7 year itch..Taking things into my own hands...

[poolgirl22]

Ok, so that keeps the shocking process going. I think I'm understanding..Now, when does the shocking process stop? I think the answer is when, after 30-60 mins of each bleach application to shock level as you just explained, your FC level is actual AT 10 to 12. Is that correct? Then I can allow it to come down to target maintenance level?

So..if by 11 pm local time it hasn't reached shock level when do I sleep?

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your patience. The pieces are starting to fit together...

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

No problem... read "How to Shock your Pool". It tells you exactly "when you are done" shocking.

 

[poolgirl22]

Ah yes..there it is. It says measure FC, Add enough to bring FC to shock level, repeat as practical until:

CC is .5 or lower ( I don't yet have a way to measure CC...only TC and FC so TC=FC + CC and CC will be the x to figure out..)
overnight FC loss test shows less than 1.0ppm or less (don't have this ability yet)
and the water is clear...(gotcha)

And my test just yielded TC=3 FC=ZERO....
So here goes in another 403 oz. of bleach. If this doesn't get it, then I will start over tomorrow.

 

[JohnT]

Based on your IP address, we are almost neighbors! I live in the next county to the east and shop in your town pretty regularly.

Rural King usually has 10% shock on sale around Memorial Day for a price that makes it comparable to the Walmart bleach.

 

[poolgirl22]

So...daviess John? Thanks for the tip! Glad to know that my favorite popcorn stand has the 10%...and I don't have to buy it at the pool store.

So you obviously use this method? Long term it works well for you in our type of climate?


The shocking thing is really giving me anxiety. I'm so used to just tossing in the granular shock from the bucket and assuming it's doing its thing...ya know? My hubby thinks I'm obsessing over it.

I can only assume that this first time out is the worst. Just looking at the pool in the outside light it already is sparkly clear where it usually is just kind of shimmery, ya know? Thanks for the intro...

next test 10pm.

 

[LongbowFoSho]

I know what you mean about "just tossing it in". I did the same thing with mine for the last couple of years. I had no idea that it was also putting in CYA or what effect that had on shocking.

So, I guess my post-algae cloudiness turned out to be a blessing of sorts.

 

[poolgirl22]

At 10pm I checked after adding the second 403 oz of bleach:
Got:
FC: 5
TC: 10+ (wasn't terribly darker than 10 on the OTO drop test)
Ph: strong 7.2-7.4 on the strip so that's headed in the correct direction for more acid tomorrow.
Good thing is I actually got a FC reading...a first this season...
So thankfully WMart is 24 hrs...

Adding 235 oz bleach per pool calculator.
If I make it to 1130-12 I'll edit this post with the results.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Just keep in mind that the PH will read higher when the chlorine is high (above 10). So don't try to adjust the PH down with acid while the FC is up. Only try to adjust the pH when the chlorine has dropped down to a 'normal' level.

You're making great progress...

 

[poolgirl22]

HOT DOG!
Near as I can tell with my elementary 6 way test strips and OTO drop tester...
TC: 10+ (but only a hair darker than the max of 10)
FC: 10+ (right at the dark purple of the chart..maybe just a hair darker)
CC: ZEROish!!!

I know I don't have exact numbers with these tests...but I'm getting there.
And the water is like diamonds sparkling in the moonlight...clear clear clear.

645am
FC 2
TC 10 ish (about same as last night)

357 oz of bleach added to get back to 12..when I get home from taking my daughter to school I'll be brushing everything and pulling the stairs. I suspect the sandbags wrapped in a pillowcase which are weighing the stairs down are the source as last year they gave me fits. Going to fill a couple bleach jugs with pea gravel, seal them and then weigh the stairs with those after I clean the stairs throughly.

I assume this shocking process continues throughout the day? Or do I begin again at dusk?

 

[JohnT]

So...daviess John? Thanks for the tip! Glad to know that my favorite popcorn stand has the 10%...and I don't have to buy it at the pool store.

So you obviously use this method? Long term it works well for you in our type of climate?

Yep, Daviess.

I haven't seen the shock there this year yet. It normally sells for around $15 for 4, which is higher than Walmart bleach, but they have it on sale at around $12.50, which makes the price close. I was in Rural King last Friday and noticed right in the middle of the pool section that they had a pallet of Clorox bleach. I think they may be catching on.

One of my neighbors has a pool identical to mine and has commented on how my water "glitters" compared to theirs. They use pucks and powdered shock and several different clarifiers and enzymes to try to keep it as clear as mine. It's not. Mine stays crystal clear with very little effort.

I try to avoid the pool stores. I usually go to Clyde's in Bruceville if I need parts quickly. They are friendly and do keep things in stock for repairs. I've never bought any chemicals at a pool store though. Walmart for bleach and Lowe's for CYA and muriatic acid. The only downside is that you have all the bleach jugs to get rid of, which makes the 10% more attractive.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Yes, definitely remove the stairs - they are notorious for being the "source" of lingering CCs and what not... as the circulation under them is so pour. Sand bags prob are not the best choice so yes, replace it with something else. If you do a google search (bottom left) there have been other threads where this issue has been discussed you may find suggestions there for weights.

Be sure to give the the stairs a good scrubbing with a diluted bleach/water solution.

 

[poolgirl22]

Good morning John and anyone else still with me!

