Chlorine levels - Not sure I understand how to manage?

[jmf1971]

Hi this is the first year we have opened our pool - it was installed last June. Upon opening the water was clear so we were excited that we closed it the 'right' way.

FC:10
TC:
pH:7.2
TA:between 40-80
CH:
CYA:
The strips I am using only have the three levels

My pool:AG 33x18x52
Pool chemicals:3in chorine tabs and liquid shock is about all I use... I have added ph increase to keep the ph levels where they should be
My pump & filter: is a 2 sp, 2 HP with a DE filter - last year when we installed we added 6 of the blue 'cups' of DE but the guy this year told us to only add 3
Other info: When I opened it I made the mistake of adding the full bottle of shock (12%) - 1 gallon AND running the filter with the chlorine feeder full of chlorine tabs - in effect super super shocking the water. So in order to let the kids in the pool 2 weeks later - I added Chlor Neutralizer. About 4.5 lbs.

Now almost a month later I am still struggling with the Chlorine levels... when the Chlorine level tanked and a little bit of algae started to grow, I dumped about 1/3 of a gallon of shock (6%) in and the chlorine level skyrocketed again and has stayed high. Maybe for a day it has appeared to come down as low as 5 but again today it is 10. I have taken all Chlorine out of the feeder and have run the pump without any chemicals.

A note - I have a nature 2 cartridge installed on my return line as well.

HELP.

[Denali]

Hi this is the first year we have opened our pool - it was installed last June. Upon opening the water was clear so we were excited that we closed it the 'right' way.

FC:10
TC:
pH:7.2
TA:between 40-80
CH:
CYA:
The strips I am using only have the three levels

My pool:AG 33x18x52
Pool chemicals:3in chorine tabs and liquid shock is about all I use... I have added ph increase to keep the ph levels where they should be
My pump & filter: is a 2 sp, 2 HP with a DE filter - last year when we installed we added 6 of the blue 'cups' of DE but the guy this year told us to only add 3
Other info: When I opened it I made the mistake of adding the full bottle of shock (12%) - 1 gallon AND running the filter with the chlorine feeder full of chlorine tabs - in effect super super shocking the water. So in order to let the kids in the pool 2 weeks later - I added Chlor Neutralizer. About 4.5 lbs.

Now almost a month later I am still struggling with the Chlorine levels... when the Chlorine level tanked and a little bit of algae started to grow, I dumped about 1/3 of a gallon of shock (6%) in and the chlorine level skyrocketed again and has stayed high. Maybe for a day it has appeared to come down as low as 5 but again today it is 10. I have taken all Chlorine out of the feeder and have run the pump without any chemicals.

A note - I have a nature 2 cartridge installed on my return line as well.

HELP.

Hi,

If you've read through this forum you'll know that first thing I'm going to say. Get yourself a good test kit! You're using 3 in. tabs which add CYA. You need to know the CYA level in order to know that chlorine level is correct for your pool.

Strips give you a ballpark figure on some levels, however, a TA reading between 40-80 honestly doesn't tell you anything. If it's 40 you're probably too low. If it's 80 you're just about right. Trouble is, you don't know which it is.

You can get the water tested at a pool store if a good test kit isn't in your future. It really is difficult to maintain a pool when you don't have all the numbers of your chemical balance.

What size DE filter do you have? The amount of DE they told you to add seems a bit odd to me.

[jmf1971]

I am not sure how to tell the size of my filter... I guess at this point I am realizing how very little I do know. Where do I get that information?

[jmf1971]

Also, please define a good test kit.

[Denali]

I am not sure how to tell the size of my filter... I guess at this point I am realizing how very little I do know. Where do I get that information?

On the filter itself it should list the size in sq. feet. If you can't find that then get the name and model number which should also be on the tank.

I borrowed the following from chemgeek. I don't think he would mind.

Get a good test kit, either the Taylor K-2006 or the TF100 from http://www.tftestkits.net with the latter kit having 36% more volume of reagents so is less expensive per test.

These kits let you test CYA level and higher levels of chlorine that you use when shocking the pool.