Looking for some help with high nitrate level

[Ceement Pond]

Looking for some help, I opened my pool this year only to find that my nitrate level was 6 times higher than the recommended level. I added two bottles of Phos-X to work on the phosphates and since opening, I dumped 22lbs of chlorine dichlor down the skimmer. As of today, pool is still light green and chlorine level is still reading “0”. I have a chlorinator on my system and have kept it full with tablets. After one week of running, it’s gone through about 4 tablets. Any recommendations on what I can do to turn this water and get some chlorine to register? Thanks in advance.

 

[funandsun]

Re: Looking for some help

Welcome Ceement Pond, Great signature, do you have a test kit yet? I would love to see your results.

 

[Ceement Pond]

Re: Looking for some help

Thanks! Same to you. Other than just your basic pool test, I do not. I used some test strips for the nitrates from my local pool store. Is there a particular kit you recommend? Here’s the readings from my basic test

PH: 7.2
Chlorine: 0
Alkalinity: 120
Stabilizer: 0 (added 3lbs of cyanuric acid a few days ago)

 

[funandsun]

Re: Looking for some help

I personally have the Taylor K-2006 a lot of folks recommend the TF-100 XL from http://tftestkits.net/cart.html

I highly recommend getting either one of these. Accuracy is really the missing part when folks end up visiting us here. Once you improve that then everything else is pretty straightforward.

I don't know anything about nitrates but others who do will be through shortly.

 

[Blake1989]

First and foremost, get a reliable test kit. I personally use the TF100. Get either this one, or the Taylor 2006.

Secondly, visit Pool School. I have the link in my signature. All of your questions regarding pool chemistry can be found there. Stop using dichlor, trichlor, and tablets if you are using them immediately. All of these have nasty side effects when used for an extended period. Good ole’ household bleach should be your only source of chlorine.

Thirdly, and as you will learn, phosphates are pointless to keep in check due to algae and other contaminants being unable to grow in a properly balanced pool anyway. If your chlorine is in check and all of your other chemicals balanced, you will have sparkly clear water with or without those worthless “phosfree” chemicals.

Obviously right now you are struggling to manage a clear pool. Let us help you. Invest in a good test kit, read pool school, and learn how you can turn a nightmare in to a sparkling oasis.

 

[jblizzle]

Just to jump in. Get either the TF-100 with XL option or the K-2006C ... the C is important as otherwise the reagent bottles are too small. The TF-100 is the better value.

Forget phosphates and nitrates and stop adding any solid forms of chlorine.

Have you discovered Pool School yet? Start with these:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

 

[blakeusa]

phosphates and nitrates treatments are pool store snake oil.

All you need in Chlorine, & CYA (stabilizer). Muriatic Acid and Baking soda to manage PH on a periodic basis as needed.

 

[cfherrman]

You added 50 ppm cya through diclor and cya, yet your cya test result says 0 cya

You need a proper test kit, only tf100 or Taylor 2006c

 

[funandsun]

Well Ceement, seems you have been bombarded with recommendations for a test kit. That is really amazing how much you have added and can't seem to get CYA or FC to register.

I would suggest that you could try taking 2 samples to 2 different pool stores but I fear you will get 2 different results and we still won't really know exactly what you have going on there.

The bad news is that you need to get your hands on reliable information so that you can make the adjustments that need to be made, the good news is you can get that reliable information on your own by your own hand and with your own eyes so you will know what the truth is. Then you can share those numbers with us and we can help or you can fix it on your own but in the end you will have learned how and why.

Let us know how we can help further,

 

[DeanP66]

If after adding all that dichlor and trichlor your CYA is still 0, there is a good chance that you have ammonia in your pool. Do NOT add anymore CYA or powdered chlorine in your pool. It will turn that fresh CYA into more ammonia. Instead, dose with liquid chlorine and add enough to get your FC to 10 PPM. Test in 15 minutes and if you've lost more than half of it, it's a sure sign that there is ammonia in the pool. Keep dosing FC back to 10 and checking every 15 minutes like before until your FC starts to hold. At that point you can assume that you have killed all the ammonia.

From there, add stabilizer to get your CYA to 30 and perform a SLAM with liquid chlorine. Dose FC to 12 PPM and check it as often as possible and redose back to 12. The more often you do this, the faster the water will clear up.

