Help I am having a chemical reaction in my pool!

[girldoc]

Posted on: Sun 04 May, 2008 10:58 Subject: Help I am having a chemical reaction in my pool!

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New to this site and would like some help. I have been trying to get the chemicals correct in my pool for three weeks. At last test, my alkalinity is correct as well as my pH. I have put over 50 pounds of dichlor in my pool and yet it still registers no free chlorine.

When I add dichlor, the granules sink to the bottom and then there is this huge white cloud that comes up from the bottom leaving a white film on the top of the water! I don't have a chlorine smell and the test strips still say no chlorine.

I have cleaned the filter, added algaecide, and used pool first aid all at the advice of my pool company. I am getting no where and dichlor is expensive!

My pool is 46000 gallons has a cartridge filter system with an ionizer setting of 3...

Any thoughts?

 

[duraleigh]

girldoc,

Hi, welcome to the forum.

Just so we don't start guessing at your problems, it will be very helpful if you could post a set of test results (not using test strips) and tell us what your water looks like. Get your pool store to test for chlorine, pH, alk, Calcium Hardness and, importantly. CYA.

Meanwhile, DO NOT add any more chemistry, particularly dichlor and algaecide, until we can get an idea of where you are chemistry-wise.

 

[SeanB]

I would recommend NOT buying anything at the pool store until after you post those numbers here.

 

[girldoc]

I didn't keep the readings from the pool company but can take another sample in next week. The pool water is slightly cloudy. I can see the bottom of the deep end and it is clearning a very little day by day for the past three weeks, slight green hue at depth in the deep end. Shallow end just looks kind of hazy.

The last water sample I took in registered normal alkalinity and ph, after adding 50 lbs of alkalinity at the suggestion of the pool company. I remember they told me I had 1.4 total chlorine but zero free chlorine. If you need more info than that I'll have to take in the water sample.

Thanks for responding.

 

[duraleigh]

Hey, again,

Yeah, we'll really need those test results to get a baseline from which to start.

Again, don't put anything else in yet. The dichlor is adding a lot of CYA to your pool and that CYA test will be crucial before we can get you some solid advice.

I'm pretty sure you've got an algae bloom going on but I don't want to suggest a course of action and then later have to change that advice when we see the test results.

 

[girldoc]

Thanks Dave, I'll get that reading and repost.

 

[Strannik]

The last water sample I took in registered normal alkalinity and ph, after adding 50 lbs of alkalinity at the suggestion of the pool company. I remember they told me I had 1.4 total chlorine but zero free chlorine. If you need more info than that I'll have to take in the water sample.

Welcome here as well

On the other forum you said you've added 50lb of Dichlor. So what did you actually add?

 

[JasonLion]

Can you tell us more about how you are testing for chlorine and what the water looks like in more detail?

If you add too much chlorine some of the chlorine tests can read zero. On the other hand if you are fighting algae and don't add chlorine quickly enough you can fail to kill all the algae.

By far the best investment in your pool you can make is a good test kit. I recommend the TF Test Kit, see the link in my signature. Without good test numbers it can be very difficult to tell what is going on.

 

[girldoc]

Actually both...Pool company came and opened pool...don't know what they put in. they left me 25 lbs of dichlor. After about 5 days and completely cloudy pool, I added several scoops which probably was about 1/3 of the container. Waited a couple more days, still cloudy. Took a sample of water in and at that time was told I needed conditioner 1 quart which I added. Still cloudy..finished off the dichlor and still cloudy.

Added 2 gallons of algaecide about 5 days apart. Started clearing a little but still terribly cloudy.

All this time the robot is cleaning away and I am emptying it every day getting out alot of dirt and leaf material.

Added more dichlor over the next couple of days that amounted to another 25# bucket (the strip still registered no chlorine)

Took water sample in again and it called for 50# of alkalinity...added that over 2 days, clearing started and I could start to see the bottom of the deep end if I strained my eyes and imagined.

