Can't Get Chlorine Reading, Help Please

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When you are working on clearing the ammonia, you are still slamming the pool. Clearing ammonia just adds an extra task at the beginning of the slam. Since you are starting out with 0 CYA, your slam level is 10ppm of Free Chlorine. During the ammonia phase of the slam you are testing the pool every 10 minutes as opposed to every couple of hours. During the 10 minute testing cycle you will probably lose most or all of your FC between tests. Richard is recommending you use the PoolMath button at the top of the page to determine how much bleach you will need to add to reach 10ppm. How much bleach and how long it will take to clear will depend on how high the ammonia is.

Richard types faster than I do! I am just confirming what he said.
 
If Menards isn't available, the Walmart chlorine is called Pool Essentials. It is in the pool area, mine is running 2/$5.00 right now. Maybe yours is too. Please note the datecode regardless of where you buy. If it's from Early in the year you want to keep looking through the shelves. I found Janurary mixed in with April. You want the 'youngest' you can find.
 
Thanks again, I am stressed but you guys have helped me with problems before and I look forward to getting past this.
A couple of follow up questions,
1. Should I be dealing with/raising ph before trying to raise to shock level or just deal with fc and will get other numbers correct after this?
2. Does anyone who has been through this have any other advice, pros/cons to going the bleach route or water drain route?

Thanks again....
 
1. It would be a good idea to raise pH before SLAMming since the pH test isn't accurate with FC over 10

2. It's really personal preference. I would rather spend an hour or two doing the 10 minute drill and a bunch of bleach rather than water replacement, but that's me.
 
Thank you, in this situation is there a preferred method for raising the ph? Borax or baking soda?

I think I agree, and will try and do the bleach!

Assuming I get it done and get fc stable, whats next? Raise the cya? I never had to do that, whats the proffered method?

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Also I see Walmart pool essential, does anyone know what percentage that is?
 
AdamS said:
Thanks again, I am stressed but you guys have helped me with problems before and I look forward to getting past this.
A couple of follow up questions,
1. Should I be dealing with/raising ph before trying to raise to shock level or just deal with fc and will get other numbers correct after this?
2. Does anyone who has been through this have any other advice, pros/cons to going the bleach route or water drain route?

Thanks again....
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Adjusting the pH is part of the SLAM process, as is getting some CYA in the water. You'll do both of those once you eradicate the ammonia. Reread the SLAM Process instructions carefully, and don't gloss over the prerequisites.
 
Ok, so to clarify, take care of the ammonia, 10 minute intervals and then adjust the ph as per the pre-requisite of SLAMing or should I try and take care of ph before starting at all? Also I do not see about raising CYA in SLAM process, when/how do I do this?

Richard320 said:
Adjusting the pH is part of the SLAM process, as is getting some CYA in the water. You'll do both of those once you eradicate the ammonia. Reread the SLAM Process instructions carefully, and don't gloss over the prerequisites.
Click to expand...
 
You are correct, the SLaM process doesn't spell out the CYA addition but it is assumed that if you have less then the minimum amount for your type of pool, you would raise it to that amount.

I would say to target 30ppm.
 

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AdamS said:
Ok, so to clarify, take care of the ammonia, 10 minute intervals and then adjust the ph as per the pre-requisite of SLAMing or should I try and take care of ph before starting at all? Also I do not see about raising CYA in SLAM process, when/how do I do this?
Click to expand...
It goes like this

Bleach to get to 10 FC. Brush. 10 minutes later, retest FC. Raise to 10 FC again. Brush. Repeat until the FC holds more than 6. And don't neglect the brushing. You need to get the water mixed thoroughly so you don't just test a hot spot and call it good when it isn't.

At that point, with FC between 6 and 10, you test pH and TA and plug numbers into poolmath and adjust the pH. If pH is at the end of the scale on either end, brush and retest and readjust until it's around 7.2. You might be off the scale and higher or lower than it can read.

Then you can add CYA to get to 30 in a sock in the skimmer or suspended in front of a return jet. You don't need to wait for it to dissolve. Resume with the bleach. With 30 CYA, target is now 12. From this point onward, all you test is FC & CC until you pass the three tests. The SLAM directions imply this where it says "SLAMing an outdoor pool is most effective when CYA is around 30 to 40. Below 30 you lose too much chlorine to sunlight."

The whole while you want to keep brushing to break the slimy protective film off any algae and to get chlorine water into the areas with poor circulation. Not continuously, but at least a few times a day. Vacuum up any debris that settles out.

Once you start calculating bleach doses and testing and seeing the changes in FC & CC, it will start to make more sense.
 
Thank you.

Ok I think I am ready but here is what I am still unsure of:
So I do the 10 minte drill so to speak to beat the ammonia, and lets say I do it and it seems the fc is finally holding.
I now need to shock, but first need to raise ph and cya. What do I do with the fc, just leave it add baking soda and stabilizer? Which of those do I do first? How soon after adding those do I start the shock process? Right away?
Also the pool math says to go from 0 to 30 cya I need 5 pounds of stabilizer, do I put that (in sock?) in 1 skimmer, in both?
Thanks again!!

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Im sorry I think Richard explained earlier, ph first, then cya, keep bleaching while that is going on, but do I first wait for ph? How long after adding baking soda will it rise?
 
Here ya go:

-1- get PH to 7.2

-2-10 min drill to overcome ammonia. Do NOT stop until your FC holds for at least 30 or so mins without dropping more than 1ppm

-3-once FC is holding add CYA to bring it to 30ppm (put it in a sock or two and put one in the skimmer and one in front of a return) as soon as you put the socks in the water move to step 4

-4-THEN start SLAM as if the CYA you are adding is already in the pool.

Hope this helps.

Kim:cat:
 
Thank you...ok last one (for now :)

The stabilizer, when you say put in sock, we are talking about a regular sock that you wear? Hope that isnt dumb question!

Also pool math says 5 pounds to go from 0 to 30 for my pool; I bought hth 1 stabilizer, comes in 4 pound container, anyone have an idea how I can measure out the last pound from 2nd bottle I bought?
 
Don't add CYA until you are at Kim's step 3. Then, yes a regular sock. Go with 4 pounds and see where you are 48 hours (or more, not less), after it is fully dissolved. If you need more, go by the "volume" recommendation, not the weight. It's easier; like measuring sugar.
 
Ok everyone, here is the update:

I started last night:
1. Got the ph to 7.2
2. Began the 10 minute drill to beat the ammonia; it wasnt too bad. After adding the first 2 gallons to get fc to 10, brushing for 10 minutes, I got a fc reading of 4.5; I raised it and continued brushing and it by the 2nd 10 minutes it already was staying high. I waited an hour, tested and didnt lose any fc, but the cc was high.
3. I added the cya in socks, 1 in skimmer, 1 in front of return.
4. This morning began testing and the fc only lost about 1 overnight.
My reading at 8 this morning was
fc- 12 cc- .5
I just tested, about 2 hours later, and I got
fc- 11.5 cc-0

So what now, keep raising it to 12?
Thank you all so much, I know its not over but I;m getting there!
Going to brush and vacuum now!
 
You did it! I am SO glad you did not have ammonia! Sweet!

The sock question gets asked a LOT. I tease everyone that they have to be CUTE socks to work hehe. One "tool" that always gets :shock: is the carrot and potato! LOL These can be used a VERY temporary stoppers for returns.

Keep your FC at 12 as much as you can. The MORE you MAINTAIN 12 the faster your pool will clear! If you are going to be away from the pool for a few hours you can add just a tad over to keep it from going below 12.

Kim:cat:
 

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