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deerfarmer17

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Jun 1, 2009
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Hi. Newbie here. Details:
AGP Vinyl quick set 15' round 42"high, about 5000gal
cartridge filter, well water (hard hard water)
filled one week ago, live in central wisconsin
would like to use the BBB method. I have been using your handy calculator ( LOVE IT ) and do have the pool 'balanced' test today:
FC 1, CYA 50, pH 7.4, TA 150, TOTAL HARDNESS 200
The water started yellow and clear, I tested, added bleach, borax and CYA and plugged in the filter. By yesterday ( day # 8 ) after testing each day and adding as needed the water started to clear, remained yellow. My 10 year old jumped in ( H2O temp 66, air temp 72 YIKES ) Now today back to cloudy yellow. We haven't had any rain for 2 days and the # look balanced so now what? I have a solar cover that is new this year for us - so maybe we can ALL swim before July not just the crazy kids, but really don't know how to use it..when to put it on, before the pool is balanced ?? Thanks.
Laurie ( how do I add a signature? )
 
deerfarmer17 said:
Hi. Newbie here. Details:
AGP Vinyl quick set 15' round 42"high, about 5000gal
cartridge filter, well water (hard hard water)
filled one week ago, live in central wisconsin
would like to use the BBB method. I have been using your handy calculator ( LOVE IT ) and do have the pool 'balanced' test today:
FC 1, CYA 50, pH 7.4, TA 150, TOTAL HARDNESS 200
The water started yellow and clear, I tested, added bleach, borax and CYA and plugged in the filter. By yesterday ( day # 8 ) after testing each day and adding as needed the water started to clear, remained yellow. My 10 year old jumped in ( H2O temp 66, air temp 72 YIKES ) Now today back to cloudy yellow. We haven't had any rain for 2 days and the # look balanced so now what? I have a solar cover that is new this year for us - so maybe we can ALL swim before July not just the crazy kids, but really don't know how to use it..when to put it on, before the pool is balanced ?? Thanks.
Laurie ( how do I add a signature? )
Click to expand...

Welcome to TFP. :wave:

Go to User Control Panel, then Profile, then Edit Signature. :wink:

How did you obtain these test results? Strips? Your numbers are NOT balanced.

If so, you need one of the recommended test kits, read about them in Pool School.

Also read Recommended Levels - your FC is too low for your CYA level. Note the CYA Chart - link in my sig. You never want the FC to drop below the "min" for your CYA level - for CYA of 50 that is 4ppm FC.

Your shock level is 20, you need to shock your pool. Use Liquid Chlorine, a.k.a., bleach to shock.

Read How to shock your Pool , and How to Perform the Overnight FC Test in Pool School.

Once your water clears you may use your solar cover, and I would keep it on whenever the pool is not in use. This will help it stay cleaner and it will help protect your FC from UV rays. :goodjob:

Hope this helps!
 
:-D Thanks for the welcome.

I didn't think they were balanced as I do have some chemistry knowledge. The results are from a strip as I ordered one of the kits and it hasn't arrived yet. The last 2 years, before I found TFP, I somehow lucked out and put enough Clorax in along with some clarifier and got clear water. I tested here and there and threw in some bleach once in a while. JEEZ huh?
Until the good test kit arrives - does it so me any good to even use the strips?
I will look up the things you suggested and thanks,
Laurie
 
Hi Laurie,

To add a signature go to User Control Panel (upper left directly under the TFP logo on this page), click on Profile, click on Edit Signature.

There's no real trick to using a solar cover. Put it on when you're not using the pool. Cut it so it fits inside the pool and rests on the water surface. Bubble side down. You can run your filter pump with the cover on.

As to the yellow, cloudy water, your FC = 1 is too low. What kind of test kit do you use? At a CYA = 50 your FC goal would be between 4 and 8 so you need to bring that up. I'm afraid I know nothing at all about calcium hardness. I have an AGP and, because hardness doesn't really pertain to my pool, I've sort of blocked that out.

Since you're using hard well water my guess is the yellow is from iron. Someone else will have to jump in and help you with that. The 'cloudy' is most likely the beginning of algae. You need to bring your water to shock levels.

What I do know is that I'd be lost without my TF Test Kit. It's an investment I'm very glad I made. If you don't have one you might give some serious thought to getting it.

Welcome to TFP!
 
:p Thanks.
Shocking the pool sounds easy enough. Gotto love that bleach!!
My TF kit should be here Wednesday, so we'll be fine. There is a frost warning out for a few counties north of here so we won't be swimming by Wed anyway - of course this IS wisconsin and it could be 90 tomorrow :shock:
 
deerfarmer17 said:
Until the good test kit arrives - does it so me any good to even use the strips?
Click to expand...


Not really. Those strips are pretty much useless.

If it were my pool I would pour in 1 gal of Clorox Ultra (6%) and run the pump. That should get your FC to about 15. I would put the solar cover on and keep the pump running. If 24 hours later the water didn't look any different I'd add 1/2 gal of Clorox Ultra, brush the bottom, and wait for the UPS truck to bring me my test kit.

Don't agonize too much about this stuff, Laurie. Your water chemistry is probably off but we don't know for sure because we're using test strips, and what do they know? We have one fact: yellow cloudy water. We can treat the cloudy with bleach, brushing and running the filter. Until the test kit arrives and we can get some real numbers, we bleach it.

