Setting up new Pool - Chlorine this morning, no chlorine this afternoon?

[D2creative]

Just set up a brand new 3500g above ground pool. Put water in a coupe days ago and yesterday starting adding chemicals.
My house water is filtered and softened so I'm pretty much starting at ground zero.

Last night I added Chlorbrite from Leslie's Pool Supply. (It's such a small pool, it was easy for me to grab there instead of making a separate trip to get bleach. Cost difference doesn't matter.)
I didn't want to over dose so I did half the recommended dose last night and this morning had about half the recommended chlorine level. On my Taylor chlorine test kit (which granted, is over a year old), the powder immediately turned the water pink and I proceeded from there. So after testing, I added the second half of the dose. Now about 5 hours later, with filter running of course, I have zero chlorine. The powder will not turn the water pink. I even tried a different test kit, thinking maybe the powder was too old (even though it worked this morning).

The only other thing I did this morning after testing the chlorine and adding more was to add the calcium to bring up the water hardess from zero... again only doing half the needed dose. Actually, less than half.
Woud that affect it?

Any idea other idea what's going on? I know sun kills off the chlorine but in just a few hours???

TIA!

 

[jeffchap]

You said you filled it a couple of days ago, but only added chlorine last night. It's entirely possible that enough algae could have taken hold in that time to be consuming your chlorine that quickly. Algae can be growing suspended in the water and isn't really visible to the naked eye. Have you noticed a fine powdery dust on the bottom of the pool when it is still? If so, that's dead algae.

Also, you don't mention adding any stabilizer to the pool. You should add enough to bring your CYA level to 30 ppm. This will help to retain FC by preventing burn off.

You need to perform a SLAM to kill off whatever it is that is consuming your chlorine that quickly. At this point, it should only take you a day or two.

Read this: SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain

 

[Texas Splash]

Also, you don't mention adding any stabilizer to the pool. You should add enough to bring your CYA level to 30 ppm. This will help to retain FC by preventing burn off.

^^This.^^ The TX sun will steal free chlorine in a matter of minutes with no stabilizer. This time of year, you need a CYA of 40 or 50 if the pool gets sun all day. Since you've added some chlorbrite granules (with stabilizer), there may be a very small amount of CYA. So you might only add about 30 ppm of stabilizer for now and re-test the CYA in a couple days. I suspect it will be closer to 40 soon.

While you seen to be avoiding liquid chlorine/bleach, I would add some right away in hopes you avoid algae. It's hot! Add about 4 ppm worth of chlorine now. If you start to see cloudiness, then you'll need to do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to rule-out algae.

 

[D2creative]

I’m working on getting everything in the pool one thing at a time. The stabilizer was the first thing I put in but I haven’t rechecked that level yet (smacks head). Will do that. But I have not noticed any dead algae yet.

Will report back on the cya.

 

[D2creative]

Looks like my CYA is right on target at 45.

 

[jeffchap]

Round up to 50, it's a logarithmic scale.

Add some bleach to bring your FC to 5 right before bedtime tonight then test first thing in the morning. This is the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test or OCLT.

If it has dropped below 4 overnight, then you have algae growing and need to perform a SLAM. All this involves is raising FC to 20 and dosing chlorine as often as you can. Maintain this level until you can pass the OCLT. Once you pass and CC is .5 or less, then you are done. Let FC drop back to 5 and never let it fall below 3 and you should be good.

 

[D2creative]

Hmmm… it was 5 last night and dropped to 4 this morning.

 

[Texas Splash]

Hmmm… it was 5 last night and dropped to 4 this morning.

A 1 ppm loss overnight is close, but still acceptable. So today I would ensure the FC remains nice and string. Keep it anywhere in the 6-8 range today and give the pool some TLC 9sweep, brush, etc). After that, be sure to keep the FC balanced to that CYA of 50 as noted on the FC/CYA Levels and you should do well.