BBB method in Sacramento area

[OV green pool]

Good news, the kit came in today and I was able to complete all the tests. I have adding liquid bleach every other day and nothing else. The results are:
CL-.5 ppm
BR-1 ppm
PH-6.8
FC-1.5
CC-1
TC-2.5
CH-450
TA-between 10 and 20
CYA-140

I know those are not good number, but I'm going to commit to making this pool clean again. Any ideas
of where to start with bringing this baby back to clear and blue? Also, where would you recommend getting all the chemicals? I live in Orangevale and I'm close to Leslie's and Nathan's pool supply and Walmart and Target of course.

 

[Catanzaro]

Unfortunately, your CYA is high. You will need to lower your CYA before any SLAM is started. I am not familiar with CA water.

Have you tested your fill water to see what the levels are for CH?

You could successfully completed a SLAM with a CYA of 70, which means water replacement of 50%. Once you are down to a comfortable level, then you can increase your TA. Assuming that you have been using tablets to have high CYA and low TA.

The pool can be managed with a CYA of 70 and then you can decide if the levels should be lower or you will allow the CYA to naturally drift down over time.

 

[mknauss]

Great set of test results.

You really need to exchange at least 50% of your water. Here is a method to do that and not expose your pool surface to the heat and sun.

Place a small sump pump in the deep end. Measure its output (fill a 5 gal bucket and see how long it takes to fill)

Do you have a skimmer in the shallow end? If so, place a hose in the skimmer after measuring the same flow rate out of the hose that you got from the sump pump. Try to keep it under 10 gpm.

You will run the hose in the skimmer at the same time you are pumping the water out with the sump pump. Since you know the rate (say 10gpm) run it long enough to exchange 50 or 60% of the water.

Digest that and ask questions. You will need 10 hours or so dedicate to this project. I do not suggest starting and stopping.

Take care.

 

[OV green pool]

I want to say thank you to all for the tips. I do have a sump-pump with an automatic shut off mechanism on it. I will start draining this afternoon and fill tomorrow. I will definitely drain half and I would love to drain the whole thing, but last time I drained the whole pool, a small crack showed up on the bottom(not leaking though). I forget the rate of the pump, but I believe it's around 1500 gallons an hour and the rate of output changes, depending on the distance the water has to move upward through the hose.

Should I get a set of chemicals ready or drain/refill and then test again?

 

[mknauss]

I would suggest you re-read my post. I described a method to do your water exchange WITHOUT draining your pool. But you would need to do it at a lower rate, say no more than 10 gpm.

Take care.

 

[OV green pool]

My mistake, so run the house in the skimmer(shallow end) and have the sump pump in the deep-end running at the same rate? Would there be a benefit to doing this, versus draining half the pool at night?

 

[mknauss]

The only advantage is not draining the pool due to shallow water table, or the potential for plaster damage or degradation due to sun and heat drying it out.

Your decision. If you can do it overnight, with a plaster pool with no worries of damage, the drain and re-fill is easier, and quicker.

 

[OV green pool]

I drained the pool at halfway or more and filled to the top and tested the pool for CYA at 100ppm. I'm going to drain the pool more and refill and test again. I thought I would have been much lower, but back at it again tomorrow.

 

[Catanzaro]

I thought I would have been much lower, but back at it again tomorrow.

Did you completely drain 50% of the water first and then add the water? If so, then your CYA should be 50%. If you drained and filled at the same time, water is always mixing, therefore your CYA levels would be higher.

Your original test results had show 140 for CYA. Assuming you diluted a 1:1 ratio of tap water and pool water to perform the test and your results were 70. Then you doubled to 140.

 

[OV green pool]

I believe so. I ran the pump for 6 hours and stopped at about a 1/3 empty. Then ran it for another 6 hours with the hose pumping fresh water into the skimmer. I had the pump running at enough speed to almost equal the amount of flow from the hose. I'm going to keep at it until I can get the number under 70. At this point, I haven't added or put anything in the pool.

 

[mknauss]

Sadly, I wish you had followed the exchange as I detailed in post #23. You should not have drained the pool down first. By doing that, you short circuited the ability to float the new water on top of the old.

At this point move forward as you feel best to lower your CYA.

Take care.

 

[Catanzaro]

Please keep us posted!

 

[OV green pool]

Hello everyone, I got back from out of town and I checked the pool last night and now have the CYA down to 60-70ppm. Should I start adding chemicals separately and bring each level back to the normal range or would you advise adding the chemicals together on the same day?
I have excess Borax and baking soda on hand and I'm minutes away from Walmart, Lowes and two local pool stores(Leslies) to get chemicals.

 

[mknauss]

Test results?

Need those to provide a logical answer.

Thanks --

 

[OV green pool]

I tested the pool several times and the results are:
CL-.5 or less
ph-6.8
CC & TC- basicly not reading any chlorine
CH-275
TA-40
CYA-70
When the CYA was too high, I stopped adding anything to the pool. Should I start the SLAM at this point?

 

[Demegrad9]

What is CL?
I would assume it's chlorine level but then you go on to sayTC is zero. Seems like there's a little confusion there.

 

[Demegrad9]

It's usually recommended to adjust pH to 7.2 before a SLAM. But that's usually because people's pH is too high, I'll let a moderator weight in here, with pH of 6.8 do you adjust before a SLAM?

 

[mknauss]

Your CSI is under -0.6 with your current numbers. I would soda ash (ARM & HAMMER® Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster) to raise your pH to 7.2 and that will raise your TA also. That will get you out of the low CSI. Do this prior to SLAM.

Be careful what you buy, you do NOT want the detergent, but the detergent BOOSTER.

Good luck.

 

[OV green pool]

Thanks and I added the Arm and Hammer last night and will test today and then start the SLAM. I was referring to CL as the chlorine level and need to boost that, after raising the PH level. I will keep you posted with the next results.

 

[lightmaster]

I tested the pool several times and the results are:
CL-.5 or less
ph-6.8
CC & TC- basicly not reading any chlorine
CH-275
TA-40
CYA-70
When the CYA was too high, I stopped adding anything to the pool. Should I start the SLAM at this point?

It's usually recommended to adjust pH to 7.2 before a SLAM. But that's usually because people's pH is too high, I'll let a moderator weight in here, with pH of 6.8 do you adjust before a SLAM?

If you're using Taylor K-1000 OTO test for your pH, 6.8 is the minimum that it will read, so your pH could be even lower than that. My well water's pH is around 5 give or take, and reads as 6.8 on that test. Add enough Soda Ash or Borax to raise your pH to 7.2, then retest to make sure it did rise enough. If it still tests 6.8 half an hour later, raise it to 7.2 again and retest after 30 minutes. Keep doing that until your pH does read 7.2. then start your SLAM.