I've got absolutely no clue where to start!

[Strawberryshortcake]

Is there a way to test ammonia?

I’m leaning towards bad bleach too. Before picking up the pool chlorine I was using 6% great value bleach and noticed marked improvement in the days i was using it (see first pics compared to last). I switched to the pool chlorine and have saw no improvement and possibly today it’s looking darker again.

Not sure what to do just yet. We are probably going to take back the 17 unopened bottles. I don’t think they’re gonna have equivalent replacement of the cleaning bleach.

 

[splashpad]

Is there a way to test ammonia?

The pool wouldn't hold chlorine at all

I’m leaning towards bad bleach too. Before picking up the pool chlorine I was using 6% great value bleach and noticed marked improvement in the days i was using it (see first pics compared to last). I switched to the pool chlorine and have saw no improvement and possibly today it’s looking darker again.

Ugh, yeah I would return it, but darn it!

Not sure what to do just yet. We are probably going to take back the 17 unopened bottles. I don’t think they’re gonna have equivalent replacement of the cleaning bleach.

Hmmm, I wonder if the store manager could help with something. You guys will be big purchasers (you won't always have to get 17 bottles, lol no worries!)

 

[splashpad]

Not sure what to do just yet. We are probably going to take back the 17 unopened bottles. I don’t think they’re gonna have equivalent replacement of the cleaning bleach.

If you feel up to it, there is a way to test the bleach strength:: (but you would need a couple of gallons of Distilled Water)

1/4 teaspoon of 6% bleach in 2 gallons of chlorine-free (and chlorine-demand-free) water is 10 ppm FC. 1/4 teaspoon of 12.5% chlorinating liquid in 2 gallons is 20.4 ppm FC so 1/8th teaspoon is 10.2 ppm FC.

If you have a spare Taylor or TFTestkits bottle from one of the reagents (especially the titrating ones), then they are 24 drops per ml so 24 drops is 1/5th teaspoons. 1/4 teaspoon is about 30 drops. 1/8th teaspoon is around 15 drops.

 

[Texas Splash]

Is there a way to test ammonia?

There is (i.e. aquarium test kits) but you don't have it. If you did, you would hold zero chlorine or CYA. I was skimming through your last page of posts and it seems to be focusing on questions between pool size and bleach strength. To focus on the dosage portion using PoolMath, I use the following examples to increase the FC by 10 ppm:
- 6% strength would take 4 gallons
- 8.25% strength would take 3 gallons
- 10% strength would take 2.5 gallons
- 12% strength would take 2 gallons and 1 cup

For the sake of argument, using the 6% strength as an example, if it was from 18-345 day, that's something like 11 Dec. That's about 4.5 months ago. While some of those months were cold, the bleach is still aging. Some of that bleach may have only been 4-5% strong by that point. I say all that only to point out that it's easy to see why some of your FC levels may be coming out lower than expected. I've been going to Home Depot ever since my local grocery chain lowered their bleach from 8.25% to 6%. But on my first trip, I opened the box only to find some Dec 18 bottles inside. My 2nd trip I opened each box open and got the freshest I could find. It sounds like your area may not have the greatest selections, but keep looking and be realistic about what you may be forced to work with strength-wise. It may force you to dose and test more frequently, but you'll get it.

 

[Sharkygirl]

Awesome job. Keep in touch with Texas, he will steer you in the right direction.

 

[Strawberryshortcake]

Okay.

I exchanged my chlorine for 6% cleaning bleach which had a day starting with 19 (can't recall the rest of the numbers right now).

I tested about 45 minutes ago and according to test, at 4.5. I added what the app told me, 3 gallons. I brushed the whole pool and leafed it, pump was running. I retested. It said 3.5

So.. I ran the test again, but I didn't use the speedstir. Swishing/swirling the bottle while dropping (or pausing for a millisecond so I didn't miss the opening), I got 8.5.

I smell chlorine in the water. I smell it on my hands after handling the pool water. I feel like the 8.5 is right. I could certainly be wrong.

At this point I am not sure which to believe. Can the speedstir agitate too much?

Getting pretty frustrated & down

In addition, the walls of the liner have turned an orangey color. It wasn't like this last night. I feel it is something to do with what I added last night - CYA and PH up and bleach. It is an even coating all the way down starting at the water line. Again, it wasn't there before the chems added last night. I feel it is much too even a coverage (100% under the waterline) to be anything but a chem reaction? The pool water itself is green, but cloudier then just a day ago after dealing with this bleach issue. I feel I was making more progress just dumping 2-4 gallons in a night.

 

[mknauss]

Does your fill water have iron in it?

 

[splashpad]

Okay.

I exchanged my chlorine for 6% cleaning bleach which had a day starting with 19 (can't recall the rest of the numbers right now).

Yay!

I tested about 45 minutes ago and according to test, at 4.5. I added what the app told me, 3 gallons. I brushed the whole pool and leafed it, pump was running. I retested. It said 3.5

Are you checking for CC's?

So.. I ran the test again, but I didn't use the speedstir. Swishing/swirling the bottle while dropping (or pausing for a millisecond so I didn't miss the opening), I got 8.5.