 

[Ceement Pond]

If after adding all that dichlor and trichlor your CYA is still 0, there is a good chance that you have ammonia in your pool. Do NOT add anymore CYA or powdered chlorine in your pool. It will turn that fresh CYA into more ammonia. Instead, dose with liquid chlorine and add enough to get your FC to 10 PPM. Test in 15 minutes and if you've lost more than half of it, it's a sure sign that there is ammonia in the pool. Keep dosing FC back to 10 and checking every 15 minutes like before until your FC starts to hold. At that point you can assume that you have killed all the ammonia.

From there, add stabilizer to get your CYA to 30 and perform a SLAM with liquid chlorine. Dose FC to 12 PPM and check it as often as possible and redose back to 12. The more often you do this, the faster the water will clear up.

Thank you and everyone else for all of the advice. I have a vinyl lined pool. I’d rather not use liquid chlorine.

 

[jblizzle]

Liquid chlorine is perfectly safe and in fact likely safer than using any solid forms of chlorine in your vinyl pool.

Don't believe the nonsense that the pool stores are likely telling you.

 

[funandsun]

Thank you and everyone else for all of the advice. I have a vinyl lined pool. I’d rather not use liquid chlorine.

I have a vinyl pool and liquid chlorine is perfect. I guess I should ask, what information did you read that left you with that impression?

 

[cfherrman]

vinyl here, never used pucks or cal hypo, only bleach

 

[Ceement Pond]

Thank you everyone for the help! I purchased the Taylor K-2006c kit as recommended and am very pleased with it. It is nice to know exactly what your chem levels are in the pool. I used to use Aquacheck Test Strips which are pretty much useless. I was always under the impression that liquid sodium hypochlorite was hard on pool liners so I never used it. After countless hours of research and reading how many people have had success with it, I elected to give it a try. I have since added 16! bottles of liquid sodium hypochlorite to the pool over the course of 5 days and finally got it to clear up. The water looks absolutely perfect but I still can’t get it to hold free chlorine. My FC level is still sitting around .4ppm. Tomorrow I am going to start Deanp66’s method of adding chlorine, testing FC after 15 min and then adding more chlorine again until I can get it to hold. I’m assuming I have an ammonia issue? Interested to hear anyone else’s views on this. I really just want to get my FC level up and holding. Thank you again to all who have taken the time to respond and have lent their knowledge and experience.

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!

You say you are adding 'liquid cal hypo'. I do not believe that product exists. Liquid Chlorine / Bleach is Sodium Hypochlorite.

I would say you need to do the ammonia regimen.

Let us know how it goes.

Take care.

 

[cfherrman]

Do you have cya in the pool?

 

[Mendy48]

I have a dark blue vinyl...it's safe to use liquid chlorine... when I use LC, I usually pour it gently in my pool..it takes about a minute or two for me to empty 32oz into my pool .... near the return jet. I've never had a problem with LC with my blue vinyl pool. However, I understand how you feel. I felt the same way when LC was introduced to me, and since I've been using LC I've never had a problem with my liner. One of the best decisions I've ever made for sure.

Thank you and everyone else for all of the advice. I have a vinyl lined pool. I’d rather not use liquid chlorine.

 

[Ceement Pond]

Welcome to the forum!

You say you are adding 'liquid cal hypo'. I do not believe that product exists. Liquid Chlorine / Bleach is Sodium Hypochlorite.

I would say you need to do the ammonia regimen.

Let us know how it goes.

Take care.

my mistake, corrected, Liqid Sodium Hypochlorite. I’ve been reading about way too many chemicals ?

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I have a dark blue vinyl...it's safe to use liquid chlorine... when I use LC, I usually pour it gently in my pool..it takes about a minute or two for me to empty 32oz into my pool .... near the return jet. I've never had a problem with LC with my blue vinyl pool. However, I understand how you feel. I felt the same way when LC was introduced to me, and since I've been using LC I've never had a problem with my liner. One of the best decisions I've ever made for sure.

View attachment 77914

wow, that’s beautiful! I can really understand your concern with that dark blue of a liner. Good to know you haven’t had any problems with the hypo. Thanks for responding

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Do you have cya in the pool?

i do have CYA. It’s actually a little high at 90. All the Dichlor I was putting in before ran it up. Planning on displacing some water once I get this thing to show some progress

 

[mknauss]

i do have CYA. It’s actually a little high at 90. All the Dichlor I was putting in before ran it up. Planning on displacing some water once I get this thing to show some progress

Scratch the ammonia regimen comment. The last numbers you showed had CYA at 0.

You need to drain at least 40%. Be aware draining a vinyl liner pool has risk. Do not drain more than to the top of the bottom step in the shallow end. If you have high water tables in your area you may want to limit the drain to just 12-18" from the top. May need multiple drain/refills.

Take care.