Logging and Reporting My Pool Opening

[mmcwhorter]

UPDATE: I added 2 gal 10% liquid Cl2 from the Walmart pool products aisle....Pool Math says I should get to approx. 10 ppm. Waited 30 minutes and measured FC=8 and CC=0.5. Or maybe 0, hard to say.

I wonder; was it a coincidence that when switching from Cal-Hypo 73 to new right-off-the-shelf liquid CL2...that this was the first time my FC would "hold". Hmmm, is my Cal-Hypo bad? Probably not because it's been stored dry and I have had a lot of CC during the test (when FC=0). I can test this later perhaps.

If this is all accurate....looks as if I turned the Amnonnia corner: I'll measure the CYA and get it up to 20 ppm...and start SLAM (using FC=10 as Target).

Feels like a win this morning.

 

[mmcwhorter]

As mentioned earlier today, I saw a million tiny bubbles (and some white foam) on the surface of the pool this morning at 0600....I did NOT run the pump overnight. It really looked like a sheet of ice. Could this be an artifact of the Amnonnia issue? Is the Amnonnia in the water converting to gas and evaporating? Never seen anything like this before. Pics attached.

 

[mknauss]

The bubbles you see are normal.

That is Polyquat. Can be used. Some do, some don’t.

 

[mknauss]

Brush the pool really well. Do another round of FC to 10 ppm and test before adding cya.

 

[mmcwhorter]

First, thanks to everyone supporting me in this thread. Learned something new. Totally confused at the beginning.

All seems good. FC=10 has "held" between 9-10 for the last 3 hours....measured 4 times. CC= 0.5 or less each time. Added a quart of 10% liquid Cl2 each hour to keep FC around 10. CYA is 20-25 (hard to say, judgment call as you know). My only pre-SLAM concern is pH reads at 6.8. I have about 3 pounds of Borax/Borates. I'll toss it in. I realize with TA = 90 that adding it will only raise the pH 0.1 or 0.2. So, I'd try a little aeration as well. Brushing pool hourly.

Will not add any CYA till SLAM is completed. At that time I'll install my IC-40 SWG also.

The pool water is still a bit cloudy....but you can see improvement as the day wears on.

Thanks again....will report back after SLAM is completed.

 

[mknauss]

Low pH from the ammonia. If your TA is 90, the pH will rise quickly. Do not add chemicals to raise the pH.

 

[mmcwhorter]

Copy that.

 

[mgtfp]

I woke up this morning to see a zillion tiny bubbles on the surface of the pool. Pic soon. Is this related to the Amnonoia issue?

Could well be. The ammonia is being oxidised through various levels of CCs to end up as nitrogen gas. But I would have expected for the outgassing to happen more continuously and in a less spectacular way. But who knows, I've never experienced this myself.

For sure we normally close late/open early. I'm usually open by March 15, this year April 19. This year I took my wife to Hawaii for 25th anniversary so we decided to wait till returned, and this is my reward...

If it's any consolation, it happens to the best:

It Can Happen to Anyone - Zero Chlorine, CYA-->Ammonia

As I reported in this post, I started up the solar system in my pool to get ready for the start of the swim season. Prior to this, the chlorine usage was very low at around 1 ppm FC or less per week. So last Saturday, 3/28, I added some Cyanuric Acid in the skimmer through an old T-shirt (so I...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mmcwhorter]

@mgtfp: Nor had I ever seen bubbles like that.......LOL, well at least we know the science hasn't changed since 2009....looks like the same issue as your post. Actually, I started my Post to describe a "normal" opening process (If there is such a thing)....and ran headstrong right into the unknown ammonia problem. Live, and Learn. It's been rock solid all day at FC=10-11, CC=0, CYA 20-25, TA=90, pH 7.0-7,2, CH=300, Water Temp = +70F........pool water is "almost" clear and I even let my granddaughter go swimming. Wife, I and her will be in the Spa a little later. after dinner I'll check FC SLAM level before bedtime, add CL if needed, and see what we get in the morning. I'm seeing the finish line. Pool season is open in MD.

 

[mmcwhorter]

Morning everyone: SLAM results were that I failed OCLT...added some CL at around 9 PM....measured 15 ppm at 10 PM and was 12 ppm at 7 AM today. CC was under 0.5....and the water is ever so slightly not perfectly clear....just a slight cloudy haze...you can see the drains perfectly....whereas at the opening was completely obscured. Added 1/2 gallon of 10% liquid CL at 0800 and will keep an eye on it all day. Try again tomorrow. I'm in the home stretch.

 

[IceShadow]

Find hidden algae areas and scrub them out.

 

[mgtfp]

Don't worry, would have been too good to be true.

Step one was to get rid of the ammonia, and hold chlorine for longer than 30 minutes. Step two is to get rid of the algae that surely developed while there was no chlorine in the pool, and hold chlorine over night.

 

[mmcwhorter]

Passed OCLT on Sunday AM....I checked/cleaned a few places for algae on the skimmers and the rope anchors. Have not yet checked the light frame/bezel and I suspect I will find some there (as in the past). Everywhere else looks clean.SWG. Dumped three 40-pound bags of salt in the pool, and installed IC-40 SWG..... The salt level still too low for the IC-40. Adding two more later this morning.