Given your ever decreasing CC number I suspect you have crossed the hump and things will get easier soon.
Ike
Ike
cost/benefit shocking pool
- Thread starter iam4iam
- Start date
Yes, and remember that now the sand filter still needs maybe up to a week or at the very least a few days of continual running to actually remove the material from the water as well, so you won't see "final" results necessarily today, even if you have it well in hand. But it does sound like you're getting very close! Congrats!
There is always some left undissolved. Someone please correct me if I am doing this wrong, but I've always assumed I used enough when the pink color doesn't get any darker when I gently tap in small amounts of the powder.
iam4iam said:
Done!?!? (Current pic at bottom of test results! Still waiting for CC to hit 0, but almost out of R-0821, so won't check again until dusk. That will give me an idea of whether I should raise my CYA a little, since it looks like I can attribute the vast majority of my FC loss to the sun. Actually, I should confirm overnight FC loss first, which I can also get an initial reading for at dusk.) Anyone know if you can skip the FC test and test only for CC (and save R-0821)? I'd really like to know if CC is at 0 now!
For the test result nerds, here are my test results (of home stretch):
Recall pic on 5/6:
[attachment=2:nas2ayxj]5-6.JPG[/attachment:nas2ayxj]
5/10
[attachment=1:nas2ayxj]5-10.JPG[/attachment:nas2ayxj]
Added 5x128 oz of bleach at 8pm
8:15pm--FC=39;CC=2.5
8:50pm--FC=30;CC=2.5
9:15pm--FC=25;CC=1
Added 1x128 oz of bleach at 9:20pm
10:00pm--FC=34.5;CC=1.5
11:00pm--FC=28;CC=1.5
12:00am--FC=27;CC=1.5 (now 5/11)
1:30am--FC=25.5;CC=1.5
6:00am--FC=26?;CC=2?
4:45pm--FC=11;CC=1
10:45pm--FC=10;CC=0.5
Added 2x128oz of bleach at 11:00pm
11:00am (5/12)--FC=19;CC=1
Current pic: :-D!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[attachment=0:nas2ayxj]5-12.JPG[/attachment:nas2ayxj]
BTW, pH is perfect @ 7.5!
For the test result nerds, here are my test results (of home stretch):
Recall pic on 5/6:
[attachment=2:nas2ayxj]5-6.JPG[/attachment:nas2ayxj]
5/10
[attachment=1:nas2ayxj]5-10.JPG[/attachment:nas2ayxj]
Added 5x128 oz of bleach at 8pm
8:15pm--FC=39;CC=2.5
8:50pm--FC=30;CC=2.5
9:15pm--FC=25;CC=1
Added 1x128 oz of bleach at 9:20pm
10:00pm--FC=34.5;CC=1.5
11:00pm--FC=28;CC=1.5
12:00am--FC=27;CC=1.5 (now 5/11)
1:30am--FC=25.5;CC=1.5
6:00am--FC=26?;CC=2?
4:45pm--FC=11;CC=1
10:45pm--FC=10;CC=0.5
Added 2x128oz of bleach at 11:00pm
11:00am (5/12)--FC=19;CC=1
Current pic: :-D!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[attachment=0:nas2ayxj]5-12.JPG[/attachment:nas2ayxj]
BTW, pH is perfect @ 7.5!
Attachments
No, there is no way to skip the FC portion of the test and still get a valid CC reading.
Congrats it sounds like you are very close now, if it were mine after all that work, I might boost the FC one last time just to be safe. You will then want to fine tune your CYA and other levels (TA, etc.).
Ike
Ike
WhooWhoo! You have come a long way in a short time 
Make sure you pass all the criteria to know when you are "done shocking". See red lines in my sig.
Pool is starting to look really happy :-D
Update:
At dusk on 5/12: FC=13; CC=0.75 (1.5 drops would have cleared it!)
I hope I have enough R-0871 tomorrow morning to check overnight FC loss and morning CC! 28 drops max, but she's almost empty!
At dusk on 5/12: FC=13; CC=0.75 (1.5 drops would have cleared it!)
