coudy green water high combined chloride high alkalinityhelp

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rachel

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Jul 28, 2007
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:roll:
Hi. Me again, I have written before about how to decrease alkalinity without effecting pH. I have not tried to do this yet, but have other problems because algae is starting to grow in the pool. I think that i am just keeping it at bay. The total free chlorine is fine in the pool but the combined chlorine is very high. i have read that superchlorination will help this ratio and help with the algae problem. But if you don't calculate the amount of chlorine to add just right it could make matters worse. I have also read that you can do supershock with non-chlorine products that will help in the sense that you are not adding more chlorine to the pool. I am so confused i just want to empty the pool and start over, but eventually the same thing will happen so i better figure it out now. I have the numbers available for the chemistry of the pool. any advice would be helpful!! thanks

Saturation index- balanced
Total dissolved solids 100
free chlorine .1 (low)
total chlorine 1.1
combined chlorine 1 (high)
pH 7.7
Cyanuric acid 12 (low)
Copper, Iron, calcium (OK)
Total and adjusted alkalinity 193 (high)
 
You need chlorine. Raise it to 15ppm, keep it there for a few days, and all of your problems will go away. You'll have to check it every few hours.
 
rachel said:
:roll:
Hi. Me again, I have written before about how to decrease alkalinity without effecting pH. I have not tried to do this yet, but have other problems because algae is starting to grow in the pool. I think that i am just keeping it at bay. The total free chlorine is fine in the pool but the combined chlorine is very high. i have read that superchlorination will help this ratio and help with the algae problem. But if you don't calculate the amount of chlorine to add just right it could make matters worse. I have also read that you can do supershock with non-chlorine products that will help in the sense that you are not adding more chlorine to the pool.
Non chlorine shock will NOT destroy combined chlorine so it is not a viable option for you at this point! I am so confused i just want to empty the pool and start over, but eventually the same thing will happen so i better figure it out now. I have the numbers available for the chemistry of the pool. any advice would be helpful!! thanks

Saturation index- balanced
Total dissolved solids 100
free chlorine .1 (low)
total chlorine 1.1
combined chlorine 1 (high)
pH 7.7
Cyanuric acid 12 (low)
Copper, Iron, calcium (OK)
Total and adjusted alkalinity 193 (high)
Click to expand...

First thing you need is a GOOD test kit, I would recommend either the TF 100 www.troublefreetestkits.com or the Taylor K-2006. Strips are NOT going to do it for you.
First thing to do is get your FC to 15 ppm and KEEP IT THERE by adding more bleach as needed. The algae will quickly deplete your FC and the sunlight will be burning it off. You need to get your cyanuric acid to at least 30 ppm as quickly as possible to prevent the loss from sunlight. You want it between 30-50 ppm.
Once the chlorine has killed the algae you need to start working on getting your TA down a bit but for right now get your FC up and keep it there and get some stabilizer in the water and GET A GOOD TEST KIT!

Also, saying that copper, iron and calcium are OK does not really tel us anything. You need to post the numbers!
 
Thanks. What is the best way to calculate how to increase my FC from .1ppm to 15ppm and what should i use to do it if my Total alkalinity and Combined chloride is high? I have a 1175.08 gallon pool (4448.2 liters).
 
rachel said:
Thanks. What is the best way to calculate how to increase my FC from .1ppm to 15ppm and what should i use to do it if my Total alkalinity and Combined chloride is high? I have a 1175.08 gallon pool (4448.2 liters).
Click to expand...

Add 1 quart plus 1 cup (or 5 cups) of 6% bleach (look for the small print on the bleach label that says "sodium hypochlorite x%). That should take your FC to about 15. Keep your FC's up to that level until it holds overnight. Test and top off as often as possible (every 8 hours is good). That should take care of your CC's.

One cup (8 oz, approx 1/4 litre) of 6% bleach will raise your FC by about 3 ppm in that size pool.

Deal with the high alk once the water clears up. It's not priority at the moment.
 
rachel said:
Thanks. What is the best way to calculate how to increase my FC from .1ppm to 15ppm and what should i use to do it if my Total alkalinity and Combined chloride is high? I have a 1175.08 gallon pool (4448.2 liters).
Click to expand...

Since your other questions are answered, I'll tell you how to lower TA. Follow this procedure:
1. Lower pH to 7.0 with (preferably) muriatic acid. This will lower the TA also.
2. Aerate the water by creating bubbles (see below). This will raise the pH but not the TA.
3. Repeat until the desired TA is reached.

You can create aeration by pointing your return jet(s) upward, or use an air compressor, or purchase a fountain (that cycles pool water, not fill water), or as someone once said, hire a bunch of 10 year olds to splash around all day!

But as has already been said, don't woory about this until the other problesm are solved.
 
Rachel,

Since your pool is that size, I would reconsider your whole issue.

Assuming water is not outrageously priced in your area, I think you could simply drain and refill anytime you didn't like the look of your pool.

Now, that said, you'll need to keep some chlorine in there and you'll need to add it almost daily. Probably around 1/2 of a liter would be the most you'd need.....the trick is to put it in daily so you always have a little chlorine in there.

A test kit that tests for only pH and chlorine is all I would suggest....they cost 4-8 bucks at Wal-mart, K-mart, lowe's HD, etc.

I know you are interested in the other parameters of your pool but, again, if something got badly out of whack, you could simply drain and start over for less money it seems to me.
 

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i know i considered this. the only reason i would even tackle this problem with chemicals is because when we fill the pool with our well water it is so cold it takes forever to get warm (it tooks months before it became a reasonable temperature)and with 2 year old toddlers that is not a good thing. any advice on how to heat water externally? thanks again for your advice
 
Yeah, that's a pretty good reason. I still bet if you used nothing but a little bleach in that pool and kept your pH around 7.2 - 7.6 you'd have a complete swimming season with no problems. As I said, the key is to add the chlorine daily to keep out germs and algae. If you let it go for a few days, you'll have those problems.
 
When you are filling your pool, get a LOT of garden hose, and make sure that the hose is in full sunlight, fill awhile, let it all sit awhile, the hose will heat up the water.

In a pinch, you can also use the hot water faucet behind your washing machine. A garden hose will fit right on it.

NEVER use that faucet on the water heater itself, it turns out that is only for draining the water heater when you are done with it.
(Lessons learned from my waterbed days)
 
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