Pool is playing tricks on me

Jump to latest Follow Reply
9

93mastercraft

0
Apr 27, 2009
55
Raleigh, NC
21 foot round 54" high pool. about 12,500 gallon. So, here's what happened... The outlet tube from the sand filter blew off. (the clamp was rusty and screw stripped.) then I lost all the water out of the pool down to the outlet port. The pump was running dry, but I think I cought it in time. filled the pool back up to half the skimmer. I didn't run the pump over night becuase I was worried. The next day after I got home from work, the pool already started to turn green. I started the pumpo and all is well there. I checked the chlorine level with my DPD test tablets like I always do and the chlorine level was high. (The color of the test sample was very very dark pink).

However, by the smell and, yes, taste of the water, I can't smell or taste any chlorine at all. So, what gives? Is my testing of the water with my DPD kit invalid or am I just simply missing something here??? Please help.
 
Re: FC = 3 PPM per DPD test tablet method ph = 7.2

93mastercraft said:
Topics merged for consistency. Please keep your posts together, no need to start a new thread.

FC 3
PH 7.2

But I can't smell any chlorine and the pool is turning green. What am I doing wrong? Please help.
Click to expand...

CYA level? Raise your chlorine for now to 15ppm, or whatever shock level is recommended for your CYA level.
 
Your chlorine is too low if your water is green...you need to shock your pool. Whether you smell it or taste it is kinda unimportant - if your water is green, and your FC is 3, you need to shock. What are your other test results? CYA for instance? I'm a bit surprised your water turned green that quickly,

I'm more familiar with the FAS-DPD test. Don't you have one? It's really easier to use than a standard DPD test.
 
I don't have a CYA test kit. From what I've read here so far though, I guess I need one. Last night I placed three 3" pucks of chlorine in the skimmer. I also put about 8 onces of water clarifier and 8 onces of algaecide. This morning the water looks much much clearer. There are signs of dead algae on the bottom of the pool.

Just prior to to all this happening we had a couple days of heavy ran. It seems like everytime it rains around here, it really messes up my pool if I don't stay on top of it.
 
JasonLion said:
I have two questions. What is your CYA level? Is the water turning a clear transparent green, or is it cloudy or murky?

Also, it is always good to post a full set of test results if you have them.
Click to expand...

The water looked cloudy & murky but with a greenish tint to it. I could still see the bottom and the steps fine, but I've had this happen before, at the end of last season and it eventually went completely green a few days after that.

It just seems as though my DPD tablet testing isn't giving me the results I need. My little test kit only shows 3PPM at the darkest color. Yesterday that's what my test sample looked like. But as others have suggested, I am not so certain that the chlorine level is high enough. All the test kits say that 1.5 to 2PPM is ideal.
 
1.5-2ppm is not ideal! It would be ideal if you have no CYA but we can't say for sure until we know your CYA level, as soon as you can get it! If you have to, go to the Pool Store and report back!

The green is a clear sign that 1.5-2ppm is not enough!
 
93mastercraft said:
I don't have a CYA test kit. From what I've read here so far though, I guess I need one. Last night I placed three 3" pucks of chlorine in the skimmer. I also put about 8 onces of water clarifier and 8 onces of algaecide. This morning the water looks much much clearer. There are signs of dead algae on the bottom of the pool.

Just prior to to all this happening we had a couple days of heavy ran. It seems like everytime it rains around here, it really messes up my pool if I don't stay on top of it.
Click to expand...

You don't need clarififier, tablets or algaecide. You need CHLORINE, and lots of it. Tablets are not going to cut it, you need to shock your pool.

NEVER put tablets in the skimmer. If you must use tablets, better to use a floater or install an inline chlorinator. I don't think you should be using tablets, especially if you don't know your CYA level. YOur PH is already low, and tablets lower PH.

93mastercraft said:
The water looked cloudy & murky but with a greenish tint to it. I could still see the bottom and the steps fine, but I've had this happen before, at the end of last season and it eventually went completely green a few days after that.

