The pool and I are no longer friends
- Thread starter marlyu
- Start date
Hi Marian. We have not used a copper algaecide, only the Yellow Out. However, at some point I supposedly had copper in my pool (as tested by the pool store and I now doubt very much), and have done a bottle of Metal Free over two separate instances. When re-tested at pool store, was told I have no Copper.
Hi Marlyu, I hope I can be of some comfort unrelated to the chemistry of your issue. My parents bought a house a few months ago with a pool. I, and they, have never owned or maintained a pool. I wasted about $100 on "stuff" recommended from the stores. I then found this forum. Then, I invested (and I mean invested) $100 into a test kit and a speed stir (not required, but nice). These guys patiently, and for no good reason than passion, helped me through getting my parent's pool right. Today, my son is currently taking his swimming lesson in a crystal clear, completely algae free pool, which is likely the most sanitary one in the neighborhood by far. My monthly upkeep? Probably $45 - $60. A month ago I didn't understand what any of this stuff was and why it went together.
I'm a convert, trust these guys. I got my swimming shorts in the truck, I'm heading over there after work today
I'm a convert, trust these guys. I got my swimming shorts in the truck, I'm heading over there after work today
Kit arrived, all is tested. We are in business. Now, other than Hardness, these are good values especially at keeping Chlorine at shock level, no? The last I added was a .3 of 121oz of 8.25% bleach yesterday lunch time. Advise please. It's still green, but swear it seems more cloudy than actual algae. I've done so much scrubbing and chlorine.
FC: 9
CC: 3
TC: 12
Calcium: 100
TA: 120
CYA: 40
pH: 7.6
FC: 9
CC: 3
TC: 12
Calcium: 100
TA: 120
CYA: 40
pH: 7.6
Did you test CYA in the bright sunlight, back to the sun with the vial at belt buckle level? This test is very sensitive. I'm asking because it is a little cloudy this AM and not ideal for testing CYA.
Plug your numbers into Pool Math. According to your CYA, your SLAM FC should be 16. Pool Math will tell you how much bleach to add to reach FC=16. If you have questions figuring out the amount, just ask. Test every couple of hours, add bleach as needed to keep FC=16. As you are able to hold your FC level, you can test and adjust less frequently. At this point of the SLAM, just test FC and CC.
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CH isn't as important as you have a vinyl liner.
Plug your numbers into Pool Math. According to your CYA, your SLAM FC should be 16. Pool Math will tell you how much bleach to add to reach FC=16. If you have questions figuring out the amount, just ask. Test every couple of hours, add bleach as needed to keep FC=16. As you are able to hold your FC level, you can test and adjust less frequently. At this point of the SLAM, just test FC and CC.
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CH isn't as important as you have a vinyl liner.
Hey, no, there's no sun right now. I have a puck in the trap since yesterday to try and preserve the CYA. Should I wait to retest CYA when sunny?
Should I worry about getting Hardness up right now? I figure not until it's clear.
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Another question. For shock level is it raising FC or raising TC? My FC is 9 but TC is 12. My goal is FC to 16, right, not TC?
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Another question. For shock level is it raising FC or raising TC? My FC is 9 but TC is 12. My goal is FC to 16, right, not TC?
TC is FC + CC. Since you have an FC of 9 and a TC of 12 your CC is 3. FC is the chlorine that is sanitizing your pool oxidizing the organic debris. CC is the by product of FC after it has been spent in the oxidation process. CC may cause eye and skin irritation and gives a pool that strong "chlorine" smell most people associate with pools. CC is broken down further by increasing FC levels and allowing the sun to help burn it off. CC greater than 1ppm indicates a need to slam the pool.
Short answer, you want to raise FC to slam level. Don't worry about TC. CC of .5 or less is one of the criteria for completing the slam so that problem will take care of itself during the slam process.
Do not worry about Calcium (hardness). Yours is fine for a vinyl pool.
Short answer, you want to raise FC to slam level. Don't worry about TC. CC of .5 or less is one of the criteria for completing the slam so that problem will take care of itself during the slam process.
Do not worry about Calcium (hardness). Yours is fine for a vinyl pool.
Thanks Zea. Added the remainder of the bleach bottle from yesterday. Will retest FC in about an hour and CYA as soon as sunny.
Retested CYA 15min ago from water in sunlight and read the view tube in sunlight. Still 40. FC is currently 20 and CC is 2. Slamming continues until when, water is gray/cloudy rather than green cloudy?
The criteria to end the slam is:
1. Your water is clear
2. Your CC is .5 or less
3. Your pool passes the overnight chlorine loss test .
Don't run the overnight chlorine loss test (oclt) until you have met the first 2 criteria. Keep the pump and filter running 24/7 until you pass all 3 criteria.
1. Your water is clear
2. Your CC is .5 or less
3. Your pool passes the overnight chlorine loss test .
Don't run the overnight chlorine loss test (oclt) until you have met the first 2 criteria. Keep the pump and filter running 24/7 until you pass all 3 criteria.
Stupid question, can we swim in it anyway? I know it's sanitized because of the high chlorine level. It's not pretty with the cloudy and green, but is it unsafe? I ask because of 2 kids and high of 94 today.
Ok to swim as long has fc isn't higher than slam level. It will prolong the process but the point in having a pool is to swim in it on hot days like today just keep and eye on the little ones as it is hard to see them in the deep end.
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just keep and eye on the little ones as it is hard to see them in the deep end.Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
So here we are at 6pm and the FC has been holding at slam level of 16 since 1pm or so (no bleach added since 10:30am). The CC has dropped throughout the day and is now at a 1. If there was live algae blooms and the 94 degree heat and sun all day, wouldn't you expect a higher burn rate? I'm asking honestly because I have some doubt that we have algae in the pool. Is it possible for water to be stained green or the pool to have gotten stained from it sitting uncovered winter/spring and getting swampy in the first place? With the amount of shocking we've been doing steadily since 5/25 (while maintaining CYA and pH), I just don't have much hope that it's "just algae." What can we do to clear up the cloudiness, if I was to focus on that? I am happy to keep the pool at slam level, just don't know that it'll make the green go away. Would love to attend to the cloudiness issue simultaneously, if possible.
Green and cloudy is algae. I think I saw an earlier post saying you had pucks in the skimmer? If they are still there they will add fc and cya. You don't want your cya any higher for now so don't use them. Make sure are following the directions for the fc test and use full heaping scoops of powder.
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