I just went and got some popcorn for breakfast and they had the 10% liquid shock there in the pool section. Got it 4 for 15.00. Still better than buying at the pool place and our Walmart is a pain right now with the remodel. I used Clyde's for years then last year my main guy moved to a place in town. I haven't gotten into open and closing myself (yet). I've never been exactly sold on the entire chemical issue...always thought it was a racket, but didn't really know any better how to fix. Now I do. I'm still trying to convince myself that this first shocking process is the worst and it gets easier from here...Got 2 years (since new liner) of mistakes to correct...

Just got back and retested:
FC: 8-10
TC: 10+
CYA: was 10 at the pool place yesterday, and looks to be slightly more toward the 30 range on the strip, so I'm going to continue the shocking process today (not sunny) using 20 for CYA cuz I swear I can't deal with the pool place today. I shoulda paid for fed ex on that test kit...

128 oz (1 gal) of 10% at 915 am)
My gut tells me I'm doing what I'm supposed to even though looking at these bottles...yikes... And I'm gonna pull the stairs. Brrrrrrrr.....

 

[poolgirl22]

Yes, definitely remove the stairs - they are notorious for being the "source" of lingering CCs and what not... as the circulation under them is so pour. Sand bags prob are not the best choice so yes, replace it with something else. If you do a google search (bottom left) there have been other threads where this issue has been discussed you may find suggestions there for weights.

Be sure to give the the stairs a good scrubbing with a diluted bleach/water solution.

I'll give ya 3 guesses where I got the idea...and the first two don't count.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

 

[poolgirl22]

We are cookin' now.
Got a test at pool store..

TC: 10 (max is 10)
FC: 9.8
CC: .2 (CC=TC-FC method...I paid more attention in algebra than chemistry)
PH: 7.4 (yippee! but leaving alone right now as per poolmoms instructions)
TA: 200
CH: 383 (down 40 from yesterday)
CYA: 10 (I'm still gonna use the 20 level just as an extra boost..not that much difference right now)
Langelier Index: .03

He asked me if I got this sample from someone else's pool as it was so drastically improved since yesterday...

So, gonna use the FC of 9.8 and shock to 14 per pool calc. My internet is down so I had to use the library for my pool calculator...grr...not good for me.

 

[Ohm_Boy]

I know this is a little late to step in with an analogy, but the shocking process is akin to using antibiotics for an infection. You must get the level of available chlorine high enough to battle the nasties, and keep it there long enough to kill it all. During an outbreak, the chlorine you add immediately begins to get used during sanitization, so the levels start to drop virtually as soon as you add it. If it drops low enough, the nasties begin to win again, so the more diligent you can be in maintaining an effective shock level, the faster you can win and be done.

So tossing in a bag of "shock" and walking away is like taking only the first antibiotic tablet for an infection. It can make for a long painful pool season.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I find the pool store testing so unreliable - and the employees -the majority of which still believe in the industry recommendations and just regurgitate them. Most just don't understand the chemistry or relationship between the chems.

I haven't had my water tested at a pool store in over 2 years. Not gonna bother, I trust my own testing now.

 

[poolgirl22]

I know this is a little late to step in with an analogy, but the shocking process is akin to using antibiotics for an infection. You must get the level of available chlorine high enough to battle the nasties, and keep it there long enough to kill it all. During an outbreak, the chlorine you add immediately begins to get used during sanitization, so the levels start to drop virtually as soon as you add it. If it drops low enough, the nasties begin to win again, so the more diligent you can be in maintaining an effective shock level, the faster you can win and be done.

So tossing in a bag of "shock" and walking away is like taking only the first antibiotic tablet for an infection. It can make for a long painful pool season.

Not a little late at all...I read that somewhere else yesterday. And I keep repeating it to myself over and over. Thanks for the reminder.

I just added 2.5 little quarts of 10% to bounce back up to 14. So, I feel like I'm getting there. Problem now is I don't have any way of testing accurately over 10 either at home or the pool store until my kit gets here. Their scale only goes to 10. So I'm shooting for 14 each time as I suspect my CYA is 10-20. As far as FC measure, I guess when it goes darker than the 10 color on the strip, then I can assume I'm there...best I can do until the good stuff arrives.

It's looking better and better. The sun came out and it is warming up so I think I'll just keep adding bleach through the day using cya 20 and target 14to try and max out that strip. if it turns black, well, I guess I'm done! lol! Pics coming in next post.

And Poolmom--I am 100% convinced I know more than the guy now. I just don't have that test kit yet for accurate numbers so I'm still somewhat guessing, albeit educated.. The stairs are out, as are the sand bags. That's where they will stay for now. They really don't seem bad..but I will give em a good scrubbin. Thanks again..

 

[poolgirl22]

Today's pictures

I'm really pleased with the difference in clarity and the sparkle factor..
Still aerating at the outlet and with my mini fountain. i may pull off the fountain for awhile since ph is holding up and just leave the outlet going until my shocking is done and FC comes back to normal. Then I can work on the TA issue.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

IT looks great... honestly, you can wait until this evening to add more bleach. Most of your effort today will only be consumed by sunlight. So I'd just save yourself the energy and bleach, take a break from the action today, and resume this evening once the sun is off the pool.

Terrific - the water looks fabulous.