It’s one that you either have to send to an expensive lab, buy an expensive (for a this one time use) meter, or get a pretty close level from the pool store for free. Most folks go with the pool store and for once we approve that. 
No, that would be about the only thing time we would say go to the pool store for a free test. Home testing for metals generally is not cost effective.Never considered it - is that a test that comes in the TFT-100 kit I bought?
Today and tomorrow i should be able to hit it almost every 3 hours during the work day. 0700, 1000, 1245, 1615. Was unable to brush it last night, but I will tonight and keep at it. I am targeting an FC of 16.All blooms being different of course, usually 2 days of hitting it hard is enough to get over the hump where the FC mostly holds for 8-10 hours. You are making progress no matter what but it’s slower by less time Maintained at SLAM level in between tests.
I bet that if you stay the current course, the weekend battle will be a bit easier and hitting it every 2-3 hours on Saturday will make longer holds on Sunday. By Monday you should have shifted into the filtering out part of the battle while the FC mostly holds ok as everything is dead.
The more you do between now and then is that much less to kill on the weekend when you have more time.
That will make a lot of headroom. Even if there’s more to be done after, that much less will need doing.Today and tomorrow i should be able to hit it almost every 3 hours during the work day. 0700, 1000, 1245, 1615. Was unable to brush it last night, but I will tonight and keep at it. I am targeting an FC of 16
No. Pool stores will test for metals. The test kits are somewhat expensive.Never considered it - is that a test that comes in the TFT-100 kit I bought?
It most certainly will. Well DONE so far. If the results tomorrow or the next day aren’t entirely visible it means that the Algae was really really bad, *not* that you could have done more or the process needs to be changed.Hoping another day of me hitting it full time every 2-3 hours will make a lot of headway
The proverbial AND literal OhDark30.8/27/21 - 0030 - FC: 15
Cloudy is dead algae. Your sand filter is slow on that.Am I still just keeping at this guys?
That can wait. Dead algae is dead. It will not yield to a clear pool, but as soon as you can vac it up, you should be able to move to completion.but then they would have to vacuum the dead algae if it clears up while I am gone, right?
No, no iron staining problems on plumbing fixtures, and no water softener. I have used Bioguard Banish, Bioguard Back Up 2, and Bioguard Power Floc. I know I used the Banish this summer and that has copper in it, so maybe that's my issue?That can wait. Dead algae is dead. It will not yield to a clear pool, but as soon as you can vac it up, you should be able to move to completion.
Does your home have iron staining problems on plumbing fixtures? Do you have a whole house water softener? Have you every used copper containing algaecide or other products?