I am wondering the same exact thing as I am battling some cloudiness. I assume they are just turning a blind eye to their current pool conditions and it will catch up to them sooner or later.
Why would pool be growing algae if my numbers are correct?
- Thread starter Skenn81
- Start date
I just dump it in by a return and it swirls around, pump is running non stop so its going to get mixed around.
Also, I am going to need some more reagent. Keeping the CL at 20 is going to be a whole lot of drops per test. 40 drops a test if its at target. Don't have time to wait for the replacements from TFT so I guess its back to the pool store.
Also, I am going to need some more reagent. Keeping the CL at 20 is going to be a whole lot of drops per test. 40 drops a test if its at target. Don't have time to wait for the replacements from TFT so I guess its back to the pool store.
Wobblerlorri
Bronze Supporter
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
I do, for the first month or 3 weeks. That lets me learn the pattern of the pool, and I know when and how much chlorine to add. Right now, my pool has been open for about 2 weeks post-opening SLAM and it's using about 1 to 2 ppm FC daily. I brush and vacuum daily, because of trees all around the pool. I move the steps and brush/vacuum behind them, and pay particular attention to the wall on the far side of the steps, because that's a dead spot.
Once you learn your pool, you can cut testing back to every other day or every three days, and just add chlorine when you know FROM EXPERIENCE it needs some. Do a complete run of tests once a month. And BRUSH EVERY DAY!!!
The bad news is you have algae and you need to SLAM. No discussion. Keep SLAMming until you pass the Three Criteria: FC loss overnight (OCLT) 1.0 or less, CC <0.5, and the water is crystal clear.
The good news is you can clear this easily by following the SLAM Process to a tee. SLAM, brush, vacuum, test at least three times daily. Keep your FC at the level indicated in FC/CYA Levels. Brush, brush, brush. Sides and bottom. Vacuum. You'll be rewarded with no algae and a sparkling blue pool!
Wobblerlorri
Bronze Supporter
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
Amazon is pretty quick on turnaround for replacement reagents. Be sure to order the large FAS-DPD kit.
The pool guys load up the pool with pucks. Then, when things strart going south the pool guys sell algae treatments. When those don't work they say the pool has developed "chlorine lock" and replace all the water, starting the cycle over again......
I’m new and not endorsing this, but I have read that others might fill to 5 testing level instead of 10 and each drop is one vs two to save reagent when slamming.
Hey, on a positive note, since using this site for the past few years we were quickly able to tell something was wrong.
Instead of it being crystal clear it was just clear and the suspicions of something going wrong came up a lot sooner than waking up in a few days and saying "Hm, the pool is green..."
Instead of it being crystal clear it was just clear and the suspicions of something going wrong came up a lot sooner than waking up in a few days and saying "Hm, the pool is green..."
Oof, called five pool stores and no one has the 0871. When they asked what I was doing no one had heard of using the powder and then the liquid drops. I originally got the test kit a few years ago and have been ordering refills since.. this is still the way to do it, right?
So instead looks like I will be ordering.
So instead looks like I will be ordering.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,391
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
It is very rare to find a pool store that carries Taylor FAS-DPD reagents. They think if your FC is above 4 your skin will melt off.
Order from TFTestkits.net. They will do their best to get it to you as fast as possible.
Order from TFTestkits.net. They will do their best to get it to you as fast as possible.
They are. They use trichlor pucks that melt all week long.
And once a week they overdose it with chlorine.
And they dump in all kinds of algaecides and phosphate removers.
Once a year they tell you it's getting cloudy because of too many Total Dissolved Solids and needs a drain.
And their idea of clear is a far cry from ours. If they can make out the drain cover through the murk that's clear. We can tell that the drain cover is held on with phillips head screws.
Another XL Option ordered... I should have enough of what I have on hand to make it a few more days, if not I am just going to dump a gallon in every couple of hours.
I have to agree about their clear vs TFP clear, the cloudiness we are now experiencing I think a lot of people would consider clear. I can still see the main drain on the deep end and the shallow end looks mostly fine. It was just that *something* didnt seem right and when I swam down to the bottom and saw the little bloom I knew we had an issue.
CL raised up to 20 twice so far today and will do it again this evening. It's rainy season so I might actually have to drain an inch or two off the pool tomorrow if this keeps up.
As for pump speed, I have it running my normal low speed but should it be going full blast during this process?
I have to agree about their clear vs TFP clear, the cloudiness we are now experiencing I think a lot of people would consider clear. I can still see the main drain on the deep end and the shallow end looks mostly fine. It was just that *something* didnt seem right and when I swam down to the bottom and saw the little bloom I knew we had an issue.
