Above ground pool issue

[mmttdunn]

I have an above ground 27' round pool. Last week we went on vacation and when we returned out pool was still crystal clear. There was a little bit of debree on the floor, but I vacuumed it and it still looked great. After vaccuuming, I put the chlorine tablet in the basket as usual and this is when the clouding started. All levels are fine except chlorine. It remains low. I have done 2 shock treatments in the last week to try to raise chlorine levels, but the levels quickly go back to 0. The water is cloudy and I am frustrated that shocking and clarifier isn't working.

Can someone please help? Thanks!

 

[kizer]

Some cyanuric acid (stabalizer) should do the trick. Check out the pool calculator to sed how much you need. Also, post your test results.

 

[PSW]

I have done 2 shock treatments in the last week to try to raise chlorine levels, but the levels quickly go back to 0. The water is cloudy and I am frustrated that shocking and clarifier isn't working.

What are your current levels and how are you testing your water? Test strips? Drop based test? Pool Store?

Also, can you explain the 'shock treatment' you did this past week. Typically, shocking is something that takes several days (explained in PoolSchool), holding the FC at a high level.

CYA will help you hold chlorine, but will also reduce the effectiveness of the FC. Levels will help us determine what the best course of action is.

PS welcome to TFP!

 

[mmttdunn]

Thanks!

Testing using 6 way test strips.

TH: 200
FC: 0
Bromine: 0
ph: 6.8
TA: 120
CA: 0

 

[mmttdunn]

Shock treatment was HTH super shock and swim. I use 2 bags for a shock. I did a shock last 6/10/12 and again 6/16/12.

 

[LauleaHere&There]

Greetings and welcome! May I suggest, from my own experience, that one of the best investments that you can make for your pool is a more comprehensive test kit? As BlakeJ said, one of the ways we balance our pool water is to know our levels for Cyanuric Acid (CYA, or "stabilizer").http://tftestkits.net/Test-Kits-c4/ TFTest Kits offers one that will help you get all the test results you need and take the mystery out of pool chemistry. I promise, the instructions are clear, even for non-scientists like me. And people here will help you interpret your results. On this site, there are even calculators to help you figure out how much chlorine or CYA to add to get the right balance for your pool.

So read Pool School (the big blue button on the upper right hand of this page.) and get yourself a good test kit. You'll have a sparkly pool in no time!

 

[PSW]

Thanks!

Testing using 6 way test strips.

TH: 200
FC: 0
Bromine: 0
ph: 6.8
TA: 120
CA: 0

Thank you for sharing your results. As noted above, a drop-based test kit will save you time and money in the long run. Either the TF-100 by TFTestkits or the Taylor K-2006 are great options. Both of these test kits have a FAS-DPD test for chlorine, which can measure high FC very accurately. This is especially important for the proper shocking process.

Your test results do not include CC (combined chlorine) or CYA (cyanuric acid/stabilizer). Both of these tests are important for maintaining your pool. If you have high CC, that means the chlorine is being lost because it is fighting algae. If this is the case, a proper shock is in order (see PoolSchool). CYA levels will dictate how long chlorine will stay in your pool, and how effective it will be.

 

[mmttdunn]

I'm sorry, I just realized that the last reading in my post was supposed to be CYA, not CA. What can I determine from this number?

 

[PSW]

I'm sorry, I just realized that the last reading in my post was supposed to be CYA, not CA. What can I determine from this number?

Gotcha! Okay, well that will certainly contribute to chlorine loss! Without CYA, FC will be consumed by the sun very quickly. The pucks you added to your skimmer will add a VERY small amount of CYA (like 2ppm), but you will want to be in the 30-50 range.

You can get either granular CYA or liquid CYA. This is also sometimes called stabilizer. The liquid will be more expensive, but will register on your test right away. The granular CYA can take up to a week to register on your test. (so don't worry if it does not show up right away). If you choose the granular route, the best way to add to pool is by putting it in a sock, and putting that sock in front of a return jet.