Calcium Hardness level with algae problem

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Blondie23

Member
May 24, 2019
19
DeMotte,IN
Please HELP! A week ago my water started to get a tad cloudy, but PH was consistent 7.5, TA was consistent 80, and FC was always in the 3 range. I used a taylor trst kit to get those measures. Each day pool started to get a little more cloudy & a little more green, but all levels stayed at above mentioned, except FC which allways bounces a bit since going to full BBB method this year. I have maintained with only bleach this season up until this point. By Sunday eve i had a green swamp. PH 8.2, added muratic acid to get it to 7.2. I've read the algae and SLAM articles & several comments. I knew my CYA wasnt registering on test strips, so I used pool math to add CYA via sock method yesterday. Been adding extra bleach in attempt to shock. Waiting for my taylor K2006 kit to arrive, should be here tomorrow, so i took a water sample to local hardware store. Calcium hardness is very low, so do i need to address that before continuing?i know something is wrong with chlorine b/c total & free shouldnt be the same, and cc shouldnt be 0! Here are my current readings from that test:
FC 10.6
TC 10.6
CC 0
PH 8.2
Hardness 59
CYA 14
Iron 0
Phosphate 479
 

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Hi, welcome to TFP! I would not worry about the calcium level at this point. Since your kit will be there tomorrow, wait until it comes and post a complete set of test results. The results you posted probably are not accurate. The CYA test registers from 20-100ppm with a +/- of 10ppm accuracy. Anything below 20 should be read as 0. You can have 0 CCs and algae in the pool. One doesn't depend on the other.
What have you been using to add chlorine to your pool?
 
CH is not your issue. Vinyl pools don’t need CH.

Your problem is lack of CYA and chlorine. Wait until you get your test kit and your own test results. Then follow the SLAM Process step by step with no shortcuts.

In the meantime find a local source for liquid chlorine, preferably 10%, or plain bleach, not Clorox, not scented, not splashless. And buy some stabilizer.

Read ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
 
zea3 said:
Hi, welcome to TFP! I would not worry about the calcium level at this point. Since your kit will be there tomorrow, wait until it comes and post a complete set of test results. The results you posted probably are not accurate. The CYA test registers from 20-100ppm with a +/- of 10ppm accuracy. Anything below 20 should be read as 0. You can have 0 CCs and algae in the pool. One doesn't depend on the other.
What have you been using to add chlorine to your pool?
Click to expand...
Just straight bleach from the jug in front of the jet. 6% Dollar General brand
 
ajw22 said:
CH is not your issue. Vinyl pools don’t need CH.

Your problem is lack of CYA and chlorine. Wait until you get your test kit and your own test results. Then follow the SLAM Process step by step with no shortcuts.

In the meantime find a local source for liquid chlorine, preferably 10%, or plain bleach, not Clorox, not scented, not splashless. And buy some stabilizer.

Read ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Click to expand...
Should I first bring my PH back down to 7.0/7.2 since it wasn't really a slam process I was doing? Wait to add stabilizer or do that too before slam? I will re read ABC'S and Algae/SLAM articles.
 
I got my good test kit and if I'm understanding the articles correctly, my overnight FC results dont make sense if its algae, but how could it be anything else with it being THAT green? Last night 8:30pm
FC 13
CC 1
6:00 am today
FC 12.5
CC .5
I added muratic acid this morn to get my ph to 7.2, and according to pool math I will add 4+ gal of bleach after i retest my PH at 8AM. (SLAM level says 31FC according to your charts & pool math)
Somehow I messed up the CYA addition b/c i feel i followed directions yet my cya with the taylor kit is reading 80. Just added water yesterday and still 80. I know this is now high, but I have GOT to get this pool under control!
My plan is still to begin slamming once the PH is correct. Pool still looks like the pic from the other day. Any suggestions?
 
Post all of your test results using PoolMath. Every time you test and add chemicals.
 
Blondie23 said:
My sharing link is on, so does it automatically put it somewhere everytime I add a log? I looked around on thecap & forum and cant seem to find how to share it. Screenshot & post on this thread?
Click to expand...

You edited your PoolMath log since I posted. Keep it up to date.

You don't have both tests discussed in post #7 logged. You don’t have your CCs logged. It makes it difficult to follow.
 
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Bear with me here, I've never slammed before, nor have I ever had a pool this green. Began the slam this morn, close to my target FC level. Now the problem is that it is clear I will run out of the test reagent (my fault for making my CYA too high) before the weekend is up. Ordered more but it wont get here till Mon. Now what? Is there any way to ensure I keep up my FC level high enough to continue until I get the reagent, or have I just wasted my time & bleach today? I just want to cry!
 
Best you can do is once you run out of reagent keep on adding the same amount of CL until your water clears or you get new reagent. If you had been adding 1 gallon of 6% every 4 hours then just keep on doing that.

Where did you order your R-0871 refill from?
 
ajw22 said:
Best you can do is once you run out of reagent keep on adding the same amount of CL until your water clears or you get new reagent. If you had been adding 1 gallon of 6% every 4 hours then just keep on doing that.

Where did you order your R-0871 refill from?
Click to expand...
Sold by amazon prime, fulfilled by Mark's Pool Store. It was a combo pack of the powder plus R-0871
 
Beginning of day 3. Got in yesterday to give it a good brush, surfaces were not slimy. Found more FC test reagent at a local(ish) Leslie's Pool Store yesterday. Glad to be able to continue testing and feel like I'm on the right track! When my slam process is done and I start to let the chlorine level off, at point do I add muratic acid to get the PH back in check?
 

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When FC is below 10 you can check pH & TA and make any pH adjustments.
 
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