Took water sample in and this time they said everything was good, except needed 6# of dichlor. I put another 6# of dichlor (mind you when I put the dichlor in the granules sink to the bottom then there is some kind of reaction I have never seen before (pool owner for 8 years) then the thick white scum on the top. The water is better, I can see the bottom, but still very cloudy.

Today cleaned the filters off, emptied the yukky water from the filter and still cloudy.

After fooling with this for 3 weeks I am so frustrated at being a pool owner. I love my pool but if I could pick it up it would be in the trash!

So all in all added over 3 weeks 50 # of dichlor, 50# alkalinity, 1 quart of conditioner, 1 bottle of pool first aid added by pool company, 2 gal algaecide.

Sorry it wasn't a more complete or concise list, but man am I frazzled over this! By the way I do have a degree in chemistry but just not pool chemistry!

I did find the pool sample readings from last weekend, just before the conditioner was added but after 25# of dichlor
Total alkalinity: 140
pH7.4
Shock 0 Says to add 4#
Cyanuric Acid 20
Total hardness 140
Total chlorine 0
Free Chlorine 0

Like I said earlier I will get another sample this week and report the results...

 

[girldoc]

Can you tell us more about how you are testing for chlorine and what the water looks like in more detail?

If you add too much chlorine some of the chlorine tests can read zero. On the other hand if you are fighting algae and don't add chlorine quickly enough you can fail to kill all the algae.

By far the best investment in your pool you can make is a good test kit. I recommend the TF Test Kit, see the link in my signature. Without good test numbers it can be very difficult to tell what is going on.

I was just surfing for a good test kit. I have never had to do anything but literally throw a little shock in the pool once a week. This has just thrown me for a loop. Is the above referenced kit fairly easy to use? How often do you test your water. Anything more frequently than weekly will be tough, but if its what I have to do I will do it.

 

[girldoc]

Ok, Jason, just ordered the test kit...time to take control of my pool water I guess!!!

I really appreciate the attempt to help by this site and will hopefully have more info soon.

maria

 

[JasonLion]

When you say cloudy, is it white or green or some other color? Green means algae, but white might be calcium or algae. If you just had fresh plaster applied and white clouds then calcium is likely the issue.

50 lbs of dichlor is going to have raised the CYA level by 65. If you also added stabilizer/conditioner your CYA level might well be too high.

In any case, a complete set of recent test results and more detail about the color of the water will tell us more.

 

[girldoc]

When you say cloudy, is it white or green or some other color? Green means algae, but white might be calcium or algae. If you just had fresh plaster applied and white clouds then calcium is likely the issue.

50 lbs of dichlor is going to have raised the CYA level by 65. If you also added stabilizer/conditioner your CYA level might well be too high.

In any case, a complete set of recent test results and more detail about the color of the water will tell us more.

The color is a slight greenish hue. I have a liner (might have been important info) so no plaster has been added, but the white scum on top does look like calcium when I add dichlor.

I did the dilution that strannik suggested and here is the reply to him on another thread:

Until that (TF test kit) arrives I did the dilution thing and no chlorine registered at all. Ended up diluting as far as 1/4 c to 3 c tap and no chlorine.

When looking at my test strips, I've never paid attention to the ppm. but this is what the pool says now. pH7.2, free chlorine 0, total alk 120 and stabilizer (is this CYA) is 30-50.

 

[JasonLion]

Alright, green water and zero chlorine means algae. Now you need to figure out your CYA level so you know how much chlorine you need to add to kill the algae.

The key to fighting algae is to bring the FC level back up to the correct shock level very frequently, once an hour if possible, so the algae never gets a chance to grow back before you kill it all. To do that you need to know the CYA level and have a good way of measuring high FC levels you you can tell how much chlorine you need to add.

 

[girldoc]

Alright, green water and zero chlorine means algae. Now you need to figure out your CYA level so you know how much chlorine you need to add to kill the algae.

The key to fighting algae is to bring the FC level back up to the correct shock level very frequently, once an hour if possible, so the algae never gets a chance to grow back before you kill it all. To do that you need to know the CYA level and have a good way of measuring high FC levels you you can tell how much chlorine you need to add.

