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Is the Chlorine too high or is it locked....help!!


Frank
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Hi everyone, hope someone can advise on this one. 

Our pool looks crystal clear, has a PH of 7.6/7.8 (nice pinky/pale purpley colour[:D]), but the chlore is reading off scale, not the nice pale yellow colour more a dark colour. I have taken out some water, added fresh,  done loadsa backwashing, kept the cover off and had the pumps running almost continuously for the last week, but no change.  I have a very large book on pool maintenance and think it may be locked, ie have too many chloramines and if this the case, the book says the solution is to chlore choc it.  Although now there is no smell of chlorine (no cover and continual pumping) when I did have the cover on and took it off there was definitely a chlorine odour.  Now I think if I chlore choc the pool it will increase the levels and the problem not reduce it which is where I need the advice.  If lets say it is just too high, then do I just need to empty loads more water, check ph and adjust accordingly, or do I chlore choc it and hope that it kick starts it to working properly.  The treatments used are the all in one galets, but I haven't put any in this week while I am trying to get prob sorted. Has anyone had a similar problem or does anyone know of a solution, any advice greatly received.  Many thanks in advance

Kimberly

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Maybe ph too high and i would reduce to 7.4 and retest using dpd tablets for chlorine .

My own using saltwater system WITH CORRECT SALINITY LEVEL  is the reverse i,e. low chlorine level after winterisation and I am worried as temperature is improving to 20-23 centigradeand i do not want a green pool,Yet today cold again and  I resorted to adding a little Javel to kick start my system.

PERHAPS WE BOTH NEED A RESPONSE FROM POOLGUY.

 

 

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Hi Ab

Thanks for your reply, I had same problem with chlorine before adjusting the PH so I think it may be 'locked', but I agree with you about needing a response from Poolguy[:D]!!!!

Kimberly

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[quote user="jetlag"]

Although now there is no smell of chlorine (no cover and continual pumping) when I did have the cover on and took it off there was definitely a chlorine odour.  Kimberly

[/quote]

My pool has an abri on it, and there is a definite chlorine smell if I don't open the door for a couple of days.

My advice for what it's worth is if it looks clean and smells clead, then leave it alone!

Peter

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Your problem is quite common.

I think that you might be testing for 'total chlor' instead of 'free

chlor', such that if you are using reagent tester (liquid drops)

instead of DPD1 tabs - if you can clarify then that would help.

Your pH is too high but not by enough to significatly effect the capacity of the chlorine to read, vis bring it down to 7.2

Heavy chlorine smell is usually chloromines (oxidized chlorine) but

lets not assume that yet before we have tested. If you think that you

have 'locked ' you pool then you should test for Cyanuric acid, and

find no more that 50ppm. If there is then you have guessed right and

there is a blockage to the effectiveness of the chlorine in the pool in

which case you will experience an increase of Chlorimine production and

virtually no sanitization. The worst level I have seen so far is

1350ppm of Cyanuric Acid.

If you want to send me your results then I will give you the 'Poolguy's fix it rules'.

Andrew

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[quote user="Ab"]

Maybe ph too high and i would reduce to 7.4 and retest using dpd tablets for chlorine .

My own using saltwater system WITH CORRECT SALINITY LEVEL

 is the reverse i,e. low chlorine level after

winterisation and I am worried as temperature is improving to

20-23 centigradeand i do not want a green pool,Yet today cold again

and  I resorted to adding a little Javel to kick start my system.

PERHAPS WE BOTH NEED A RESPONSE FROM POOLGUY.

 

 

[/quote]

No problem Ab

Turn the Electrolyser to 'max production' and run the pump constantly for a day

or too and see the Chlorine levels rise. If they don't and you truly have

enough salt in the water then you have a fault within your system. Either, it

needs a clean (decalcification- easy and cheap)) or the electrolytic plates are

on the fritz (not cheap). Check to see if ther are any bubbles in the Clear tube??

Lert me know if you need specific help.

Andrew

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Hi Andrew.

We use the "drops" put into a vial of pool water to test for the clorine, never come across the dpd1 tabs and don't know how to check for cyamuric acid. If you could advise we will buy the appropriate products and do the tests asap.

Thanks in advance

Phil n Kim

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As I suspected you were given poor information

from your supplier and from the tester they provided as you are measuring

'Total Chlorine" as opposed to "free chlorine" which is the

chlorine available for work due to levels of Cyanuric acid (stabilizer) which

if it is very high makes the difference in the readings quite a bit. The result

is that you will get to a situation where you pool is unresponsive and you have

no clue how to fix it.

The simple DPD1/phenol red test kits are available widely in Bricos, but

cyanuric acid not so easy.

I recommend a combination tester - photometer such as the Coolpool tester which

will give you accurate digital readouts for three parameters depending on your

needs such as:

Free Chlorine/ pH/ Cyanuric acid.... or

Free Chlorine/pH/ Total Alkalinity

These are basic tools for pool owners and ensure that you are making good

decisions regarding sanitisation rather than 'guesses' the consequences of

which are to make effective pool management a hit and miss affair.

Pm me if you want further details of these testers.

Andrew

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