New owner, battle weary, what to do next?

[fergusonml]

Opened April 14th by pool store and noted multiport valve was leaking told needed new filter system (45 sqft DE). I tried replacement of spider gasket and several washers and rings that were missing or deteriorated from Americana multiport valve to no avail.

By time of installation of new filter system by third party contractor with home warranty in late May algae had taken over pool.
Pool store that "opened" said phosphates were high:
"Do water change and run filter over weekend then bring back water sample."
Noted low to zero cyuranic acid (using guess strips).

Saturday, June 6th did 50% water change, vacumed to waste, added 3lbs. dichlor over weekend thru Monday. Possibly up to 20 ppm Free Chlorine.
Learned how to prime pump, unclog pump and backwash filter.

On Monday, I tried 1 scoop of DE to +1psi but clogged filter in one hour due to foggy water.

Tuesday, pool store was impressed with new water sample FC at 3ppm using store guess strips. Still foggy water blue green. Told to "Keep it up."
Lowered pH with ~48 oz. Sodium Bisulfate. Still cloudy but looking better.

Wednesday 20150610
Evening (Test Kit arrives)
7.0 pH
+2 drops 7.2
+4 7.4
+6 7.6
8.5ppm free chlorine (fc)
.6ppm captured chlorine(cc)
50ppm cyuranic acid (cya)
130ppm total alkalinity(ta)
160ppm calcium hardness(ch)

Thursday 20150611
Morning
7fc
+1lb Baking Soda

Evening
water level had dropped by more than 1/2 inch?
vacuumed to waste
added water
4fc
1cc
7.2pH
+2x60 oz laundry bleach
6.5fc
+1x120 oz clorox
14fc
+1x120 oz clorox
23.5fc
0.5cc
Pool still foggy but getting better.
Have not seen drain since April.
Filter running nonstop since Saturday.

Have trichlor dispenser and bucket o'pucks (currently out of pool for overnight fc loss) about 3lbs left of dichlor but plan to stick to clorox for now.

What should I do next? Keep it at 20ppm fc with bleach till it's clear?

Please help. Thank you in advance.

 

[Isaac-1]

Ok, Keep following the SLAM process Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain until you meet all 3 factors

CC is 0.5 or lower;
You pass an OCLT (ie overnight FC loss test shows a loss of 1.0 ppm or less);
And the water is clear.

It sounds like you bought the Taylor K-2006 kit, if so go ahead and order more FAS-DPD test reagents (particularly 870 powder and 871 titrating reagent, they don't give you enough if you are having to do a SLAM, so it is better to get more than to run out before the pool is clear. (you can get the refills from tftestkits, see my signature for the link, or quick link to XL option 870+871 in larger 2 oz bottle TFTestkits.net )

best of luck and hang in there
Ike

 

[Texas Splash]

Stay patient! Stick with the liquid bleach ONLY for your chlorine level (FC) and "Maintain" that SLAM FC. That's extremely important. As Ike already mentioned, keep this going until you pass the 3 items above. It's tedious and a lot of babysitting, but you can do it. Oh, and don't feel pressured to buy just Clorox bleach. Any generic brand on sale will work as long as its active ingredient is the same - Sodium Hypochlorite. It will be something like 8.25%, 10%, or maybe even 12% at some places.

Also, while you are in the middle of the SLAM, don't worry about testing your PH or trying to change it. It provides inaccurate readings during the high FC levels. Good luck!

 

[wrems]

Just keep it up. You're on the right path. All you need is time for the filter and bleach to do the work. Keep up the brushing and vacuuming as much as you can will help too. If you have a lot of floaters and such a skimmer sock could help a little.

 

[fergusonml]

Thanks to all.

Here are numbers for today:
Friday
Morning
18fc
0.5cc
Added trichlor dispenser

Evening
10fc
0.5cc
0.5'' water loss in 8 hours.
+128 oz 12.5% bleach
16fc
+128 oz 12.5% bleach
20fc
vacuumed to waste
removed trichlor dispenser for overnight test
cya test < 30ppm?

 

[pooldv]

Is the CYA test cloudy at all? Does the dot stay visible? Did you add 30ppm CYA? Less than a week ago? Is this your first OCLT?

 

[fergusonml]

Is the CYA test cloudy at all? Does the dot stay visible? Did you add 30ppm CYA? Less than a week ago? Is this your first OCLT?

Re: CYA test, last time I tested it it was 50ppm(two independent tests). This time I could see the dot all the way up on the K-2006 test(x2). I thought the new result might be due to the high chlorine?

I was worried that the trichlor pucks might be adding to the 50ppm so I wanted to retest it, but didn't expect it to go down! Will retest and post results tomorrow.

This will be my third OCLT. First one was 1.5ppm loss and second was 5.5ppm?! I ordered the XL kit. Thanks!

