My husband and I have opened our pool for the 3rd summer. We still don't have a great routine or method to clearing the water. Last year we used Trichlor shock and tabs and maintained a clear pool within a week and kept it clear most of the year until we had mustard algae and pink spots.
This summer we left the winter cover on an additional 2 weeks in hot weather (upper 70's-80's). It was much darker green than prior years. Our opening levels were TC 0, FC 0, TA 80, pH 6.8, CYA 0. We added pH up and 6 lbs of Trichlor 99% shock. Overall color lightened slightly.
We then took our sample to a pool store. There readings were TC 2.6, FC 0, TA 84, pH 7.2, CYA 14. They recommended we add 25lbs of baking soda and 2 lbs of BurnOut lithium shock. This seemed to again make the water slightly less green, but still very cloudy. Cannot see the 4' shallow end bottom.
Readings the following day were TC 0.5, FC 0, TA 240, pH 6.8, CYA 0 (our strips don't differentiate until >30). We added pH up to get it to 7.2, then added another 6 lbs of Trichlor shock and 4 gallons of liquid bleach. The TC was up to 8-10 ish on our strips about 2 hrs after this. The following morning the TC = 1, FC 0, pH 6.8. The pool doesn't appear green anymore, but cloudy enough I still can't see the bottom even shallow end.
The pool has been open 7 days. I plan to take another sample to the pool store today to ensure my readings aren't off. At this point I'm not sure if I should be pursuing non chlorine options assuming we have a large amount of combined chlorine, or should I continue to shock trying to break 10ppm consistently?? If we shock I wasn't sure if I should keep using Trichlor, or get liquid from the pool store? Any suggestions, thoughts, ideas are greatly appreciated.
This summer we left the winter cover on an additional 2 weeks in hot weather (upper 70's-80's). It was much darker green than prior years. Our opening levels were TC 0, FC 0, TA 80, pH 6.8, CYA 0. We added pH up and 6 lbs of Trichlor 99% shock. Overall color lightened slightly.
We then took our sample to a pool store. There readings were TC 2.6, FC 0, TA 84, pH 7.2, CYA 14. They recommended we add 25lbs of baking soda and 2 lbs of BurnOut lithium shock. This seemed to again make the water slightly less green, but still very cloudy. Cannot see the 4' shallow end bottom.
Readings the following day were TC 0.5, FC 0, TA 240, pH 6.8, CYA 0 (our strips don't differentiate until >30). We added pH up to get it to 7.2, then added another 6 lbs of Trichlor shock and 4 gallons of liquid bleach. The TC was up to 8-10 ish on our strips about 2 hrs after this. The following morning the TC = 1, FC 0, pH 6.8. The pool doesn't appear green anymore, but cloudy enough I still can't see the bottom even shallow end.
The pool has been open 7 days. I plan to take another sample to the pool store today to ensure my readings aren't off. At this point I'm not sure if I should be pursuing non chlorine options assuming we have a large amount of combined chlorine, or should I continue to shock trying to break 10ppm consistently?? If we shock I wasn't sure if I should keep using Trichlor, or get liquid from the pool store? Any suggestions, thoughts, ideas are greatly appreciated.