It just seems as though my DPD tablet testing isn't giving me the results I need. My little test kit only shows 3PPM at the darkest color. Yesterday that's what my test sample looked like. But as others have suggested, I am not so certain that the chlorine level is high enough. All the test kits say that 1.5 to 2PPM is ideal.
Click to expand...

Proper chlorine levels are based entirely on your current CYA level. If your CYA level is 70 your FC level should be 5-8. That is why we recommend the FAS-DPD test, because it can test above 5, unlike your kit.

You need a good test kit, one that can test CYA but especially the FAS-DPD test. You can order these tests individually from TFTestkits or the Taylor website. I suggest you get both, asap.

If you were maintaining proper water balance, it wouldn't go green so fast. You need to go back to Pool School and read all the articles there for a refresher...order the supplements to your test kit, and start properly maintaining your water, or you'll fight a losing battle. :wink:
 
I am thoroughly confused now. I read through the pool school stuff, but I've also done some other research. Some say that bleach can fade or even damage a vinyl liner. But I guess if you put too much Chlorine Shock in at one time that can too. It looks like you still get more bang for the buck using chlorine w/stabalizer than just Bleach. Why do test kits say the ideal level of chlorine is 1.5PPM? :?
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
93mastercraft said:
I am thoroughly confused now. I read through the pool school stuff, but I've also done some other research. Some say that bleach can fade or even damage a vinyl liner. But I guess if you put too much Chlorine Shock in at one time that can too. It looks like you still get more bang for the buck using chlorine w/stabalizer than just Bleach. Why do test kits say the ideal level of chlorine is 1.5PPM? :?
Click to expand...

There is a cost analysis in Pool School that shows bleach is the cheapest method available, because you have to factor in the side affects of stabilized chlorine - i.e. adding water and PH up products, algaecide and shock products if a problem develops from overstabilization. Bleach is the least costly forms of chlorine. :wink:

Why do they say it? :roll: Who knows....that is the question of the day. But it has been proven to be wrong, time and time again.

Anyone who says bleach can fade or damage a liner is simplifying things to the point of being just plain wrong. Bleach is chlorine, chlorine is bleach. Sodium Hypochlorite. In your water chlorine is chlorine, weather it came from the pool store or walmart, powder or liquid, it all ends up as chlorine. The other additives in other forms are the only differences, bleach has none.

Far and away you are more likely to damage your liner by making assumptions, improper testing, inaccurate dosing of pool chems, improper application of said chems. Bleach is not the problem.
 
You need to be careful when reading around. There are different ways of taking care of your pool, and you can't always take one rule from one system and combine it with another rule from another system and have have it work. There is also a lot of mis-information in the pool industry, lots of things that "everyone knows" which are just plain wrong.

Bleach is no better or worse for your liner than any other source of chlorine. You need to add bleach by pouring in front of a return with the pump running. As long as you do that, everything will be just fine. If you add a granular dichlor shock to the pool and let it sit on the bottom (which many people do) it will cause just as much damage as adding bleach with the pump off.

The ideal FC level for an indoor public pool without any CYA is around 1.5. The ideal level for an outdoor pool depends on your CYA level. The fact that it depends on your CYA level was not properly understood until fairly recently, so there is still lots of information based on indoor pools going around.

If you work out the total costs, including PH adjustments, etc, bleach and trichlor end up being almost exactly the same price (give or take major sales on one or the other).
 
JasonLion said:
The ideal FC level for an indoor public pool without any CYA is around 1.5. The ideal level for an outdoor pool depends on your CYA level. The fact that it depends on your CYA level was not properly understood until fairly recently, so there is still lots of information based on indoor pools going around.
Click to expand...

I get it now! So the makers of some of these test kits must be assuming an indoor pool without Sun light. I'm getting it now. That makes more sense! :-D I need to get a better test kit real bad! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply