Chlorine lock on swimming pool?

[coffeeman]

Happy Father's Day to all Dads here,

I had a pool over 30 years. Opened my pool every season, nary a problem. Last season I had a chlorine lock. This season also, This is a condition causing chlorine not to control algae & other organisms . No matter how much shock poured in to pool, it's not free to disinfect the water. Pool "experts" don't really have ideas, other than keep shocking with coloring till goes away.

Seems to me I have a new bug of some kind that reinfected pool again this year, as I went 30 yrs with no problem. Any pool owners that have any ideas? The lock this year only lasted 4 days. Last season it took 2 - 3 weeks to make water safe. Hugh amounts of chemical. I immediately knew what was happening this year and acted fast. I used 6 gallon of shock 2 days in row, thus stopping problem from getting runaway wild.

Again, any ideas or comments. Cheers........Coffeeman

 

[aczlan]

Check the phosphate levels, we had phosphate levels get too high one year and the chlorine wouldn't touch the alge. Put in some phosphate fixer (can't remember the name, can look later) and the problem went away.

Aaron Z

 

[coffeeman]

Check the phosphate levels, we had phosphate levels get too high one year and the chlorine wouldn't touch the alge. Put in some phosphate fixer (can't remember the name, can look later) and the problem went away.

Aaron Z

Good sound advice . In fact My regular pool chemical guy did phosphate test the second time I had them test water. Phosphates were on the money. My pool supplier only tests by old fashioned way. He doesn't have a computer test set up. I guess that would be automatic on that test. Last year during the long lock, I consulted 4 pool store "experts" . Had one guy sell me over $500.00 worth of chemicals to dump in at one time. He said, this is what the machine says and it will work. I fell for it . Had a family party comping up soon. I was desperate after 6 day lock. It didn't work. My pool broke through lock using the advice of the Mom & Pop dealer who has been in pool business most of his life.
EXPERIENCE COUNTS.

Cheers.....Coffeeman

 

[mjonesnh]

Used to have a pool for 22 years. Had similar problem as yours. Only cure I found was to increase the stablizer level ( cyanuric acid). Level checked ok but until I inceased it I never could get the chlorine to free up and quit having a green tint in water

 

[coffeeman]

Good point . So much shock is not stabilized . Sam's, shock has 1 lb bags containing stabilizer . I got faster results using puck chlorine and stabilized powder, I believe. Not 1005 sure why I solved problem fast.

Cheers

 

[mjonesnh]

Good point . So much shock is not stabilized . Sam's, shock has 1 lb bags containing stabilizer . I got faster results using puck chlorine and stabilized powder, I believe. Not 1005 sure why I solved problem fast.

Cheers

Are you adding a seperate stabilizer? stabilized chlorine is a good thing but when I had a pool I added cyanuric acid at the rate of 1.5 lbs per 12,000 gallons of water. This pretty much took care of the green tint. will not lose stabilizer unless you pump pool down and replace with untreated water with exception of very heavy rains. Most pool stores with computer analysis can check for stabilizer level.

 

[aczlan]

Most pool stores with computer analysis can check for stabilizer level.

Lowe's also sells a test kit that has a stick with little pads on it and the one that I have will test for stabilizer level along with the usual free chlorine, pH, etc etc.

Aaron Z

 

[coffeeman]

Thanks for posts,

I had stabilizer checked also. It was on low side within range this year. Last year I had computer check. I guess stabilizer was checked. don't remember if that part of $500. package. I have never drained water except for changing liners.

I will check Lowe's for strips. My pool supplier uses a test tube with a color chart. He thinks that's better than strips. I think strips would be great for a regular test.

Have good afternoon.

 

[Dan Hunter]

I had uncontrollable pink bacteria last year. I bought this: TAYLOR TECHNOLOGIES INC K-1106 TEST KIT PHOSPHATE. My level was WAY high. I bought a product called phosfree and have had no problems since.

 

[aczlan]

I will check Lowe's for strips. My pool supplier uses a test tube with a color chart. He thinks that's better than strips. I think strips would be great for a regular test.

IMO, he is right, the tubes are more accurate (that is what commercial pools/spas are required to use around here), but for personal use the strips are more convenient and easier to use.

Aaron Z

 

[kenmac]

I had to use something in mine this year called flocculant. to help get rid of the algae
I only buy chlorine from Leslie pool store. I have found their chlorine is the highest rated of any I could find anywhere else. Sams, lowes, etc, Has cheaper chlorine ,but doesn't contain as much available chlorine as Leslie's.
I believe Leslie's contains 73% available chlorine

 

[rustyshakelford]

Here's my take on this. First and foremost, don't take any of this advice mentioned so far recommending adding anything....mine included until you get accurate numbers. Adding stabilizer (cya) is the absolute worst thing you can do right now.

