Extremely high chlorine levels after service by tech

[bronc85]

Hello everyone, newbie here with a pool situation with a maintenance service issue by a pool company.

I am new pool owner and have been reading a lot about water chemistry and pool maintenance. I have a 5,100 gallon pool and the pool tech added 5 lbs of shock on July 11 to our pool because the his test showed 0 ppm of free chlorine. Pool water color was clear, not green nor cloudy. He also put 3 chlorine tabs in the skimmer baskets and the pump shut off automatically about 1.5 hours after treating leaving chemicals without circulation, I noticed this and I turned the pump on immediately and removed the tabs and put them in the chlorinator. I contacted the company about this and they apologized about adding chemicals with no circulation.

Then I used the pool in the afternoon the following day on Wednesday 7/12 and experienced discomfort in the form of skin and eye irritation, I did not think much of it so I just showered and forgot about it. Then on Friday 7/14 my 6 month old nephew and my sister decided to use the pool, unfortunately they both experienced the same and needless to say I got very concerned especially because of the baby. So I decided to test the water on Saturday with a test kit I bought (Taylor K-2006) and the chlorine levels were off the charts. So, I decided to take a water sample and get it tested at Leslie's on Sunday 7/16. Evidently, the chlorine levels were too high, the test reflected 19 ppm but was told the print out report only goes as high as 15. They told me these levels were too high and that the discomfort we experienced was a result of high chlorine levels. They also told me the 5 lbs of chlorine added to our pool were too much for a pool our size. I can only imagine what the chlorine levels were the day chlorine was added and the days we got in the pool. Aside from the physical damage, high chlorine can also damage pool equipment. So I had to take care of this issue myself and had to buy a chlorine neutralizer ($17.99). I added 12.5 oz first and tested, levels were still too high at 10ppm, so I added an additional 6.5 oz and retested, levels came down to 4 ppm which is within normal recommended range and we were finally able to use the pool without discomfort. I feel it was unnecessary for us to experience that and for me to take action to correct the issue had it been managed properly.

I would love to learn what the pool community here thinks, what are your thoughts about this? Thank you!

 

[drsipe]

The best move you have made so far is finding this forum, and having a K-2006 testing kit. We do not promote pool services (most people can maintain their own pool and we try to keep you out of the pool stores and their expensive, and most of the time useless potions). Natural sunlight and time would have brought your chlorine levels down, probably in a few days. We believe that you can get better, more accurate test results than the pool store (I know, hard to believe), pool stores model is to give you a free water test, because even the good ones are hoping to find something that they can cure.

For us to help you with anything, we need information, so if you could complete a signature, we will be able to help you better in the future.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

In the mean time, you can do some reading:

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[cdadams1223]

Hello Bronc and welcome to TFP!!! Sorry to hear the pool was uncomfortable for you and your family. In order for us to provide good feedback can you run all of the tests and post them here?

FC-
CC-
pH-
TA-
CYA-
CH-

This will help us offer advice. While you're at it, take a stroll through Pool Care Basics and also download PoolMath to your phone. Glad you have an awesome test kit in the K-2006 but I would recommend getting a SpeedStir device to help with your testing because it will save you a LOT of time and make everything much easier as well as more accurate.

Also, please update your signature per the link below to include your pool equipment, test kit, etc.

 

[cdadams1223]

The best move you have made so far is finding this forum, and having a K-2006 testing kit. We do not promote pool services (most people can maintain their own pool and we try to keep you out of the pool stores and their expensive, and most of the time useless potions). Natural sunlight and time would have brought your chlorine levels down, probably in a few days. We believe that you can get better, more accurate test results than the pool store (I know, hard to believe), pool stores model is to give you a free water test, because even the good ones are hoping to find something that they can cure.

For us to help you with anything, we need information, so if you could complete a signature, we will be able to help you better in the future.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

In the mean time, you can do some reading:

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

We posted simultaneously...LOL! @bronc85 just use the signature link that @drsipe linked to since I left it out.

 

[Bperry]

Hello everyone, newbie here with a pool situation with a maintenance service issue by a pool company.

