No Free Chlorine, pool is cloudy...high phosphates

[tenentwick]

Thank you all. I have just ordered the TF100 test kit online, and will post readings as soon as I get the kit. This is the 4th day that I have been shocking the pool (started Friday 6/18 at 1PM). We just added 2 gal of chlorine this morning as we had covered the pool last night due to the rainy forecast and this morning the FC dropped from bright purple last night, to very slight purple this morning. This was the most significant overnight drop since we started shocking. The water seems ever so slightly clearer than it has been.

Concern and a little history:
Saleine level is higher at 3.8 than the Jandy manual calls for of 3.0-3.5. I am wondering if this is part of the problem? Since this has been going on for the past 1.5 years (it is particularly concerning now since we totally replaced the Jandy unit in May $$$ because we were told that the circuit board and cell were both bad and likely the cause of our problems). Late last year and early this year we drained about 3 feet of water, maybe more, in hopes that this would help.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

For now I suggest focusing on shocking the pool, with such a significant overnight loss clearly the organics are the likely source of the cloudiness. Once you get your kit and the FC is holding overnight you can troubleshoot the SWG unit. Until you determine what if any problems exist with it you'll need to manually chlorinate with bleach.

 

[tenentwick]

my saline level has climbed to a 3.9 reading on my Jandy control screen. The manual says 3.0-3.5. How can I bring this reading down. Is it contributing to my problem?

 

[Melt In The Sun]

Tom, it is most certainly not contributing to your problem. You can deal with it later.

 

[tenentwick]

My pool is almost clear. This morning the FC dropped again from bright purple on the stick (still awaiting my TF100 kit to arrive) I added more chlorine.
I think I will soon be looking to find the root cause of my problems. I believe that is the saline level that is prohibiting the SWG from manufacturing chlorine. Any ideas on what I can do to reduce the saline level from 3.9 to a level of 3.0-3.5, which is recommended by Jandy?

 

[loughps]

The only way to reduce salt level is to do a partial drain and refill. If I assume the 3.9 on the Jandy means the same as 3900 ppm, poolcalculator.com says you need to replace 18% of your water to go from 3900 ppm to 3200 ppm. That's about 5000 gallons.

 

[JasonLion]

The Jandy SWGs are fine with salt up to 4,000. Whatever is going on has nothing to do with the salt level.

 

[tenentwick]

UPDATE: My test kit has not yet arrived, hopefully it will today. I undestand that my salt level is not directly responsible for my cloudy situation, however, I think the SWG is not making chlorine because the sale level is too high.
My pool is crystal clear this morning and I have almost NO FC reading.

 

[JasonLion]

If the salt level is too high for the SWG it will display an error code. If you haven't seen any error codes, the SWG should be producing chlorine normally.

You need to manually shock the pool until you can maintain an FC level overnight. Once that happens the SWG will be able to keep up again.

 

[loughps]

Hang in there until your test kit comes and you can do an overnight FC loss test. Once that comes back with 1 ppm or less overnight FC loss and .5 ppm or less CC, there will be things we can do to help tell what your SWCG is doing. You have that turned off while you're shocking the pool, right? Otherwise you're just shortening cell life.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Just turn the SWG off, and use liquid chlorine to complete the shock process. Once your FC holds overnight at shock level, then you can troubleshoot the SWG.

 

[tenentwick]

Got my test kit:
1 st try: Ph 7.2; FC 4; CC 1;

 

[tenentwick]

CYA 40-45, I think

 

[loughps]

The CYA test is only accurate to 10 ppm, so I'd call it 40. You need to get your chlorine up to 16 ppm and hold it there until you pass the overnight test as discussed before and in "How to Shock Your Pool".

 

[tenentwick]

FC overnight dropped from 4 to 2 according to my new kit. Should I be adding stabalizer? (CYA)

 

[Melt In The Sun]

No, your stabilizer is good where it is. Keep that FC up!

 

[tenentwick]

my saline reading rose to 4.0 according to the reading on my Jandy equipment. No lights have come on yet, but I am baffeled as to why this would rise. The only thing I have added in the past 7 days has been liquid chlorine.

 

[kenmccall]

Chlorine does have some salt in it I believe.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

Tom, I think you could just save yourself some headache and stop looking at the salt reading for now. The salt reading will go up with liquid chlorine (2 ppm salt for every ppm FC). So, if you've added 100 ppm FC cumulatively, your salt would go up from 3800 to 4000. Regardless, I think you should concentrate on one thing at a time, and deal with that later (if any action is even necessary).

 

[JasonLion]

The salt reading is also somewhat sensitive to temperature. You will usually se a slightly higher salt reading when the water is warm, compared to when it is cold, even though the salt level is not changing.