Ah, yes… a question about a swimming pool not holding its chlorine residual came in recently and we must say that it took longer this year than usual.

Hi – We just got a pool put in (a 24′ round) and it does not hold any chlorine. We pour a gallon in at a time and test the next day and we have almost no chlorine showing up and also our water stays cloudy. What are we doing wrong? Thanks. Annie.

Well, Annie, we will start with the type of chlorine you most likely have: liquid. Sodium hypochlorite works very well as a chlorinating agent, disperses into pool water seamlessly, and has a relatively low cost (usually around $2 per gallon if bought in 5 gallon jugs).

Aside from liquid chlorine’s tendency to bleach any clothing it touches and weigh a lot in those bulky 5 gallon containers, liquid chlorine also lacks any kind of stabilizing compound in its chemical makeup. Without a stabilizer such as cyanuric acid, the chlorine added to a pool via liquid chlorine can readily exit the pool for a number of reasons (i.e direct sunlight, warm water temperatures, etc.)

If you have not already added pool stabilizer (cyanuric acid), you may want to do so pretty soon. We do, of course, suggest you test your pool for cyanuric acid before adding any chemicals… in case some other, more insidious reason exists for your pool not holding a chlorine level.

Unsure as to how you can test pool water for cyanuric acid? You can take water to your local pool store, use a liquid test kit or use something like the 6 Way Pool Check test strip.

Other Chlorine Eaters

By any chance do you have a fair amount of leaves, tree branches, dead animals, dead neighbors, or other debris in the water? If so, the chlorine will act like a human and choose the easiest (biggest) target to attack rather than go after smaller, harder to attack targets. Get the debris out right away.

Don’t Skimp on the Filtration/Circulation

The cloudy water in your pool may come from poor water circulation and/or filtration as well as the low chlorine level you initially inquired about. Until you clear up the water, try running the filter 24 hours a day if you do not already do that.

If after running the filter a full day you do not see an increase in pump pressure on the gauge attached to the filter and/or the strength of the jets pushing water back into the pool has not diminished, you may have filter problems. Now on the other hand, if you DO see increased pressure and diminished return jet strength, backwash the filter and it will begin collecting more junk from your water at a faster rate.

Simplified List of Steps for Annie to Take

Granted we cannot possibly address Annie’s problems completely since we do not know all of the factors affecting her water condition, but the we have personally used slight variations of this advice to help quite a few people clear up their pool water.

• Remove large debris from pool, if present… especially any dead bodies.

• Test stabilizer level and adjust if needed by adding cyanuric acid per the instructions given by the chemical’s manufacturer.

• Test other critical water parameters such as pH, Alkalinity, Copper, Iron, Hardness, etc. and make corrections as needed — per instruction(s), of course.

• Add more liquid chlorine… roughly 1 gallon per 10,000 gallons of pool water.

• Run filter 24 hours a day until problem clears up.

• Backwash filter when necessary to improve filtration and water circulation.

Never hesitate to go in and pester your local pool store employees for pointers, free water testing and advice. They relish the opportunity to snicker behind your back because they cannot believe you cannot figure out what pool chemicals you need… but try not to let that deter you because they know a lot about how to properly maintain pools and generally give good advice!

In an earlier posting we promised to give you some real-world advice regarding how to clean up algae problems in pool water. We have personally, and successfully, used the following instructions more times than we care to remember and feel safe saying that they will work for pretty much anyone as long as their pool filter, pump and other equipment functioned properly.

1. Brush pool surfaces -– Algae will usually first appear on the walls and bottom of the pool as a slimy coating and as long as it remains attached to a surface of some kind, any chemical used to treat he algae infestation will have a difficult time doing its job. Brushing all pool surfaces puts algae into suspension with its vulnerable underbelly exposed so the chemical shock treatments can completely and quickly penetrate the algae bloom.

2. pH Reduction -– Some people dispute the value of this step, but chemically speaking MOST of your chlorine-based granular/powder shock treatments work more effectively in a poll with a pH level in the range of 6.8 to 7.0. One should OBVIOUSLY test the pH level in their pool prior to adding any chemicals to raise or lower the pH.

   Also, check for other critical water parameters such as alkalinity, stabilizer, calcium hardness, etc. at this time, too. If you want your pool shock treatment (in the next step) to work as effectively and quickly as possible, you MUST have your water properly balanced first.

   Need a test kit? Take a look at Taylor-Test-Kits.Com.

   

3. Shock the Pool -– At this point you should add chlorine shock treatment (unless you use a biguanide sanitizer system!!!) to your pool water at a rate of roughly one pound of shock per 10,000 gallons of pool water. NOTE: Not all shocks come in the same strength so you will have to read the directions on your package(S) carefully before use!

