Puck Should be a 4 Letter Word

[salty87]

Used to use bleach but almost $7 a bottle now. Been using pucks since the insanity knowing the affect on CYA. Went out of town for maybe a week and have been struggling since. Not sure if old chemicals are messing with results...

FC- 35...is this even possible?
CC- 0
TC- 35 and maybe higher, I gave up on the test after the solution would not turn clear
pH- 7.2
CH- 400
TA- 140
CYA- 110-120

The shallow end where the steps and sunshelf are has to be brushed twice a day. There's a sediment that collects and looks like pollen when disturbed. The Polaris doesn't visit this end of the pool and has never gone very shallow. Skimmer baskets (2) often have a green film floating and sometimes even green bubbles floating on top. How can there be algae with FC of 35? When this all started I was putting hairnets in the baskets and they were usually green. Been running the pump a bunch. The pool is mostly blue but not terribly clear. It's been better before.

Pump uses paper filters and should be replaced but I don't want the new filters contaminated with algae. Hoping to clear it up first.

Plaster looks a little blotchy from what I remember. Pool Math says my CSI is fine.

Want to clear this up and go salt. Thanks

 

[Dirk]

The protection that FC provides is dependent on the FC/CYA ratio, not just how high FC is. The higher the CYA, the less effective FC becomes. Your first step is to correct the CYA with a partial drain. If you need help with the method and math, just holler.

 

[Mdragger88]

How can there be algae with FC of 35?

Because shock/slam level for a cya of 120 is 48ppm.
Minimum is 9ppm - at some point your fc fell below minimum.
.... "Min FC" is 7.5% of the CYA level
.... "Target FC" is 11.5% of the CYA level
.... "Yel/Mstrd Min" is 15% of the CYA level
.... "Shock FC" is 40% of the CYA level
.... "Yel/MstrdShock" is 60% of the CYA level.

Chlorine/CYA Chart

EDIT: You will find a simplified and standardized version of this chart at Pool School, Chlorine / CYA Chart. Chlorine/CYA Chart by Chemgeek FC = Free Chlorine in parts-per-million (ppm) CYA = Cyanuric Acid in parts-per-million (ppm) CYA ........... Min FC3 ..... Target FC ...... Yel/Mstrd...

www.troublefreepool.com

This is impractical to accomplish & maintain so you need to replace at least 1/2 of your water to get cya to a reasonable level & do the
SLAM Process.

 

[Newdude]

How can there be algae with FC of 35?

For one, it may be a 35 now, but being quickly depleted by an exponentially growing algae bloom that started at much less than 35 FC.

For two, mother nature is shedding like crazy right now and I've had whatever you call fall pollen all over my pool floor for about a month now. It probably finally got to TX.

Did you Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to prove it one way or the other ?

 

[salty87]

Thanks for the refresher, folks. Will do the overnight chlorine loss test Wed/Thur.

We're on rainwater collection and don't have enough in the tank to replace half the pool right now. Hoping the skies open up before long. Been super dry since the March or April.

 

[Bperry]

Used to use bleach but almost $7 a bottle now. Been using pucks since the insanity knowing the affect on CYA. Went out of town for maybe a week and have been struggling since. Not sure if old chemicals are messing with results...

FC- 35...is this even possible?
CC- 0
TC- 35 and maybe higher, I gave up on the test after the solution would not turn clear
pH- 7.2
CH- 400
TA- 140
CYA- 110-120

The shallow end where the steps and sunshelf are has to be brushed twice a day. There's a sediment that collects and looks like pollen when disturbed. The Polaris doesn't visit this end of the pool and has never gone very shallow. Skimmer baskets (2) often have a green film floating and sometimes even green bubbles floating on top. How can there be algae with FC of 35? When this all started I was putting hairnets in the baskets and they were usually green. Been running the pump a bunch. The pool is mostly blue but not terribly clear. It's been better before.

Pump uses paper filters and should be replaced but I don't want the new filters contaminated with algae. Hoping to clear it up first.

Plaster looks a little blotchy from what I remember. Pool Math says my CSI is fine.