Am I going to be ok waiting until my test kit comes? or am I going to be overgrown with algae? I think it was you that said use bleach, at least the TF website did. How many gallons are we talking about to at least purchase to maintain once I get where I need to be. I have another bucket of dichlor that I'd like to return to the pool company...

I think I said 46000 gallons and my sheet from the pool place says 42000...anyway I can run to the wally world and at least buy up their chlorine supply... Also am I going to use only chlorine to kill the algae or should i get more algaecide?

 

[JasonLion]

With a pool that size and a high CYA level you might be talking about 40-60+ gallons of bleach. Bleach is the best thing to use, though carrying it can be annoying. Depending on your levels there is some chance you can use cal-hypo, which is much easier to carry, but it raises your CH level and that can be a problem long term.

There are two schools of thought, do what you can right this moment and wait till you are properly prepared. I am strongly in the wait till you are properly prepared camp. You could try 15 gallons of bleach all at once and maybe kill everything off and be fine. But you might very well not get all the algae and be right back where you started two days later, having wasted more money and time. You have been working on this for a while and not quite getting it, I figure it is time to step back and get fully prepared and do it properly.

 

[girldoc]

With a pool that size and a high CYA level you might be talking about 40-60+ gallons of bleach. Bleach is the best thing to use, though carrying it can be annoying. Depending on your levels there is some chance you can use cal-hypo, which is much easier to carry, but it raises your CH level and that can be a problem long term.

There are two schools of thought, do what you can right this moment and wait till you are properly prepared. I am strongly in the wait till you are properly prepared camp. You could try 15 gallons of bleach all at once and maybe kill everything off and be fine. But you might very well not get all the algae and be right back where you started two days later, having wasted more money and time. You have been working on this for a while and not quite getting it, I figure it is time to step back and get fully prepared and do it properly.

I prefer to be prepared and get it over with all in one fell swoop. So does algaecide just not work or what? I do have 50 pounds here of dichlor and could i suppose mix that and bleach (obviously not together) but I'll wait until I have my test kit and then seek your advice again. I expect it will be shipped tomorrow but not sure from where or how...so I expect by the end of the week the kit should arrive and I can tackle this over the weekend.

 

[duraleigh]

girldoc,

Your kit will ship tomorrow but I'm not sure where you live....post back and I'll tell you how long it will take.

I'm with you and Jason on the "get it all done at once" approach. It's a good plan.

Algaecides typically are not very good at killing algae but rather preventing it. Chlorine is by far the preference.

The reason we don't want you to use di-chlor is because it will add CYA to your pool and you may already have too much... That's why that CYA test is critical......you may be able to use the di-chlor but wait 'til you test.

 

[girldoc]

girldoc,

Your kit will ship tomorrow but I'm not sure where you live....post back and I'll tell you how long it will take.

I'm with you and Jason on the "get it all done at once" approach. It's a good plan.

Algaecides typically are not very good at killing algae but rather preventing it. Chlorine is by far the preference.

The reason we don't want you to use di-chlor is because it will add CYA to your pool and you may already have too much... That's why that CYA test is critical......you may be able to use the di-chlor but wait 'til you test.

Thanks Dave, Kentucky is my home...Wednesday is my day off so if it arrives by then, I can spend the day working on this otherwise, it will have to be Saturday!!

I though algaecides were "cides" not "static". Oh well, that's what I get for thinking I guess.

Maria

 

[girldoc]

One additional question to ponder. A local ordinance forced me to have to use a cartridge type filter when building this pool. I dont know the exact size but its a hayward and had 4 big (~30+ inch) filters inside. I have inquired on the cost to change to a sand filter now that the pool is built and inspections are over (in the 3rd season with it) and am seriously contemplating it. It is a royal pain to clean those filters and it has to be done about once per month. My previous pool had a sand filter and was much easier to deal with. I also have an ionizer (I think that's what it is). Do any of you have an opinion on this? The cost is fairly substantial, but obviously I am contemplating it.