Chemical advice | your thoughts on our SWG | too much algaecide

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sonflower

sonflower

0
Jun 2, 2010
157
Fort Worth, TX
Hi, I noticed a week ago the pool didn't have chlorine, and a very tiny amount of algae was beginning to form, but we were leaving the next day for a week, so I bought shock and algaecide to band-aid until we got back. We had allowed our pressure to get to 30. So the #1 top priority when we got home was to clean the DE filter and add DE which we did this afternoon and it is now back to its normal 22#.

I will break this into 3 areas of concern.

1) Our Goldline Universal Aquarite Replacement Cell 40k Gallons - GLX-CELL-15-W is 4 years old. It does not appear to be producing chlorine. At the Aquarite display board outside where the SWG is located, it does not say "inspect cell," nor does it say "no flow". The only indicator which is lit is "Aquarite RS." Is it possible the cell died and is the cause of no chlorine? My husband inspected the cell today and said it is clean as a whistle. This is another sign it is not being used. Alternatively, is it possible the low CYA is the reason we have no chlorine and the cell is ok?

edited to add link to picture: http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j...3-2802-4775-b79f-e5ba5be7ee8c_zpsffb0b767.jpg

2) Here are our chems - I test with the Taylor K2006:
Salt: 3000 (I test with K 1766 kit)
Chlorine: 0
pH: 7.0 (it took 12 drops of R0006)
TA: 100
CYA: appx 10

According to poolcalculator we need:
  • 124 oz of bleach which is only a band aid until we get the SWG fixed
  • 53 oz of washing soda for pH
  • 135 oz of stabilizer for CYA which I don't think I can get at WM, have to go to PS
  • 25 lbs of salt

Any other chemical suggestions?

3) Last week was the 2nd time in 9 years we had algae, so I am not savvy on algae. I was too aggressive in treating it and now we have foam in our pool. Is this a problem?
edited to add link to picture: http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j44/tejas_ruthie/photo1_zpsde046390.jpg

Thank you in advance for your time and wisdom.
 
You can check if the SWG is generating chlorine by taking a water sample from the return while the SWG should be running and testing for chlorine. Even if it is producing chlorine it will not be able to maintain the chlorine level due to the low CYA. First raise the CYA to 20, complete the SLAM process
to get rid of the algae, then raise the CYA to 70 and use the SWG to maintain the pool.

If the SWG is not producing chlorine, then raise the CYA to 20, complete the slam process, then raise CYA to 30 and use liquid chlorine until the SWG is repaired/replaced.

The pH is fine for now, it will go up during the slam process. The slam will also get rid of the foam from the algaecide.
 
The AquaLink RS light indicates that your Aqua Rite is being controlled through your AquaLink RS control panel. You set the production percentage through the AquaLink. What percentage is the AquaLink set for?

Scroll through the diagnostics to see what they say.

A pH of 7.0 with a base demand of 12 drops does not make sense with a TA of 100 and a salt pool. How did the pH get so low?
 
@zea3 -Thank you. I added the stabilizer about an hour ago, and will re-test CYA in the am. I reviewed the SLAM process; I did the SLAM process 5 years ago during the only other time we had algae. I will use bleach for the SLAM; have to run to WM to buy it and according to my notes from last time I need 609 oz of bleach. Also, I need to buy liquid chlorine as my alternate source pending SWG repair. I suppose whatever Home Depot sells is acceptable?

@JamesW - Thank you. The AquaRite is set too 100% via the control panel. Diagnostics are as follows:
01. Pool temp: 75
02. Cell voltage: 8.8
03. Cell current: 0.00
04. Desired output %: 100P
05. Instant salinity: -0
06. Product name: AL-0
07. Software revision level: r1.40
08. Salt level: 2600 <== This is not accurate per my Taylor K1766 kit which reads 3000

How did the pH get so low? I'm sorry but I don't know. :scratch:
 
The AquaRite can't be recalibrated. If the system is reading the salt level as too low, then it's usually due to a cell that is getting old or scaled. If the cell is clean, then it's probably the cell. You can compensate somewhat by adding more salt. I would suggest not allowing the actual salt level to get over 3900.

Some people keep adding salt to make the unit work until the cell fails completely. They usually get about 6 months extra out of the cell but the salt level ends up around 5,500 to 6,500 ppm. In that case, you would have to do a partial drain and refill to get a new cell to work because the salt level would be too high for a good cell.

Note that the instant salt can be reset as the average salt if the average reading is too low to allow the system to operate.

Once you get the system working, compare the instant salt reading (not average salt reading) to the k-1766 reading.
 
I'd you go to home Depot for liquid chlorine, make sure you check the mfg date carefully. When I was converting to the tfpc method I found their 10.5% was over 6 months old. Worse yet, when I went there to get something else, I found that same outdated pile of stock was where I saw it 12 months later. Needless to say, I have stuck with Walmart when I need to buy bleach. It's always fresh!!!
 
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