Hello! This is my first time on the forum. I am so frustrated. Pool owner since 2001 - we had the pool installed by a reputable company. Substantial issues over the past 3 years or so in keeping the water balanced.
Most recently, I have not been able to keep chlorine in the pool since June 7, 2010. On June 4, 2010 TC was 9 and FC was 9 - the day after shocking. On June 20, 2010 TC was 0.7 (point 7) and FC 0. On June 27 TC 0.9 and FC 0.6. On July 2 TC 0.2, FC 0. On Jul 9 TC 2, FC 0.5. On July 11 TC 0.3 FC 0. On July 13 TC 0.5 FC 0. On Jul 16, TC 0.6 and FC 0.4.
The first two pool stores had me treat for yellow / mustard algae - although there was not good evidience that this was the problem. From the first store, I treated with Yellow Kear / Sodum Bromide 99% - added 12 oz followed by "double shock" - 8 cups. The second store had me treat with Yellow-Out - Disodium Salt of Ethylenediaminetraacetic Acid Dihydrate, Diammonium Sulfate - 2 lbs. followed by double shock every 12 hours x 3.
Oh, before treating for mustard algae - I was advised (and did) add phosphate remover to the skimmer, 50 oz. waited 48 hours, cleaned the filters (they were full of white liquid - looked like milk). I did this twice.
I also treated with a "Fresh and Clear" from the second store - non-chlorine treatment to "balance the chlorine" before the second algae treatment.
And somewhere in there, I add super soluable chlorine as advised from pool store to no avail.
Yesterday, I went to the third pool store. They advised my calcium was low, I have iron, and I should treat with liquid chlorine. Their readings were:
TC 0.6
FC 0.4
pH 7.3
Total Alk 175
Cal Hardness 100
Stabilizer 124
Copper 0.0
Iron 4.5
TDS 1520
Phosphate 1500
Chlorine Shock 0.2
Langelier index value -0.39: this may be corrosive.
So yesterday, I added 20 lbs. of calcium chloride
Waited several hours and then poured in 1 bottle of Metal Free
Waited until after dark and then poured in 5 galllons of liquid chlorine and closed the automatic cover.
Got up this a.m. and I have no chlorine as measured by AquaCheck Select stick. I have not been back to the pool store yet for their measurements.
I have all the chemistries from the past two months if it would be helpful to see.
I have not added the total cost of all the chemicals - but, my main concern is getting this resolved. Fortunately, the water has been mostly clear to only slightly cloudy through all of this.
Currently, my water is crystal clear. The readings from the Aquacheck this morning are:
Total Hardness: 250
TC 0
FC 0
pH 7.2
Total Alk 240
Cyanuric Acid 150
I read through the pool school, but, I am unclear as how to lower CYA - and maybe that is my issue?
Here are the CYA testings from the pool stores:
6.20.10 = 100
6.27.10 = 100
7.2.10 = 86
7.9.10 = 100
7.11.10 = 100 (pool store 1)
7.11.10 not tested - pool store 2 (?I don't know why and did not know to look for it)
7.13.10 not tested (same pool store)
7.16.10 not tested at pool store 3
Your advice is greatly appreciated! This is getting old - not to mention time consuming - running to the stores instead of swimming . Thanks so much!
Update at 2 p.m. EST: Just had another trip and test at pool store #3. Here are the reads:
TC: 0.9
FC: 0.0
pH: 7.0
Total Alk: 140
Calcium Hardness: 225
Stabilizer (they said this was CYA): 97
Copper 0.0
Iron 0.1 (decreased from 4.5 yesterday)
TDS: 1600
Phosphate: 1000
Chlorine Shock 0.9
Their advice: 10 gallons of liquid chlorine, wait one hour and then raise pH.
Your advice? Thank you!
Most recently, I have not been able to keep chlorine in the pool since June 7, 2010. On June 4, 2010 TC was 9 and FC was 9 - the day after shocking. On June 20, 2010 TC was 0.7 (point 7) and FC 0. On June 27 TC 0.9 and FC 0.6. On July 2 TC 0.2, FC 0. On Jul 9 TC 2, FC 0.5. On July 11 TC 0.3 FC 0. On July 13 TC 0.5 FC 0. On Jul 16, TC 0.6 and FC 0.4.
The first two pool stores had me treat for yellow / mustard algae - although there was not good evidience that this was the problem. From the first store, I treated with Yellow Kear / Sodum Bromide 99% - added 12 oz followed by "double shock" - 8 cups. The second store had me treat with Yellow-Out - Disodium Salt of Ethylenediaminetraacetic Acid Dihydrate, Diammonium Sulfate - 2 lbs. followed by double shock every 12 hours x 3.
Oh, before treating for mustard algae - I was advised (and did) add phosphate remover to the skimmer, 50 oz. waited 48 hours, cleaned the filters (they were full of white liquid - looked like milk). I did this twice.
I also treated with a "Fresh and Clear" from the second store - non-chlorine treatment to "balance the chlorine" before the second algae treatment.
And somewhere in there, I add super soluable chlorine as advised from pool store to no avail.
Yesterday, I went to the third pool store. They advised my calcium was low, I have iron, and I should treat with liquid chlorine. Their readings were:
TC 0.6
FC 0.4
pH 7.3
Total Alk 175
Cal Hardness 100
Stabilizer 124
Copper 0.0
Iron 4.5
TDS 1520
Phosphate 1500
Chlorine Shock 0.2
Langelier index value -0.39: this may be corrosive.
So yesterday, I added 20 lbs. of calcium chloride
Waited several hours and then poured in 1 bottle of Metal Free
Waited until after dark and then poured in 5 galllons of liquid chlorine and closed the automatic cover.
Got up this a.m. and I have no chlorine as measured by AquaCheck Select stick. I have not been back to the pool store yet for their measurements.
I have all the chemistries from the past two months if it would be helpful to see.
I have not added the total cost of all the chemicals - but, my main concern is getting this resolved. Fortunately, the water has been mostly clear to only slightly cloudy through all of this.
Currently, my water is crystal clear. The readings from the Aquacheck this morning are:
Total Hardness: 250
TC 0
FC 0
pH 7.2
Total Alk 240
Cyanuric Acid 150
I read through the pool school, but, I am unclear as how to lower CYA - and maybe that is my issue?
Here are the CYA testings from the pool stores:
6.20.10 = 100
6.27.10 = 100
7.2.10 = 86
7.9.10 = 100
7.11.10 = 100 (pool store 1)
7.11.10 not tested - pool store 2 (?I don't know why and did not know to look for it)
7.13.10 not tested (same pool store)
7.16.10 not tested at pool store 3
Your advice is greatly appreciated! This is getting old - not to mention time consuming - running to the stores instead of swimming . Thanks so much!
Update at 2 p.m. EST: Just had another trip and test at pool store #3. Here are the reads:
TC: 0.9
FC: 0.0
pH: 7.0
Total Alk: 140
Calcium Hardness: 225
Stabilizer (they said this was CYA): 97
Copper 0.0
Iron 0.1 (decreased from 4.5 yesterday)
TDS: 1600
Phosphate: 1000
Chlorine Shock 0.9
Their advice: 10 gallons of liquid chlorine, wait one hour and then raise pH.
Your advice? Thank you!