I am new pool owner and have been reading a lot about water chemistry and pool maintenance. I have a 5,100 gallon pool and the pool tech added 5 lbs of shock on July 11 to our pool because the his test showed 0 ppm of free chlorine. Pool water color was clear, not green nor cloudy. He also put 3 chlorine tabs in the skimmer baskets and the pump shut off automatically about 1.5 hours after treating leaving chemicals without circulation, I noticed this and I turned the pump on immediately and removed the tabs and put them in the chlorinator. I contacted the company about this and they apologized about adding chemicals with no circulation.

Then I used the pool in the afternoon the following day on Wednesday 7/12 and experienced discomfort in the form of skin and eye irritation, I did not think much of it so I just showered and forgot about it. Then on Friday 7/14 my 6 month old nephew and my sister decided to use the pool, unfortunately they both experienced the same and needless to say I got very concerned especially because of the baby. So I decided to test the water on Saturday with a test kit I bought (Taylor K-2006) and the chlorine levels were off the charts. So, I decided to take a water sample and get it tested at Leslie's on Sunday 7/16. Evidently, the chlorine levels were too high, the test reflected 19 ppm but was told the print out report only goes as high as 15. They told me these levels were too high and that the discomfort we experienced was a result of high chlorine levels. They also told me the 5 lbs of chlorine added to our pool were too much for a pool our size. I can only imagine what the chlorine levels were the day chlorine was added and the days we got in the pool. Aside from the physical damage, high chlorine can also damage pool equipment. So I had to take care of this issue myself and had to buy a chlorine neutralizer ($17.99). I added 12.5 oz first and tested, levels were still too high at 10ppm, so I added an additional 6.5 oz and retested, levels came down to 4 ppm which is within normal recommended range and we were finally able to use the pool without discomfort. I feel it was unnecessary for us to experience that and for me to take action to correct the issue had it been managed properly.

I would love to learn what the pool community here thinks, what are your thoughts about this? Thank you!

Free Chlorine level of 19ppm is a bit high but might be ok depending on what the CYA level is. If you can share your test results it’s help. If the chlorine level was actually too high it would have come down on its own in a few days from sunlight and heat. The problem with neutralizer may be if it’s still neutralizing the chlorine you may be too low and risking an algae outbreak.

 

[bronc85]

The best move you have made so far is finding this forum, and having a K-2006 testing kit. We do not promote pool services (most people can maintain their own pool and we try to keep you out of the pool stores and their expensive, and most of the time useless potions). Natural sunlight and time would have brought your chlorine levels down, probably in a few days. We believe that you can get better, more accurate test results than the pool store (I know, hard to believe), pool stores model is to give you a free water test, because even the good ones are hoping to find something that they can cure.

For us to help you with anything, we need information, so if you could complete a signature, we will be able to help you better in the future.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

In the mean time, you can do some reading:

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

Thank you drsipe, I have added my pool specs in my signature.

 

[bronc85]

Hello Bronc and welcome to TFP!!! Sorry to hear the pool was uncomfortable for you and your family. In order for us to provide good feedback can you run all of the tests and post them here?

FC-
CC-
pH-
TA-
CYA-
CH-

This will help us offer advice. While you're at it, take a stroll through Pool Care Basics and also download PoolMath to your phone. Glad you have an awesome test kit in the K-2006 but I would recommend getting a SpeedStir device to help with your testing because it will save you a LOT of time and make everything much easier as well as more accurate.

Also, please update your signature per the link below to include your pool equipment, test kit, etc.

Hi cdadams1223, thanks for your response. Given that I am a newbie I sort of doubted my testing performed with my K-2006 kit, so I took a sample to Leslie's, given that it was my first time taking test I needed reassurance that what I was doing was correct, here are the results (also attached):

Free Chlorine: 15 ( I was told the actual levels were 19 ppm, but the report only goes as high as 15)
Total Chlorine: Within 0.2 of FAC 15
pH: 7.7
Total Alkalinity: 122
Calcium Hardness: 606
Cyanuric Acid: 51
Iron: 0
Copper: 0.2
Phosphates: 613

I will also look into the links you provided and also about the SpeedStir, all that is new to me.

I also updated my signature with the specs I know.

Thank you!

