Issue Unknown

johnfam21

Well-known member
Apr 11, 2023
64
Wyomissing, PA
Pool Size
32000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Hi,
I am having a serious problem. I closed my pool but I keep my spa open all year. I have it covered with an insulated cover. I came to test the water and had some odd things happen. First. I tested the pH and it was 8.2 (very pink) so I added enough muriatic acid to achieve 7.6 per Pool Math App. Next, I tried to test for chlorine but can’t seem to get an accurate measurement. The sample liver clears after a couple hundred drops but it hasn’t been consistent because i had it change for me with a just a few drops so I can’t make sense of it. So I though maybe, the pH was an issue so I tried to retest it but now it becomes purple so I don’t know what the actual measurement are. When I did get the chlorine drop test to clear and tested for CC it was become very dirty dark brown.
This started yesterday and now today I came to look at the spa and the water is clear by there is foaming bubbles on the surface of the water. I had my SWG turned on but turned it off in case the chlorine is really too high.
I bought the TF-Pro Salt test kit in 3/2024.
I feel stuck and lost because I am not trusting my testing at the moment. I didn’t try to test the rest because of the unreliability of the current issue. I want to test CYA but waiting on more reagents.

Any ideas or insight would be very much appreciated!
 
@mknauss hi, I have been patiently waiting for chlorine to come down. I keep testing and still getting same results with pH turning dark pink then purple and the OTO test remaining orange. I am trying to run the other tests and also not accurate they are not resulting as expected. I am feeling lost. Could my test solutions be expired? It’s been less than a year since I’ve had them? Out of desperation, I ran a test through Leslie’s pool store which does confirm high total chlorine but very low free chlorine and CYA that is 5.
I understand pool store tests are not recommended but I have no other way to tell what is happening to my inground spa.
Any other ideas? Thank you.
 
It is not possible to have a high CC without you adding either non chlorine shock or you have ammonia in your water.
Have you done a FAS-DPD test? Do you get a high CC? Are you still adding chlorine via the SWCG to the spa?
 
It is not possible to have a high CC without you adding either non chlorine shock or you have ammonia in your water.
Have you done a FAS-DPD test? Do you get a high CC? Are you still adding chlorine via the SWCG to the spa?
I have had the SWG off and have not addded any chlorine or shock. I have been trying to do the FAS-DPD test but it’s not working. The color never clears even though I put over 100 drops and once I test for the combined chlorine, it turns dark brown and also doesn’t turn clear despite many drops. I plan to borrow a friends case to make sure it’s not my reagents making me go crazy.
 
Something is not right.

As you are treating this water as a separate entity over winter, drain it. Refill it. Start over.

Get a sample of the pool water. Test it.
 
Something is not right.

As you are treating this water as a separate entity over winter, drain it. Refill it. Start over.

Get a sample of the pool water. Test it.
Agree, something is off.

I have been contemplating starting over and thinking that may be my only option.
 
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