Is this 'dirt' algae?

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Allright, thanks. Tonight's after sun down results:

FC 7
CC .5
pH 7.5 (not positive, can someone look at the pic please and tell me if that's what it looks like to them?)
TA 90
CH n/a vinyl
CYA 35 (somewhere between 40 and 30)

Where's the best place to purchase muriatic acid if I really need it?

Thanks all for your help!!!
 
One more thing, my water level is low due to backwashing multiple times from high pressure on my sand filter. Should I wait until the water levels are right before adding water? Final question this thread: I used morton water softenser pellets the last time I added salt because the store was out of pool salt. Do you all think this has affected my water levels?

Thanks again for all of you all's help!!!
 
For the OCLT, was the FC level 6 last night and this morning? Is the water crystal clear without any cloudiness?

I would add water whenever you need it.

If the salt was 99% pure, it wouldn't impact your other results.

If you are unsure of your results, you can repeat the OCLT tonight.
 
Last night my OCLT FC was 7, this morning it was 6. CC stayed the same at .5. I did the night test at about 10pm (after dark) and the morning test at about 5am (before sunrise).

Water is crystal clear, no more cloudiness, but there is still black stuff in creased areas of the pool daily. I'm beginning to wonder if this is pollen from the trees in my neighbors yards. Is that even possible?
 
Well you have passed all the criteria. 1 ppm FC loss overnight or less, CC at 0.5 or less. However...

Pool School - FAS-DPD Chlorine Test
"R-0003 is DPD Reagent #3. It should be a clear colorless liquid. If it turns yellow, it has gone bad."

Replace your R-0003 as soon as you can.

Continuous pollen can certainly sink to the bottom if you're not getting skimming action when the pollen falls. It may also produce a bit of a chlorine demand if it's excessive and not removed from the pool through skimmers or manual skimming. You could use a hair net or large nylon stocking in over your skimmer basket to try to catch the pollen.
 
Okay, I've added water and lowered PH and tested again.

Can one of you please look at these two tests and let me know what my PH is. It doesn't match any of the colors on either of the test tubes. Did I lower it too much?

CL 6 (I think)
PH ? please let me know what you think
TA 80
CYA 35 or 40

20160625_130702 (640x360).jpg
 
To me, your pH still looks to be high. The pH on the K-1000 test block looks especially out of place and pale in comparison to what I usually see. From the test block on the left, I'd say your pH is 7.8. Target 7.4 and add more muriatic acid using Pool Math to determine how much. Make sure your TA is input into Pool Math as TA will affect the necessary dosage to lower pH.
 
It would be best to test your FC using the FAS-DPD. If your FC is 10 or higher, the PH test is unreliable.

High chlorine can sometimes turn the PH test purple. What is your FC using the FAS-DPD test?
 

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ummhasan said:
FAS DPD FC was either 6 or 7 (clearer water on 7) - which is consistent with what it's been. This was taken after dark. I will do another one before sunrise to double check the overnight test.
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You can't start an OCLT with an approximation....... If you get a FC of 5.5ppm this morning was it a 0.5ppm loss (pass), or a 1.5ppm loss (fail)?

When you are doing the FAS/DPD chlorine test, you should add drops until the water goes completely clear. When I do the test, I will add another drop to make sure there is no further change, then omit that last drop from the result.

Dom
 
Thanks. I know, what I meant is that the water was clear at 6, but it seemed to clear a little bit more with the extra drop. I'm not positive it got more clear, but it seemed to be a bit more clear.

This morning FAS DPD FC was 6. This is consistent with all other OCLT tests I've done. pH this morning was still light pink, but a tad closer to the 7.8 color block.
 
ummhasan said:
Thanks. I know, what I meant is that the water was clear at 6, but it seemed to clear a little bit more with the extra drop. I'm not positive it got more clear, but it seemed to be a bit more clear.

This morning FAS DPD FC was 6. This is consistent with all other OCLT tests I've done. pH this morning was still light pink, but a tad closer to the 7.8 color block.
Click to expand...
What size water sample are you using for the FAS/DPD? I ask because with the 10ml sample each drop is 0.5ppm, but you are counting each drop as 1.0ppm. If you are using a 5ml sample to save on reagents the error tolerance at that sample size is too great for an accurate OCLT.

Dom
 
I'm using 10ml. Thanks for pointing out my mistake. I was counting it as .5 before, but some how must've got mixed up with the TA test procedure.

So that means my FC last night was 3.5 and this morning it was 3. But my OTO test looks much higher.
 
I did add more muriatic acid yesterday but my ph is still light pink. Is there something really weird going on with my pH or am I doing something wrong? The water is clear, but a tad cloudy underwater. When I put in the pH drops, they suspend in the water and doesn't sink or disperse. I have to invert the tubes to disperse it. Does this indicate anything? Our eyes don't burn while in the pool, but sometimes afterwards. Doesn't burning eyes in the pool indicate high ph? The black 'dirt like' stuff isn't really coming anymore - or much less - but that may be because it was probably not algae from the beginning.

Before I got my regeants, I slammed the pool with regular bleach for 4 or 5 days. Then I shut off my SWG for 2 days to lower the high CL levels and added 13oz of muriatic acid per pool school and posted the test tube results here with the photo above. Then I added water and salt (per low salt on SWG after adding water). Two days later and after adding another 10oz muriatic acid per pool school based on the thoughts that those here had thinking pH was still about 7.8. Still the ph is light pink, but much lighter.

Any ideas.

The new test:
20160627_154628 (640x360).jpg
 
I guess I'm posting too much since I'm not getting any replies, but I'll give this one more try.

Tonight I retested and it seems that my TA is declining, but my pH is still very high.

FAS-DPD FC = 6.5
FAS-DPD CC = .5
TA = 50
pH = ? Still very light pink and I guess it's too high to get a reading on the test tubes
CYA = 35

SWG is running 4 hours/day
Sand filter is running 6 hours/day

Temps are generally in the high 80's lately (except today which was probably low 70's)

Should I keep adding Muriatic Acid even though my TA is declining, but it seems the pH is not (or it's just sky high)? Pool Math calculator tells me to put another 19oz in based on me putting 8 as pH. I already put in 8oz tonight.
 
No, high PH isn't what causes burning eyes, it is usually CC.

Yes, lower your PH, it is important to keep PH between 7.2 and 7.8. Once your PH is down to 7.6 or so then you can raise TA with baking soda if it is below 50. It is normal to have to invert the tube to mix the reagent.

Enter 8.2 and 7.6 in Poolmath and add however much MA it says, be sure to enter all other test results too, lots of things impact PH. Add that MA with the pump running, brush and retest in 15-20 minutes and repeat until PH is 7.6.
 
I'm thinking the same, maybe your pH testing reagents are expired. Can you pick up a new reagent so you can try the test again? Or take it to the pool store so they can test pH? It's a little worrisome that you have added so much acid and it stays the same shade of pink.

Also, are you doing the OCLT with your SWG running? You should have it off at night when you do the OCLT so you can see how much chlorine you really lost overnight.

Keep up the good work!
 

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