My tests and tests and tests...

Apr 10, 2012
38
Georgia USA
New here..... Been reading since just after I started cleaning up my swamp. I started out the year with a dark (almost black) pool. I wish I had taken pictures. Anyway, took a sample to my pool store and started out with 10 lbs of granular shock ($40). I knew this would do nothing at all with the condition my pool was in. Soooooo, the next day, back to the pool store. These were the results.

FC - 0.5
TC - 0.5
CC - 0.0 (What?? I smell chlorine)
PH - 7.4
TA - 60
CYA - 0
No copper or iron.

I bought 10 more lbs of shock at another $40. Came home and added to pool. Next day, nothing. Checked my spider gasket. It was a little melted looking so I changed it out and started reading more and more here. Next day, went to the Dollar Store and bought Bleach 6%. Lots of it. LOTS!! Managing my FC with test strips (all I had at the time) I kept adding and adding Bleach, brushing the pool, back washing, rinsing, lather, repeat, rinse for 8 days. Things were looking up. Added a little Baking Soda (10 lbs) and CYA (5lbs of 100%) and kept brushing, bleaching and back washing. Today is day 12. Pool is blue but cloudy with just a slight green tinge. I can see the bottom of the deep end if I strain enough. :-D

Today I received my Test Kit in the mail. Opened it up and was just a tiny bit overwhelmed at first. :shock: But after I looked everything over and read the directions, I got started. My results....

FC - 9
CC - 1.0
TA - 70
CYA - 50
PH 7.3
Temp 80

So I decided since this is my first time, I am going to run up to the pool store and have her test my water for comparison. Her results...

FC - 4
CC - 0
PH -7.3
TA -70
CYA - 100 ???
Temp 80

Hard to believe my CYA went up that much with only 5 lbs added. She also says my FC is too high at 4 I should not shock the pool at all for 3 days or put any chlorine in it. Ummmm.....No!! I'm not going backwards here, lady. I still have a green tinge and CC.

So back home I go. Retested CYA again with my shiny new kit. And again I get to 50 with no black dot. Will check it again tomorrow and see what I get. I also used my test strips and according to them, my CYA is around 50 and my FC is above 5. I picked up 10 lbs of baking soda on my way home which I will add after what I believe will be my last waste vacuum this evening. My concern is the CYA number. Who to believe?
What to do now?
 
My test vs pool store test.

Pool store tests are notorious for being incorrect
I would not trust most pool stores
Go by what your test kit says not the pool store
I stopped waisting my money at the pool store and just sticking to BBB method
 
Re: My test vs pool store test.

Welcome to TFP!

Discontinue going to the pool store! You have the best test kit out there! CYA at 50 is good! It takes about a week to dissolve CYA in the pool. So I would test about a week after adding. If your cloudy and still green sounds like shocking is in order for you. I would highly recomend reading POOL SCHOOL several times and get familiar with the calculator. Plug in your numbers, and get some bleach.
 
Re: My test vs pool store test.

Highlandreef said:
Pool store tests are notorious for being incorrect
I would not trust most pool stores
Go by what your test kit says not the pool store
I stopped waisting my money at the pool store and just sticking to BBB method

Thanks Highland. I plan to stick with the BBB method. I just need to build my own confidence level. That was the reason for going to the pool store. I needed a comparison. Wish I would have stayed out now since the CYAs are so off. At least I didn't buy anything. HAHAH!
 
Re: My test vs pool store test.

maxepr1 said:
Welcome to TFP!

Discontinue going to the pool store! You have the best test kit out there! CYA at 50 is good! It takes about a week to dissolve CYA in the pool. So I would test about a week after adding. If your cloudy and still green sounds like shocking is in order for you. I would highly recomend reading POOL SCHOOL several times and get familiar with the calculator. Plug in your numbers, and get some bleach.


Thanks Max. I have read and read Pool School. Will keep reading it as this learning experience goes on. I will just trust my CYA number of 50 for now. Pool calculator in use and plenty of bleach on hand. Thanks again!
 
Re: My test vs pool store test.

db13berry said:
Anyway, took a sample to my pool store and started out with 10 lbs of granular shock ($40). I knew this would do nothing at all with the condition my pool was in.
db13berry said:
I bought 10 more lbs of shock at another $40.
db13berry said:
Added a little Baking Soda (10 lbs) and CYA (5lbs of 100%) and kept brushing, bleaching and back washing.

Is there any chance you happen to have some of the "granular shock" around still. Even if it's just an empty wrapper? Is there any chance it was Dichlor?? I've got a 25000 gallon pool and using 4 pounds of 100% CYA only brings the levels up to around 20ish CYA. How long ago did you add the stabilizer? I'm sure your numbers are correct.....but lets make 100% sure that the pool store didn't mess up and get the reading correct.
 
