Received my test kit - help!

[Michelle30276]

I received our test kit and performed the CL & PH test. CL is registering zero and PH is 7.2. I also Performed the CL test with DPD Powder. The results are a slight tinge of pink. Very slight. Our SWG salt level reads 3500. I’m a little lost and concerned at the same time. Please advise.

 

[mknauss]

You need to add chlorine. What is your CYA?

If the SWCG is generating it might not be enough. It should be set to create 3 or 4 ppm of FC per day. Or, you have algae and the FC the SWCG is generating is being consumed. In that case, you need to SLAM Process.

When you confirm you have CYA in the water, then add enough liquid chlorine to the pool to get to 10 ppm FC after the sun goes down. Circulate the pool for 30 minutes. Test the FC. Record that. Leave the pump on overnight but the SWCG off. The next morning, before the sun shines on the pool, test for FC. If you lost less than 1 ppm overnight, you will most likely not need to SLAM.

Let us know how it goes.

Take care.

 

[Michelle30276]

No CYA.

 

[mknauss]

Ahh - well -- your FC lasts a number of minutes without CYA with sun on the pool.

So, how does the pool look? Cloudy, clear, swampy?

I would suggest you start with 30 ppm of CYA. Get CYA powder at Walmart, Home Depot, etc. Place enough in a couple socks or knee hi nylons to get you 30 ppm CYA in your pool - use PoolMath. Tie the socks shut. Hang them in front of a return or put them in the skimmer. If you put them in the skimmer, be sure they do not block off your water suction to the pump. Run your pump continuously until they are dissolved. Squeeze them and they will dissolve very fast.

After the powder in the socks is dissolved, wait 24 hours and test your CYA.

While this is occuring, add enough liquid chlorine to your pool each evening to add 3 ppm FC. Hopefully that will keep algae at bay. Leave the SWCG on also.

When you test your CYA, come on back as then you will want to do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test (what I described above) to check for organics in your pool before adding more CYA.

Take care.

 

[Michelle30276]

Thank you ! Will do as you instructed. The pool water is clear. Should I have the kids stop swimming?

 

[mknauss]

With 0 FC there is no protection for person to person disease -- but -- if they are brothers/sisters they transfer them anyway!!!

I do not see an issue.

 

[Michelle30276]

Good afternoon. I put 5 pounds of stabilizer in two nylons - one in each skimmer. Should I wait until this is all dissolved and retest in 24 hours? Also, should I put any bleach at this time? TIA

 

[mknauss]

Add chlorine now! Base how much on what you expect your CYA to be from what you added. Follow [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]. If you added 30 ppm worth of CYA, then you need to keep your FC at or above 5. I would suggest adding enough LC now to get to 8 ppm FC. Then in the morning, test your FC. Add enough to get back to 8 ppm. Do that EVERY DAY.

Is your water crystal clear? Have you been adding chlorine since we posted 5 days ago?

 

[Michelle30276]

I haven’t added anything but the socks with CYA.

 

[mknauss]

Yikes. You need to add chlorine every day! Has your SWCG been operating?

- - - Updated - - -

Re-read post #4

 

[Michelle30276]

SWG is running. I added 700 oz of 6% bleach. The stabilizer is about half dissolved in the skimmer basket. I’ve been squeezing it every now and then.

 

[mknauss]

How does your water look?

 

[ctrav]

Reach into the skimmer baskets and squeeze the nylons a few times. If you do this every hour or so it will all be dissolved quickly. Also make sure you leave the pump running while the stockings are in the skimmers and I would run for a full 24 hours after you remove the stockings. As the expert mknauss has stated add bleach daily to stay up at the recommended levels...

 

[Michelle30276]

Water looks clear

 

[mknauss]

Add enough LC to get to 12 ppm FC. Test and dose to that FC tomorrow every couple hours. In the evening, shut off the SWCG (keep the pump running) and test the FC after the sun goes down. Test the FC again in the morning before any sun hits the surface of the pool. That is a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. If you have less than 1 ppm FC loss overnight, then add an additional 40 ppm of CYA and use LC to get to target level FC based on [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]. Adjust your SWCG to create 4 ppm of FC per day. Test daily.

 

[Michelle30276]

GM!
tested the water.
Fc: 19.5
PH: 7.8
cl: orange water. Not sure how to determine
br: ^
cya: 30

please advise.

 

[mknauss]

Good Morning!

No need to take FC that high. Keep it at 12 ppm for your 30 ppm CYA.

The OTO chlorine test (yellow one) does not need to be done. That test does not test chlorine above 5 ppm FC. You do not have BR so do not worry about that either.

pH test with FC above 10 ppm is invalid.

During SLAM, test FC with FAS-DPD test (powder and reagent). That is it.

Let us know when the water is crystal clear!

 

[Michelle30276]

Thanks for your help! So just continue with a slam right now?

 

[mknauss]

When your water is crystal clear - then you will check for the other two criteria for a successful SLAM Process.

Stay at SLAM levels until then!

 

[Michelle30276]

can my robot be my vacuum during the slam?