Sure! One quick question though: I'm supposed to keep adding drops until I can't se the black dot *at all*, right?
Is this normal?
- Thread starter LS1M
- Start date
Correct, there shouldn't even be a hint that it was ever there even when you stare at it for a few seconds. Some people get mixed up because they can still see the round circle of the bottom of the tube, which doesn't count, and mistakenly think it is the black dot. Watch for the black dot inside the circle of the bottom of the tube. This test should be done in bright light, ideally indirect sunlight.
Here's a link from Taylor which has pics of the CYA test. 
Scroll to bottom for pics:
http://www.taylortechnologies.com/Chemi ... ntentID=44
Scroll to bottom for pics:http://www.taylortechnologies.com/Chemi ... ntentID=44
Picture of my cloudy pool: Notice you can't see the pool liner thru the muck
My highly scientific test setup:
Results with plain pool water:
Results with filtered water:
-Mark
My highly scientific test setup:
Results with plain pool water:
Results with filtered water:
-Mark
Well, I'd say your method was perfect. Thanks. I have two thoughts.
1. I know I'm looking through the side but are you comfortable that the dot was obscured when you peered down from the top? Both examples look clearer than I would expect.
2. So I would call those results both 35ppm because the accuracy of the test is normally somewhere around plus/minus 10ppm and 15ppm is probably more like it. The coffee filter really makes little difference at least for the accuracy what we test.
1. I know I'm looking through the side but are you comfortable that the dot was obscured when you peered down from the top? Both examples look clearer than I would expect.
2. So I would call those results both 35ppm because the accuracy of the test is normally somewhere around plus/minus 10ppm and 15ppm is probably more like it. The coffee filter really makes little difference at least for the accuracy what we test.
1. The dot was obscured completely, looking down from the top, in both tests. I tried to take a picture from that angle, but it didn't turn out (Iphone).
2. Cool; then I erred on the high side when I originally tested, because I used CYA of 40 to determine my shock levels.
The amount of CYA makes a huge difference on the required FC for shocking. If I had messed up the test, or the pool store tested the water and said it was at a CYA of 70 instead of 40, that increases my shock value from 16 to 28. What would happen if I put in a heck of a lot more bleach than I needed to, so I could reach an incorrect shock level? Would I have hurt anything? Or just wasted a lot of bleach?
Thanks
-Mark (still learning something new almost every day - I guess I'm not dead yet
)
2. Cool; then I erred on the high side when I originally tested, because I used CYA of 40 to determine my shock levels.
The amount of CYA makes a huge difference on the required FC for shocking. If I had messed up the test, or the pool store tested the water and said it was at a CYA of 70 instead of 40, that increases my shock value from 16 to 28. What would happen if I put in a heck of a lot more bleach than I needed to, so I could reach an incorrect shock level? Would I have hurt anything? Or just wasted a lot of bleach?
Thanks
-Mark (still learning something new almost every day - I guess I'm not dead yet
)
Probably neither. If you expose your liner to chlorine outside the ranges suggested in the FC/CYA chart FOR PROLONGED PERIODS, you can bleach out and shorten the life of your liner but I suspect one overdose will make virtually no difference.
The extra bleach will be somewhat wasted but lot of it will be keeping the pool sanitary and crystal clear.
LS1M said:At 9 last night, I measured FC at 18.5. This morning at 8 it was at 18. That's good, right?
For the first time in weeks, I can see the bottom of my pool. Wow - I didn't know there was so much junk on the bottom! I was able to vacuum a lot of it up:
That's a lot of leaves! I cleaned out that leaf trap & did a back-flush, added more bleach, and hopefully I can call this a success soon. It's still very, very cloudy.
It's been about 9 days at shock level. I'm getting close, I can feel it....
I'm also going to double-check my CYA after I let the filter work for a couple of hours. Someone told me when the water's cloudy, I'm supposed to run it thru a coffee filter & let it get to room temp before measuring, so I'm going to try that.
-Mark
Wow, that's a lot of junk in the bottom,
that's a big reason why the chlorine keeps falling! The chlorine was too busy eating up them leaves... 