   Your pool will most likely get a little cloudy at this point due to dead algae floating around. You pool’s filter, if operating properly, will take care of this problem shortly.

   

4. Algae Treatment or Phosphate Removers -– Now that you have killed the algae blooms, you may also want to remove the nutrients that allowed the algae to flourish in the first place. Without phosphates, future algae will not have a chance to grow.

   Need a test kit to determine whether or not your pool contains phosphates? Take a look at the Phosphate Test Strips manufactured by Pool Check.

   

5. Swimming Pool Clarifier -– Once dead, the algae will float around in your water making it appear cloudy… until your filter has a chance to remove it. Adding the proper dosage of pool water clarifier will speed up that process and leave you with crystal clear pool water as long as you remember to backwash your filter each time it gets clogged up with dead algae.

An important thing to remember about cleaning up algae problems: Your pool filter will have to work a lot harder than it normally does as it filters out the dead algae floating around in the pool after the shock treatment does its job. You may have to backwash several times before your pool returns to its normal condition.

For all you people with DE Filters, depending upon how long ago you last cleaned the fingers/grids in your filter you may want to do so before and after this massive filtering effort. You will want to use a DE filter cleaner for the task.

Need a new or longer backwash hose so you can direct your chlorinated waste water stream away from your flowerbeds, neighbor’s lawn, etc.? InTheSwim.Com carries backwash hoses in 25′, 100′ and 100′ lengths.

Seems like a really stupid question, but trust us when we tell you that thousands of people ask that question each swimming season. Either that or they ask a similar question: “I put algaecide in my pool but I still have a green pool. Why?”

For the most part the term ‘algaecide’ masks the true purpose of algaecides which is actually to help prevent algae from appearing in the first place, not kill it once it has arrived.

Yes, you read that correctly. Algaecides actually work to keep algae from blooming and turning your pool green. Therefore, logic dictates that algae ought to go into the pool BEFORE the first signs of algae… Slimy pool surfaces and yellow/brown/green ‘stains’ appearing in the pool.

So, to answer the question directly, no, you most likely cannot use algaecide to clear up an algae problem. you can, however, use algaecide in conjunction with proper sanitizers to keep algae from showing up in your pool in the first place.

So what can you do if your pool already HAS an algae problem? The kit pictured above (Algae Attack Pool Chemical Value Pack) can help in cases like that. It has all the necessary components to take care of the most stubborn algae issues.

As a general rule, properly balancing the water and then delivering a healthy dose of shock (chlorine or non-chlorine) usually gets pools back on the right track. Some brushing of walls and other pool surfaces required, of course.

We will try to get more detailed instructions for getting rid of algae posted in the next few days, but no promises… we may get pre-occupied w/ swimming by accident.

Got a problem w/ iron in your water? If so, you have joined the millions of other folks who have the same problem.

Iron occurs naturally in the environment and as water passes across it in rock formations small amounts of iron dissolve into the water. Over time the amount of iron dissolved into the water can grow to a large amount and in too great a quantity iron in water can result in stains on fixtures, metallic taste, the formation of precipitates which can clog plumbing and filters, etc.

You can find additional information on iron in drinking water on an earlier blog posting… here

For those reasons, and more, most people prefer to filter iron out of their water before using it in their homes, schools and places of business. The Pentek RFFE20-BB Iron Reduction Filter helps people accomplish that goal.

Configured as a 20″x5″ radial flow ‘Big Blue” cartridge, the Pentek RFFE20-BB reduces iron in drinking water and has a genuine Pentek part number of 155263-03. This product effectively removes up to 3 ppm of dissolved iron from water and in doing so reduces the metallic taste caused by iron and reduces orange/brown staining found on sinks, tubs, toilets and other plumbing fixtures.

Size of Filter: 20″ x 5″, w/ actual measurements of 19 3/4″ x 4 7/8″

Optimal pre-filter water conditions:

• pH: greater than 7.0 (test for pH)
• Silica: less than 100 ppm
• Manganese: less than 1 ppm (test for manganese)
• Iron: less than 3 ppm (test for total iron)
• Iron Bacteria: None
• Hydrogen Sulfide: None (test for hydrogen sulfide)

Using the Pentek RFFE20-BB Iron Reduction Filter to treat water outside of specified limits may result in shortened filter life.

Everyone loves a bargain, right? Well if you have waited to purchase a test kit for drinking water because you could never find one on sale, well, you no longer have a reason to wait.

FilterWater.Com recently dropped the price of Sensafe’s most popular test kit for drinking water quality, an easy-to-use test kit that tests for 15 critical water quality contaminants and does not require users to mix powders, crush tablets, or have a degree in chemistry to figure out the directions.

