So I opened the pool added some shock and algeacide. The pump has been running for a few days and the water is clear. I had the water tested and here are the results:
CYA - 100
Total Chlorine - 2.3
Free Chlorine - 0
Ph - 7.5
Total Alkalinity - 100
Adj. Total Alkalinity - 70
Total Hardness - 196
The pool store says (I guess they need a new truck!!):
Add - 22lbs Balance Pak 100 (raise total alkalinity)
Add - 3.5 Lo 'N Slo (I guess the lowers the ph from the alkalinity adjustment)
Add - 10 bags of Burn Out3 (shock)
I have read quite a bit about pool chemistry but I see so many different options I just can't put things together.
Can you guys advise on the best route? Thanks,
The best route is to stop listening to the pool store!
1) There are countless threads here detailing test result discrepancies. Here's one of my favorites:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/59474-Inconsistency-in-readings The solution is to get your own proper test kit. It's an investment. What a
TF100 XL costs is less than that load of snake oil would cost. And no, I don't get a kickback.
2) Assuming thoise results are correct, which is
highly doubtful, you need to start with a partial drain. Maintaining the FC at 100 CYA is pretty difficult. Clearing a mess is almost impossible at that level.
3) With your own believable test results and the appropriate drain to get CYA reasonable, you just need bleach to finish killing the algae or whatever that is creating the high CC levels. Free Chlorine + Combined Chlorine = Total Chlorine. If those readings are correct, you have 2.3 CC. That's too high. That indicates organics in the water.
4) To address the rest of it: TA of 100 is excellent. You don't need Balance Pack 100. It's just overpriced baking soda. About 4X the cost in the grocery store, Walmart, Costco, etc. pH is perfect, and if you don't mess it up with the overpriced baking soda, you won't need the overpriced acid. Burnout35 is Lithium Hypochlorite. That's the most expensive form of chlorine you can buy. The good news is, it doesn't add CYA. But then again, neither does bleach.
What you need is a SLAM. If you've done any reading here at all, you've encountered a thread or ten with someone doing it. Your pool may not be as ugly as theirs at the moment, but it can easily go green again if you don't take care of it quick.
To do justice to all your questions would take days of typing, and it's already been done. Start in Pool School with the ABCs of Chemistry. Then maybe mosey over to the Algae forum and read the stickies.