Enjoy the nice weather, plant some flowers, nod at the pool and tell it you'll make it healthy as soon as you have the right tools :)
 
still waiting for the kit to arrive...meanwhile

Threads Merged. No need to start a new topic....

So I shocked the pool as was reccomended.
Seeing I don't have the test kit YET :cry: I can only go by the water changes.
( OK I just had to dip a strip :oops: and the FC was 10 and CYA 60, pH 8.4 - won't do it again I promise! :hammer: )
before shock - very cloudy dk yellow/gold
after shock - color lighter, cloudiness much much better. Can almost see all the way to the bottom.
I plan to put in some bleach tonight - but how much?

And when the water is clear - what do I do to clear the color?

BTW - there are possible frost warnings out AGAIN tonight :grrrr: jeez...
Thanks,
 
Unless your Strip is reading less than 10, I would not risk adding more bleach. YOu really don't want to overdose the pool without a way to accurately test it. Have some POP! :wink:

As for the color, lets wait and see till the shocking is done, but you may need sequesterant.... Can you have the pool store test for metals, including Iron?

(Please keep all your pool issue related posts on this thread, rather than starting multiple topics. :wink: )
 

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sorry about the new topic - will keep it here!

will be patient. I plan to take a sample in to the pool store today.

The test kit was loaded on the delivery truck early this AM so should be hre sometime today. Will post the # then. The cartridge was FULL of metals today, dark rust. The water this AM is still yellow and actually looks more cloudy overnight. What might cause that?

Thanks again for the advice!
 
OK the kit is here
I am now more confused than ever and think I should just start all over!

results: and I did them 3 times all the same:
FC and CC off the chart
TA I quit at 600
pH 7.2,
TH nilch, nada, nothing
CYA 70

WHAT???? NOW????
pool is " yucky brownish-yellowish - just YUCK " according to my kids! :cry:
 
deerfarmer17 said:
OK the kit is here
I am now more confused than ever and think I should just start all over!

results: and I did them 3 times all the same:
FC and CC off the chart
TA I quit at 600
pH 7.2,
TH nilch, nada, nothing
CYA 70

WHAT???? NOW????
pool is " yucky brownish-yellowish - just YUCK " according to my kids! :cry:
Click to expand...

This is okay, you just need to take a deep breath and not get overwhelmed.

Was the water circulating before you tested?

How recent was the last bleach addition?

How far down did you reach to pull out a water sample? (Did you use a cup, and use the same sample for all tests?)

Which test did you use for the FC? The FAS-DPD? or the OTO - yellow test? (There is no "chart" for the fas-dpd test, you count drops till the color changes from pink to clear.)

TA test: Repeat the test with a 25 mil sample. Make sure you have the proper amount of water in the vial. Swirl carefully between drops. WIPE THE TIP of the dropper bottle WITH A DAMP cloth in between EACH drop. Post the results.
 
OK. New day, new reaults - I am thinking I was just way too distracted last night.

FC 35
CC 0.5
pH 7.2
hardness 0 ( if the indicator doesn't change when you add it this means 0 right ? )
TA I quit at 500 - I even diluted the sample with RO water 4:1 still got that high, I am almost out of the reagent already!
CYA 75

took the sample from as far down as I could reach, brought it in the house and let it sit for about 15 minutes. then did tests. I cahnged the filter and it was only slighly brownish red, the water is cloudy and still yellow, can mayber see down 2 ft max. Ready for advice :shock:
 
With FC at 35, the PH should be reading far higher than the actual PH. With PH reading 7.2, your actual PH must be really low. That might also explain the TA result. With very low PH, TA should be zero. The TA test will tend to turn yellow right away, and then not change to any other color under those conditions. Extremely low PH can also interfere with the chlorine, preventing it from killing algae.

To confirm, what color does the TA test turn when you first put the indicator in? And, can you confirm that the PH reading of 7.2 was done with the PH test from the blue box inside the TF100 while the FC level was really high?

Do you have any soda ash/washing soda/PH Up, or borax, or baking soda on hand?
 
It was yellow and kept getting more yellow.
confirmation on the pH.
Some thing is not right. My husband bought the bleach for me so it is a completely new brand - somthing from Menards could this be it? The last time I added anything was 2 days ago in the evening.
I am truly ready to drain and refill and start all over :( :grrrr:
 
No, there is no need to drain. You just need to bring the PH up. The high FC level makes this just slightly trickier than normal, but not actually difficult.

The ideal thing to do is to add soda ash/washing soda until the PH reads above 8.0

If you don't have soda ash/washing soda, the alternative is to add enough baking soda to bring the TA up to 70, remeasure the PH and then adjust the PH up to above 8.0 with borax.

The PH above 8.0 rule only holds when the FC level is 25 or above. If the FC level comes down below 20 then the PH will only read a little higher than actual. When FC is between 20 and 25 thing get a little vague and I wouldn't trust the PH reading at all. When FC is 10 or lower then the PH reading will work normally.
 
It is good to be cautious in this situation. If you are doing the baking soda first and borax second approach, then add the full amount of baking soda, give it a while to dissolve, then calculate the amount of borax, remembering to enter your new TA level, and then only add half as much as it says, wait an hour and test the PH again. If the PH changed by half way, you can go ahead and add the other half, but if the results are not what you expect then continue cautiously.

Because the PH test isn't reading the real PH, you can't calculate the exact amount correctly, so you have to "sneak up on it".
 

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