Hopefully you got them all out.
Chuck
Yeah, but it was so cloudy I couldn't see 'em! I was brushing every day, and figured that big dark cloud of stuff that I moved around was just dirt or something. I didn't know it was a pile of leaves.
I didn't get them all out; maybe 90%. I got tired after an hour of vacuuming. I need to get a bigger hose. My little 1" vac line kept getting clogged up.
"Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better" (from the Pink Panther)
Does anyone know how I can adapt a full-size pool vac hose to the standard Intex return? I bought a little vacuum off the internet for $50 that came with an adapter plate, but it's for a 1" hose. I need something that'll eat leaves.
-Mark
I didn't get them all out; maybe 90%. I got tired after an hour of vacuuming. I need to get a bigger hose. My little 1" vac line kept getting clogged up.
"Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better" (from the Pink Panther)
Does anyone know how I can adapt a full-size pool vac hose to the standard Intex return? I bought a little vacuum off the internet for $50 that came with an adapter plate, but it's for a 1" hose. I need something that'll eat leaves.
-Mark
Insects such as caterpillars, butterflies, moths, and grasshoppers are leaf eaters but I don't think they are good swimmers :lol:
Or you could try Pentair R211036 Leaf Eater or similar leaf eater, seen one at Wal-Mart that was cheap.
Or you could try Pentair R211036 Leaf Eater or similar leaf eater, seen one at Wal-Mart that was cheap.
I put everything I have learned so far into one big list. It's not finished yet, but I wanted everything I needed in one place. Plus, I was bored. Comments are welcome, as I would like to retain this document for next year because I'll probably forget. And, it's not finished yet because I'm still shocking my pool. See what you think:
-Mark
Turning a green pool blue again
I’ve gone through this for the first time, and wanted to document how to do this right, omitting all the stupid mistakes that I made, both for myself and anyone else, so everything is in one place. First of all, for the pool setup, this year I installed a skimmer and I took my good sweet time slowly adding water, adjusting the liner & such so it would be centered (was a little off last year & some of the poles popped out), and raised the level up to just about where my new skimmer would go. The pool is an Intex 6300 gallon 18’ metal-frame, now with a Hydro-tools skimmer and a 2650gph Intex 100lb sand pump. All upgrades I would highly recommend. I also built a deck and my own PVC ladder.
However, taking so long to fill the pool, by the time I got all that work done, algae had taken over completely. Instead of listing what I did, I’ll list the proper steps to bringing the pool back to sparkling blue.
Part “A†– shock that pool!
1. Read everything you can at http://www.troublefreepool.com, especially pool school (pool-school/) and the “BBB†method (pool-school/bbb_for_pools) which basically means you’re going to use inexpensive stuff to treat your pool (Bleach, Baking soda & Borax).
2. Buy a decent test kit. I got one of these:
http://www.tftestkits.net/
You’re going to have to shock the pool – bring up the free chlorine really, really high – and standard Walmart test kits don’t read high enough. It’s also (I’m told) more accurate than the free testing they do in pool stores. Besides, every time they give you a “free†test, they try to sell you something, which is very annoying.
3. Read how to shock your pool (pool-school/types_chlorine_pool ).
4. Buy a LOT of plain, unscented, inexpensive bleach. Walmart in my area has 182oz “Great Value†bleach (active ingredient 6%) for $3. Getting rid of algae is all about using the active ingredient in bleach (a form of chlorine) to “eat†the organic matter in the pool, which includes Algae, leaves, combined chlorine, pee – everything that makes it cloudy and gross.
5. Once the pool is full & ready to run, start the filter pump up & make sure it’s working OK (check for leaks, etc.) Back-flush if necessary. Let the pump run for several hours to get things circulating. If you use a salt-water generator usually, leave it off for now. There’s no way it’ll be able to create enough chlorine to get rid of algae. Once the pool chemistry is right and the pool goes from repulsive to inviting, then it’s time to use the saltwater generator to maintain the chlorine level.
