Opening pool-Low FC, High CC...ammonia?

[STL]

No steps in my pool just built in swim out in the deep end and steps and a lounge bench in the shallow end but all are part of the pool shell so there’s nothing to clean behind.

I have an auto fill that is currently unused (waiting on sprinkler system install after some other construction gets finished) but it is sealed off at the pool wall.

I do have a Pentair 300 chlorine dispenser thingy that has water in it currently but no chlorine pucks. I don’t think it’s for using liquid chlorine, only pucks. The pool company drained it over the winter and disconnected the lines so I’m not even sure I hooked it back up correctly. Does it matter or does the high pressure side just push the chlorinated water out the low pressure side regardless of how it’s hooked up? Could it be part of the problem?

I haven’t run the heater at all since opening but water flows thru the heater the way my plumbing is setup so I’m not sure if that could be a hiding spot but figured it’s sealed where the water runs through it.

The main drain cover cover has at most one small leaf on it at any given time. Do I need to swim down there and remove it or check inside with goggles on for a dead animal or something? I’m contemplating either calling my pool service company to just let them handle the chlorine and maintenance or using pucks if I have the feeder plumbed correctly to at least help maintain a minimal chlorine usage as I can’t keep dumping multiple gallons a day into the pool. I appreciate the replies.

 

[Texas Splash]

Does it matter or does the high pressure side just push the chlorinated water out the low pressure side regardless of how it’s hooked up? Could it be part of the problem?

I don't think so, but you can certainly pop the lid off and check.

I haven’t run the heater at all since opening but water flows thru the heater the way my plumbing is setup so I’m not sure if that could be a hiding spot but figured it’s sealed where the water runs through it.

As long as chlorinated water is running through it should be okay.
As for the drain, I asked because another member had junk that managed to get under the cover which made a mess under the cover itself and along the drain area beneath. It's about the only thing I could think of in your situation.

 

[Texas Splash]

Another item I don't think we discussed earlier in the thread was the closing last winter. Do you know what products that company added to the water? The most common are an algaecide and/or antifreeze. Just wondering if you recalled that, or any dosage amounts.

 

[STL]

I don’t know what they used but there was a bottle of antifreeze upside down in each skimmer. I vacuumed what I could out of the skimmers before filling the pool but I’m not sure how much if any was down in the lines.

 

[Texas Splash]

I don’t know what they used but there was a bottle of antifreeze upside down in each skimmer. I vacuumed what I could out of the skimmers before filling the pool but I’m not sure how much if any was down in the lines.

I'd have to dig a little, or perhaps ask one of our science geeks to confirm, but antifreeze, while advantageous for protecting lines, can definitely impede the chlorination process. Usually we see the spike at the on-set, much like yours when we suspected ammonia. The huge spike in CCs might have been related to those chemicals being purged. Now it's possible we're still seeing the residual effects of that today. I can ask for a 2nd opinion on that issue specifically to see if it has any bearing on what's been delaying your OCLT.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Here’s what I would do - stop the SLAM for now. Let you FC come back down to normal levels (below 10ppm for sure) then do a full set of tests. Using those test results, get your CYA up to whatever your normal summertime value is (most people in your climate would shoot for 40-50ppm) and make sure pH and TA are all good.

Then, once your chemistry is all balanced, you can run another OCLT to see where you are at.