My pool went cloudy and it was definitely my fault. I completely neglected it for a week because I was so busy and boom, opaque water. Now I am trying to bring it up to shock level of about 10ppm and I have added about 5 gallons of 12.5% liquid shock over a 3 day period and it is still reading at less than 2ppm TC. I checked my CYA level and it is between 40 and 50. Not sure what is going on. Please help, I am at a loss and I don't want to keep adding chlorinator if I'm going to bleach my liner, again. Thanks!
Can't get chlorine level to rise
- Thread starter dandjpool
- Start date
What test kit are you using?
If you're using one of the recommended kits and the Pool Calc to figure how much chlorine to add then you're not going to bleach your liner. You just have to test and add as often as you can perferrably every hour until you start holding FC.
If you're using one of the recommended kits and the Pool Calc to figure how much chlorine to add then you're not going to bleach your liner. You just have to test and add as often as you can perferrably every hour until you start holding FC.
With a CYA of 40-50 you should be shooting for about a chlorine level of 18 to shock. http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock
Whatever is making your water cloudy appears to be consuming your chlorine and will continue to do so until you kill it. Follow the procedure in The Shock Process and you will soon have a sparkling pool again. http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool
Whatever is making your water cloudy appears to be consuming your chlorine and will continue to do so until you kill it. Follow the procedure in The Shock Process and you will soon have a sparkling pool again. http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool
The CYA sort of moderates the FC level. Follow the guidelines for the shock level for your CYA and your liner will be fine.
OK, thanks! That's a relief. The time I bleached my liner, my CYA was well over 100 and I didn't know anything about the effects it had on chlorine, so I just kept adding and adding.
I will continue to add until it starts to measure at or near 18ppm TC. I have been waiting 3-4 hours between testing the TC level after adding chlorine. Is that long enough? I think I read somewhere it should stabilize after about 2 hours and I have my pump running constantly.
I will continue to add until it starts to measure at or near 18ppm TC. I have been waiting 3-4 hours between testing the TC level after adding chlorine. Is that long enough? I think I read somewhere it should stabilize after about 2 hours and I have my pump running constantly.
Bama Rambler said:
Answer this question. Since you keep stating "TC" that makes us curious.
If you're in the shock process, check it every two hours. It will clear faster if you stay on it.dandjpool said:
jblizzle said:
I didn't see this question earlier. I was kind of scrambling to shock the pool while working from home.
I use the the DPD test kit I picked up from a Leslie's pool supply. After actually looking at the documentation I realize I was saying the wrong thing. It's the FC that measures, at this point, 2ppm. The CC is about 4 or 5ppm. I have added 8 gallons of 12.5% shock and it seems to be getting worse. I retested the CYA again to make sure I wasn't wrong and it came back at practically 0, nil, nada. Could this be because I am in the process of shocking or because I did it directly under a lamp this time?
I have a TF100 kit also but I need to order replacement chemicals. I tested with all 3 kits I have and they all come back at 2ppm after 8 gallons of shock. It's crazy.
Just ordered my replacement chemicals now. Don't know why I waited until now. Best test kit ever and a great price.
CYA does not suddenly disappear in a few days, so the lighting could be the problem.
So you do not have the reagents for the FAS-DPD test?
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So you do not have the reagents for the FAS-DPD test?
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jbliz beat me, here are my thoughts....
The DPD test kit can only really test up to 10 ppm (some only 5 ppm) FC (Free chlorine). Are you certain your CC (combined chlorine) is that high? TC=FC-CC. The dpd test only tests FC and TC.
The DPD test kit can only really test up to 10 ppm (some only 5 ppm) FC (Free chlorine). Are you certain your CC (combined chlorine) is that high? TC=FC-CC. The dpd test only tests FC and TC.
It needs to be sunlight or simulated sun light? Was you previous test done outdoors with the sun to your back (the proper method)?dandjpool said:
dandjpool said:
As far as the CYA, I didn't know it should be done outside in the sunlight. I did it in my basement under incandescent light, first indirectly, then directly under a can spotlight. Under the spotlight, I was staring at the spot and was able to see it until the water started to spill over the side of the tube. I was able to see the spot pretty clearly.
The DPD test kit I used only tests to 5ppm. The FC measured <1ppm at first and the TC was about 4ppm so I am now learning that means the CC was 3+ppm at that point?
I don't know why I held off getting the refill components for the TF100 kit I have. I ran out of pretty much everything over time. I guess I though I would never have to measure chlorine levels over 5ppm again, once I learned that it was my dichlor feeder causing everything to go haywire with outrageous CYA levels. Also, I didn't know until today I could order just the chemical refills.
The DPD test kit I used only tests to 5ppm. The FC measured <1ppm at first and the TC was about 4ppm so I am now learning that means the CC was 3+ppm at that point?
I don't know why I held off getting the refill components for the TF100 kit I have. I ran out of pretty much everything over time. I guess I though I would never have to measure chlorine levels over 5ppm again, once I learned that it was my dichlor feeder causing everything to go haywire with outrageous CYA levels. Also, I didn't know until today I could order just the chemical refills.
Definitely get the refills! The last few years, Dave has run a sale on the refills in March ... keep an eye out.
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Whilst you wait for your FAS-DPD re-agents to arrive remember that DPD tests can bleach out over 10ppm FC, so it is important that when testing you rinse and leave only a few drops of pool water before adding your DPD Tablet, which should result in a pink reaction which indicates the presence of chlorine, then you complete the sample to 10ml (or whatever size) and test immediately. If the sample turns pink on addition of DPD and then goes clear after filling to the sample size the DPD has bleached out and your FC level is above the testing range of the tablet.
It looks like the FC is holding at approx 8-9ppm after measuring last night at 1am then again this morning at 7am. I am using the drop test with R-0001 and R-0002 with the water diluted by 50% with tap to get the level. The pool seems to be clearing as of this morning but I had to run into the office. I will check again when I get home and continue to try to increase the level. I am up to 12 gallons of 12.5% chlorine shock to get to this point. It's crazy. This may be a dumb question but if the elevated FC level can bleach out a DPD test can it do the same for a CYA test? I can't believe I was that far off with my reading. CYA is one thing I have learned to be careful with.
Got my TF-100 refill kit already! The pool is already a lot clearer, almost completely. It will be nice to get an accurate measure of the chlorine but I won't be able to test until I am out of work this afternoon.
I did rummage through the refill components a little and noticed something new, R-0600. I read a little about it but didn't understand what I use for the testing. Is it just the chlorine cylinder?
I did rummage through the refill components a little and noticed something new, R-0600. I read a little about it but didn't understand what I use for the testing. Is it just the chlorine cylinder?
Ok... I better just keep my mouth shut and do a little less typing and a little more reading before I come off as an even bigger dope. I stuck the r-0003 in the little blue box and thought I had an extra bottle of something. doh
I stuck the r-0003 in the little blue box and thought I had an extra bottle of something. doh
Nothing to be embarassed about, we all started where you are. In a week or two, you will be a pro at testing.