 

[bronc85]

Free Chlorine level of 19ppm is a bit high but might be ok depending on what the CYA level is. If you can share your test results it’s help. If the chlorine level was actually too high it would have come down on its own in a few days from sunlight and heat. The problem with neutralizer may be if it’s still neutralizing the chlorine you may be too low and risking an algae outbreak.

Hi Bperry, thanks for your reply. According to the test, CYA were 51 when the Free Chlorine was 19ppm.

Free Chlorine: 15 ( I was told the actual levels were 19 ppm, but the report only goes as high as 15)
Total Chlorine: Within 0.2 of FAC 15
pH: 7.7
Total Alkalinity: 122
Calcium Hardness: 606
Cyanuric Acid: 51
Iron: 0
Copper: 0.2
Phosphates: 613

I will recheck the FAC levesl today to make sure they are within proper range, I do not want the neutralizer to be neutralizing more than I need.

 

[dfwnoob]

Can you retest everything with your K-2006C? Especially the CYA (but also FC/CC). The CYA is the actual, real number we need to determine if something is truly "high". If the 50 CYA is to be believed (and we don't believe Leslie's), it's really not "high". It's below what we would consider SLAM (Shock Level And Maintain) level, which in your case would be 20.

 

[bronc85]

Can you retest everything with your K-2006C? Especially the CYA (but also FC/CC). The CYA is the actual, real number we need to determine if something is truly "high". If the 50 CYA is to be believed (and we don't believe Leslie's), it's really not "high". It's below what we would consider SLAM (Shock Level And Maintain) level, which in your case would be 20.

I will go ahead and test today when I get home in the afternoon and will provide results here. According to the tech who serviced the pool (his results attached) chlorine levels were at 0 but they do not test for CYA apparently, so he dumped the 5lbs of shock in our 5,500 gal pool based on his 0 ppm chlorine reading, pool was not even green. I actually shocked the pool with 2lbs of shock the night before because it was turning slightly green and the following morning it was crystal clear, then the tech came in the afternoon and dumped the 5lbs of shock.

Thanks for your feedback

 

[Bperry]

I will go ahead and test today when I get home in the afternoon and will provide results here. According to the tech who serviced the pool (his results attached) chlorine levels were at 0 but they do not test for CYA apparently, so he dumped the 5lbs of shock in our 5,500 gal pool based on his 0 ppm chlorine reading, pool was not even green. I actually shocked the pool with 2lbs of shock the night before because it was turning slightly green and the following morning it was crystal clear, then the tech came in the afternoon and dumped the 5lbs of shock.

Thanks for your feedback

We don’t believe the pool tech test or pool store tests. Neither of those folks use a reliable test method. It sounds arrogant, but it’s sadly proven to be true more often than not. Do your own test with your kit and trust it’s results.

 

[bronc85]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the input I greatly appreciate it.

So I got home and tested the water with Taylor K-2006, here are the results:

- TA: 160 ppm
- pH: 7.4
- FC: 0.5 ppm
- CC: 0.5 ppm
- CYA: Result was not within scale, so does this mean it is way to high? Photo attached.
- CH: 1,460 (I performed this test twice, first with a 25 ml sample and I added 146 drops x 10 = 1,460. Then I ran the test again with a 10 ml sample and I ran out of reagent at 52 drops, so based on 52 drops the result confirms test over 1,300 ppm)

So far I have added 1 lb of chlorine shock. It seems I also need to drain the pool and add fresh water to lower CH levels, is this correct? I bought a Calcium filter to plug to my garden hose in case my water is to hard and not do this process in vain.

I would love to hear what you think and advise.

Thank you!

 

[SumOfOneInteger]

Yeah, man. I’m sorry to break the news to you, but you already know. Your CYA is so high that your chlorine isn’t effectively able to sanitize. Your CH is also incredibly high to the point where you’ve probably noticed scaling. See the section here for No Drain Water Exchange. Along with your hose filter, that’s your only option at this point.

 

[Bperry]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the input I greatly appreciate it.

So I got home and tested the water with Taylor K-2006, here are the results:

- TA: 160 ppm
- pH: 7.4
- FC: 0.5 ppm
- CC: 0.5 ppm
- CYA: Result was not within scale, so does this mean it is way to high? Photo attached.
- CH: 1,460 (I performed this test twice, first with a 25 ml sample and I added 146 drops x 10 = 1,460. Then I ran the test again with a 10 ml sample and I ran out of reagent at 52 drops, so based on 52 drops the result confirms test over 1,300 ppm)

So far I have added 1 lb of chlorine shock. It seems I also need to drain the pool and add fresh water to lower CH levels, is this correct? I bought a Calcium filter to plug to my garden hose in case my water is to hard and not do this process in vain.

I would love to hear what you think and advise.

Thank you!

Your CYA is pretty high. You can redo that test and get an actual number by diluting your pool water 1/1 with tap water and using that as the water sample in the CYA test. Then you just double the result to get the number. Given your calcium is also really high, draining would fix both of those problems. I wouldn’t waste money trying to SLAM it or adding more chlorine.

Some tips for the future:
1. Don’t use cal-hypo shock (it has calcium)
2. Always use the 10ml test size to save on reagents
3. If you use trichlor pucks/dichlor granules, monitor the CYA level and stop using them once the CYA gets to ~60ppm.

 

[bronc85]

Yeah, man. I’m sorry to break the news to you, but you already know. Your CYA is so high that your chlorine isn’t effectively able to sanitize. Your CH is also incredibly high to the point where you’ve probably noticed scaling. See the section here for No Drain Water Exchange. Along with your hose filter, that’s your only option at this point.

Thanks for the drain link, that pool pop is crazy! I did not even know that could happen, so I'll be careful.

 

[Newdude]

Ok. Just to recap what went down.

Pool service jacks your CYA off the charts.
The FC could no longer sanitize due to all the CYA.

The pool store has you neutralize your FC, when in fact you needed lots more.

They report the CYA is 50 when it's well over 100.


Fire. Them. All.

We got you now. And Welcome.

 

[bronc85]

Your CYA is pretty high. You can redo that test and get an actual number by diluting your pool water 1/1 with tap water and using that as the water sample in the CYA test. Then you just double the result to get the number. Given your calcium is also really high, draining would fix both of those problems. I wouldn’t waste money trying to SLAM it or adding more chlorine.

Some tips for the future:
1. Don’t use cal-hypo shock (it has calcium)
2. Always use the 10ml test size to save on reagents
3. If you use trichlor pucks/dichlor granules, monitor the CYA level and stop using them once the CYA gets to ~60ppm.

I will try the suggested testing method to retest, I just need to buy more reagents because I ran out, I will use the 10ml sample to save on reagents from now on. And I will drain pool.

From the tips you suggest I have some questions if you do not mind answering:
- Don’t use cal-hypo shock (it has calcium) - That is actually what I am using, what should I use instead?
- If you use trichlor pucks/dichlor granules, monitor the CYA level and stop using them once the CYA gets to ~60ppm - I am using trichlor pucks. If CYA levels increase again, is there something I can use instead? Or the only solution is draining so I can start using them again.

Thank you!

 

[bronc85]

Ok. Just to recap what went down.

Pool service jacks your CYA off the charts.
The FC could no longer sanitize due to all the CYA.

The pool store has you neutralize your FC, when in fact you needed lots more.

They report the CYA is 50 when it's well over 100.


Fire. Them. All.

We got you now. And Welcome.

Thanks!

 

[Bperry]

I will try the suggested testing method to retest, I just need to buy more reagents because I ran out, I will use the 10ml sample to save on reagents from now on. And I will drain pool.

From the tips you suggest I have some questions if you do not mind answering:
- Don’t use cal-hypo shock (it has calcium) - That is actually what I am using, what should I use instead?
- If you use trichlor pucks/dichlor granules, monitor the CYA level and stop using them once the CYA gets to ~60ppm - I am using trichlor pucks. If CYA levels increase again, is there something I can use instead? Or the only solution is draining so I can start using them again.

Thank you!

Use liquid chlorine. The SLAM can also only be done with liquid chlorine. Or get a salt chlorinator. And don’t go back for the pool store, they really messed up.

 

[bronc85]

Use liquid chlorine. The SLAM can also only be done with liquid chlorine. Or get a salt chlorinator. And don’t go back for the pool store, they really messed up.

Got it, thanks for the info.