what do I do now?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
H

hunnybeez

0
Jul 8, 2008
8
Rockingham County, NC
18' 42" round steel ABG pool. Yesterday morning I added 1 whole container of Stabilizer, ran pump all day along with 2nd larger pump-which I rigged up to get more aeration -(both use cartridge filters), shocked last night(pumps still running).
These are the results of tests I did yesterday and today using the TF-100 Kit:
yesterday today:
FC: 8.0 FC:8.5
CC: 0 CC: 0
TC: 14.5 TC:8.5
pH: 7.8 pH:6.8
T/A:100 T/A:110
CH: 50 CH: 80
CYA: 0 CYA: 60
water temp.:90 water temp.:92
I have not brushed sides/floor yet. Pool is still not crystal clear-is still a little dingy looking. I was told in the forum to keep the chlorine level up to shock level til water is clear ( kill algae). I'm no rocket scientist so could someone "hold my hand" and get me thru this, please? I'm so afraid I'll make a mistake and have to start all over--which is unforgivable in my g'kids eyes! Thanks so much everybody, Ruby
 
hunnybeez said:
18' 42" round steel ABG pool. Yesterday morning I added 1 whole container of Stabilizer, ran pump all day along with 2nd larger pump-which I rigged up to get more aeration -(both use cartridge filters), shocked last night(pumps still running).
These are the results of tests I did yesterday and today using the TF-100 Kit:
yesterday today:
FC: 8.0 FC:8.5
CC: 0 CC: 0
TC: 14.5 TC:8.5
pH: 7.8 pH:6.8
T/A:100 T/A:110
CH: 50 CH: 80
CYA: 0 CYA: 60
water temp.:90 water temp.:92
I have not brushed sides/floor yet. Pool is still not crystal clear-is still a little dingy looking. I was told in the forum to keep the chlorine level up to shock level til water is clear ( kill algae). I'm no rocket scientist so could someone "hold my hand" and get me thru this, please? I'm so afraid I'll make a mistake and have to start all over--which is unforgivable in my g'kids eyes! Thanks so much everybody, Ruby
Click to expand...

Hi Ruby, no worries, we'll take it slow. :wink: But in the process, I have some questions for you because I want to make sure you are testing correctly and adding chems correctly.

How did you add the stabilizer?

I am assuming here the CYA (which is an acid) caused the PH to drop significantly, or did you add any other products?

Or is one of the PH tests inaccurate? Perhaps repeat the PH test again?

FC plus CC equals TC. Always. So if your Total Chlorine is 14.5 you could not have had a FC of 8.5 and a CC of 0. your CC reading had to 6.0 CC. Are you sure you are doing the test correctly?

The second set of test results would make more sense, if your shocking removed the CC's. Then your FC of 8.5 plus your CC of 0 equaled a total chlorine of 8.5. Makes sense I hope?

I'm not sure I trust your CYA test result.

Was your CYA a liquid form? CYA powder granules can take up to a week to fully dissolve AND register on tests.

Cloudy or dirty water from an algae bloom can give a falsely high reading for CYA.

Unless your CYA was liquid, you should wait several days to test again for the CYA, between 5-7 days. If it's liquid, it will register right away.

Either way, for your pool, you want a CYA of 30-50 ppm. NOT 60.

Did you use the pool calculator to figure out how much stabilizer to add? I ask this because its never a good idea to dump in a whole canister of something (unless the something is bleach and you are shocking your pool). :mrgreen: You need to calculate the dosing on your pool chems carefully, and its always a good idea to use the Pool Calculator to help you figure it out.

I calculated your pool as 6,900 gallons. To reach 40ppm CYA, that's a bit over 2 lbs of CYA. How big was the canister that you added? If it was a 2lb canister, youre probably ok. If it was a 4 lb canister you may have overshot your target. If your CYA gets too high, it can lead to other problems. We'll deal with this issue later, in another 5 days when you repeat the test...

