Opening Test Results - Unusual!

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Update.
About midnight last night I followed shock recommendation and added 4 gallons 12% bleach, my target FC being 28 because of my CYA between 70 and 80.
I did not immediately test....would not make a difference since my current Taylor 2005 kit will only read up to 5ppm chlorine (hopefully new kit arrives today or tomorrow).
Assuming my CYA stays at 70-80 since I haven't drained any water and can't test it myself right now, and I also can't test for CH myself right now.
At 8:45am this morning, my readings were:
FC=3; TC=3 so CC=0; pH=7.0; TA=120. I would assume I am still having significant FC loss?
I put in the last 2 gallons of 12% bleach (will be buying 8 more bottles today), skimmed and brushed the pool.
At 9:30 (now) my readings are:
FC=5; TC=5 so CC=0
The coloring is just a shade lighter than the darkest color compare on the Taylor comparator, so I'm not over 5ppm for sure.

Now I have to go do "stuff" for a few hours minimum.

I'm thinking I'm probably not done shocking even though CC is 0....what do you folks think? It would be nice if I were because it's about $20 a day right now!
Should I do something to address the pH yet? If so, is this something I should keep adjusting to proper level while I am in this process?

Thanks.
 
Just keep bringing it back to shock level. Zero CC's doesn't mean that you don't have living algae. Continue to follow the shock process as often as you can. Don't worry about the pH until the FC is below 10 ppm.
 
Took a sample to the pool store today. Not trusting my reagents from my old Taylor 2005 set because they are far from fresh and some things didn't make sense.
Told them I was going away from using di-chlor and tri-chlor and didn't want to use any other chemicals except bleach right now.
They're actually pretty smart guys and knew exactly what I was doing...I guess most pool owners don't try to understand things.
They let me use their stuff and I tested my own water and confirmed by regents were no good.
Via their test kit, my water @ noon today showed: FC=0.2; TC=6 so CC=5.8; pH=6.7; TA=120; CYA=60-70; CH=250.
So...things were not as good as my old kit was telling me, which is obviously why I'm still shocking.
Because my new kit hasn't arrived, I went ahead and bought new strips. Heck, they'll be easy for my kids to use anyway or something and they work for now.
I had put in 4 gallons bleach before going to pool store...so that did it's thing until now.
A couple hours ago I went ahead and adjust my pH because I didn't like it being so low. Let it circulate a couple hours.
At 7:45 tonight my readings were: FC=0; TC=3 so CC=3; pH=7.2; TA=120; CYA=60-70; CH=250.
Using the pool calculator, I just put in 6 gallons 12% bleach and I have 6 more gallons at the ready.
I think I'm a lot smarter today than I was a couple days ago, hopefully I'm getting close and my new kit arrives tomorrow or Saturday.
My daughter did swim this afternoon while I was gone (chemical levels were safe) and she was very happy about that so that was cool.

Let me know if you see any flaws in my approach.
 
Re: Opening Test Results - OK...This is startiing to seem cr

You see from my post above that I added 6 gallons of 12% bleach at 7:45.
I just tested, albeit with strips, and again FC=0 and CC=3.
I just put 6 more gallons of 12% bleach in at 11:15pm.
I dip a strip immediately after and it still says no FC. Is that even possible?
I"m starting to think maybe I should dip a strip in the friggin' chlorine itself!! But, I have none left, went through 12 bottles today.
The Bio-Guard printout report from the pool store telling me to do 22 bags of BurnOut is starting to make sense to me if I'm gonna put $50 of liquid chlorine in per day.
Grrrrrrrrr.......
The water looks beautiful by the way....just no FC. Crazy.
 
Re: Opening Test Results - OK...This is startiing to seem cr

fredder9 said:
You see from my post above that I added 6 gallons of 12% bleach at 7:45.
I just tested, albeit with strips, and again FC=0 and CC=3.
I just put 6 more gallons of 12% bleach in at 11:15pm.
I dip a strip immediately after and it still says no FC. Is that even possible?
I"m starting to think maybe I should dip a strip in the friggin' chlorine itself!! But, I have none left, went through 12 bottles today.
The Bio-Guard printout report from the pool store telling me to do 22 bags of BurnOut is starting to make sense to me if I'm gonna put $50 of liquid chlorine in per day.
Grrrrrrrrr.......
The water looks beautiful by the way....just no FC. Crazy.
Click to expand...
Could be that the strip bleaches out with the high FC. See if a strip works in tap water. Then try maybe 20% pool water to tap water.
 
Up early with a test with the sun coming up.
Per last post, last thing I did was put 6 gallons of 12% bleach in my pool.
Also per previous information I am waiting on delivery of new TF-100 kit. My old Taylor K-2005 kit is unreliable because of old reagents I'm pretty sure. I have new strips that test everything and I know what everyone thinks about strips but it's the best I have.
My water looks absolutely beautiful, has for a couple days. Just no FC.

My strip test on tap water (in SE Michigan) just for reference:
FC=0; TC=0 so CC=0; CH=100; pH=7.2; TA=120; CYA=0
Reading strips is not an exact science. I wanted to think there was a slight color on TC but decided there wasn't. pH could be a bit higher than 7.2 but definitely below 7.8. I even wanted to think I saw a little darker color on CYA but decided to call it 0. I'll be googling to see what it should be. You guys probably already know.

