ok here is the latest. Last evening I added 250 oz. of 6% liquid chlorine to the strainer basket nearest the pump. I waited one hour and checked the TC level and found it to be a darker yellow/orange. I added another 250 oz. of liquid chlorine and again waited another hour. I checked it again and found the TC color to be orange. Not sure what I am doing wrong...I need help again...TIA! I expected to find the TC color to be in the 0 to 5 ppm range but no, its orange now.. I checked it again this morning again hoping to find it in the 0 to 5 ppm range but its still orange ...... Help !
Dark Yellow Reading For Total Chlorine Test
- Thread starter thetinkerer
- Start date
What is it that you notice that makes you think that something is going wrong, i.e. why are you asking?
If your question is about why the TC test is turning orange: You are adding a great deal of chlorine, so your chlorine level is going up. Your TC level is way above the range the test is designed for, so you are getting a color that is not on the color chart.
You haven't told us why you are adding so much chlorine (that I noticed), so it isn't clear if you have a good reason to be adding that much chlorine or not.
If your question is about why the TC test is turning orange: You are adding a great deal of chlorine, so your chlorine level is going up. Your TC level is way above the range the test is designed for, so you are getting a color that is not on the color chart.
You haven't told us why you are adding so much chlorine (that I noticed), so it isn't clear if you have a good reason to be adding that much chlorine or not.
I poured in 250 oz. of 6% liquid chlorine. waited 1 hr and tested and found TC color to be dark yellow/orange. I poured in another 250 oz. of chlorine and waited another hour. TC color was orange....this told me that I still had a lot of CC. At that point I stopped. I let the pump run overnight. I checked this morning and found TC color to be orange...I expected to see the TC back in the 0 to 5 ppm but it was still orange.
Help please...not sure what to do next.
Help please...not sure what to do next.
Nothing you have said suggests that you have any CC. Nor would I expect TC to have fallen back to the 0 to 5 range. You have added a great deal of chlorine, and are getting exactly the expected result, a very high chlorine level.
As a number of people mentioned on the first page of this topic, the test you are using, the OTO chlorine test, is not designed for measuring high chlorine levels and can't distinguish between FC and CC. You would be much better off if you switched to using the FAS-DPD chlorine test, which can give you FC and CC readings up to very high levels.
As a number of people mentioned on the first page of this topic, the test you are using, the OTO chlorine test, is not designed for measuring high chlorine levels and can't distinguish between FC and CC. You would be much better off if you switched to using the FAS-DPD chlorine test, which can give you FC and CC readings up to very high levels.
You have the good test kit. Use it.
Also I don't think it is recommended to pour the bleach into the skimmer. When they said to pour it near a return they are talking about a nozzle where the water returns to the pool. It helps it mix thoroughly before it heads back to the equipment.
Please go back and read and reread Pool School. I had to read it many times before it started to make sense. I am beginning to understand the basics but I still have a lot to learn. I refer back to it frequently.
Also I don't think it is recommended to pour the bleach into the skimmer. When they said to pour it near a return they are talking about a nozzle where the water returns to the pool. It helps it mix thoroughly before it heads back to the equipment.
Please go back and read and reread Pool School. I had to read it many times before it started to make sense. I am beginning to understand the basics but I still have a lot to learn. I refer back to it frequently.
the reason I know I have a high CC is because i started getting a dark yellow / orange reading on the OTO test (TC) and I had not added any additional chlorine other than what my feeder with tabs was providing on a setting of about 1.25 for week after week.
You do not know your CC is high, that is just an assumption you made based off of a theory you previously assumed was correct.thetinkerer said:
Bottom line, the OTO only tests for TC, so you have no way of differentiating if it is FC, CC or some combination.
thetinkerer said:
- Jun 12, 2011
- 3,763
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
Go back and read what I posted earlier in this tread. I gave you the instructions for correctly testing for FC, CC and TC all in one test. Your problem is not with what is happening in your pool. Your problem is with your testing methods.
last evening I tested for CC and found it to be nearly zero.....my FC level is about 15 or so....with my CYA at 50-60 how long should it take in this 100 degree heat and direct sunlight for my FC to reach 5 or below...I am currently not adding any Chlorine.... and at what level of FC is it safe to swim...?? TIA
You are good to swim up to shock levels for your cya level. Check the chlorine/cya chart- pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock
In your case it would be a FC level of 20-24. Go swimming!
