Green Water

[AmyMrsR]

My test kit isn't here yet and though I started with a clear pool, adding my new skimmer and plumbing created enough time for swamp. Not wanting to wait and give the swamp the edge, I hit it with 1.5 bags of shock I had on hand. Stated the pump circulating, scrubbed everything I could reach. I've had to backwash every day (this is day 3-4) day before yesterday I put my only bottle of bleach in (needed to go shopping) scrubbed again. Yesterday I dumped 4 more bottles of bleach, too tired to scrub and it's been raining here for weeks so tired of being wet and cold. Did add chlorine tabs to the floater and threw that in last night. Circulated until the pump pressure was to high but turned it off late last night.. Needs another backwash. This morning I find this

So I'm guessing I'm on the right track despite lack of the big kit. Was using the dip sticks occasionally to make sure the chorine was high enough. So far so good

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[AmyMrsR]

Re: New pool owner, can I do this?

Here's what I had yesterday

and when I started, water bugs and skum had moved in

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[Texas Splash]

Hi Amy. At this point I would simply add nothing else but perhaps one gallon of regular bleach each day until you kit arrives. Also take the floater/tabs out. Just bleach okay. We'll know more once your kit gets here. Have a nice weekend.

 

[AmyMrsR]

So I know the pH is low but wait for the kit?

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[Texas Splash]

Do you know how low the pH might be? It makes a difference because a low pH (within reason) is good in preparation for the SLAM. The gallon of bleach is still fine though.

 

[AmyMrsR]

It was 7.2 by the small kit I had when this started but is clearly below 6.8 (my min mark on the tester) now

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[Texas Splash]

Well that's certainly too low for anything right now. I would raise the pH with borax or soda ash at this time, just to get you close to 7.2 (orange). Below 7 is too acidic and can increase the potential for corrosion.

 

[AmyMrsR]

Ok, otherwise, the pool is hazy but slowly filtering out.. No green left

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[AmyMrsR]

Hitting pool math this evening while I had a quiet moment and feeling a little overwhelmed. If I remember correctly, cya changes first, then PH and TA? Or is it ok to just get the pH up? Bear with me, this will be my first year fully jumping into the TFP method.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[pooldv]

Don't worry about adjusting TA right now. We can work on that later when everything else is under control. Adjust CYA and PH independently. PH doesn't impact CYA at all and CYA has very little impact on PH. Just be sure to enter all your test results in Poolmath because the various levels impact how much acid Poolmath will recommend to use to adjust your PH.

 

[AmyMrsR]

While I have a quiet minute.. New test kit arrived. But we haven't seen the sun here in days so the chlorine level from the slam is so high, I'm not even going to try figuring it out until the cheapy strips start to show it coming down. PH looks like it's 7.4ish. (I added a box of borax) and the water, for having a never ending gray sky over it, looks good. Turned the filter from 24/7 to 12hrs daily and if the sky ever relents, I'll try to vacuum again this weekend. Worried about the high FC that refuses to come down but otherwise happy with the results.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[pooldv]

The FAS/DPD chlorine test will test up to 50 ppm. I think a full set of tests is needed as soon as you get a chance.

 

[Smartjack]

I get not wanting to use all that reagent when doing a SLAM. Even with a 10ml sample, at my SLAM FC of 20, that is 40 drops for every test. So, I went out and got a very accurate 5mL medicine dropper for $4 at the local Walgreens.

http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/walgreens-medicine-dropper--spoon/ID=prod6210356-product

Requires only takes the testing to 1 drop per FC, and saves on the reagent. It gets you a close enough reading while you are waiting for the FC drop to slow down. Once I'm at normal level, I won't be using this dropper, but it is great for doing SLAM testing.

 

[AmyMrsR]

Heck, I didn't think of that. I have 5ml syringes at home for the pets. I'll try that next time it stops raining and I'm home

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

If the pH was at 7.2 before you started to dump in shock, bleach and the tabs it's likely your pH is still good or close.
Once you raise the FC above 10 ppm the pH test isn't going to be accurate so it's a waste of reagent and chemicals to tray and adjust it until you're sure the FC is back under 10.

Smartjack, great idea on using the dropper, thanks.

 

[AmyMrsR]

At the moment, I only have it circulating. No chlorine going in. Took out the tabs.. Just waiting for the sun to finally return and burn off some of this chlorine. Not a lot if chlorine smell at all so I'm guessing cc is very low. Needs another minor vacuuming but I'm seriously over being cold and wet so it's going to wait until the sun at least tries

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[AmyMrsR]

Groan.. These numbers are the pits
FC 46
(Done in the 5ml sample)
CC 6 (but I used 1/2 sample so ?
)
TA 40
PH 7.0
CYA <100 (holy $&#) this, I'm sure, is a result of the chlorine tabs (which, thankfully, I pulled days ago)
I can do a water change but.. Le' Sigh.. Plugging into pool math to see how much in going to have to dump on my already saturated back area

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[Texas Splash]

Amy, before you try to do anything else, we need to see how high the CYA might actually be over 100. You can try the dilution method:
Add pool water to bottom of sticker.
Add tap water to top of sticker.
Shake.
Pour out half so mixture is to bottom of sticker.
Add reagent to top of sticker.
Shake.
Test outside with back to sun and tube at waist level.
Pour back and forth a few times to see if you get the same result.
Double the result.

Let us know what you get.

 

[AmyMrsR]

Heading back out, at least it's finally sunny

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[AmyMrsR]

CYA 120

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk