My husband (who doesn't usually do the pool stuff) decided to start our "SLAM" by adding 2 bags of 4-in-1 pool shock Saturday early afternoon. When it didn't look better (we were starting with a 'pond') by 7pm he added 6 gallons of bleach. By the time I got home around 9pm it was visibly improving (not great but a teal green instead of pond scum green) and I could smell the chlorine from several feet away. On Sunday I got out my kit but my DPD powder was empty. So I was only able to use the basic test in the blue box from my TF-100 kit. The chlorine read 0 and the ph 6.8. I was able to test the CYA but the cylinder was full and I could still see the dot (but cloudy). I let him go ahead and add 2 more bags of shock until I could get some bleach yesterday... chlorine was >10 after this. It was definitely improving yesterday... mostly blue but can only see down about 4 inches then too cloudy....but chlorine was 0 again... I added 4 more gallons of bleach and found a few more pockets of leaves to vacuum out (hard to see when water is too cloudy). Today my chlorine is definitely 10 or above but water is still very cloudy (maybe SLIGHT improvement since yesterday??)... ph is still 6.8. (oh and we added CYA on sunday evening and borax last night) I've ordered more powder but since we've already started the process I don't want to lose ground (and my husband REALLY wants it ready by the weekend). So... what do I do next? More chlorine? (we are running pump 24/7 and vacuuming a LOT)
Guidance please...
- Thread starter Kimnlogan
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,917
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
A couple things at this point that very important..
- No guessing now. You did a few "combat bombs" of stuff, but now you need to use your TF-100 (or Taylor K-2006C) and the accompanying FAS-DPD to make sure of your exact FC level.
- The SLAM FC level should match your current CYA as noted on the FC/CYA Levels. You MUST make certain of your CYA.
- An elevated FC normally makes the pH look high, but yours is low. That's odd. Please post your TA and pH again so we can advise.
- Continue to remove bulk items and sweep/brush as much as you can. Watch the filter pressure and backwash when it increases by 25%.
Be consistent and attentive to the pool and you might make very good progress. But don't stop the SLAM until you pass all 3 criteria.
- No guessing now. You did a few "combat bombs" of stuff, but now you need to use your TF-100 (or Taylor K-2006C) and the accompanying FAS-DPD to make sure of your exact FC level.
- The SLAM FC level should match your current CYA as noted on the FC/CYA Levels. You MUST make certain of your CYA.
- An elevated FC normally makes the pH look high, but yours is low. That's odd. Please post your TA and pH again so we can advise.
- Continue to remove bulk items and sweep/brush as much as you can. Watch the filter pressure and backwash when it increases by 25%.
Be consistent and attentive to the pool and you might make very good progress. But don't stop the SLAM until you pass all 3 criteria.
- No guessing now. You did a few "combat bombs" of stuff, but now you need to use your TF-100 (or Taylor K-2006C) and the accompanying FAS-DPD to make sure of your exact FC level. I do not have any more DPD powder... I've ordered it but don't expect it until at least Friday so all I have to use is the basic one that comes in the little blue box
- The SLAM FC level should match your current CYA as noted on the FC/CYA Chart. You MUST make certain of your CYA. We added stabilizer on Sunday evening. I was under the impression that it takes several days to adjust... should I go ahead and check it anyway?
- An elevated FC normally makes the pH look high, but yours is low. That's odd. Please post your TA and pH again so we can advise. TA is 20 and ph is still 6.8 as of an hour ago
- The SLAM FC level should match your current CYA as noted on the FC/CYA Chart. You MUST make certain of your CYA. We added stabilizer on Sunday evening. I was under the impression that it takes several days to adjust... should I go ahead and check it anyway?
- An elevated FC normally makes the pH look high, but yours is low. That's odd. Please post your TA and pH again so we can advise. TA is 20 and ph is still 6.8 as of an hour ago
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,917
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
The TA and pH are definitely too low. See the Recommended Chemicals link below in my sig for options to raise TA and pH (i.e. Washing Soda, Baking Soda, etc). Bring the TA up to at least 50, maybe even 60-70. The pH should be orange (7.2 or so).
For the CYA, it depends how you added it. If you used the sock method and it's all dissolved, then it should have raised your CYA to the goal you were shooting for. If you dumped the granules into the skimmer or did something else, they may not have dissolved yet.
For the FC .... well ...... just do the best you can until more powder arrives.
For the CYA, it depends how you added it. If you used the sock method and it's all dissolved, then it should have raised your CYA to the goal you were shooting for. If you dumped the granules into the skimmer or did something else, they may not have dissolved yet.
For the FC .... well ...... just do the best you can until more powder arrives.
Ok... will work on those... thanks!
LOL That's where I'm really unsure... what is best... more bleach? How much? What does my total chlorine level tell me? What should I do until the dpd arrives?
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,917
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Probably best to use PoolMath and add about the same amount you've been adding each day, Or, you can figure a clear pool should lose no more than 4 ppm of FC per day, but yours is in SLAM mode. So perhaps add about 5-6 ppm of bleach per day just to try and keep things from going backwards.
Ok... so my dpd powder arrived today...
FC is above 25 (I ran out of reagant at that point ...UGH!) and the last time we added bleach was 2 gallons yesterday and 2 gallons 48hr or so before that
CC ?? ran out of reagent so coudn't do this
CYA It was between the 40 and 50 (closer to the 50)
TA 20 (we added baking soda several days ago)
pH 6.8 (we added borax several days ago)
Calcium hardness 220
Pool is blue but still completely cloudy...opaque after about 6 inches of depth.
We bought more borax and more baking soda.... I can't find now how to put them in and in what order...
FC is above 25 (I ran out of reagant at that point ...UGH!) and the last time we added bleach was 2 gallons yesterday and 2 gallons 48hr or so before that
CC ?? ran out of reagent so coudn't do this
CYA It was between the 40 and 50 (closer to the 50)
TA 20 (we added baking soda several days ago)
pH 6.8 (we added borax several days ago)
Calcium hardness 220
Pool is blue but still completely cloudy...opaque after about 6 inches of depth.
We bought more borax and more baking soda.... I can't find now how to put them in and in what order...
- May 3, 2014
- 58,640
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Recommended Pool Chemicals
Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.
www.troublefreepool.com
How to add the chemicals is included in the above.