6. Vacuum or skim the leaves out as best you can. You can’t see them, but they’re there. In my case, with a circular pool, they formed a mound in the middle of the pool. For days I thought it was just a big shadow; it wasn’t.
7. Take out your brand-new little chemistry kit and follow the directions to measure free chlorine (FC). Don’t use the “daily†test – use the other one where you count the drops and swirl the sample around. In all likelihood, it’ll be zero or almost zero. Make sure you sample about 18†below the surface, after the filter has been running for a while.
8. Measure your cyanuric acid (CYA) with the test kit. You might want to run the pool water sample through a coffee filter first; there’s some debate as to whether this affects the accuracy of the test, but in any case, it can’t hurt. This is the test with the black dot at the bottom of the tube; you want to add drops per the directions until you can’t see the black dot *at all*. Best done in indirect sunlight, and don’t mistake the bottom of the tube for a dot. Repeat this test if you’re not sure; it’s important to nail this number. If you just filled your pool up, this number will be really low or zero.
9. With FC and CYA numbers in hand, go to CYA/Chlorine chart:
pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock
Find your CYA level (let’s say it’s 40) and the corresponding FC level to shock it (16 for a CYA of 40). So let’s say your target FC to shock the pool – which means get rid of the algae and all the other Crud in there so it’ll be clear blue instead of sludge – is 16.
10. Pull up the Pool Calculator:
http://www.poolcalculator.com/
and start putting in numbers. First, put in the size of your pool in gallons (you can also use metric units if you change it, at the top of the form). I was able to figure that out from the pool manual, since I have a manufactured above-ground pool; there’s a section further down that will calculate it based on dimensions. Then fill out the FC level in the “Now†section that you measured (say it was 1.5) and the target section (in this example, 16). Press the TAB button or click on another field, and the calculator will show you how many ounces of bleach you need to add to the pool, to achieve a “shock level†of 16. Look on the bottle of bleach, for the active ingredient; the Walmart brand is 6%; you may have to change this number based on what you bought, and that will change the number of ounces. In this example (6300 gallons, FC of 1.5, target of 16, 6% bleach) it recommends adding 189 ounces of bleach. Remember that number. (You can also mouse-over the “ounces†and it’ll convert that into gallons/quarts etc. at the top).
11. Back outside, grab your bottle of bleach, and measure out the bleach (189 ounces). Pour it into the stream of water coming from the filter back INTO the pool; do NOT pour it into the skimmer or the pump suction. Pure bleach can attack the pump seals & gaskets & you’ll end up with a leak.
12. Let the filter pump run for a couple of hours, then re-test your free-chlorine (FC) level. You may have to adjust your bleach use up or down, based on the FC level. If it’s too high, then put less bleach in than the pool calculator says (or decrease your pool size). If it’s too low, then put in more (or increase your pool size in the calculator).
13. The idea is to never let the FC level fall below shock level. In my case, I have a job. I can’t baby-sit my pool during the 12 hours it takes to go to work & come back, or overnight when I tend to sleep most, so what I did is measure the FC level in the morning, then again in the evening. I found it was dropping by about 7 during the day. So, I adjusted my target upward: instead of shooting for a FC level of 16 in the morning, I shot for 23. That way, through sunlight and the hungry chlorine eating up all my pool’s junk, it was still above shock level (17 or 18) by the time I got home. If it falls below shock level, you’re just wasting bleach, because the algae will start coming back again.
14. Every day, brush and/or vacuum your pool, and check your filter. Back-flush or clean your filter media as needed; it’s going to be picking up a lot of stuff, and may need to be flushed every day or two. Measure your FC, plug that number into the pool calculator, and add bleach as needed. Your filter pump should be running 24/7, unless you’re servicing it.
15. If you don’t have a pool brush, you can go to the pool store and buy one. Don’t tell them what you’re doing. They’ll just start in with “bleach is going to ruin your pool†or “Never listen to those trolls on the Internet!†or “This bag of chemicals is what you really need…†Justyou’re your stuff, smile, and leave.
