days later I had a green pool, no chlorine. I've been battling since all due to their suggestions.

So far, I have added about 70 gallons between liquid chlorine & burnout 3. I am sick of it. The pool store has me add about 8-10 bags a day. Then after all that, they did some "Demand" test and said I need to add 155 gallons more!!! They told me to add 4 gallons of liquid chlorine every 3 hours, check, if chlorine don't add more, if no chlorine add 4 gallons. Repeat until pool holds chlorine for 24 hours then can go back to tablets. My pool is crystal clear.

My last readings at pool store:

Saturation Idx: -0.4
TDS: 1300
CYA: Not tested (previous test said 0, so I don't know if they didn't test that either or it was actually a 0)
Total Chlorine: 0.4
Free Chlorine: 0
pH: 6.9
Tot Alkalinity: 107
Tot Hardness 328
Borates: 34

I read quite a bit on the forums just not an active poster. I'm begging for hope. I'm no pool expert but I have lost faith in my pool store too. I went to store and picked up some bleach to start substituting for the $5/gallon liquid chlorine from the pool store. I hate to continue to give them money after they put me in this situation.
 
Post your location as that will help us help you.

If you truly need that much chlorine it might be best to drain and refill, but leave some water so it does not ruin the liner.

I hope you learn from your mistake and not touch your foot in that pool store again and get your own TF-100 test kit so you do not have to rely on anyone but yourself for testing.
 
You need to get your CYA up before you will be able to keep and chlorine. Chlorine burns off in the sun and CYA acts as a buffer to protect the chlorine from the sun.

You can buy the granulated CYA and add it directly to your skimmer or you can buy the $30 a bottle Conditioner/Stabilizer from the pool store (I recommend the granulated for your size).

Get your CYA to around 40 and you will notice that you will be able to keep chlorine in the pool then.

Use this calc to determine what you should add. http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html
 
CaptinSpaulding said:
You need to get your CYA up before you will be able to keep and chlorine. Chlorine burns off in the sun and CYA acts as a buffer to protect the chlorine from the sun.

You can buy the granulated CYA and add it directly to your skimmer or you can buy the $30 a bottle Conditioner/Stabilizer from the pool store (I recommend the granulated for your size).

Get your CYA to around 40 and you will notice that you will be able to keep chlorine in the pool then.

Use this calc to determine what you should add. http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html
Click to expand...

Do I get the granulated stabilizer at the pool store? Or is their a household good I can find at the store for cheaper? Thanks.
 
Andyc83 said:
Do I get the granulated stabilizer at the pool store? Or is their a household good I can find at the store for cheaper? Thanks.
Click to expand...

New Pool; New Water; How to add CYA

Great thread on adding CYA. Second post pretty much sums up your question. I personally bought the gallon jug from the pool store, its like a thick white paint like consistency. I only needed a gallon for my pool, your pool is huge so it would require a lot, that is why I would recommend the granulated CYA that you dissolve in water yourself, cheaper.
 
Andy, get the test kit first. It is very unlikely that your CYA is zero, especially if you had been using tabs previously. I doubt that excess chlorine would be causing your liner to wrinkle. But either way with such a large pool, the test kit will tell you exactly what is going on so you can remedy it.

Where abouts in IL. General area?
 

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CaptinSpaulding said:
You need to get your CYA up before you will be able to keep and chlorine. Chlorine burns off in the sun and CYA acts as a buffer to protect the chlorine from the sun.

You can buy the granulated CYA and add it directly to your skimmer or you can buy the $30 a bottle Conditioner/Stabilizer from the pool store (I recommend the granulated for your size).

Get your CYA to around 40 and you will notice that you will be able to keep chlorine in the pool then.

Use this calc to determine what you should add. http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html
Click to expand...

I disagree with this approach, you shouldn't do ANYTHING until your test kit arrives. In the original post you mentioned adding bags, I assume that is bags of powder shock, which adds CYA to your pool. the test the pool store constantly messes up the most is hands down CYA test. I was originally told mine was 0, 0, and 100 from three different pool stores and my true CYA was about 40.

if your FC is disappearing that fast, its not because you are losing it to the sun, you have lots of algae that is eating it up very quickly. plus your CYA is probably very high and you are not hitting the required FC amounts to kill the algae.

in summary, do not add ANYTHING until you have your test kit and have true data.
 
The bags of shock were adding calcium not CYA.

Wait for the test kit so we can get reliable numbers.
Click to expand...
I suggest you follow ping's sage wisdom. You have a mess on your hands and you need a precise starting point to get it cleared up. I know you want to "do SOMETHING now", but we don't yet have a good starting point. Please wait for the kit. It'll give you the test results we need to get your pool clear.

The pool store advice was a complete joke. Please stay out and DO NOT compare your test results with what you get at the pool store. Trust you own testing

read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School. Then, read "SLAM" in Pool School.

Understanding those two articles and the test kit (along with our help) will get your pool fixed..........promise
 

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