Pool will not hold chlorine

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andrewtflood

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Jun 5, 2010
3
Elkton, MD 21921
Our pool is not holding chlorine. We have had the water tested at two pool stores, followed their instructions and still will not hold chlorine. Phosphates are very high but after treating with phosphate remover the phosphate level is still off their scale in the pool store.

So I'm trying the internet to see what help I can get. Some facts about our pool:
Vinly liner, 35,000 gallons, DE filter. Last pool store test results (6/3/10) on the water: Free Chlorine 0.3ppm, total chlorine 04.ppm, combined chloring 0.1ppm, pH 7.5, Hardness 290ppm, alkalinity 80ppm, cyanuric acid 35ppm

Pool water was crystal clear until I added the phosphate remover. Now it is cloudy but beginning to clear again.

Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Andy
 
Hi Andy.
My first suggestion is you need to read pool school in the upper right corner of each page.
Second, put your data into pool calculator and get a feel for how much of what you need to get to the right levels.
Finally, consider getting your own reliable test kit. Common ones are compared in pool school.

I just noticed your test results are from 2 days ago. Likely the FC is gone. Please get a more up to date water test and post back the results.
Read read read. You will learn a lot very quickly in pool school.
Welcome to TFP. Your pool will sparkle in no time!
:wave:
 
Welcome to TFP!

Yes, please follow poolgirl22's suggestions. You will likely not receive much in the "helpful advice" department from the pool store. The more out of whack your pool is, the more chemicals they can sell you and sales is their endgame.

Ignore any advice on phosphate levels and don't buy any more phosphate removers. They are a waste of money. Phosphates can be present in large quantities in pool water without noticeable effect as long as you are properly chlorinating.

You need a good test kit of your own as pool store testing is very often unreliable. The TF-100 kit is a good one. See the link in my sig line. You need to be able to check for FC, CC, pH, CYA, CH, and TA.

Stick with us and we will help you get your pool squared away. :goodjob:
 
I have read the material on your website, compelted the requested profile information, and ordered the recommended test kit. I have been using test strips that test for FC thru CYA. From what I can tell I need to shock the pool with bleach. The shock treatment needs to get the FC level to ~14 based on your chart. How long does the FC level need to be maintained at this level to effectively treat the pool water?
 
Hey, Andrew,

The maddening answer is, "It depends".

The general answer is 2-3 days to sometimes more than a week if done properly.

Based on the conditions you describe in your first post, 2-4 days seems likely.

Done improperly, it can drag on forever. Most pools clear up remarkably in that 2-7 day period. Holding your FC up at that shock level is the single most important factor in how long it tiakes but there's other guidelines in the pool school article "How to Shock your Pool".

You will also get a ton of personalized help here with any aspect of pool care you need.

BTW - welcome to the forum! :lol: Your equipment in your signature is matched very nicely to the size of your pool.
 
andrewtflood said:
How long does the FC level need to be maintained at this level to effectively treat the pool water?
Click to expand...

Adding on to what duraleigh said, the FC needs to be held until your FC level holds to within 1 ppm of loss overnight. You should run the filter the entire time. Once your FC holds to within 1 ppm of loss overnight, you no longer need to maintain shock level. Please note that at this point, the water still may not be completely clear, but the organic material in the pool will essentially be dead and the filter may need some time to continue to clear the water of particles.
 
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