I hope I have enough R-0871 tomorrow morning to check overnight FC loss and morning CC! 28 drops max, but she's almost empty!
By the way, in case I haven't said it, THANK YOU for everyone's answers, suggestions, support, and encouragement! I can't wait to give a report tomorrow am on overnight FC lost (assuming I have 28 drops of R-0871 left--I guess I could dilute just in case?)
5/13 @ 6:45 am (about 1/2 hour after dawn on an overcast day)
FC=12 (-1 from dusk)
CC=0.5
I think I'm finished! I'll do another FC check at dusk tonight to see how much the sun takes out.
Thanks for the suggestion, Ike. The water in your ID photo is bluer than mine, so I'd be a fool not to take your advice if I want a happy blue pool! I'll probably do one final shock* at dusk and another overnight FC loss check, then "sun depletion" check later this week when it's sunnier. Then "fine tune"! (Off the chart CH (unless I'm just purple/blue color blind) bothers me a little, but there's not much I can do about it short of draining the pool, and it's not that serious, I suppose, with a vinyl liner.)
*Pool Grammar 101: I read somewhere on TFP that "shock" is a verb, not a noun, the point being that the chemical(s) used to boost the FC level are not properly called "shock." For clarification :blah: (blame my mother for being an English teacher for this), "shock" is used appropriately as a noun when referring to the action of raising the FC level.
FC=12 (-1 from dusk)
CC=0.5
I think I'm finished! I'll do another FC check at dusk tonight to see how much the sun takes out.
Isaac-1 said:
Thanks for the suggestion, Ike. The water in your ID photo is bluer than mine, so I'd be a fool not to take your advice if I want a happy blue pool! I'll probably do one final shock* at dusk and another overnight FC loss check, then "sun depletion" check later this week when it's sunnier. Then "fine tune"! (Off the chart CH (unless I'm just purple/blue color blind) bothers me a little, but there's not much I can do about it short of draining the pool, and it's not that serious, I suppose, with a vinyl liner.)
*Pool Grammar 101: I read somewhere on TFP that "shock" is a verb, not a noun, the point being that the chemical(s) used to boost the FC level are not properly called "shock." For clarification :blah: (blame my mother for being an English teacher for this), "shock" is used appropriately as a noun when referring to the action of raising the FC level.
I'm new here too, but I thought I recalled something about the CH that might help. I have the K-2006 test kit and in the book it talks about a "fading endpoint." Basically, 'a small concentration of iron or copper in the water can cause the test to develop a purple color rather than blue. The book recommends an addition of five or six drops of titrant (Hardness Reagent) to the water supply first then conduct the test as usual. The titrant " ties up" the interfering soluble metals and the test can then be completed with a distinct endpoint. Count the drops of titrant used to reach the endpoint plus the drops initially added to obtain the total number of drops used.' Hope this helps.
The purple / blue colorblindness just gave me a high school flashback, we had a guy in my graduating class that was purple/blue colorblind, he was one of those people that was generaly considered a bit of a jerk, rebelled against everything, etc. Anyway our school colors involved blue, so from time to time jokes would be played on him everyone would get school color blue T-shirts except his would be purple, etc. There was one that involved dyeing his blue jeans purple that I recall...
Ah...HS! Those were the days! (Now I teach at one!)
Anyway, if I let the solution sit awhile, it actually does turn blue.
Thanks, but it seems as though I remember trying that. I think I even tried diluting by 1/2 and multiplying #drops by 20, but nothing gave me a clear endpoint. I'm not too concerned, though, as my liner is vinyl.
Anyway, if I let the solution sit awhile, it actually does turn blue.
kb239 said:
Thanks, but it seems as though I remember trying that. I think I even tried diluting by 1/2 and multiplying #drops by 20, but nothing gave me a clear endpoint. I'm not too concerned, though, as my liner is vinyl.
Vinyl still has problems when CH is too high.
Using a speedstir also seems to help avoid floating endpoints.
Using a speedstir also seems to help avoid floating endpoints.
