Need help with out of control pool...

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You don't need to vacuum but it is advised that you brush the whole pool at least once a day. Best time for this is right after you add the bleach. This helps to mix the bleach through the pool and exposes all the algae to the chlorine for more effective killing.

If you're on a tight budget you may want to try adding your bleach at last light. This way it has all night to work on the algae without loss to sunlight. This may give you your best bang for buck.
 
I will get a good test kit on the next check. I bought $30 worth of bleach and now have $60 left to live on until the next check.

I used the powder because I had two pouches left and I'm hoping to just maintain where it's at right now until the 15th. Right now I'm just trying to do the best I can.
 
Last night I put in 12 gallons of bleach, this morning the TC is back down to .5 according to a hth "drop" kit.

I plan on ordering the recommended test kit on Thursday.

I understand I need to get more bleach and keep adding that until the level doesn't drop excessively overnight right? At what rate should I add the bleach? Is there a suggested rate? I'd imagine dropping another 12 in there right now isn't necesssary... what would be a good starting point?
 
Whoa there! Seriously. If you put 12 gallons of bleach in a 24' pool you raised the FC by 57. That's absurdly too high.

Don't add any more yet. Even if they were 96oz jugs you added over 40 ppm FC.

While I haven't read the whole thread there's no way you should have added 12 gallons of bleach all at once.

What are you trying to accomplish?
 
Ok, I just went back and read the whole thread (Ok I really just skimmed it) and I completely sympothize with your situation.

Since you're ordering a good test kit on Thursday leave off adding more chlorine for a few days.

I know it's a lot of money, the TF-100 will definitely be worth the cost once you have it.

Once you get it you'll be able to tell exactly what your pool needs and how much of it. You'll quit throwing things at it trying to get it clear. You'll add what you need to get it there and then add only what it takes to keep it there.
 
1 lb today I was going to go out and test again to get a current reading.

I don't understand how the TC can go down to less than 1 overnight after adding that much bleach... is that just a crappy test kit, or is that really possible? This morning I saw no change in the milky green color.

Also are their dealers who carry the tf100 or is it only available through the website? I thought if there was some place I could get it sooner, that would be better. :D My clear pool goal is the 31st... I hope that's possible... is it?

ETA: I'm using the HTH brand stabilizer, is there a better option for this?
 
Chlorine indeed can be used up that fast. Gross huh?

Have you read through "how to shock your pool" in pool school?
pool-school/shocking_your_pool

The TF-100 is only available through the website. Shipping is quick though. You may be able to find the Taylor K2006 in stock somewhere (almost certainly not), but the TF-100 is a better deal anyway.

The HTH stabilizer should be fine. You can definitely clear this by the 31st if you're diligent!
 

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If you guys will put up with me... I'll do my part!

I have read that article, but I will re-read it again.

I tested with the HTH tube kit, the CYA is below the chart, the lowest they give is 30... Should I just fill a huge sock full of it and hang it out there by the skimmer? Or is there a faster way to raise it?

ETA: Read the shock school again, So... since it's not clear, and the FC is back down to basically nothing, do I need to keep dumping bleach or do I need to wait a couple days? Is there an ideal amount, like dump in two gallons every two hours... or something like that I can follow until I get the test kit?

Use small words... I'm easily confused, lol.

Also does anyone have a general idea ( I know it will vary ) of how much bleach I will need, and how much CYA, so I can pick it all up on pay day and have it on hand. We try to do all of our shopping the week of pay day.
 
Lets take a step at a time. I think you're chlorine test is being bleached out. If it's not an OTO test it likely is.

The only place that carries the TF-100 is TF Test Kits. They have extremely fast shipping. Depending on where you're located, you'll have it very fast.

The HTH Stabilizer is fine to use I just got the feeling that you had added more than 1 lb total. I think I'd hold off adding more till you get a good test kit so you'll know for sure how much you really have in there.
 
I'm pretty sure it was just around a lb. there was only a fourth of the container left ( because I measured out the other three lbs), and it's a four lb container, lol.

I tested with both the HTH six way test kit, and the strips, they both came out with same results. I don't know what OTO means...

I do know last time I added three gallons, and the water cleared up severely overnight, from a worse green to a bright blue. This time it wasn't as green, added more bleach ( obvioulsy ) and it has no apparent change. I backflushed before adding the bleach to ensure the filter was clean. Today it doesn't smell "chloriney" like it did last time I added the three gallons either. If that makes a difference.

ETA: I forgot to say the good thing about today was it didn't get much greener when we brushed the sides. I'm guessing that means most or all of the algae is "free floating" now. You can see the algae particles in the way pretty easily. Yea for that!
 
Give us a report again in the morning on what it looks like. OTO is a drop based kit that uses Orthotolidine as the reagent it's usually R-0600. It will not bleach out no matter how much chlorine you have in the water. DPD (not FAS-DPD) will bleach out past about 10ppm.

The fact that it doesn't have the chlorine-y smell means that you dont have a lot of CC's probably because it's not producing any because you've killed off whatever was in there.

Here's something you can try. Take a sample of pool water and three equal parts of chlorine free water and mix them together. Then run the chlorine test as you normally would using the mixture. Multiply the result be 4 and let us know if you get anything.
 
I'm going to have to say it's not bleaching out, but I can try that. When I was trying out the test kit last night I wasn't getting a chlorine reading ( right after adding it ) so I dumped some dribble in right out of the jug and it shot up bright orange, off the chart. That would've been about 1/4 chlorine, 3/4 pool water.
 
Oppps, I got distracted! I checked and it says OTO on it. Watered it down to 1/4 pool water, nothing, no coloring in there at all... Strips came up with nothing as well. Do I want to add more bleach now? LOL
 
Yes you need to add but without knowing what your CYA really is it's hard to say what your shock should be.

If I counted right you've added CYA several times and more than a pound a couple of times. Is that not correct?

Riven said:
Also added some stabilizer today to help prevent chlorine loss.
Click to expand...
There's some.
Riven said:
I dumped more chlorine and more CYA earlier and we're currently at a milky white
Click to expand...
There's some more.
Riven said:
I added more stabilizer, 2 lbs, then more shock.
Click to expand...
And More.
Riven said:
Yesterday I added about 1 lb of stabilizer yesterday.
Click to expand...
And More.
Riven said:
I added 2 more lbs of CYA,
Click to expand...
More.

So now, how much have you added? :)
 
Since the beginning of posting on here, I've added a total of 6 1/2 lbs. CYA I had a half jug at first post, ( 2 1/2 lbs ) and purchased another jug ( 4 lbs ) since the first post, and currently have all empty jugs - six 1/2 lbs total.

The first 2 1/2 lbs was left over from last year, I do not know if that affects the strength or ... uhm potency?( can't get the words I'm thinking of to come out ) from freezing.
The pool would've been at 0 cya at that point.

Could some one please give me a kind of plan on what to expect? I know that it will depend on readings, etc. but I'm just trying to figure out what to expect and what to plan for. Especially with living 30 miles from town, I try to get all my shopping done at once. I can guess on what to pick up, but if I have 20 gallons of bleach and no CYA... that won't help if I need CYA, etc. I do understand there is no specific recipe on what's going to happen or what I'm going to need, but I'd rather have it and not need it, than not have it and need it.
 

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