I'd be willing to bet your CYA is very very high. Only way to fix that is a drain and refill. If your using tabs, over time your cya will increase and create the "chlorine lock" basically as your cya increases, the amount of chlorine needed increases until you reach a point that you can't keep the chlorine high enough to slam the pool. Go to troublefreepools and start reading. Basically once your cya is set, you manage your chlorine with bleach. Cya is like a sun screen for your bleach. It's protects it during the day. Sunlight and organic matter are the two big killers of bleach. However, to much of a good thing becomes a very bad thing. At troublefreepools, they sell an awesome test kit or you can buy the Taylor k-2006 kit. Don't mess with test strips or count on the pool company. Get a good kit and know the real numbers, then go from there

Brett

 

[rustyshakelford]

I had to use something in mine this year called flocculant. to help get rid of the algae
I only buy chlorine from Leslie pool store. I have found their chlorine is the highest rated of any I could find anywhere else. Sams, lowes, etc, Has cheaper chlorine ,but doesn't contain as much available chlorine as Leslie's.
I believe Leslie's contains 73% available chlorine

Walmart sells 12.5% bleach, I believe the highest at Leslie's is 13-13.5%. Two gallons are 6.77 at Walmart

Brett

 

[kenmac]

Walmart sells 12.5% bleach, I believe the highest at Leslie's is 13-13.5%. Two gallons are 6.77 at Walmart

Brett

couldn't tell you about bleach. I have never used it for my chlorine. I use the 73% available chlorine packs to boost my chlorine levels.
I also have a chlorine feeder that continuously feeds chlorine into the pool

 

[rustyshakelford]

couldn't tell you about bleach. I have never used it for my chlorine. I use the 73% available chlorine packs to boost my chlorine levels.
I also have a chlorine feeder that continuously feeds chlorine into the pool

Those would be great if they didn't have the other stuff. Cya causes more problems than people realize when just using pucks. If they could make a tab that was just for sanitizing the pool with nothing else it would be great. Check out troublefreepools, it's a great wealth of pool knlowledge.

Brett

 

[kenmac]

Had this pool installed 20 yrs ago ,and only had problems this yr.
I had algae I couldn't get rid of. I put alot of chlorine and it didn't help. Went to the pool store and he sold me this Baquacil Flocculant (1.5 lb) offered by Pool Geek Followed his directions (not what's on the bottle) and within 24 hrs All my algae was gone. I couldn't believe it.

I have sold this home with pool anyway. Moving next month. Next year it will be someone else's problem:dance1:

 

[ustmd]

Here's my take on this. First and foremost, don't take any of this advice mentioned so far recommending adding anything....mine included until you get accurate numbers. Adding stabilizer (cya) is the absolute worst thing you can do right now.

I'd be willing to bet your CYA is very very high. Only way to fix that is a drain and refill. If your using tabs, over time your cya will increase and create the "chlorine lock" basically as your cya increases, the amount of chlorine needed increases until you reach a point that you can't keep the chlorine high enough to slam the pool. Go to troublefreepools and start reading. Basically once your cya is set, you manage your chlorine with bleach. Cya is like a sun screen for your bleach. It's protects it during the day. Sunlight and organic matter are the two big killers of bleach. However, to much of a good thing becomes a very bad thing. At troublefreepools, they sell an awesome test kit or you can buy the Taylor k-2006 kit. Don't mess with test strips or count on the pool company. Get a good kit and know the real numbers, then go from there

Brett

+100000000000000

I highly recommend you consult trouble free pools:

Pool School - TFP Home Page

Think of tractorbynet, but for pools. No one is trying to sell you anything there.

 

[KubotainNH]

+100000000000000

I highly recommend you consult trouble free pools:

Pool School - TFP Home Page

Think of tractorbynet, but for pools. No one is trying to sell you anything there.

Rusty and USTMD have my vote. I only use straight liquid bleach in my pool and never had an issue. The last couple years I have used a Salt Water Generator (SWG) which converts salt in the water to pure chlorine, talk about the easy pool life. CYA builds up when using pucks and most if not all powdered store chemicals, please post a picture or link of what is in your normal chlorine add. You may find that every time you add it you are adding CYA which is basically used so the sun does not burn on the chlorine quickly but never dissipates. The best thing you can do for yourself is get a real test kit like the big Taylor one and use the TFP website. That site has saved my butt and I post stuff on there to help others. Pool stores often mess up the numbers, especially on the CYA test. Also, forget about test strips.

 

[kenmac]

had my pool and used regular shock in bags and use the 3'' tablets in the feeder for 20 years. If I ever had a problem with CYA. I never knew it. 30,000 gallons would be a lot of water to drain and refill .
That said, I hope to leave this pool with someone else at the end of next mo.


Leslie's Pool School - How to Lower CYA in a Swimming Pool - YouTube

 

[MossRoad]

I switched our 24' above ground pool (12,500 gallons) to salt water about 5-6 years ago. Each spring I remove the winter cover, and top off the water. Then, I use:
- About 3 pounds of CYA.
- About 120 pounds of salt.
- 6 gallons of bleach or 3 gallons of liquid shock, depending on what's cheapest each spring (shock is about 2X times regular bleach).
- And a weekly dose of algaecide.

And I don't touch it again until fall.... unless a squirrel drowns in it, then I shock it with a couple gallons of liquid shock. That grosses me out! Or we have torrential rains that overflow the pool, and that requires re-balancing the salt and CYA.

Evaporation isn't a problem with salt water pools, since salt doesn't evaporate. I just top it off weekly in drought conditions.

I'll second the test strips... they are super easy to use. I do it twice a week just because I'm curious.
I like these because they test everything but the salt level...