So I'll do my best to help you, so help me help you by answering those questions for me. :mrgreen:
 
Your FC and TC should be the same unless you have a CC level.

FC + CC =TC

Also PH is a little low should be 7.2 to 7.8 (7.4 to 7.6 is better)
CYA is slightly high as well. It needs to be between 30-50 somewhere

You should be shocking your pool at night up to recommended shock level and in the morning before the sun gets on the pool check to see if your FC has dropped any. Once you have no FC loss during the night you have successfully killed of your algae. Keep the filter running 24/7 and brush the pool good a few times/day if possible.

Your target shock level should be 24. There is excellent reading in our Pool School section which will have answers to several questions you may have.
As always if your unsure about something do a post and someone will respond with an answer.
It would help if you post you pool size, equipment type, what type of pool you have, your location in your signature section then you wont have to type it all the time when posting.
 
TizMe said:
Your FC and TC should be the same unless you have a CC level.

FC + CC =TC

Also PH is a little low should be 7.2 to 7.8 (7.4 to 7.6 is better)
CYA is slightly high as well. It needs to be between 30-50 somewhere

You should be shocking your pool at night up to recommended shock level and in the morning before the sun gets on the pool check to see if your FC has dropped any. Once you have no FC loss during the night you have successfully killed of your algae. Keep the filter running 24/7 and brush the pool good a few times/day if possible.

Your target shock level should be 24. There is excellent reading in our Pool School section which will have answers to several questions you may have.
As always if your unsure about something do a post and someone will respond with an answer.
It would help if you post you pool size, equipment type, what type of pool you have, your location in your signature section then you wont have to type it all the time when posting.
Click to expand...

Her target level of shock is 24 IF and only IF the CYA test is accurate. In my honest opinion, I have some reservations about her test results, so I think she should confirm the information I asked for above before we recommend she shock that high. I'd rather play it safe and be cautious since she is so new to this and the testing stuff and terminology can be very confusing and overwhelming.
 
hiya poolmom, I looked at the Pool Calculator and filled in all the blanks with my test results. It said to add a bunch (can't remember exact amount) of Stabilizer.
I had a 3 pound container of granular Stabilizer. According to the Calculator, that wasn't enough, but it was all I had. I very well could have misunderstood it! I followed the instructions exactly for all the tests using the T-100 kit. On the CYA test,the black dot disappeared at almost the 60 level. Saturday was the first time I had used the kit and was trying so hard to do it right that I mistakenly filled the Chlorine Only bottle to the 25ml line instead of the 10ml line. Today, Sunday, I made sure I followed the instructions. (but that still doesn't mean I'm doing it right!) I've been running the pump 24/7 and rinsing the filter 2-3 times a day.
This afternoon, I used the small chlorine/pH test kit and the pH was low-I also saw little bubbly whitish beads sticking to the wall at water level and around the hose. I added about 3and a half cups of Borax then shocked it again at dark. Was going to brush it down but a storm came up. Will do it tomorrow. Lord-I feel like a slave to this dang thing! Thank you so very much for helping me,poolmom.
Also, tizzme and all the others who are so kind and helpful, ruby
 
hunnybeez said:
hiya poolmom, I looked at the Pool Calculator and filled in all the blanks with my test results. It said to add a bunch (can't remember exact amount) of Stabilizer.
I had a 3 pound container of granular Stabilizer. According to the Calculator, that wasn't enough, but it was all I had. I very well could have misunderstood it! I followed the instructions exactly for all the tests using the T-100 kit. On the CYA test,the black dot disappeared at almost the 60 level. Saturday was the first time I had used the kit and was trying so hard to do it right that I mistakenly filled the Chlorine Only bottle to the 25ml line instead of the 10ml line. Today, Sunday, I made sure I followed the instructions. (but that still doesn't mean I'm doing it right!) I've been running the pump 24/7 and rinsing the filter 2-3 times a day.
This afternoon, I used the small chlorine/pH test kit and the pH was low-I also saw little bubbly whitish beads sticking to the wall at water level and around the hose. I added about 3and a half cups of Borax then shocked it again at dark. Was going to brush it down but a storm came up. Will do it tomorrow. Lord-I feel like a slave to this dang thing! Thank you so very much for helping me,poolmom.
Also, tizzme and all the others who are so kind and helpful, ruby
Click to expand...