Now the strip test on my pool water:
FC=0; TC=1; CH=250; pH=6.8; TA=120; CYA -- well it actually reads the color of the ideal range 30-50 but not a nice solid color and I know if pH is low the strip test for CYA is goofy so I'm still calling my CYA 60-70 until further notice.

Since before I added the 6 gallons last night my TC reading was definitely something around something closer to 3 than to 5 (the only resolution on the strip there is) I'm hoping I'm at least making progress on the CC problem.
I just wish I would get an FC reading at all sooner or later. I think it is higher than 0.0 but less than 0.5 based on comparison to tap water coloring of the strip so I guess that is something.
Gotta call the Feed&Grain store and see if they're open. Another day of shock & run, return, shock and run, return.....wish I could do hour by hour but without kit wouldn't make sense anyway.
 
Question for you about those test strips: Are they new or some you had left over from long ago?

Bear in mind that strips actually go bad fairly quickly, thus the bad reputation they have around here and other pool forums.
 
Charlie_R said:
Question for you about those test strips: Are they new or some you had left over from long ago?

Bear in mind that strips actually go bad fairly quickly, thus the bad reputation they have around here and other pool forums.
Click to expand...

Ones I am using I bought yesterday and verified with store owner they are new.
Prior to last night I was using ones left over from last year and they were fooling me.
 

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Bama Rambler said:
When does tracking say your new kit will be there?

Just keep doing what you're doing until it gets there and then you can find out exactly where you are.
Click to expand...

You know...never thought to look at the tracking.
Anyway, got 3 new cases of 12% bleach and put 6 gallons in.
Tested 1/2 hour later and here are results:
FC=>10++ very purple on strip beyond it's limit. Since my target is 28 that is a good thing. First time I've seen FC in my pool!!
TC = 10 pretty much right on the color
Other stuff doesn't matter. At least now I know my strips can kind of guide me until my kit arrives, and the bleach I'm using isn't just a jug of water!
Out doing stuff now until around 3 or 4pm so we'll see where I am at then.
Thanks.
 
Pool Chemical store closed by the time I get home so the 6 gallons I'm about to put in will be the last for the night.
Recall my 9:30am test was TC=10 and FC=10++ super purple beyond strip upper limit so I thought that was a good thing as I was targeting FC=28.
Just did 5:30pm test and TC=0 and FC=0; therefore CC=0.
This is the first time I legitimately don't have higher CC than FC...progressed from CC=6/FC=0 to CC=3/FC=0 to CC=1/FC=0 in last 24 hours.
Hopefully means I'm heading in the right direction.
They new kit arrived while I was away today.
Rushing to go to next event, but I am pretty well FREE Saturday and Sunday so will start with new kit in the morning and be able to attack this more aggressively than I've been able to.
pH down around 6.8 again. Should I adjust it back up yet or just keep shocking?
 
Saturday morning 6:30AM.
Kit arrived, gonna open it up this morning and get used to using that with new magnetic stirrer.
But good news.
Since my last update when I added 6 gallons at 5:30pm Friday, my pool actually did not eat up all the FC!
Quick strip test shows FC=5 and TC=5 so CC=0
My future posts will all be done with the new TF-100 kit.
But, feeling much better :)

Now I just gotta learn how to use liquid chlorine without ruining my clothes. Spotted up a favorite pair of shorts and T-shirt...DOH!
Does everyone "walk around the pool" putting in bleach or can I just pick a spot in the deep end near an inlet and pour it in in the future?
 
OK...first test with TF-100 kit and magnetic stirrer so I guess we can all believe these readings now.

CYA=55
CH=310
TA=100
pH=6.8
FC=2.0
CC=1.0

I understand the shock process and Overnight FA loss test perfectly so will continue as I've been doing.

A couple questions:
1) CYA test - kinda subjective with the "until black dot disappears". How hard should I try to see it? Seemed like if I gave 10 seconds or so I'd see a slight outline so would add a few drops. For me, this made the difference between being 60 or 50 so I just chose 55!
2) CH test - it turned to a purple hue at 28 drops. A few more drops to what I would call "blue" so I called it at 31 drops. I know I'm in the good range, but if I'm gonna be a "chemist" I had to ask!

TF-100 kit question:
So it comes with a basic test kit which it tells me to take it out and leave it out by the pool, which is cool because then the magnetic stirrer stuff fits right in it's place.
HOWEVER, I thought while I'm sitting there I'd rather use the magnetic stirrer for the pH test, since the basic kit is out bye the pool!
Anyone else have the same OCD moment and deal with it some creative way?
If the magnetic stirrer had a 44mL marking and I had the proper reagents for that, I would feel complete. :)
Wonder if the TFTestKits folks have thought of people like me for this?
 
Wonder if the TFTestKits folks have thought of people like me for this?
Click to expand...
1. Well, no. :mrgreen: I can see no practical reason to use the speed stir for the pH test which mixes in about 2 seconds just by shaking....not to mention you would then have to pour it back in the comparator block. Am I missing the point of your question?

2. Nit picking a bit....The packing slip suggests to keep the K-1000 near your pool....not out by the pool. That's too ambiguous, though, and that's our fault for not making it clearer.

I see how easily that can be misinterpreted and I will make a change in the packing slip that will say "near the pool but preferably out of the direct sun and heat"

Leaving the reagents out in the heat and sun is never a good idea.



3. Your pH is too low. Get some muriatic acid and bring it up to the mid 7's.
 

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