Major Chlorine Issues--HELP

kellyjean · Postby **kellyjean** » Thu 10 May, 2012 21:36

I opened my pool one week ago today. Filled it, let the pump run for 24 hours ane then took a sample to the store. Initially eveything was good. The filter has been on and running ever since. I have been to my local poor store just about every day becaue I can't keep chlorine in the pool. Stabalizer, ph, alkalinity, calcium, and all other tests are within normal range. No phosphates. I took them a sample this am and was told to add one pound of shock....at 5PM I added shock and 30 min later got reading of 3.5 on free chlorine. Two hours later back to "no chlorine" in the pool. At the store its actualy been testing at 0.5, but my kit does not go that low and the combined chlorine has ranged from 7.5 to 2.0 depending on when I have had it tested. I have absolutely no idea what else to do and they do not eiher as nothing they have told me has worked.

Avove ground pool, 18 ft, round with vinyl liner and sand hayward filter.

kellyjean · Postby **kellyjean** » Fri 11 May, 2012 12:57

Well I went back to the pool store today and took in another water sample. The chlorine was up to .88....LOL. After some discussion and really thinking back over the past week, I remebered that on the day we opened the pool and turned the pump on there was this white stuff that resembled wet tissue paper all shredded up floating in the pool, but it was gone after the filer ran for a few hours.....WATER MOLD....

Its probably in my filter so we used a non chlorine shock that is supposed to remove stuff out of the pool. I added it, have to shock with the chlorine shock tonight and then see what happens in the morning when I take another sample. Maybe, if we have sloved the problem, this can help someone else. I will post what we do from here on out until my problem is solved.

kellyjean · Postby **kellyjean** » Mon 14 May, 2012 14:18

Well my problems are no better. While my water is crystal clear, the pool still will not hold chlorine. I have added first aid and other chemicals all for nothing. The next step is to take all the sand from the filter and replace it with new, but not sure when exactly as they are very busy getting pools up and running right now. I will keep you posted.

kellyjean · Postby **kellyjean** » Fri 18 May, 2012 00:53

Well I/we are at a loss. Had the sand changes and the pool contineus to consume chlorine at an increased rate. While the rate has slowed, it still eating in all up in about 12 hours instead of 2.5. I guess that is improvement. I am running out of ideas an so is the pool store. I would welcome any suggestions:) When I took water in today, the following reading were obtained:

Copper 0
Iron 0
Alk 122
Ph 7.4
Stabalizer 39
Calcium 250
Phosphates 00
FC .41

18 ft above ground pool, vinyl liner, haward sand filter, using GLB products.
TC .62

Postby **chem geek** » Fri 18 May, 2012 05:41

Shocking is a process of maintaining a high FC level. If you yo-yo up and down then you allow algae and other organisms to grow which will create a chlorine demand. Even if not visibly present (i.e. the water is clear) they can still be there. Shock levels are an FC that is 40% of the CYA level, but I would not trust the pool store results. I suggest you get yourself a proper test kit, either the Taylor K-2006 or the TF-100 and use The Pool Calculator to calculate dosages. You can also read The Pool School including the article on shocking. The fact that your chlorine demand is dropping means that you are getting rid of the source of the problem, but aren't done yet.

It's also possible that the CYA level is lower than you think. See if you have an overnight chlorine loss or if it is just during the day. If just during the day, then your CYA level is probably too low.

kellyjean · Postby **kellyjean** » Fri 18 May, 2012 09:09

Well I have no idea what finally did it, but I shocked the pool again last night after backwashing (yes the new sand) and this morning I have chlorine. It is still up around a 5 on the test strip which should be appropriate since it has been in th sun for a few hours now. Keeping finger crossed that is lasts. Still don't have a good diagnosis as to what it was, but I am thinking something organic like the water mold that I saw the first day floating in the water. Not sure why the the sand change took a few days to work, but maybe there was orgainic stuff in the water that I could not see. Was getting ready to pink treat the pool as a last resort. I guess the constant shocking helped as well. Wonder what would have happened if I would have thrown 10 pounds in at once??? Guess I will never know.

Guest · Postby **Guest** » Thu 24 May, 2012 20:55

I have an inground pool and have put 3 CASES of chlorine in and 6 bags of burn out. My chlorine was zero again so I took the water in for a chlorine demand test and just got done adding 64 bottles of liquid shock, 16 more CASES. Now we wait and see...................

kellyjean · Postby **kellyjean** » Thu 24 May, 2012 21:33

Do you know exactly what is wrong with you pool that is causing the chlorine demand problem? Several people this year with inground pools that had bad water mold problmes used pink treat with great success. A sand change did wonders for me. I wish I had better advice, but sometimes it feels like a crap shoot.

Postby **chem geek** » Fri 25 May, 2012 15:35

If one lets a pool go over the winter such that the chlorine level gets to zero, then bacteria can grow and convert the Cyanuric Acid (CYA) into ammonia which creates a huge chlorine demand upon opening. You can tell if this has occurred because the CYA level will have dropped, possibly to 0, and an ammonia test kit will register high ammonia levels. Or if you add chlorine you will get low FC and high CC levels. You just keep adding chlorinating liquid or bleach until you oxidize all the ammonia. I describe my personal experience of this effect (from my letting the chlorine get to zero when opening my pool one season) in this thread.

Guest · Postby **Guest** » Tue 29 May, 2012 07:12

I am having the same problem! Help!

kellyjean · Postby **kellyjean** » Tue 29 May, 2012 07:42

The sand change is what turned the corner for me...then the shock seemed to be much more effective. No way to know if was coincidence or not. Good Luck,...it totally sucks when you can't get it right.