Chlorine is too high??

[pypeke]

My FC is showing past 50. I have no idea of the actual number because I stop at 100 drops. I have not put any liquid chlorine in the pool in 5-6 days. Something is not right...

TA is 100. CYA is 30 (shock level is 12) pH is ???? I can't tell what it is, but I have added about 14 cups of muratic acid a little at a time over 3-4 days. I get the pH down to 7.2, then in the next day or two, the pH goes right back up. Today the color is red, not fuchsia. But, it still does not match my color chart. I have been adding stabilizer a little at a time according to Pool Math. My CYA finally went from 0 to 30.

I ran out of supplies in late October last year, so I bought new testing supplies then. Could it be that those chemicals are too old? My muratic acid was bought last summer. Stabilizer is new. Liquid chlorine 10% is new. Is my pH okay in the picture? The colors don't match.

I don't have any OTO drops, but I can get them today if I need to. The grandkids want to swim today, but I don't have a clue about my actual chlorine and pH levels. I took about 10" of water out of the pool yesterday and refilled the pool. It also rained last night so I don't see how my chlorine could be high. We have had extremely hot and sunny days for two weeks,

If I buy new muratic acid, OTO and pH drops today, do you think that will help me today? If the OTO drops show off the charts chlorine, I still can't let the grandkids swim, right?

I know there are chemical ways to lower the chlorine levels, but I don't even know if it is too high or not. I doubt Lowe's Walmart, or Atwood's carries the chlorine reducers. Closest pool store is 2 hours away. Until I get new test chemicals ordered, what is my best option? New OTO and pH drops? Which of the test kit chemicals is most likely causing the problem of inaccurate tests? Thanks.

 

[IceShadow]

If your FC is that high you have put a LOT of chlorine in the pool recently. What have your additions over the past few days looked like? What type of chlorine did you add?

High chlorine will make the pH test read wrong like that, which is backing up the chlorine being way too high.

 

[IceShadow]

Sorry, reread and saw no chlorine added in 5-6 days. What was added before then? Powder, liquid, tabs, SWG?

The OTO test will give you a way to double check. If the powder turns the test pink it’s fine. If anything the drops would be what have gone bad. But like I said, the red pH test is pointing to maybe you do have really high FC levels.

Maybe someone added a bunch without telling you?

 

[zea3]

If your chlorine is high the pH will also read high. How do you normally add chlorine? Anyone in the house who might be helping with the pool by adding chlorine without your knowledge?

 

[pypeke]

Ok, thanks. I figured high chlorine was making it look like I had high pH. Neither was true.

I purchased a new pH and OTO kit, and the pH was normal with the chlorine a little low. It was safe to swim.
Good thing, too! My grandson has autism, and he loves 3 things: CARS (movies), aquariums (and Dory and Nemo), and swimming.
A meltdown was in the making if he did not get to swim! He tried his best to climb through the gate last winter even though he couldn't actually see the pool. Then he tried to go around it to the other side. Smart little 4 year old.
. .

I am ordering new chemicals. I know some last indefinitely, some last 2 years, and some only last 1 year, but I have never seen dates on the bottles. I write the dates on, but who knows how old they were before I bought them. I

 

[jonpcar]

Ok, thanks. I figured high chlorine was making it look like I had high pH. Neither was true.

I purchased a new pH and OTO kit, and the pH was normal with the chlorine a little low. It was safe to swim.
Good thing, too! My grandson has autism, and he loves 3 things: CARS (movies), aquariums (and Dory and Nemo), and swimming.
A meltdown was in the making if he did not get to swim! He tried his best to climb through the gate last winter even though he couldn't actually see the pool. Then he tried to go around it to the other side. Smart little 4 year old.
View attachment 147944. View attachment 147945. View attachment 147943 View attachment 147946

I am ordering new chemicals. I know some last indefinitely, some last 2 years, and some only last 1 year, but I have never seen dates on the bottles. I write the dates on, but who knows how old they were before I bought them. I

Pypeke, glad you are back to swimming...is it possible you used Taylor R0004 drops instead of R0014 for the picture of the results of that pH test? I recently had that problem and got a similar look on my pH color measurement as you did. The R0004 drops use a larger tube sample size for correct color matching (45ml vs 10ml).

 

[pypeke]

I did not know R0014 drops existed. Which one should I be using? R0004 uses 45 mL? My husband picked up a Clorox brand OTO/pH at Lowe's since the grandson was coming.

My R 0870 and R 0871 expired and I am guessing the Phenol Red had expired also. The new Phenol Red works fine.

So I need to order new R 0870 and R 0871, but now I am wondering if I need R 0014 instead of R 0004.

No one helps me with the pool unless there is a snake involved or dead toads. I hate things that jump or startle me, which includes cats, frogs, snakes, grasshoppers, etc. My husband help me with critters. He found a baby rabbit that had drowned in the pool a week ago. Usually he finds 3-6 toads every day. It takes us a long time to get Copperheads or Water Moccasins out of the vinyl pool.

 

[tillmac62]

The TF-100 uses R-0014.

 

[pypeke]

Thanks. I am not sure if the new Clorox Phenol Red is R0004 or R0014. So, if I buy a new OTO and pH kit at Walmart or Lowe's, and it comes with the test container and says 5 drops, does it mean that the Phenol Red is R0014? I have read posts that said Taylor's R0014 is different...has something added to it.

I have also read posts that said other people like the larger test container because it is easier to read and the numbers are closer together. "The R-0014 is used with the residential comparator block and that block has the following pH scale - 6.8, 7.2, 7.5, 7.8 & 8.2. The 9058 block uses the R-0004 reagent and it has the following gradation - 7.0, 7.2, 7.4, 7.6, 7.8, 8.0. So the midget block will let you test out further into the extremes (6.8 and 8.2) but the 9058 block has better solution in the mid-range values."

Since my husband brought the Clorox brand OTO/pH kit home, I have mixed up the two comparator containers. They are the same size and have the same numbers, and look like the same colors. (unless my eyes are playing tricks.)

Should I buy the larger comparator container along with R0004 or keep using the smaller one with R0014?

Thanks,