What have I done?

[jshel]

Just fired the pool company. After 100s of dollars a month and a pool that stayed green I figured I didn't have much to lose. However I've lost an additional 250 dollars, after many trips to another pool store,and my pool is not clear still. It's cloudy and algea appears over night. I have a 35k gallon gunnite salt water pool. Here are my numbers
FC 15.8
TC 15.8
Ph 7.7
TH 3.8
TA 89
CYA 83
Salt 600
AFTER this reading I added 12 lbs of baking soda and 6 gallons of bleach... When I had the reading done the pool store said I didn't need chlorine but I still have algea and doesn't FC need to be around 30 to be shocking?? I'm very lost I've read too much info from different sources.lol

 

[AimeeH]

Welcome to TFP

What have you done? Posting here is the first 1/2 step to taking over your own pool. The next most important step is to get a complete test kit to test the water yourself and don't trust the pool store testing. I recommend the one in my signature as the best bang for your buck.

You will save a lot of money in the long run.

- - - Updated - - -

And yes it sounds like you need to SLAM (bring it to Shock Level And Maintain) which involves accurate testing as you will need to maintain high chlorine until
Water is clear
cC less that .5
Passing the OCLT (overnight free chlorine loss test) with a loss of less than1ppm

But to do that, there really isn't a way without a good test kit.

 

[Isaac-1]

Don't worry we can help, but as has already been mentioned to do so you really need your own quality test kit, I too suggest the TF-100, and would also suggest getting the XL option since you have a green pool. The other alternative test is the Taylor K-2006, but it does not come with much reagent for the FC test and you will likely run out of it while trying to clear up your pool initially, hence the TF-100 with XL suggestion (see my signature). Once you get it on order I would suggest reading a few articles from pool school here:

starting with Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry if you have not read it yet,

Also you need to understand the CYA/FC chart Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart

and prepare for the SLAM process to clear your pool of algae Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain

You can read all this later, but the sooner you get your test kit on order the sooner you can start taking control of your pool, until you get it you are flying blind

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

You got wise is what you did.

With a proper test kit (don't skimp - it'll pay for itself in a month TF100 w XL) this forum and poolmath, your pool can be sparkling like you wouldn't believe and stay that way the rest of the summer for less money than you thought possible.

Read through some of these threads. Start there at the bottom and move backwards so you see the most recent first. Your pool can't be any worse than some of them. And if they can do it, you can do it.

 

[Texas Splash]

Aimee is right. Golden rule - Avoid the pool store for testing, advice, or products. You simply won’t get the advice/service you deserve and you will waste money on products your pool doesn’t need. Do not add anything to your pool other than what is advocated by the TFP site or its experts. You’ll have a happier pool, spend less time maintaining your pool, and probably save some $$ in the process. The following are short articles from this site that you will see linked in my signature below: Pool School, Recommended Levels (for YOUR pool), PoolMath Calculator, SLAM, and the Chlorine/CYA Chart.

TFP always encourages that you do your own testing via one of the TFP-recommended test kits (i.e. TF-100 link below) since accurate test readings serve as the foundation for everything you do from this point forward and the advice you receive on this site.

Please understand the TFP method does not simply "shock" or "super-chlorinate" a pool as typically advised by the local pool store. We do what's called "SLAM". SLAM is significantly different than an overnight “spike” in chlorine, and can take a few days (perhaps even a week or two) to properly complete. The recommended test kit is extremely important to properly conduct a SLAM.

Okay okay, enough chatter. Brain overload. Welcome to TFP!!!!!!

- - - Updated - - -

Also, please add your pool info to your signature by going to the top of the TFP web page (just under the Pool School button) and select "SETTINGS". On the next page look to the left for a menu bar that says, “MY SETTINGS” and go to "EDIT SIGNATURE" to enter your pool and equipment info there. It will help us later.

 

[tim5055]

Welcome to TFP!!

Order a TF100 and at least include the XL option. That will give you what you need while you are clearing the pool, and probably enough reagents for a couple of years normal use. To effectively practice the TFPC methods, the FAS/DPD chlorine test is essential. The kits sold at the pool store generally won't won't cut it, but be careful pool store employees are known to say “it's the same thing”. Generally it's not!