 

[Swampwoman]

Good morning, fergusonmi.

I was wondering about your cya reading and the pucks use too You did say you vacuumed to waste, which would rmove the same percentage as water removed.

Cya can take a week to show up in tests, so I'd hazard a guess that between the dichlor and th pucks, you're likely still in the neighborhood of your original reading. Normally, you wouldn't test cya during a slam. -- only FC -- so I'm not sure if high FC interferes with the test.

That's one of the reasons we avoid pucks except for vaca, etc. -- Cya becomes a moving target and the cya level determines your normal FC target and slam FC target.

I do know that lighting conditions make a big difference -- so here's a video you can check out: Testing Cyanuric Acid with the TF-100 - YouTube

Lastly, since its the weekend, I just want to add that if you frequently test and maintain your FC at 20, then you will likely make much faster progress.

Those drops in FC you reported during the week, eg. Down to 10, mean that for more than half the time you were gone you were lower than the "kill zone" which allows the algae to outpace you...so one step toward, then a step back

So today, if say you dose to 22 ppm at 9 and then check at 10:30 or 11 to see how much you've lost, then bring it back up to just slightly over the slam number again...you will reduce or eliminate the algae's chance to grow back. Then you will also find that your intervals of loss start to reduce dramatically, and by the work week, it may start to hold better.

You just don't want to go overboard on the "overdosing" -- so frequency is your friend But you also don't want to lose the ground your gaining either.

Hope that helps.
Cheers to clear!

 

[fergusonml]

Saturday Morning
15fc
0cc
50cya(ok great )
+128 oz 12.5% bleach (should bring to 20fc)
lost 1/2'' water (this is all between vacuuming, i vacuum and then add back)
fc should drop by 10 in a full day of sun, maybe add another 128 oz 12.5% now? Add pucks? Or wait?

Thanks to all.

 

[duraleigh]

Keep the pucks out of your pool....permanently (at least for now)

Forget your CYA from this point....it is unrelated to the SLAM now that it is in there.

Now, stay with the SLAM. Brushing often vacuuming as needed and keeping your FC at 20 ppm every time you test.

What does your water look like now? got a pic?

 

[fergusonml]

Got it. Thank you. I think I can see the drain! (pictures taken after vacuuming).
( I can't take credit for the arwork but I can't say I mind it. )

 

[tim5055]

Keep it up. The more often you test and adjust back to shock level the faster this whole thing goes.

Brush at least once a day and remember the nooks and crannies, they hide algae. I can't see below those ladder railings but if there are steps remember the bottoms, or little toe indentations in the side of the pool remember them.

Test
Adjust FC
Test
Adjust FC
Brush
Repeat....

 

[fergusonml]

Tested 14fc
+2x128 12.5 bleach
Brushed edges
Removed ladder
Going bleach shopping.
(1 bottle left)
Thanks!

 

[fergusonml]

Tested 14fc
+128oz 12.5% bleach
+2x96oz smelly dollar store bleach of unknown concentration
Brushed sides and turned on bottom drain(oops).

It's looking good but that's how I was fooled before.

 

[fergusonml]

Tested 19fc
+96oz $ bleach

 

[Richard320]

Tested 14fc
+128oz 12.5% bleach
+2x96oz smelly dollar store bleach of unknown concentration
Brushed sides and turned on bottom drain(oops).

It's looking good but that's how I was fooled before.

Why is the bottom drain an oops? If it feeds the filter, keep it on! Algae could be lurking down inside the drain housing below the cover. You want some bleach water circulating. Anything you can do to improve circulation through the pool helps.

 

[fergusonml]

Tested 17fc
+2x96 $ bleach

When I was vacuuming to waste I turned it off and forgot to turn it back on.
Shopping for more bleach.

 

[fergusonml]

Tested 18fc
+121 oz 8.25% Clorox

As predicted I've tested myself into a corner.
Not enough reagent left to do OCLT.
Added Clorox should bring me to 22ppm fc
I'll assume a 5ppm loss overnight.
Add +121 oz 8.25 tomorrow morning and assume a 10-15ppm loss Sunday adding bleach to compensate.
On Monday I can go by the Pool store to see what they have test wise while I wait for my XL kit.
I have to say the pool is looking good. Any advice or critique would be appreciated.

 

[Beens]

Most likely the pool store won't have anything you can use to test over 5

Just an FYI, you really don't need to worry about an OCLT until your water is clear. The OCLT is one of the 3 criteria to tell you that you're finished with your SLAM but you know you're not done if your water is still cloudy so no need to specifically test for OCLT. Only normal dose and test.

You'll probably have to go by your "history" to try to guestimate your dosing until you get your refills. Unfortunately it may mean a little stall in your SLAM but you'll still kick that algae out for good in the end!!

Hopefully your XL will arrive quickly!

 

[fergusonml]