In your case it would be a FC level of 20-24. Go swimming!
But how long should I have to wait for my FC to drop to 5 or below....the ladies are sensitive..
My pool loses about 2.5-3.5 ppm per day. At higher FC levels the % off loss would be higher. Depending on the size of your pool and sun exposer I would guess 2-3 days.
aa62579
0
thetinkerer said:
Just a note, if your CYA is 50-60, then you never want to let your chlorine drop below 4-5. You probably want to dose it up each day to 8-9 so that you can safely lose 3-4ppm of chlorine from the sun. So, be careful about waiting for it to drop to 5 or below - by the time it reaches the level you THINK you want, it's time to add more chlorine.
Why are you dropping your FC level?
Have you passed all three end of shocking criteria in the shocking process?
Have you passed all three end of shocking criteria in the shocking process?
FC should be between 4 and 7 for CYA at 60 .......... mine is between 15 and 20 ppm so it needs to drop down...
also high Chlorine levels are not healthy to swim in..
CYA (Stabilizer) Minimum FC Target FC Shock FC
20 2 3 10
30 2 4 12
40 3 5 16
50 4 6 20
60 5 7 24
also high Chlorine levels are not healthy to swim in..
CYA (Stabilizer) Minimum FC Target FC Shock FC
20 2 3 10
30 2 4 12
40 3 5 16
50 4 6 20
60 5 7 24
aa62579
0
Okay, let's assume that you never needed to shock - it was instead a testing misunderstanding.
Use your powder to determine FC and CC. Just ignore the test where you add 5 drops and compare the color. That test only measures to 5 and you should never get below 5, so really, you could not use that test at all unless you are just verifying the presence of chlorine.
So, use your powder. Powder + Drops to turn clear = FC. Then add the second reagent to determine if there are any CCs. We need to know these two numbers.
You have to remember that "high" chlorine levels are determinant on the amount of CYA in your pool. 10ppm is high (shock level) if you have 20 CYA, but if your CYA is 90, the 10ppm is actually your target chlorine and is not high AT ALL. If your CYA is 60, you can swim when it is between 5 and 24. If you want to be a bit more sure, assume you can swim between 5 and 20.
Use your powder to get an exact FC and CC. If your CC is 0 or 0.5, and your FC is less than 24 (or 20), you can swim.
If your CC is 1 or more, you will need to complete the full shocking process.
Use your powder to determine FC and CC. Just ignore the test where you add 5 drops and compare the color. That test only measures to 5 and you should never get below 5, so really, you could not use that test at all unless you are just verifying the presence of chlorine.
So, use your powder. Powder + Drops to turn clear = FC. Then add the second reagent to determine if there are any CCs. We need to know these two numbers.
You have to remember that "high" chlorine levels are determinant on the amount of CYA in your pool. 10ppm is high (shock level) if you have 20 CYA, but if your CYA is 90, the 10ppm is actually your target chlorine and is not high AT ALL. If your CYA is 60, you can swim when it is between 5 and 24. If you want to be a bit more sure, assume you can swim between 5 and 20.
Use your powder to get an exact FC and CC. If your CC is 0 or 0.5, and your FC is less than 24 (or 20), you can swim.
If your CC is 1 or more, you will need to complete the full shocking process.
First let's not talk about swimming yet, let's talk about the shocking process Have you simultaneously passed all three end of shocking requirements?:thetinkerer said:
1. CC is less than 0.5 ppm
2. An OCLT shows a loss of 1.0 ppm or less
3. The water is crystal clear.
If you haven't, the shocking process on your pool is not done.
Please respond to those three criteria.