Now, you have a decision to make. The amount of chlorine it takes to kill all the bad stuff in your water goes up as your CYA level goes up. I'm going to assume that the 83 reading you have is from the pool store. If you have read around here much you have probably seen that not much credence is given to pool store testing. While you would think that a "professional" would be the best, unfortunately in most cases it is quite the opposite. Between employees who blindly trust the word of chemical sales representatives and high school kids working in the pool store for the summer you end up with poor results from their testing. In my case two different pool stores told me my CYA was "fine", around 70 or 80. When I tested myself I found it over 200.

So, the decision - If the CYA 83 is correct you need lots of chlorine. You can drain water to get the CYA down (you may need to do this after you test the water yourself) and use less chlorine, but once the pool is clear we will want you to have CYA 70 with your salt water chlorine generator.

 

[Divin Dave]

what have you done? Man, you came to the right place is what you've done.

 

[jshel]

Update: I've ordered my test kit. It will be several days until it's here. I did a no no again and had my water tested at the same store again. My possibly irrelevant numbers are fc 21.82 ph 8.4
CH340 TA 97 cya 98 the lady at the pool store was rude beyond my belief when I wouldn't buy chemicals. My pool is finally clear with one small spot of algea I added 64 Oz of muratic acid and 1 gallon of bleach. I just want to hold my fc until my test kit gets here. It rained ALOT last night. IS my only other option to sit and wait??



QUOTE=jshel;833278]Just fired the pool company. After 100s of dollars a month and a pool that stayed green I figured I didn't have much to lose. However I've lost an additional 250 dollars, after many trips to another pool store,and my pool is not clear still. It's cloudy and algea appears over night. I have a 35k gallon gunnite salt water pool. Here are my numbers
FC 15.8
TC 15.8
Ph 7.7
TH 3.8
TA 89
CYA 83
Salt 600
AFTER this reading I added 12 lbs of baking soda and 6 gallons of bleach... When I had the reading done the pool store said I didn't need chlorine but I still have algea and doesn't FC need to be around 30 to be shocking?? I'm very lost I've read too much info from different sources.lol[/QUOTE]

 

[Divin Dave]

Without having really reliable numbers, there isnt a lot you can do to improve the situation.
The CYA is the worst test that pool stores do. It just cannot be tested accurately by their methods.

Since you do have visible algae, there is no doubt your chlorine is being consumed somewhat quickly.

we have NO IDEA how large your pool is. If you would fill in your profile we might be able to give you some info that will at least result in the algae not getting any worse. BUT, it all depends on the volume of your pool. No one is going to make a recommendation without knowing.

Pool School - Read This BEFORE You Post

Update: I've ordered my test kit. It will be several days until it's here. IS my only other option to sit and wait??



QUOTE=jshel;833278]Just fired the pool company. After 100s of dollars a month and a pool that stayed green I figured I didn't have much to lose. However I've lost an additional 250 dollars, after many trips to another pool store,and my pool is not clear still. It's cloudy and algea appears over night. I have a 35k gallon gunnite salt water pool. Here are my numbers
FC 15.8
TC 15.8
Ph 7.7
TH 3.8
TA 89
CYA 83
Salt 600
AFTER this reading I added 12 lbs of baking soda and 6 gallons of bleach... When I had the reading done the pool store said I didn't need chlorine but I still have algea and doesn't FC need to be around 30 to be shocking?? I'm very lost I've read too much info from different sources.lol

[/QUOTE]

 

[AimeeH]

Hi jshel and welcome again.

You've done the right thing in ordering a test kit.

The pool store water tests are often off. But more often than not they are off on the CYA. That will be the most important number to determine where your FC needs to be for SLAM level and beyond. I doubt you did any harm with the bleach and MA.

Have you discovered pool math yet? There is a link at the top of this page. It will help you determine how much of anything you need to add.

Keep reading pool school as you wait for your test kit. We will be here to help once you have those results. And we won't be rude as we don't sell anything here.

 

[Isaac-1]

One thing, you should not adjust pH when FC is over 10, as high FC skews the pH test