16. Create an account at troublefreepool.com and start a topic. These guys have helped me out tremendously, they know what they’re talking about probably more than any of your local pool stores, and they’re not trying to sell you anything. They can give you hints & tips (that’s where I got all of this information) and help you if something comes up.
17. Be patient. It can take over a week to clear up the water, especially if you use a sand filter. You’ll know when the chlorine is done doing its job when the FC drops by 1 or less overnight. At that point, you will find you’re adding less bleach and basically waiting for the filter to finish clearing the water.
18. There’s a second part of the FC test that I didn’t mention before. One of the things you’re getting rid of with all this chlorine is “combined chlorineâ€. It’s present whenever the free chlorine is “combining†with something nasty. Start testing for combined chlorine levels once your water starts to clear up.
19. You are DONE shocking your pool when the water is clear, you lose 1 ppm of free chlorine (or less) overnight, and your combined chlorine (CC) is 0.5 or less.
-Mark
Turning a green pool blue again
I’ve gone through this for the first time, and wanted to document how to do this right, omitting all the stupid mistakes that I made, both for myself and anyone else, so everything is in one place. First of all, for the pool setup, this year I installed a skimmer and I took my good sweet time slowly adding water, adjusting the liner & such so it would be centered (was a little off last year & some of the poles popped out), and raised the level up to just about where my new skimmer would go. The pool is an Intex 6300 gallon 18’ metal-frame, now with a Hydro-tools skimmer and a 2650gph Intex 100lb sand pump. All upgrades I would highly recommend. I also built a deck and my own PVC ladder.
However, taking so long to fill the pool, by the time I got all that work done, algae had taken over completely. Instead of listing what I did, I’ll list the proper steps to bringing the pool back to sparkling blue.
Part “A†– shock that pool!
1. Read everything you can at http://www.troublefreepool.com, especially pool school (pool-school/) and the “BBB†method (pool-school/bbb_for_pools) which basically means you’re going to use inexpensive stuff to treat your pool (Bleach, Baking soda & Borax).
2. Buy a decent test kit. I got one of these:
http://www.tftestkits.net/
You’re going to have to shock the pool – bring up the free chlorine really, really high – and standard Walmart test kits don’t read high enough. It’s also (I’m told) more accurate than the free testing they do in pool stores. Besides, every time they give you a “free†test, they try to sell you something, which is very annoying.
3. Read how to shock your pool (pool-school/types_chlorine_pool ).
4. Buy a LOT of plain, unscented, inexpensive bleach. Walmart in my area has 182oz “Great Value†bleach (active ingredient 6%) for $3. Getting rid of algae is all about using the active ingredient in bleach (a form of chlorine) to “eat†the organic matter in the pool, which includes Algae, leaves, combined chlorine, pee – everything that makes it cloudy and gross.
5. Once the pool is full & ready to run, start the filter pump up & make sure it’s working OK (check for leaks, etc.) Back-flush if necessary. Let the pump run for several hours to get things circulating. If you use a salt-water generator usually, leave it off for now. There’s no way it’ll be able to create enough chlorine to get rid of algae. Once the pool chemistry is right and the pool goes from repulsive to inviting, then it’s time to use the saltwater generator to maintain the chlorine level.
6. Vacuum or skim the leaves out as best you can. You can’t see them, but they’re there. In my case, with a circular pool, they formed a mound in the middle of the pool. For days I thought it was just a big shadow; it wasn’t.
7. Take out your brand-new little chemistry kit and follow the directions to measure free chlorine (FC). Don’t use the “daily†test – use the other one where you count the drops and swirl the sample around. In all likelihood, it’ll be zero or almost zero. Make sure you sample about 18†below the surface, after the filter has been running for a while.
8. Measure your cyanuric acid (CYA) with the test kit. You might want to run the pool water sample through a coffee filter first; there’s some debate as to whether this affects the accuracy of the test, but in any case, it can’t hurt. This is the test with the black dot at the bottom of the tube; you want to add drops per the directions until you can’t see the black dot *at all*. Best done in indirect sunlight, and don’t mistake the bottom of the tube for a dot. Repeat this test if you’re not sure; it’s important to nail this number. If you just filled your pool up, this number will be really low or zero.
