Can't get my FC level up.

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C

csorton

0
Jun 15, 2009
19
Keller, TX
We have had our AG pool filled now for close to a week and I can't get my FC level to go up. Everything else looks good except maybe my pH is a little high. I did the pool calculator yesterday and started with an FC level of .5. It told me to add 87 oz of 6% bleach so I did. I checked it a couple of hours later and it hadn't moved so I put about another 80oz in. I just checked this afternoon and my FC level is still at about .5. Why won't it go up? I did notice that the water is clearer today than it was yesterday.

TH - 250
TC - .5
FC - .5
pH - 7.8
TA - 120
CA - 30-50
 
Still can't get my FC level to stay up even after shocking

Merged threads for history. Butterfly

Hello

We have had our new AG pool installed now for about a week and I can't seem to get my FC level to stay up. Someone suggested I shock the pool so I used 4 - 1.5 gallon bottles of bleach in about 1 hour intervals. The level went way up during the shock but now it is back down to .5 again. What am I doing wrong? I have a SWG system on order but it won't be here until early July. I need to do something else in the meantime.

I know I don't have the proper testing kit yet (I am getting one) but the strips should still tell me the difference between an FC level of .5 and 4 right?

TH - 100
TC - .5
FC - .5
pH - 7.6
TA - 180
CA - 30-50
 
Re: Still can't get my FC level to stay up even after shocking

You really need to get some full test results ASAP.

The main one I dont see listed is your CYA. If there is no CYA in your pool, its no wonder your FC is disappearing.

Also, your goal is to have your TC be zero (or very close).

Until you get the CYA in your pool, your pool will be a "black hole for chlorine" if you will :)

You might also read the Pool School (link in upper right) if you havent already. It has a lot of information that explains what is going on with your pool and how to get started.

Welcome to the board!
 
Re: Still can't get my FC level to stay up even after shocking

CA is probably CYA, and 30-50 is okay.
The goal is not to have TC zero, the goal is to have CC (= TC - FC) at .5 or less.

The thing is, shocking the pool is not a one-time event, it's a process; you maintain your FC at a high level until the problem is taken care of.

The strips should be able to distinguish FC 4 from .5; but you need to keep adding chlorine until your FC doesn't drop overnight. This will be a lot easier when you get your kit.
--paulr
 
You appear to have enough CYA to protect your FC from sunlight, so that leaves organics that are using up your FC.
In other words, you have something in the water that is eating up your FC.

As Paul explained, shocking your pool is NOT a one-time event, but a process of continuing to add chlorine and trying to maintain shock level until your pool is 'cured'.

After you read How to Shock Your Pool in Pool School, if you have questions, please post back in this thread.

We want to help you get your pool balanced. :wink:
 
c/p from PM: Butterfly

csorton said:
Ok this is getting a bit frustrating. Over the past couple of days I tried to shock my pool yet again. I had to use 11 1lb bags of shock and this morning I thought I had it. All of my levels were ok. When I get home today the water is very cloudy so I checked the levels again and everything is out of whack. I have no chlorine again and my TA is way high. I'm starting to wish I didn't get a pool.

TH - 100
TC - 0
FC - .5
pH - 7.6
TA - 240
CYA- 0

I have no idea what to do now.

Please help me.

_________________
Our pool is 12,481 gallons
The pump has a cartrige type filter
It's an AG pool
Pump is an Intex 633 2500 gph
Click to expand...
 
What are you using for testing?

Unless you drained your pool, your CYA cannot drop from 30-50 to zero. We really need a reliable test result. Are you using strips?

Don't worry about your TA for now. If it is a problem after your pool is cleared, we can help you fix that.

Please read back thru the previous posts.

Also, we recommend that you shock using bleach or liquid chlorine.
Powder shocks contain things that your pool may or may not need and can cause even more problems.

I recommend that you get the TF100 Test kit from http://www.TFTestKits.net. It will put you in charge of your pool.

Until you get your kit, could you take a sample to a pool store for testing?

When you are ready to respond to this thread, scroll to the bottom of the page and use the Post Reply button, bottom left corner.
 
A few years back I had tried using some left over prior year test strips. I could never get much of a chlorine reading, so i just kept adding chlorine. Everything else seemed pretty accurate. Finally bought a cheap drop test kit, & it read off the chart (5+). The test strips went into the trash that day. Maybe that could be your problem....
 

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Ok I finally got a proper test kit. Some of th results were similar to the strips except for the TA. I definately don't have any chlorine still and it looks like I don't have any CYA. Is that why my chlorine won't keep?

I'm hoping I did the CYA correctly. I did 7ml of water and 7 ml of CYA reagent and poured it in the test tube. The solution was clear all the way to the top and the black dot on the bottom was always visible.

FC 0
TC 0
CC 0
pH 7.8
TA 130
CH 120
CYA 0
 
CYA is also called stabilizer, and you can get it at Walmart or Lowes type stores that have pool departments....or the Pool store.

You put some in a sock, perhaps 2 lbs at a time (Use the pool calc to determine how much you need total), and tie the sock in front of your return flow. Leave the pump running while the CYA dissolves - then don't retest the CYA for 5-7 days or you're just wasting reagent. 24 hours after it has dissolved, consider it there and then refer to the CYA/Chlorine chart for your new FC levels/shock level.
 
I put 8 lbs of CYA powder from Leslies in my skimmer in at 3 different times. I mixed it up in a bucket of warm water as it said on the bucket before I put it in the skimmer. It seemed to bog down the pump a little but it all went through ok. It hasn't quite dissolved yet but the water started to clear up almost instantly. I put 8 lbs in it because I want to get it high enough to be ready for my SWG that I should be getting next week. I haven't gotten any bleach yet. I am going to get some tonight so I can try to shock it again.

Once the FC is ok how often do I need to add bleach before I get my SWG?
 
Every nite. YOu need to add bleach each nite to keep the FC at the recommended levels for your CYA. Refer to the Non-swg chart for the recommended chlorine level. Once your SWG is operational, you use the SWG section of the chart.

So test the FC each nite, and add enough bleach to keep your FC in the recommended range for the CYA level - never below the minimum.
 
From what I understand of the Intex unit, you just run it longer to raise the FC output. For your size pool, I don't think it will take more than a few hours at the most to keep it in range.

You don't HAVE to test every nite. I would recommend it at first, just till you "get to know" the pool's habits with the new system. It may take a few weeks to figure out the proper run time of the SWG, the pump, etc.

2 years into BBB, I have gotten to "know" my pool and I don't test nightly, even with bleach.

Some users report testing nitely with the OTO to ensure the presence of chlorine and then weekly with the FAS-DPD.

You'll figure out a routine that works for you. :wink:
 
You can get an FAS-DPD test to supplement your kit. It tests up to 50ppm and isn't a 'color comparison' test but a drop-count test, similar to the TA test.

TFtestkits.net and TAylor both sell the individual test for around $25. It's essential, IMHO.

The links to both sites are in the "test kits compared" article in Pool School.
 
The kids have been wanting to go swimming. I found somewhere that said that I could dilute my test sample and multiply so I took 1/4 cup pool water and 1/2 cup purified water and tested it. It showed about 4 ppm which means the pool should be around 12 or so right? This is safe to swim in isn't it?

It definatley looks like the shock and CYA worked because the pool looks great!
 

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