CL raised up to 20 twice so far today and will do it again this evening. It's rainy season so I might actually have to drain an inch or two off the pool tomorrow if this keeps up.
As for pump speed, I have it running my normal low speed but should it be going full blast during this process?
- May 3, 2014
- 58,391
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
The refill kit came earlier this week and last weekend was spent dosing the pool with lots of CL.
Everything is back to normal this morning, passed the over night test. Another pool saved from being green.
So, preventing this from happening again, which I asked last year too I bet, test more frequently and maintain levels? Thats really it?
Everything is back to normal this morning, passed the over night test. Another pool saved from being green.
So, preventing this from happening again, which I asked last year too I bet, test more frequently and maintain levels? Thats really it?
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,574
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Yes. Test FC and pH daily for a couple of weeks. Test TA when you have to add acid to lower the pH so you know how much to add. CH and CYA shouldn’t change much so you can test monthly or so.
Add acid when pH rises to get to 7.4 or so. Add liquid chlorine daily to get to the top of your FC target.
After a couple of weeks, you can cut back the pH and FC testing to every other day. You still will add liquid chlorine but you’ll get an idea of how much you will add daily by that point.
I will keep my detailed log once the levels return to normal. I am still at a partial spike after the SLAM at 20 for days, it's down to 15/16 today so we still have some time before I can get back to having to add.
Does CL have a rubber band effect like pH? Meaning if I put it very high will it decrease much faster than if I just raise it to recommend levels of around 8 given my CYA?
Does CL have a rubber band effect like pH? Meaning if I put it very high will it decrease much faster than if I just raise it to recommend levels of around 8 given my CYA?
JoeSelf
Gold Supporter
The higher you are above targets the faster FC will come down. You will lose a higher amount after the first day. Lesser amount second day. Third day even less. That is why you can't dump X amount in say 2 times a week. Every day is variable and losses are not the same when adding daily. You can get a feel, but always test.
All righty.. the first week is done and here are my daily testing results. I did notice yesterday CYA dropped down to someplace sub 30 levels so I am in the process of bringing it back up to 50 with two socks hanging in the pool filled with the proper amount of solid stabilizer.
Date / Time Checked / CL Level (Target 9)
6/9/2020 / 8 / 7
6/10/2020 / 8 / 7
6/11/2020 / 8 / 7.5
6/12/2020 / 8 / 7
6/13/2020 / 8 / 6.5
6/14/2020 / 830 / 7.5
I have been adding smaller amounts daily instead of dumping in a ton a few times a week. The results are what you all said should be expected, 2 or so ppm loss a day. I am trying to keep it at 9 for a while just because thats on the high range of the chart because I don't want to end up where I was again.
So if I cut back on the testing now and add 36oz of liquid a day, around the amount needed to bring it from 7 to 9, I should be able to maintain this without testing. I will continue to test for another week to see if the pattern holds and then start to scale back. I will test CYA again tomorrow once all of the stabilizer has dissolved and then add in my monthly CH test as well. It's been mid 80s low 90s and sunny, going to get hotter again next month when we lock in at the mid 90s until what feels like October.
Date / Time Checked / CL Level (Target 9)
6/9/2020 / 8 / 7
6/10/2020 / 8 / 7
6/11/2020 / 8 / 7.5
6/12/2020 / 8 / 7
6/13/2020 / 8 / 6.5
6/14/2020 / 830 / 7.5
I have been adding smaller amounts daily instead of dumping in a ton a few times a week. The results are what you all said should be expected, 2 or so ppm loss a day. I am trying to keep it at 9 for a while just because thats on the high range of the chart because I don't want to end up where I was again.
So if I cut back on the testing now and add 36oz of liquid a day, around the amount needed to bring it from 7 to 9, I should be able to maintain this without testing. I will continue to test for another week to see if the pattern holds and then start to scale back. I will test CYA again tomorrow once all of the stabilizer has dissolved and then add in my monthly CH test as well. It's been mid 80s low 90s and sunny, going to get hotter again next month when we lock in at the mid 90s until what feels like October.
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,574
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I’d recommend still testing 2-3 times a week for FC to be sure the additions are having the effect you want. But otherwise yes, target the top end of the scale. 
I just wanted to come back and say I spent an inordinate amount of time floating on the deep end yesterday afternoon trying to get the water to to totally calm and get my eyes to focus correctly on the bottom with the only purpose of being able to see if I could see the screw type for the main drain.
They are indeed phillips head screws and I was pretty happy with myself for getting the pool back in order to be able to accomplish this useless feat which I feel good about.