9. With FC and CYA numbers in hand, go to CYA/Chlorine chart:
pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock
Find your CYA level (let’s say it’s 40) and the corresponding FC level to shock it (16 for a CYA of 40). So let’s say your target FC to shock the pool – which means get rid of the algae and all the other Crud in there so it’ll be clear blue instead of sludge – is 16.
10. Pull up the Pool Calculator:
http://www.poolcalculator.com/
and start putting in numbers. First, put in the size of your pool in gallons (you can also use metric units if you change it, at the top of the form). I was able to figure that out from the pool manual, since I have a manufactured above-ground pool; there’s a section further down that will calculate it based on dimensions. Then fill out the FC level in the “Now†section that you measured (say it was 1.5) and the target section (in this example, 16). Press the TAB button or click on another field, and the calculator will show you how many ounces of bleach you need to add to the pool, to achieve a “shock level†of 16. Look on the bottle of bleach, for the active ingredient; the Walmart brand is 6%; you may have to change this number based on what you bought, and that will change the number of ounces. In this example (6300 gallons, FC of 1.5, target of 16, 6% bleach) it recommends adding 189 ounces of bleach. Remember that number. (You can also mouse-over the “ounces†and it’ll convert that into gallons/quarts etc. at the top).
11. Back outside, grab your bottle of bleach, and measure out the bleach (189 ounces). Pour it into the stream of water coming from the filter back INTO the pool; do NOT pour it into the skimmer or the pump suction. Pure bleach can attack the pump seals & gaskets & you’ll end up with a leak.
12. Let the filter pump run for a couple of hours, then re-test your free-chlorine (FC) level. You may have to adjust your bleach use up or down, based on the FC level. If it’s too high, then put less bleach in than the pool calculator says (or decrease your pool size). If it’s too low, then put in more (or increase your pool size in the calculator).
13. The idea is to never let the FC level fall below shock level. In my case, I have a job. I can’t baby-sit my pool during the 12 hours it takes to go to work & come back, or overnight when I tend to sleep most, so what I did is measure the FC level in the morning, then again in the evening. I found it was dropping by about 7 during the day. So, I adjusted my target upward: instead of shooting for a FC level of 16 in the morning, I shot for 23. That way, through sunlight and the hungry chlorine eating up all my pool’s junk, it was still above shock level (17 or 18) by the time I got home. If it falls below shock level, you’re just wasting bleach, because the algae will start coming back again.
14. Every day, brush and/or vacuum your pool, and check your filter. Back-flush or clean your filter media as needed; it’s going to be picking up a lot of stuff, and may need to be flushed every day or two. Measure your FC, plug that number into the pool calculator, and add bleach as needed. Your filter pump should be running 24/7, unless you’re servicing it.
15. If you don’t have a pool brush, you can go to the pool store and buy one. Don’t tell them what you’re doing. They’ll just start in with “bleach is going to ruin your pool†or “Never listen to those trolls on the Internet!†or “This bag of chemicals is what you really need…†Justyou’re your stuff, smile, and leave.
16. Create an account at troublefreepool.com and start a topic. These guys have helped me out tremendously, they know what they’re talking about probably more than any of your local pool stores, and they’re not trying to sell you anything. They can give you hints & tips (that’s where I got all of this information) and help you if something comes up.
17. Be patient. It can take over a week to clear up the water, especially if you use a sand filter. You’ll know when the chlorine is done doing its job when the FC drops by 1 or less overnight. At that point, you will find you’re adding less bleach and basically waiting for the filter to finish clearing the water.
18. There’s a second part of the FC test that I didn’t mention before. One of the things you’re getting rid of with all this chlorine is “combined chlorineâ€. It’s present whenever the free chlorine is “combining†with something nasty. Start testing for combined chlorine levels once your water starts to clear up.
19. You are DONE shocking your pool when the water is clear, you lose 1 ppm of free chlorine (or less) overnight, and your combined chlorine (CC) is 0.5 or less.