HELP! Pool won't hold chlorine!

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So here is my update. We drained the pool another 18 inches and refilled. When we tested we are still over 100! Just to make sure I wasn't doing the test wrong we brought a sample to the pool store and their test came up at 124 CYA. So on Saturday morning we started draining again. The submersible pump I purchased has been running 24 hours a day every since. We are almost at the 48 hour mark. We have managed to get 26 inches out of the pool. The second to last step is just exposed now. How much more do you think I should go? I turned my pool pump off last night to give it a break and now I can't get it to prime up again. There is some water in there, but nothing is coming out of the returns, so I turned the pump off again. Should I just leave it off until we are refilled? Or is there something I can do to try to get it running again? I do not want to burn out my pool pump. Also, the plaster closest to the tile has been exposed for almost 2 days. It hasn't been hot or sunny here. What do you think my next course of action should be?
 
I think it would be a good idea to get the water level back up to the skimmer(s) and re-test your CYA from there. If it's below 80, at least you have options. For your pump, give it a break until you know the waterline is halfway up to the skimmer(s) so you have adequate water flow to the pump.
 
So here is my update...We drained the pool from Saturday at 11:30am to Monday around 12:00pm. We got to almost the bottom step being exposed. We started to refill again at 12:00pm on Monday until this morning around 7:30am. I just came home an took a series of tests. Here are my results...
FC 3.5
CC 0
ph 7.4-7.5 (I couldn't decide if it was in between the 7.4 and 7.6 marks)
TA 100
CH 200
CYA... 70! (I know that is still a bit high, but I can't drain anymore! I want my pool back!)

So now what? I have spent 2 weeks trying to get the cya down and now that I am here I need some guidance as to what to do next.

I know from pool school that I need to get my free chlorine up. Do I need to SLAM the pool first or is it good based on numbers? According to pool math it looks like I need to add 2 bottles of bleach to get to 10 of chlorine. Does that sound right?

It seems like my TA might be a bit high. Thoughts?

My CH seems a bit low, which surprises me because our water is typically hard. Should I worry about this or leave it?

Thanks for all of your help and guidance!
 
70 is good! High for your area, but certainly something you can work it. Nice work. :goodjob: So here's the plan:
1. Lower pH just a tad bit more to about 7.2 (orange). You won't test it anymore until after the SLAM.
2. Increase FC to "28". That may seem high, but that's what is required simply because your CYA is still up there. Once you increase that FC, you are in SLAM mode, so follow all the steps on the SLAM page.

HINT: An FC of 28 is a lot of R-0871 drops (56 drops when using the 10ML water sample size). Example: 10ML water, one generous scoop of powder, mix and divide # of drops by 2. To save on drops, you can (in the beginning) use a "5ML" water sample, then each drop of R-0871 = 1. So basically 28 drops from pink to clear. Make sense?

Now that 5ML is not perfect or as accurate as we normally use here, but it can help you in the early stages. Once your water is crystal, CCs at 0.5 or less, and you are ready to try the overnight (OCLT) test, then you can go back to the 10 ML sample. Or just alternate from time to time if you like. I just wanted you to have a couple options.

Pass the SLAM first, then we can address your other levels. Making sure there is NO algae is step #1. Good luck!
 
Since I am at 0 cc right now and my pool is clear should I just do an overnight fc loss test to see if I need to slam?
Click to expand...
Fair enough. You might get fortunate and be in a good situation after exchanging all that water. Good luck!
 
If you would like to just increase the FC to 10 for the OCLT, that is fine. It will provide and accurate OCLT at that level as well. Tomorrow morning's results should confirm what to do next. Just make sure to do both FC tests without any sunlight on the pool. If you decide to add anymore bleach just before bed, give it 30 minutes to mix before taking your nighttime OCLT sample.
 

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So my overnight fc loss test comes in at a loss of 2. It was 10 last night around 8:45 and 8 this morning at 5:15. So is it time to SLAM? Also, my CC was .5 last night and .5 tonight. I would think that the 2 points I lost would go into CC?
 
Yes it is. That pretty-much confirms you have some organics eating your chlorine. Best to do it now while it's early and get a jump on that thing. Increase FC to 28 and maintain it until you pass all 3 criteria. Hopefully it won't take too long, but don't cut any corners. The tail end is almost always the hardest part - getting impatient.
 
SLAMing does require attention, but obviously work and other life matters take precedence. What I would recommend is that you start SLAM each morning at the crack of dawn. Test and redose every hour until you go to work. Then start again when you get home, and do it every hour until you go to bed.

