It turned green on me!

[svenpup]

It sounds like you are confusing FC (free chlorine) and CYA (cyanuric acid aka stabilizer).

Bleach (liquid chlorine) adds to your FC which is what you need to kill the algae. CYA is what protects the FC from being burned off by sunlight. (40 ppm of CYA is fine).

Depending on how bad the algae is, it can take lots and lots of bleach. Don't get discouraged, but also don't expect this to be immediate. It can take time and gallons and gallons of bleach.

 

[tim1]

I dont have FC and CYA confused. CYA helps to keep the chlorine in the pool and protects it from the sunlight. The FC, CC equal the TC and this is what keeps algea from growing. Or so everything I have read says. I think I can buy one more day(and lots of bleach before she is done with it), so its off to wally world one more time. I just hope I dont, never mind. I am keeping the faith, it looks a lot better tehn yesterday so I hope he lets it take its course and I can guess the right course to take.
Thaks for the reassurance.

 

[poolgirl22]

Ok just back in from the sweat box.... 2:00pm results, this morning I added 1 gallon of bleach and 2 lbs. of stabilzer

AM PM
FC 8 6.5
CC 2 0
TC 10 6.5
pH 7.5 8.2
T/A 180 150
CH 120 120
CYA 40
TEMP 82 89

MORE BLEACH????

Hi Tim.
You are getting good advice here and I encourage you to stay the course. I've put your numbers into the pool calculator to try and give you some specific help here. Please be patient with yourself and us. I don't think anyone is trying to personally attack you. It takes time to get things straightened out and unfortunately, it takes an investment of some dollars as well. I promise it will be better in the long run. As you said, you haven't gotten to shock level yet because you simply haven't added enough chlorine to get there. Let's see if I can put some numbers in here for you. If I missed a different set of numbers just use the same process to get to shock level...here we go...

In the pool calculator set up your targets in the bottom yellow section. Put Troublefreepool in from the drop down list, put bleach as primary source, and your pool surface. Put your gallons in the top line. And, according to the CYA chart in pool school your target level for shocking is 16 as others have mentioned. I believe we are assuming 40 because you added enough CYA to get there, yes? In the FC section at the top, enter 6.5 (or whatever your most current FC test is) as the current and 16 as the target. Click calculate. In the line it will tell you EXACTLY how many ounces of 6% (or 12%, 10%) sodium hypochlorite (bleach) you need to add to get to 16. Add it. I put in 6.5 as the now and 16 as target and I got that you need to add 5 quarts of chlorine. Now, your FC will be lower likely now that 6.5, but this gives you an idea.

In one hour test your FC again and only your FC. Enter that number in the pool calculator NOW section by FC, enter 16 in the target, calculate and add that much bleach again. Post your test result AND how much you added to get back to 16 so that someone can double check

In another hour test your FC again and repeat this process until that FC holds at 16.

That is how you properly bring a pool to shock level. When I do this I start at 5 ish in the evening and I hit it every hour or so until I can't keep my eyes open. I go to bed. I get up, and I hit it again in the morning. Then again at noon time, then I hit it hard AGAIN this way the following evening. This process continues until you satisfy the requirements of shocking which are CCs less than .5, less than 1ppm FC loss over nite (instructions for this are also in pool school) AND that pool is crystal clear. During this process you brush brush brush. Vac to waste once a day or so as you like. If you do it this way you WILL see amazing results and fast. Take some pics and upload them so we can see the process.

 

[dmanb2b]

Tim...let's say your last test showed FC of 6, to get to 16 you need to add 10ppm of chlorine to just get to shock level, then you have to maintain that level...so do this, next dosage just put in 2 gallons, I'm thinking that will get your FC up to 20-25ppm, which is still OK...algae consumes chlorine quickly. Remember, keep adding chlorine, as much as needed, to get to shock level then keep adding to maintain shock level. That's it and you may want to buy 10 jugs of the great value brand 162oz bleach bottles to start. If you do no use it now, you'll need it over the next few days. 10 jugs will run you about $26.

As for the Jeep...ask wifey to make a run to Wally's instead of trying to run you and the pool over. Then open up a bottle of POP (Pool Owner Patience) We are here to help and we've cleared some swamps of pools, but please do not take our guidance as criticism...it's just unusal for CYA to jump up 40 ppm overnight and you do not add drops to do the CYA test, so sorry if I questioned you about your testing, but I wanted to make sure I did not give you bad advice...got it?

 

[tim1]

Well thank both of you for understanding and helping. Poolgirl I just printed your reply and am heading to scholl once again. Dmanb your right its not drops for CYA its fill to the bottom of the label with water then fill to the top of the label withR-0013 mix and wait 30 second and then mix again. Both me and my wife watched and kept questioning each other about " I can see it" "I cant see it". She lives in that watering hole and has given my a reprive, I hapoe I can get it back to the norm in time.... The algea really does not look very bad but it is algea and it needs to go AWAY.
Again bear with me as I fight with your help.

 

[poolgirl22]

I had a PM with Tim and wanted to add my reply for continuity...

I believe he said in his PM that his FC was 22..he'd added a gallon today since his post. Soooo....here it is:

22 won't hurt this time..and yes, it will likely come down some. Just test again after dark before you head to bed tonight to be sure it's at least at 16. If not, enter that number you get in the PCalc and target 16 and add the amount it says. Then begin tomorrow anew.