Thanks for the suggestion. Actually I've gotten really good at holding a continual swirl with one hand while adding drops with the other. I just tried the "High CH anticipated" method (10 ml sample, etc. and #R-0012 x 25 with 5 drops of R-0012 added before adding the R-0011 to avoid the fading endpoint) and noticed a definite color change, but the final color was almost as purple as blue. Got a reading of CH=350, so I'm probably in the 300-400 range, which I guess is okay for vinyl. Well, since I'm now familiar with the blue/purple color change I'm looking for, I decided to do the test normally (as far as sample size goes) with 5 drops of 0012 prior to adding 0011. Got CH=260-280. (Still a bit of a fading endpoint, but recognizable color change.)
FC=8; CC=0.5 at 9:00pm (-4 ppm of FC on a day with virtually no sun. I know the sun still depletes through the clouds, but I'm more interested in the loss on a sunny day)
Just made one final "just to be sure" shock as Isaac-1 suggested. Since I'm literally almost out of R-0821, I'll probably wait until tomorrow night to do another overnight FC loss check since I'd probably need about 40 drops to check now and then close to another 40 tomorrow morning. Ordered refill on Amazon, but won't be here for several days. (Don't know why I didn't also order a refill of R-0820 from the same company at the same time to save on shipping! I'll call the pool store tomorrow to see how much it would cost there for curiosity's sake.)
As for CYA, since I'm still not confident with the test, it sounds silly, but is there any reason not to adjust gradually based on daytime FC loss? What would be a typical daytime FC loss on a sunny day with the proper level of CYA?
FC=8; CC=0.5 at 9:00pm (-4 ppm of FC on a day with virtually no sun. I know the sun still depletes through the clouds, but I'm more interested in the loss on a sunny day)
Just made one final "just to be sure" shock as Isaac-1 suggested. Since I'm literally almost out of R-0821, I'll probably wait until tomorrow night to do another overnight FC loss check since I'd probably need about 40 drops to check now and then close to another 40 tomorrow morning. Ordered refill on Amazon, but won't be here for several days. (Don't know why I didn't also order a refill of R-0820 from the same company at the same time to save on shipping! I'll call the pool store tomorrow to see how much it would cost there for curiosity's sake.)
As for CYA, since I'm still not confident with the test, it sounds silly, but is there any reason not to adjust gradually based on daytime FC loss? What would be a typical daytime FC loss on a sunny day with the proper level of CYA?
Have you read the cya extended test kit directions?iam4iam said:
Also, you can buy a reference of 50 ppm cya from tftestkits:http://tftestkits.net/R-7065-CYA-Standard-Solution-p34.html to test your reading method.
That will differ greatly from pool to pool. Temperature, bather load, hours of direct sunlight, sunlight angle, organics getting into the pool, etc. in addition to cya concentration can affect it. With that said, I seems like a pool that does not have bathers in or getting organics can be around 2-3 ppm/day. Again that is a generalization! If you are going to adjust, and since it can be quite an iterative process, start low and go higher slowly. Remember cya easy in, drain/refill out.iam4iam said:
Thanks. So with "good" CYA level, I should expect to add about 0.5 gallon of bleach per day to an 18,000 gal. pool ($1.50/day at Walmart price for bleach)? Does that sound about right?
1/2 gallon/day sounds reasonable. You could probably beat the price though. At that price your cost per ounce of Sodium Hypochlorite is: 3/(128*0.06)= $0.39/ounce which is really high. I spend about $0.15/ounce using liquid chlorine I get at a home improvement superstore. Take a look at this thread: http://www.troublefreepool.com/bleach-prices-2012-t41710.html
Wow. What a price range! Actually, I was just doing a mental estimation based on $2.99/182 oz @ Walmart. Just realized my mistake. I was estimating @ $2.99/gal, not $2.99/182 oz! Actually, my last purchase was Sam's Club @ $0.26/Cl-oz, so I'm actually looking at $1/day. My mental math obviously needs some work. The Walmart price is actually only $0.2738/Cl-oz! Wish we had an Aldi's or Menards or Fleetfarm! 