Mama trying to save the pool

[mknauss]

While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running. This will replenish the FC lost each day to the sun and also inhibit any algae in the water from growing further.

 

[Newdude]

What am I missing?

Sorry miss but without an accurate CYA # you don't know

1) how much needs to be drained
2) what your FC target level is based upon the CYA level

You are wasting resources by starting without the test kit.

 

[BenB]

Your CYA is still unmanageably high. Since your pool is small, I'd personally recommend you exchange another 50-75% of your water.

Next, you say you're doing a SLAM but I don't think you're able to accurately test for that yet? Plus, at CYA 100 (if to be believed), your proper SLAM FC is 39. That would take 2 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine to hit, you have only added 1 gallon of "bleach" which is probably 6% so you'd need 3-4 gallons of that - just to get started.

SLAM is an exact process so you need to hit the correct levels and keep there. You can test for FC almost instantly after adding, so your initial dose of chlorine is literally "as much as it takes until you reach SLAM level" and then very frequently adding more, probably for days to a week+, until you pass the exit criteria.

Like the others have now suggested (serves me right going to eat dinner while writing this reply!) you really should probably step back and take this whole thing stepwise. An accurate CYA test is the first thing to get.

 

[Leesha77]

While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running. This will replenish the FC lost each day to the sun and also inhibit any algae in the water from growing further.

Done. Thank you so much.

 

[AK-]

From what I understand you are still waiting on your test kit, so I guess you are either using test strips or pool store tests. Any variations you see could very well due to test inaccuracies. that said…

TC (Total Chlorine) = FC (Free Chlorine) + CC (Combined Chloramines)

Again, any variations can be due to unreliable testing… but if after adding LC (Liquid Chlorine) your TC increased, but not your FC that means you got CC (aka spent chlorine), what in turn means your chlorine is being consumed by something in your pool. The only effect of CC in a pool is the bad “chlorine” smell.

The protocol form SLAM is to bring your FC to Shock Level And Maintain it at shock level. You can’t let FC drop below shock level, what won’t be easy until your test kit arrives.

 

[stricttime]

Don't get discouraged or afraid of the testing. I am a complete chemistry dummy (no lie) and you just do one test at a time--each test is super easy to do--and record the results. The only test that is a little iffy is the CYA test, because it is kind of subjective, but there is plenty of help on this site with that. What you will gain from knowing your pool is peace of mind, a swimmable pool, and the satisfaction that you can do it yourself! It's awesome!

 

[Leesha77]

Your CYA is still unmanageably high. Since your pool is small, I'd personally recommend you exchange another 50-75% of your water.

Next, you say you're doing a SLAM but I don't think you're able to accurately test for that yet? Plus, at CYA 100 (if to be believed), your proper SLAM FC is 39. That would take 2 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine to hit, you have only added 1 gallon of "bleach" which is probably 6% so you'd need 3-4 gallons of that - just to get started.

SLAM is an exact process so you need to hit the correct levels and keep there. You can test for FC almost instantly after adding, so your initial dose of chlorine is literally "as much as it takes until you reach SLAM level" and then very frequently adding more, probably for days to a week+, until you pass the exit criteria.

Like the others have now suggested (serves me right going to eat dinner while writing this reply!) you really should probably step back and take this whole thing stepwise. An accurate CYA test is the first thing to get.yup

Your CYA is still unmanageably high. Since your pool is small, I'd personally recommend you exchange another 50-75% of your water.

Next, you say you're doing a SLAM but I don't think you're able to accurately test for that yet? Plus, at CYA 100 (if to be believed), your proper SLAM FC is 39. That would take 2 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine to hit, you have only added 1 gallon of "bleach" which is probably 6% so you'd need 3-4 gallons of that - just to get started.

SLAM is an exact process so you need to hit the correct levels and keep there. You can test for FC almost instantly after adding, so your initial dose of chlorine is literally "as much as it takes until you reach SLAM level" and then very frequently adding more, probably for days to a week+, until you pass the exit criteria.

Like the others have now suggested (serves me right going to eat dinner while writing this reply!) you really should probably step back and take this whole thing stepwise. An accurate CYA test is the first thing to

Took a water test to a pool supply company (yes, the horrors) while I wait for my test kit to come. I believe the CYA is tha

From what I understand you are still waiting on your test kit, so I guess you are either using test strips or pool store tests. Any variations you see could very well due to test inaccuracies. that said…

TC (Total Chlorine) = FC (Free Chlorine) + CC (Combined Chloramines)

Again, any variations can be due to unreliable testing… but if after adding LC (Liquid Chlorine) your TC increased, but not your FC that means you got CC (aka spent chlorine), what in turn means your chlorine is being consumed by something in your pool. The only effect of CC in a pool is the bad “chlorine” smell.

The protocol form SLAM is to bring your FC to Shock Level And Maintain it at shock level. You can’t let FC drop below shock level, what won’t be easy until your test kit arrives.

Yeah, I am managing between test strips and taking samples into the pool store. I think I am just going to stop until I get my kit. Going to go check on the delivery update now. Thank you.

 

[Pv2]

you will get this, it is the best way to take care of a pool, no matter the size. and the advantage of a smaller pool is being more able to drain and replace if it gets away from you. trust me I understand drought and the absolute shame of wasting water. I'm on a ranch in SE AZ - you should see how long I push doing a backwash for my sand filter this time of year.

 

[Newdude]

We had 2 more, 2 or 3 weeks ago that the pool store had them both well over 100 and they were preparing to fully drain when the kit came. One didn’t need to drain at all as their CYA was actually fine and the other only needed to drain some and not all. It’s a huge deal to get that # right

 

[red-beard]

Leesha77, if your CYA is over 100 ppm, we will walk you through how to dilute the test. I was using the devil's Pool Candy (Trichlor Tablets) and I didn't drain my pool for may years. I suspect my CYA level was well over 500! I finally was able to drain and reset my pool last year and get everything under control. TFP methods work!

Once you have the kit, it is pretty easy to do the tests. I help one of my friends build a pool this year and she is testing nd running her pool. He comment to me was: "I'm able to do all these tests and I flunked Chemistry!"

 

[crimson avenger]

I’m another small pool owner (2300 gal). Depending on your CYA level, it may be easier to drain and refill. I had to do this a little while back earlier this summer (I still have PTSD from it).

 

[Tcadwall0]

... BTW - you sound like a great mom. Keep going with that! The pool is easy compared to parenting.