Hopefully on in the weekend you can do it more often. SLAMing this way may take a little longer, but it will still work as long as you SLAM as often as you can.

Also, yes just test FC. Before you SLAM however get your PH down to 7.2. You can't get a reliable PH level once FC is above 10 anyway.
 
So I started my SLAM this afternoon. During the day I went from 8FC to 6FC, which is the same loss as last night. Isn't that weird considering the sun was on the pool all day? I am also still at .5 CC. So where did those 4 parts of chlorine go?

According to the pool math I needed 7 bottles of bleach which I put in at 4:30. Just tested now and FC is up to 27, so I added another 1/3 of a bottle. I plan on testing again at 7:30 and 8:45 for any additional bleach needs. At 9:15 I was going to test again but for the purposes of the OCLT. If when I test it at 5:15 tomorrow morning I have had less than 1 point of loss am I done with the SLAM or should I continue it throughout the day tomorrow?
 
You will be done with the SLAM when you pass the OCLT, have 0.5 CC or less, and clear water. Losing about 4 FC in 24 hours is right on the edge. So your OCLT will be a good test of what your water is doing. Do your best to maintain that FC of 28 until you know for sure you've passed all 3 SLAM criteria. Don't forget to do all the tasks on the SLAM page. Stay with it until you're sure.
 
First SLAM...very confused!

EDIT: i MOVED THESE POSTS UNDER YOUR EXISTING THREAD. PLEASE KEEP ALL YOUR INFO IN ONE PLACE.

So my pool has been open for almost a month and we are still not swimming in it. :( I have another thread about not being able to hold chlorine and through the help on that thread and the information on this website I realized that my CYA was way too high. I drained the pool and refilled over the course of 2 weeks...it seems like I ended up draining most of the water by the time I finally got down to 70 CYA. My pool is crystal clear! It always has been. There has never been any sign of algae, but after 2 weeks of almost no chlorine it was recommended that I do an overnight test of chlorine, which I failed in that I lost 2 points. So I began my SLAM.

I started it on Thursday afternoon and I am still working on it today, because I failed the overnight test again. Here are my questions:
- I have only had 0 - .5 CC on all of these tests - Shouldn't this number be higher if I am actually killing anything?
- Yesterday (Saturday) I was able to hold FC (28) at or above shock level all day because I could babysit the pool and add bleach when needed. I will be able to do the same thing today too, but Monday it's back to work and the pool will sit unattended from 7:30 - 3:30. Suggestions for how to keep it close to shock level during that length of time?
- it was suggested that I use the 5ml sample for my daily testing to save on reagents. I have been basing that on the halfway point between the 10ml mark and the bottom of the tube. Is there something more precise I could be doing?
- I have no ladders, my stairs are concrete...I haven't done the light yet. Is that what is holding me up?
- How long average should this take when you start passing 2 out of the 3 criteria?

My kids are chomping at the bit to get into the pool and I am tired of having the pool open and having nothing but problems to fix on it. It's only 2 years old and it is totally the PB and pool store's faulty for giving my bad information! I am so happy that I found this site and all of you very smart people!

Jenn
 
Re: First SLAM...very confused!

Hi there

First.....it is safe to swim at shock level for your CYA.

CC should they be higher?....not necessarily
How long a SLAM takes varies greatly
You "could" have algae hiding behind a ligh, in skimmer box any other nooks/crannies (I have)
My own experience shows the 5ml sample to be too inaccurate (I've compared it with 10ml and it wasn't close enough)

If water is crystal clear....go swim. Keep chlorine at or near shock level for your CYA. I suspect you'll pass that OCLT soon
 
I think I am done! Water is so clear I can't believe it...it has never looked this good! 0 cc and we only lost 1 point of fc overnight. I am going to keep the levels up today and double check with a test tomorrow morning just to be sure.

Now what? What should be my daily, weekly and monthly routine going forward to keep the pool looking this good?

Thanks for all of your help!
Jenn
 
So I kept the pool at shock level all day yesterday and tested again overnight and passed again! I think this means that I am done with my SLAM. So I am going to wait for chlorine levels to come down so I can take a full battery of tests and adjust as necessary.

After that what do I do to maintain the recommended level of fc? Is it best to test in the morning or afternoon? If I test in the morning, the sun could wreak havoc on fc during the day and I won't know it until the next morning. If I test in the evening and have to add chlorine the pump won't be on to circulate the chlorine until the next morning. For the past two seasons I ran the pump for 12 hours from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Any and all advice is welcomed as I try to move to the TFP method.

Thanks,
Jenn
 

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