I smell chlorine in the water. I smell it on my hands after handling the pool water. I feel like the 8.5 is right. I could certainly be wrong.

At this point I am not sure which to believe. Can the speedstir agitate too much?

Speedstir improves the accuracy of the results, are you testing for CC's?

Getting pretty frustrated & down

Hang in there!! Green swamps take the most to clear out!

In addition, the walls of the liner have turned an orangey color. It wasn't like this last night. I feel it is something to do with what I added last night - CYA and PH up and bleach. It is an even coating all the way down starting at the water line. Again, it wasn't there before the chems added last night. I feel it is much too even a coverage (100% under the waterline) to be anything but a chem reaction? The pool water itself is green, but cloudier then just a day ago after dealing with this bleach issue. I feel I was making more progress just dumping 2-4 gallons in a night.

That is definitely a chem reaction, I would venture low PH, but you added PH up....

 

[Strawberryshortcake]

No iron that I know of. It’s just a standard sand filter as far as I know. I am on city water.

I added 4 gallons of bleach (6%) (filter running) and agitated the water. Retested at 6.5 - seems impossible for me to reach 12.
Did the CC test... 8? That seems nuts. It took 16 drops.
Results using the speedstir.

Got 10ml pool water in chlorine only tube.
Sat on speedstir.
Added scoop of powder. (R-0870)
Added drops until pink. (R-0871)
Added solution to test CCs. (R-0003)
Readded drops until clear. (R-0871)

 

[Strawberryshortcake]

When I did the CC test by hand, yesterday (first time), it was 1.5
Today (by hand) it was 0.5
Tonight, that 8 result. Using the speedstir the first time for it.

 

[mknauss]

Be sure your vial and stir bar are well rinsed. When adding the liquid reagent, you hold the bottle vertical and let the drops fall off the tip. You do not squeeze the bottle.

 

[splashpad]

When I did the CC test by hand, yesterday (first time), it was 1.5
Today (by hand) it was 0.5
Tonight, that 8 result. Using the speedstir the first time for it.

So it seems like you finally broke through Ammonia (very likely) and that Pool Chlorine might not have been bad, whoops!

 

[splashpad]

I added 4 gallons of bleach (6%) (filter running) and agitated the water. Retested at 6.5 - seems impossible for me to reach 12.
Did the CC test... 8? That seems nuts. It took 16 drops.
Results using the speedstir.

That sounds exactly right for "smelling" so much chlorine (as noted earlier).
CC's (combined chloramines) are spent chlorine and what give under-sanitized pools the chlorine 'smell'.

 

[Strawberryshortcake]

Okay. So I did have ammonia? Seems to be conflicting answers to that earlier (yes & no!)
What should I be doing now? It is getting late, so I have about 2 more hours.
Almost out of powder reagent (they don't give you much!?), I ordered some more from Amazon so that I would get it by Thurs.

 

[mknauss]

Your test results appear to be all over the place. I would suggest to take a break and start fresh tomorrow.

 

[splashpad]

Okay. So I did have ammonia? Seems to be conflicting answers to that earlier (yes & no!)

Without being able to test those first few days when adding the bleach, it's hard to say. Something broke through....

What should I be doing now? It is getting late, so I have about 2 more hours.

It's up to you, but you can prob call it a night and get some rest!

Almost out of powder reagent (they don't give you much!?), I ordered some more from Amazon so that I would get it by Thurs.

No it doesn't (when in SLAM Process-mode) ... That is great! ?

 

[Strawberryshortcake]

Okay. I’ll do something else for tonight LOL. My arms are sore.

However, hubby just came inside and informed me he located a huge patch of leafs in the deep end, impossible to see. It was in the very center where the pole hardly can get to. He guesses it was at least 20lbs (saturated with water weight).

Fairly certain MOST of them are gone now. Just impossible to see through the murk so, who knows. I am sure that was contributing to something.

 

[splashpad]

Okay. I’ll do something else for tonight LOL. My arms are sore.

However, hubby just came inside and informed me he located a huge patch of leafs in the deep end, impossible to see. It was in the very center where the pole hardly can get to. He guesses it was at least 20lbs (saturated with water weight).

Fairly certain MOST of them are gone now. Just impossible to see through the murk so, who knows. I am sure that was contributing to something.

You guys will get on the right side of this before you know it!

That is AWESOME! GO Hubby!

Definitely! If you feel like it, you could grab 1 jug of the (newest dated) 10% and 1gal of distilled water tomorrow and test the potency. In case you aren't sick of testing
Otherwise you can stick with the 6% that you know is working! Totally up to you!

:edit: Off-script Idea, You could also save some of the FAS-DPD regent and use the (cheaper, not accurate to read) yellow OTO until you start getting a dark orange color. Then use the FAS-DPD to hone in on your SLAM Process FC target, FC/CYA Levels

 

[splashpad]

Just saw this when I reread...

...The pool water itself is green, but cloudier then just a day ago after dealing with this bleach issue...

That could (should) actually be the dead algae

 

[Strawberryshortcake]

Shhh I’m not still awake

I peeked out there a minute ago and was excited to see a ton of algae on the steps. I hadnt saw that all day today, but was there previous days. I’m assuming it’s dead, swirls away with movement. So stuff is dying again!