Re: My test vs pool store test.

db13berry,

What are you planning on doing with the baking soda? Your TA of 70 is in a good range and I would leave it alone and work only on the FC level. Your pH is in good shape for shocking also. Shoot for keeping your FC at 20 with your CYA at 50. When the FC drops below the proper shock level then the algae will make a comeback. Start running the OCLT when you believe the algae is all dead. Keep asking questions if you have any doubt.
 
Re: My test vs pool store test.

Leebo said:
db13berry said:
Anyway, took a sample to my pool store and started out with 10 lbs of granular shock ($40). I knew this would do nothing at all with the condition my pool was in.
db13berry said:
I bought 10 more lbs of shock at another $40.
db13berry said:
Added a little Baking Soda (10 lbs) and CYA (5lbs of 100%) and kept brushing, bleaching and back washing.

Is there any chance you happen to have some of the "granular shock" around still. Even if it's just an empty wrapper? Is there any chance it was Dichlor?? I've got a 25000 gallon pool and using 4 pounds of 100% CYA only brings the levels up to around 20ish CYA. How long ago did you add the stabilizer? I'm sure your numbers are correct.....but lets make 100% sure that the pool store didn't mess up and get the reading correct.

The granular shock was unstabilized. I asked her that today to be sure. I added the CYA 5 days ago.
 

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Re: My test vs pool store test.

Was it Calcium Hypo then? I'd test again in a few days' to make sure all the CYA is showing up as at times it takes up to a week for it to show up after adding it to the pool.
 
Re: My test vs pool store test.

ping said:
db13berry,

What are you planning on doing with the baking soda? Your TA of 70 is in a good range and I would leave it alone and work only on the FC level. Your pH is in good shape for shocking also. Shoot for keeping your FC at 20 with your CYA at 50. When the FC drops below the proper shock level then the algae will make a comeback. Start running the OCLT when you believe the algae is all dead. Keep asking questions if you have any doubt.

I was planning to add it after I got my water clear to bring it up to between 100 - 120. Is that right? I will of course test again and use the pool calculator once that happens. I found the baking soda for 34 cents a pound so I bought it all. Ha!

Ok. Will leave everything alone and keep pouring the bleach. And will run OCLT tonight after shocking and early in the AM and keep doing it until I can get CC 0.5 or less. I hope I am keeping all of this in my head right.

When I got home a few minutes ago, the water is milky blue. I can see some leaves in the deep end corner so am getting ready to get out of uniform and into some working clothes to get those leaves out and do some more brushing.
 
Re: My test vs pool store test.

Leebo said:
Was it Calcium Hypo then? I'd test again in a few days' to make sure all the CYA is showing up as at times it takes up to a week for it to show up after adding it to the pool.

I don't know. I added it while still pool storing it way before I started BBB. I do not have the container so I asked her today if it had stabilizer in it and she said no. I will test again in a few days. Heck, I'll probably test again tomorrow just to play with my new kit. :lol:
 
Re: My test vs pool store test.

db13berry said:
I will test again in a few days. Heck, I'll probably test again tomorrow just to play with my new kit. :lol:

You probably need to be test a little more often than every few days to ensure you are staying up above shock level consistently ... at a minimum test and adjust daily.
 
Re: My test vs pool store test.

jblizzle said:
db13berry said:
I will test again in a few days. Heck, I'll probably test again tomorrow just to play with my new kit. :lol:

You probably need to be test a little more often than every few days to ensure you are staying up above shock level consistently ... at a minimum test and adjust daily.
Oh yeah, I'll test the shock a few times daily. I meant the CYA level in a few days. Thanks for the help guys!
 
Re: My test vs pool store test.

db13berry said:
jblizzle said:
db13berry said:
I will test again in a few days. Heck, I'll probably test again tomorrow just to play with my new kit. :lol:

You probably need to be test a little more often than every few days to ensure you are staying up above shock level consistently ... at a minimum test and adjust daily.
Oh yeah, I'll test the shock a few times daily. I meant the CYA level in a few days. Thanks for the help guys!

Got ya ... sorry to intrude :-D Keep up the good work :goodjob:
 
Re: My test vs pool store test.

duraleigh said:
If it is chlorine in ANY form other than liquid, it has stabilizer.

Good to know. Wonder why she told me it didn't have it? I will recheck it and try to figure out which one of us is right. 50 and 100 seems like a big difference. Thanks!

duraleigh said:
Oops! I was going too fast and misspoke. Calcium Hypochlorite contains no CYA.

Good to know. Thanks!
 

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