Want to clear this up and go salt. Thanks

How are you testing FC and CC? Your test comment saying the TC test never went clear isn’t measureBle with the FAS-DPD powder. I’m rooting for just a test error.

 

[mgtfp]

Just to clarify: The endpoint of the titration is when there is no pink left. It may remain cloudy, that's OK.

 

[Mdragger88]

Thanks for the refresher, folks. Will do the overnight chlorine loss test Wed/Thur.

We're on rainwater collection and don't have enough in the tank to replace half the pool right now. Hoping the skies open up before long. Been super dry since the March or April.

Do you’re best & replacing some would be better than nothing to lower that cya. Until then - more chlorine. With chlorine prices the way they are a water delivery may be the way to go. We’ll do a rain dance for you!

 

[salty87]

How are you testing FC and CC? Your test comment saying the TC test never went clear isn’t measureBle with the FAS-DPD powder. I’m rooting for just a test error.

TF-100 but admittedly my chemicals are a year old. They've been stored in a dark, cool spot and not even opened since 2022 spring sale. I gave up on the solution turning clear. Will run it again after work.

I had been on auto-pilot in a routine that worked for years and not testing often. I'm thinking the ever increasing CYA caught up with me and here I am with a cloudy pool in a blue/green shade.

 

[reggiehammond]

Puck is a four letter word!

 

[Bperry]

TF-100 but admittedly my chemicals are a year old. They've been stored in a dark, cool spot and not even opened since 2022 spring sale. I gave up on the solution turning clear. Will run it again after work.

then something is wrong them or you are doing the test wrong. Can you show or describe your test process?

 

[salty87]

then something is wrong them or you are doing the test wrong. Can you show or describe your test process?

Dump powder in pool water filled to 10. Speed stir. If it's pink there's chlorine detected. Count how many drops it takes to turn the water clear. Give up after it seemingly never turns clear (easily 70 drops, maybe more like 80). No giving up next time.

 

[Dirk]

I had been on auto-pilot in a routine that worked for years and not testing often. I'm thinking the ever increasing CYA caught up with me and here I am with a cloudy pool in a blue/green shade.

That is exactly what happened. And not anything particularly wrong. That is the MO for using pucks (same that pool stores and pool maintenance companies offer, for the most part). Great convenience for x number of years, then replace the water and start over. The only real downsides are the "end of life" symptoms you are experiencing, the cost of the water replacement, and the slight chance of causing damage to your pool by emptying it. That's just how "puck" pools are run.

 

[Newdude]

Puck should be a four letter word

On a serious note, the path to TFP is beaten far and wide from puckville. Some fall for 'unstabilized shock' once they figure out the CYA issues, but chlorone is a gas and it's either stabilized with CYA, water (bleach), or calcium. So the CalHypo many switch to creates a new headache. Then we meet them if we haven't already.

Neither of the pucks or shocks are evil if you monitor the appropriate levels being jacked.

 

[Bperry]

Dump powder in pool water filled to 10. Speed stir. If it's pink there's chlorine detected. Count how many drops it takes to turn the water clear. Give up after it seemingly never turns clear (easily 70 drops, maybe more like 80). No giving up next time.

Youve got something wrong with the test or your FC is extremely high. But you reporting the TC test as not being able to go clear. That doesn’t make sense because the TC isn’t measurable with the powered pink test. TC is only measured with the yellow OTO style test.

If you mean the CC test is what has trouble going from pink to clear, that would mean you have an insane amount of CC, maybe used some non-chlorine shock, or just have bad test reagents.

 

[mgtfp]

Puck is a four letter word!

Yes, but you have to remove that little arc that connects the two horizontal bits in the "P".

 

[Mdragger88]

Dump powder in pool water filled to 10. Speed stir. If it's pink there's chlorine detected. Count how many drops it takes to turn the water clear. Give up after it seemingly never turns clear (easily 70 drops, maybe more like 80). No giving up next time.

Well- slam level being 48ppm - thats 96 drops with a 10ml sample. So, on the right track
You’re gonna burn through some reagents though.
Try using a 5ml sample and each drop counts as 1 ppm to conserve reagents until you get some water exchanged.