Help! High chlorine and still some algae

[MorticiaJD]

Went to the pool store today (I know, I know, just got on this forum so I was uneducated). Here are the results I was given:
Free Chlorine: 8.42
Total Chlorine: 9.04
PH: 6.8
Total Alkalinity: 67
Calcium Hardness: 503
Cyanuric Acid: 144
Phosphates: 4786 PPM

Husband has been "in charge" of our 30,000 gallon pool and was using chlorine tabs. I took over during this pandemic and am trying to fix some (little) green algae.

Added 10 lbs of soda ash yesterday. (before the test). Just added 10 more lbs.

Here are my questions: (and thank you in advance to anyone that can help)
1. We CAN'T drain the pool due to drought restrictions. What do I do about Cyanuric acid level if anything?
2. It's been two hours and the PH is not much higher even though I added another 10lbs of soda ash after testing was done at their recommendation.
3. Do I need to do anything else to fight the little bit of algae other than correct the PH so the chlorine (which seems high!) can work?

I promise to be eternally grateful for any help. Been trying to figure this out for about three days.

 

[aeh0603]

If the pool store test results are accurate (big if, we don't trust pool store testing), then your chlorine is not high enough to kill algae

1. If you can't drain to reduce CYA then you will need to maintain a much higher FC level. See link to Chlorine / CYA Chart below
2. How are you testing pH? Do you have your own test kit?
3. To fight algae, we follow the SLAM Process (see link below). Unfortunately this is difficult to follow at very high CYA levels. You will need a quality test kit to follow this method (either the TF100 from tftestkits.net, or the Taylor k2006C from Amazon or the like). pH does not have any impact on how well chlorine works, proper chlorine / CYA ratios are what prevent and treat algae.

Chlorine / CYA Chart
SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain
ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

 

[Richard320]

Have you called the water department to be sure about draining? Just a little googling found https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=160930

I suspect your CYA may be even higher than reported. Pool stores do terrible with that test.

I'm also curious how you're testing pH after adding soda ash. If it's a test strip, you'd do as well to swish a sample around in your mouth and go by taste. High chlorine levels can bleach out test strips and cause them to read wrong. And ten pounds is a HUGE amount, even for a big pool. Are you sure it wasn't Baking Soda? I come up with only five pounds needed.

You need to
1) Order up a proper test kit. That means a Taylor K2006C (The C is a must) or a TF100.
2) Get on the phone to the city and ask about draining water. Tell them you have Calcium Scale
3) Call one of the swimming pool reverse osmosis companies serving your area. I found two. There might be more.

Reverse Osmosis — Pacific Pools Inc. | SB pool construction, cleaning, water treatment

pacificpools-sb.com

We Are Expanding To Santa Barbara, California

purewaterindustries.com

If you get your CYA levels down to something reasonable and you have a proper test kit, we can walk you through things. But as it is now, the levels of chlorine you will need to measure with your astronomical CYA are beyond what any test kit can handle. You're in uncharted territory. We can't help.

 

[Jimrahbe]

If it's a test strip, you'd do as well to swish a sample around in your mouth and go by taste.

Richard,

I'm going to have to steal that one...

Thanks for the chuckle...

Jim R.