If you continue to overshoot even following the pool calculator instructions, you'll need to re evaluate whether your gallons are accurate. This whole method is about accurate dosing and testing rather than just randomly throwing stuff in..(not saying you are doing that..just a general statement of the position of all of us).

Please post to the thread as everyone here generally works together and we all aren't around all the time.

I will say though that it's important you really learn how things work and study the information and familiarize yourself with using the pool calculator. Once you internalize the info completely, one day it will just click.

I will add here Tim, that to save reagent, since you've added CYA, wait a couple days to test it again. Use 40 as your CYA since you added 2lbs. When you do test it again, do it in bright sunlight with your back to the sun and the tube with the dot in front of you next to your belly so it's shaded. Then read the test result, pour the mixture back in the bottle, read the test again. You'll get more confident if you get the same reading over and over.

 

[poolgirl22]

Hey Tim..

Quick question...have you drained and refilled this pool since you converted to salt back in May?

I only ask because you added CYA back then and now your CYA was zero and you had to add CyA? I'm concerned that we're going to end up with too much CYA...

NOTE TO MODS: Could he have had so much of an algae bloom that it consumed all the CYA..help?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Yes, Poolgirl you may be on to something. But I don't want to overwhelm Tim with the small details - the process is still the same if what we suspect happened, did... Testing the chlorine level hourly, and adding enough chlorine to reach shock level. Holding shock level until it stays the same via the overnight loss test. So if the CYA is 0 as a result of the FC dropping to 0, he has added more and is now shocking properly...he'll get there...

Hang in there Tim, we are with you and will see u thru this. You are doing great.

 

[tim1]

A couple votes of confindence thats what I really neededand the help to. I have not drained any water since I started in May other then backwashing. I guess the neighboors didnt run the filter and SWG as I ahd asked them to when I was gone. I am going to retest around 7 this morning and will post results and then stay after it all day. I may have to take a drive to Savannah to pick up one of my cars today but other then that I am going to be right here testing and vacuuming to waste. If I had a light out there by the pool I would be out there right now checking it.

 

[keeper]

Hey T1, you came to the right place for help. There are a lot of legit pool experts that prowl this forum hunting for someone to help. Anyone who has dealt with balancing water has been in your boots. I fought the green menace 2 weeks ago. It sounds like your on the right track. My pump runs 24/7 regardless. I have 11 big jugs of bleach on my shelf right now. I have a sock of cya dissolving in front of my return right now. And yes I get some funny looks trying to check out with a buggy full of bleach stacked like cord wood. Can't wait to hear how things look when the sun comes up. Thanks for your service and sacrifice.

 

[tim1]

I just went out and tested teh FC it was 22 lastnight and it is still at 22 as of 7:00am. Once the sun gets up a little bit I am going to vacuum to waste and continue testing throughtout the day. I do espect to see the FC drop as the pool gets full sun from about 8am till 6 or 7 pm. I will keep you posted and watch for your suggestions..... The pool has shown improvement in the past 24 hours, vac to waste will help a lot.

 

[dmanb2b]

THAT's great news!! No overnight FC loss....don't worry about your FC being a little on the high side, it will drop at least 2-3ppm per day if you are done shocking. If the pool is now just cloudy gray/blue...keep filtering

 

[poolgirl22]

Thanks FPM for checking my work..lol..

Good job Tim! You'll get there.

 

[tim1]

I just went out and vacuumed to wste and brushed the pool again. The only things I can see i the bottom now are what appears to be spots in the indentations in the sand from people in the pool. The water is blue/clear and has always been that way I will keep testing and watching the FC level as well as posting it on here. I realyy appreciate the words of wisdom and all of your help. The frustraation is beginning to leave me alone a little bit.
Thanks again

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Great update, thanks for sharing and keep us posted.

 

[tim1]

So far no change in the FC, but no sunshine yet either. I read some place on here this morning about putting the float items in the pool whil shocking to kill any algea that might be growing on them. Should I go ahead and left them float while I have this shock mode going?

 

[dmanb2b]

soak away ....no FC loss with no sun is a good thing. FC should fall when sun comes out, but the fact that it's not falling is a good indication that you have killed most of the organics in your water

 

[tim1]

I was thimkiing in the same direction. I am hoping thatthe spots on the botom start to brush off or just disappear. How long should I expect to keep the FC at 16 ppm? Or when do I know that I have completed the shocking process?

 

[dmanb2b]

See my post back on page 1 :lol:

nope...not at all...thing start slowing down around here this time of the season. Don't run your SWG. What is your CYA level?

Based on that you need to raise your FC to shock level with bleach. One gallon will not do that. One gallon of 6% in a 8k gallon pool will only raise your FC by 4-5ppm. If your CYA is let's say 30-40 ppm you need to raise FC to around 15ppm...and so on. Refer to the CYA FC chart in pool school.

Once you are at shock level, test often and hold the FC at shock level until you are done shocking.

You are done shocking when

1) CC is 0.5 or lower;
2) An overnight FC loss test shows a loss of 1.0 ppm or less;
3) the water is clear.


Hope this helps

 

[tim1]

So by that post I guess I am now waiting for the CC to be lower then 0.5 and the FC to drop back down to normal. My water has always been clear.
So what do I do with the little spots in the bottom? They look like toe imprints in the liner that are still dark, the brushing is not getting them off.