No Free Chlorine

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harpfamily

Active member
Mar 1, 2008
35
Help!

Opened pool Monday, added 4 gallons of shock and stabilizer but couldn't get free chlorine to show. Went to have water tested and they said I have high phosphates eating the free chlorine? Gave me two pint of Orenda PR-10000 and told me to super chlorinate. ( have a SWG ) once phospahates are lowered will free chlorine return? Thanks
 
I don't have any test results. The place I went to only uses strips and tested the phospahates with a powder mixed with the pool water and it turned a dark blue. I will go somewhere else tomorrow where I can get a print out.
 
You really should invest in your own test kit. Pool store testing is less to be desired. The last time I checked my Phosphates were like 4000, my water is crystal clear!
 
My water now is crystal clear. I am wondering if the SWG has gone bad? I put a strip by the return and showed nothing. I also took the cell out and put a strip their with no results. Is their anyway to test a cell? It is going on its 5th season. Thanks
 
You should post a full set of water test results. There are several things that can cause FC to read zero even when the SWG is working correctly. Test results will help us narrow down what might be happening.
 
Went to Leslie's today and got water tested.
FC 1
TC 2
Salt 2900
CH 90
CYA 40
TA 70
PH 7.6
Copper 0
Iron 0
Pho 500

They also checked the salt cell and it passed. They said I have Chloramines and sold me 6 1lb packs of power power plus? Any suggestions? Should I go ahead and add all 6 packs? Thanks
 
I would order a test kit ASAP! Take the 6 bags back, that will pay for half of the kit! Those numbers look good, if you took tests to 3 different stores you would get 3 different results!! Also there test accuracy isn't very good! So even though they look good, there probably wrong! TFT or Taylor K-2006 test kit is what you need, if not the Leslie's money pit will continue!
 
Your numbers don't really look bad. I would shock the pool, as a reading of 1CC shows that something is thinking about growing in your pool. I'd also first raise your CYA to around 70 to help out the SWG.

Is your pool a plaster or vinyl?

Ps....a test kit and knowledge will pay off big time. Head to pool school, enjoy some reading, and learn all about you water.
 

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Vinyl pool....I have always used Aquacheck and never had any problems for 5 years. I have had salt generator on super chlorinate since Monday. Should I add the stuff I bought to shock it? Thanks
 
Since CC is above 0.5, you should shock the pool. Since the SWG is not keeping up with the FC level you need to do that, you need to add chlorine manually.

After you get rid of the CC and any possible algae you should raise CYA up to around 70 to 80. Your current low CYA level is the most likely reason the SWG has not been able to keep up.
 
harpfamily said:
Vinyl pool....I have always used Aquacheck and never had any problems for 5 years. I have had salt generator on super chlorinate since Monday. Should I add the stuff I bought to shock it? Thanks
Click to expand...

In order to get help here, you're going to have to do two things:

1. Read Pool School. (It's in the upper right corner of every page.)

2. Get a good test kit. (See pool school.)

The method the members use here basically directly contradicts any direction you'll get from Leslie's. The BBB method is proven - read some of the other threads for confirmation - but it basically requires you to reset your entire paradigm of pool care.
 
Your going to need to shock your pool, like everyone has said. You really need to invest in a test kit first though. Your CYA is fine for the shocking process now , as 40 will be cheaper to shock at but I question 40 for the pool store to begin with! After testing with your own kit you'll get the real number. Once you pass the shock procedure then like Jason said raising the CYA to 70-80 your SWG will be able to keep and maintain FC.
 
Alright I shocked the pool, FC went way up. It has been falling over the last 3 hours. It is currently .5 or 1. I added a gallon of stabilizer also. Hopefully the SWG will keep up! Any other advice would be appreciated. Thanks
 
When you say "way up"....what did it go up to?? Your pool will continue to cost you in chemicals until you can accurately know what each item does, and any side effects each causes. Throw in the towel for listening to the pool store, and try our way. If you follow, it works....I promise ya.
 
harpfamily said:
My water is crystal clear. Just won't hold any free chlorine. My pool is 22,500 gallons. I just checked it again and it shows no free chlorine! About to throw in the towel!
Click to expand...
Even clear water can have organic growth in it. What do you have for a test kit?

Do you have one that will do FAS-DPD FC measurment?

If you don't you need to get an appropriate test kit. See link in my sig...I like the tf100.

If you do, it is time for you to do an Overnight chlorine loss test(OCLT) to see if that is the case. Here is the link: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/overnight_fc_test The 1 gallon of liquid stabilizer should have raised you cya another 16 ppm, for a total of 56 ppm. I would raise your FC level to 17 ppm using liquid chlorine/bleach (which is the minimum shock level for 56 ppm cya according to poolcalculator.com) for the OCLT, then after the sun is off the pool and the chlorine has been in there for an hour, measure your FC level. Then add no more chlorine and make sure you turn off any chlorinators you might have. In the morning, before the sun hits the pool measure FC again. Post your results here.
 
You CAN NOT shock a pool with test strips! You should be reading Pool School while waiting for your test kit. I know you want to fix it and all of us on here want to help you but you really need to heed our advice. You basically wasted those chemicals you put in!
 

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