I just found this forum today and am looking forward to delving into all the information here! I have a 16x32 inground pool with a sand filter and in-line chlorinator and haven't been able to get a chlorine reading this season except for once (after shocking with 4 bags of shock and another 4 three hours later as recommended by the pool store who said I had a chlorine lock). Within 36 hours the strip was reading no chlorine again despite the chlorinator being filled and running on max. I ordered a test kit and am hoping to get some advice here once I have accurate numbers. The local pool store said I have nitrates in the water and that chlorine wouldn't show up on the strips and not to worry about it, but it didn't seem right.
Hello from New Jersey
- Thread starter Chris F
- Start date
Greetings from the other side of the Delaware! By coincidence, I am also a Chris F! Here at TFP we trust neither "guess strips" nor pool store testing. The most important thing you can do to get control of your pool is to get yourself a proper test kit.
www.troublefreepool.com
I suggest you read
www.troublefreepool.com
Swimming Pool Test Kits Compared
What pool test kit should I buy? Why not use test strips? Our recommended test kits will pay for themselves in no time!
www.troublefreepool.com
I suggest you read
ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry
There are several items things every pool owner should know about swimming pool water. We share details on the basics of Pool Water Chemistry.
www.troublefreepool.com
"Chlorine Lock" is pool-storese for "Your CYA levels have gone through the roof from years of using trichlor tablets, and you will probably have to do a partial drain and refill before you will be able to maintain an effective sanitizer level"
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Thanks! And also ugh since the pool store guy told me I had no stabilizer and to put 5 lbs of stabilizer in, so as high as it was before, it's probably ridiculously high now . . . I ordered a TF100, just waiting on it to come in. I'm definitely going to read the ABC's. I'll have to wait until I get the test kit to figure out how much I need to drain, I guess
In another coincidence, I also play the bass (double bass mainly these days, but I used to also play a lot of bass guitar)!
Cool! I've got a double bass (cheapo plywood but plays pretty well ), Ibanez SG 4 and 5 string, a Hoffner hollow body and a no-name acoustic bass guitar.
Don't make any plans until you can do your own testing. Post your results here and we will help you figure out what to do next. Until your kit comes, get some liquid chlorine (may be sold as liquid shock, comes in 10% or 12.5% sold at home depot, lowes, walmart, ace hardware etc ... or even some regular bleach from the grocery store ( you want the plain bleach, no additives, sometimes sold as cleaning bleach)) and use PoolMath to figure out how much you will need to add to add 5ppm of chlorine to your water and add that daily until you can get some proper test results. It is possible that CYA is not the problem and you just have a huge algae bloom developing, but we won't know until we can test your CYA. What test kit did you order? It is completely impossible for you to have "chlorine lock" and no stabilizer at the same time. One of those two claims must be false. 
Thanks! I ordered the TF100. The water is completely clear if that means anything, but I'll have to wait until the kit comes. It looks like the big box stores in my area all out of chlorine with people panic buying, but I should be able to get some regular bleach at the grocery store. As an aside, I came across "water exchange" on here as an alternative to draining and that seems like the way I'll go if I have to replace water. My liner is old and I'm nervous about bringing the water level too low.Don't make any plans until you can do your own testing. Post your results here and we will help you figure out what to do next. Until your kit comes, get some liquid chlorine (may be sold as liquid shock, comes in 10% or 12.5% sold at home depot, lowes, walmart, ace hardware etc ... or even some regular bleach from the grocery store ( you want the plain bleach, no additives, sometimes sold as cleaning bleach)) and use PoolMath to figure out how much you will need to add to add 5ppm of chlorine to your water and add that daily until you can get some proper test results. It is possible that CYA is not the problem and you just have a huge algae bloom developing, but we won't know until we can test your CYA. What test kit did you order? It is completely impossible for you to have "chlorine lock" and no stabilizer at the same time. One of those two claims must be false.
I learned to play an Ibanez! I don't remember the model. It played well, but it weighed a ton! These days, I mostly play on an old Tobias Growler 5 that I've had since high school when I'm playing electric. My good double bass was rough cut in germany in the 30's and then finished by a luthier in Allentown, PA (William Pearse) sometime in the early 40's. It's a 7/8 size, so it's a bit on the bulky side, but it gets a great sound for orchestral playing. I have a 3/4 plywood bass that I use for jazz. It's a little smaller and I have the action lower so it's easier to get around.