HI Ruby,
when you used the pool calculator to determine the CYA to add, did you enter your pool gallons as 6,900? What was the target level you entered in the "goal" column? I entered 40 in the goal and the recommendation was 2 lbs. I suppose its possible the CYA registered already but I'd be suprised if it did or that its really 60 already. To go from 0 to 60 in one day less than 24 hours after adding it seems unlikely and possibly interference from your cloudy water. In any event, I would hesitate to have you shock to 24 and risk damaging your liner. But on the flip side I would hate for you to shock too low and not make any progress.

How high (how much chlorine) did you shock to? What was your chlorine level tonight or did you not test? It's always a good idea when fighting algae to test three times: before adding chlorine at night, again about 30 minutes to 1 hour after adding it (to see if you reached your shock level, adding more if necessary), and then again first thing in the morning so you can compare your results. That way if your free chlorine level (shock level too) holds overnight you know you have killed all the algae and the filter just needs time to clear it.

Not sure what the little bubbles were, did you add the stabilizer to the skimmer? Could it be CYA granules that haven't dissolved?

I know it seems like you are slave to it, right now you are :mrgreen: but it will get better, I promise. Just follow the instructions carefully and go slowly and you should be fine, and if you aren't sure about something just post a question here. Add it to this same thread so that it's easy to follow the progress of your situation (don't start a new thread :wink: )
 
Hi poolmom, I truly think I'm going nuts! Like I said earlier,"I'm no rocket scientist"! Of course I didn't calculate my gallons right nor did I put in my goal numbers (cause I couldn't remember what they were :oops: ). On Saturday it took 16 drops of R-871 (chlorine drop test) to get the water back to clear. Sunday, it took 29 drops. Today, Monday, it took 26 drops. I multiplied 16x.5=8 29x.5=14.5, 26x.5=13 Am I doing this right?
I have my new test results from this morning:
Sat. Sun. Mon.
FC:8.0 FC:14.5 FC:13.0
CC:0 CC:0 CC:0
TC:8.0 TC:14.5 TC:13.0
pH:7.8 pH:6.8 pH:7.5
T/A:100 T/A:110 T/A:100
CH:50 CH:80 CH:50
CYA:0 CYA:60 CYA:80
temp.90 92 90.5
Should I shock again tonight?The water is looking much better-much clearer. Thank God for you! Ruby
 
I brushed the sides & floor, then vacuumed to the larger filter. I did not shock last night. I also did not do the tests--I had company. These are my results for today:
FC: 9.5 (took 19 drops)
CC: 0
TC:9.5
pH: 7.5
T/A:90
CH: 50
CYA:90
temp:90
It looks like everything has come down or stayed the same overnight except the CYA-which has gone up. I'm not sure at this point if this is good or bad. O Lord, hold my hand, please!
:scratch:
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
A sock? Ummm-no :( . I just threw it all around in the pool, stirred it up , and turned on the pump. I also turned on another pump that I rigged up with a long pool hose that sucks the water from the opposite side and spews it back into the pool from the other end. I haven't seen any stabilizer granules in the pool or the filter. Pumps have been running 24/7. I'm cleaning the cartridge filters 2-3 times a day. I'm still collecting a lot of iron in the filters from the well water. Should I shock again tonight? Thanks a bunch, Ruby
 
You need to keep shocking the pool until you have NO FC loss during the night. Its important that you keep the chlorine at shock levels until all the algae is gone. Leaving it for one night may allow it to take hole again and get started and you will be back to square one !

Keep brushing and brushing and cleaning the filter as well ...

Clearing up the pool isnt going to happen overnight. Its a slow process and you need some POP (Pool Owners Patience)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply