Need help opening pool

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Lroberts32

0
May 17, 2015
48
Washington il
Pool Size
35000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
We opened the pool on 5/9 and put algaeside in it bc it looked like a swamp. Then we shocked for about 5 days Granular 56. At this point we could see the bottom in shallow end but not deep end. Phosphates measured around 500 so we put in a bottle of phos remover. Got better. Again, can still see the bottom of shallow end but deep end (8ft deep) is solid dark teal/green to the drain. The sides are slightly visible and I can see what to brush. Phos is barely blue now so we shocked this morning with Granular 56.

We are considering to floc tonight but before we do I wanted to get advice from this forum. I've read many threads but am still confused. I've seen the ABC's of pool chemistry, the shocking procedure, etc.

Here's are numbers as of this morning. Our pool is 32,000 gallons, inground vinyl liner, and we live in Central Illinois (around many farm fields).

300 - cal hardness
3 - chlorine
0 - free chlorine
6.8 - PH
120 -
10-20 - cya


Would appreciate any advice before tonight when we do more.

Oh I should ad that the pool store said to put phosphate remover in until it's clear or chlorine won't hold. Then another pool person said to disregard that. I'm so confused.
 
With all due respect ..... follow the advice on this site not the pool store - specifically the ABC Pool Chemistry and SLAM procedures. Find a good place to stock-up on regular liquid bleach and be prepared for the posts forthcoming from site moderators who really know their stuff. All that chemical junk at the pool store is a waste and will only frustrate you and drain your checkbook. Also, make sure you update your signature with your pool info like you have probably seen on other posts. It helps tremendously.
 
Welcome to TFP! Texas Splash is correct.

What test kit do you have? If you have the pool store test your water, you really need to ditch that. Invest in a recommended test kit and you will see how easy it is to maintain your own pool.

Based on the numbers you posted I will tell you that PH and CYA are too low, but I don't know where you got the numbers to know if they are from a reliable test kit.
 
We've never had any luck shocking with liquid shock. Sometimes we've even put in 20 gallons in 24 hours. It's so frustrating. This year we haven't even tried to use liquid shock for this reason. Dichlor shock has been the only thing that's turned the pool around for us in the past. Help!
 
Welcome to TFP!

Read the Test Kit Comparison and get one of the recommended test kits. I use the TF100 from tftestkits.net.

The most important part is to keep your chlorine level above the minimum level for your CYA level on the Chlorine CYA Chart. Allowing FC to drop below the min will let algae start growing.

The next most important part is to keep your PH between 7.2 and 7.8. See links below on how to adjust it.

Here are some intro Pool School articles to read
TFPC for Beginners
ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

Here are the Recommended Levels for your pool.
Here are the Recommended Pool Chemicals to maintain your pool and how to add them.
Use PoolMath to figure out how much to add.
 
Thank you! At this point I'm willing to try anything! And if you promise, well then I shall try. So a 32,000 gallon pool with my readings, what do you recommend? I do have a Taylor kit I just bought but it intimidated me so I was going to return it. Perhaps I'll try it anyway. I can't test it till later tonight thought. Assuming all is correct from my readings how much shock should I put in?
 
Is it the Taylor K 2006 that you have?

- - - Updated - - -

You also do not want to put any shock in the pool. We use bleach and liquid chlorine here. Have you read through the ABC's of pool water chemistry in Pool School?
 

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"Shock" can be a noun or a verb for us. You can "use" a type of shock (liquid or granular) product, or some people refer to over-chlorinating as "shocking: your pool. In TPF you'll see the term "SLAM" used most frequently when super-chlorinating and for good reason - it works! Also, a lot of the pool store granular shocks have additives (i.e. stabilizers) that can mess-up your chemistry. Liquid shock (common household bleach) is a great sanitizer with virtually no side effects to your chemistry.
 
The pool is turning blue but still dark in deep end. We will shock with chlorine bleach.

The PH is low (6.8) and I'm wondering if I should increase the PH or shock or both?

Another question...on a maintenance basis what product do you recommend I shock with? Typically we've used Dichlor but CYA gets really high.

Thanks for all the help!!
 
Lroberts32 said:
The pool is turning blue but still dark in deep end. We will shock with chlorine bleach.

The PH is low (6.8) and I'm wondering if I should increase the PH or shock or both?

Another question...on a maintenance basis what product do you recommend I shock with? Typically we've used Dichlor but CYA gets really high.

Thanks for all the help!!
Click to expand...

If your FC is currently below 10 then I would raise your PH now. As for regular chlorination we recommend bleach or liquid chlorine.
 
I used the Taylor test kit and the CYA is above 100 (probably because we've been shocking with dichlor) and PH is 6.8 or maybe alittle lower. FC is 1.2 and CC is 25.

According to the chart to get to shock level in my 32,000 gallon pool we have to use upwards of 20 gallons of chlorine. Seems scary. Is this correct?
 
I'm in same boat as you - my CYA is upwards of 300+ though. Chlorine just isn't as effective at that level. Only way to fix that is to do a drain/refill or use the massive amounts of Chlorine as you said. Of course, using that much Chlorine makes the pool unsafe to swim in. So, at this point you may consider doing a drain/refill to get your CYA levels in line.
 
Lroberts32 said:
I used the Taylor test kit and the CYA is above 100 (probably because we've been shocking with dichlor) and PH is 6.8 or maybe alittle lower. FC is 1.2 and CC is 25.

According to the chart to get to shock level in my 32,000 gallon pool we have to use upwards of 20 gallons of chlorine. Seems scary. Is this correct?
Click to expand...

You will need to bring the CYA down. To do this you have to do partial drains and refills. Get the PH raised to 7.2 add bleach to bring FC level up. Don't take it to SLAM level yet until your PH is 7.2

- - - Updated - - -

Also can you post a full set of results so we can see what all your numbers are?
 
My pool store told me to raise the PH then floc tonight. What are your thoughts on this?

Here's my numbers today

300 - cal hardness
5 - combined chlorine
1.2 - free chlorine
6.8 - PH
120 - alkalinity
100+ - cya

Also, why does the test strip show no free chlorine but the taylor kit does show FC?

Help, I'm going crazy!
 

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