Pool Doesn't Seem to be Holding Chlorine

patrick3229

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LifeTime Supporter
In The Industry
Feb 2, 2012
272
Hi,

We have a customer who emailed us the following, I was getting ready to put my two cents in on the topic, but thought I would first get input from the true experts on this topic. Any input would be grately appreciated!

Thank You
Patrick
www.inyopools.com

Hello,

I run my community's 54,000 gallon pool and can't seem to get it to hold chlorine this year, I think. Here's what I've been experiencing:

When the pool was opened for the season the pump died and it took about a week to replace it. The replacement pump has been running for just over a week with bathers being allowed in the pool since Memorial Day. The water has been cloudy but steadily improving since installation of the new pump.

Last Tuesday I took a water sample to the local pool store and they told me I had no free chlorine and that my totalcholorine was 1.37. But when I was testing with my Taylor Kit using liquid reagents my CL levels were through the roof. I thought they might just be trying to sell me chemicals so I went to Wal-Mart and grabbed some Clorox test strips. The results from the strips matched the pool store's.

Throughout the week my reagents tested at a lower and lower level for CL finally getting to about 2.0 for both tests even though the strips continued to test no free Cl and high to ideal total Cl. I did my research and thought I needed to shock the pool to try to get the free Cl levels higher which I did once, sometimes twice a day. I added 25 gallons of liquid shock last week alone.

Yesterday morning everything tested balanced (both Cl readings at 2.0) but it was a hot day and the bathing load was heavy. By mid afternoon, no free Chlorine. My doser is set to the highest level and I even put two 3" pucks in each of my three skmmers that morning.

Today, same readings in the morning, no Cl. I took another sample to the pool store and they said the stabilizer was a little high, 58, and suggested I shock with 12 lbs turbo shock to break "Chlorine Lock." However, I went back to the pool this afternoon and the Cl readings were at 2.0. So now I am nervous to add the turbo shock. Could the chlorine lock broke already? It's a cooler, rainy, no bather day today so maybe that is playing a rool? Should I turbo shock the pool tonight?

Thanks in advace for the help!
 
Ok I guess I'll take a stab at it. I would suggest that the person read everything on pool school and stay out of the pool store. Then have them join the forums here and ask for help. They should also ensure they have a complete test kit and know how to use it properly. I know pool store results can be all over the place but if they said there was no FC but the Taylor results showed CL levels were "through the roof", something is amiss and it might be that they are not testing properly with the Taylor kit.

Being a public pool, it will need proper testing and attention daily to ensure the safety of the swimmers. Blindly dumping in chemicals is a recipe for disaster and could spread disease.
 
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