Considered by some the most complete do-it-yourself Water Quality Test Kit on the market, this water test kit tests up to 2 water sources for 15 critical water quality parameters and allows you to quickly and easily test your drinking water and/or check to see if your water filter does a good job.

In this particular drinking water test kit you will find the only available USEPA Approved Free Chlorine Test Strip as well as color-coded, visual, on the spot tests for 13 other parameters. The bacteria test kit, however, requires 48 hours, just as it does in kits manufactured by all other companies.

In total, the Water Quality Test Kit contains the following:

• Free Chlorine – 2 tests
• Total Chlorine – 2 tests
• Chloride – 2 tests
• pH – 2 tests
• Total Alkalinity – 2 tests
• Total Hardness – 2 tests
• Nitrate – 2 tests
• Nitrite – 2 tests
• Iron – 2 tests
• Sulfate – 2 tests
• Hydrogen Sulfide – 2 tests
• Copper – 2 tests
• Lead – 1 test
• Pesticide – 1 test
• Bacteria – 1 test

Included with the kit you will receive a chart so that you can compare your results to USEPA recommended levels is included.

And remember…

Despite the great price on this home drinking water test kit, no at-home testing can ever take the place of having a certified water testing laboratory such as National Testing Labs analyze your drinking water if you have serious reason to suspect contamination.

As the beginning of Summer 2010 approaches and more people flock to local swimming pools in an effort to cool off, the risk of waterborne illness from parasites increases. Recreational Water Illnesses (RWI’s) typically occur when people do not practice simple hygiene before and during their pool visits.

In the event of a recreational water illness most people immediately blame pool operators for allowing sanitizer levels to fall. Many of those same people, however, forget that germs and bacteria enter the pool on people and that if people stopped introducing harmful germs and bacteria to pool water, sanitizer levels would probably not drop to dangerously low levels and allow germs to wreak havoc.

Another thing to remember about chlorine, bromine and other sanitizers: They will not work as effectively if other critical water parameters such as pH and total alkalinity levels have drifted out of acceptable ranges. So even if sanitizer levels test correctly and in the right ranges, high/low values for other water parameters may render those sanitizers partially or totally ineffective at killing germs and bacteria.

What sort of ‘nasties’ can a person expect to find in swimming pools as a result of poor swimmer hygiene habits?

The most common are caused by the germs Cryptosporidium (crypto), Giardia, E. coli and Shigella. Once these parasites gain entry to the pool they can cause swimmers to experience a variety of infections ranging from skin, ear and eye to gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses that can quickly put a damper on summer fun.

How widespread are these pesky pool parasites? Research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found nearly one in ten public swimming pools in a major metropolitan city tested positive for Crypto and Giardia, the parasites responsible for causing most of the outbreaks of diarrhea among swimmers in the United States. Diarrhea is one of the most common illnesses related to swimming and is spread when disease carrying germs from human or animal feces get into the water and are accidentally swallowed by unsuspecting swimmers. ( source )

So as you can clearly see, harmful bacteria and germs in pool water should concern EVERY swimmer and EVERY swimmer should do their part to reduce the number of germs and bacteria they could potentially bring to a pool party.

For a list of things you, your family, and hopefully all other pool patrons can do to reduce the risk RWI’s in your favorite pools, check out a recent article on The Water Testing Blog entitled Myth: Chlorine Kills All Germs and Bacteria in Water.

What about testing? Can the average person test for the presence of harmful bacteria before entering the pool? Yes, WaterSafe manufactures a bacteria test kit specifically designed for use in pool & spa water to detect harmful bacteria species such as Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, E.coli, species of Salmonella, Shigella, Enterobacter, Klebsiella and many other Coliform and non-Coliform bacteria.

While the kit will not distinguish between bacteria types or give quantitative results, it will let you know if water tested contains more than 1,000 cfu/mL. People should avoid swimming in pool water containing levels greater than 1,000 cfu/mL.

OK, so you COULD go and eat a value meal at some fast or semi-fast food restaurant for five dollars (plus tax)… or you could take advantage of a great price on Pool Check 3 Way Test Strips that you know you will need this pool season.

What do they test for? So glad you asked! Pool Check 3 in 1 Test Strips test for Free Chlorine (0-20ppm), Bromine (0-40ppm), Total Alkalinity (0-360ppm), and pH (6.0-9.0).

Right now on the National Safety Products web site you can get a bottle of 50 strips for just five bucks… which works out to just 10 cents a test.

You KNOW you will need these things at some point this pool season so why not pick up a few bottles right now and not have to worry about running out later this Summer and having to pay MORE for the same product; simply because retailers know you’ll have to pay whatever they ask at that point.

Order some Pool Check 3 in 1 Test Strips today… or for those of you who don’t like using test strips and prefer to use a more traditional test kit, you will find those on Taylor-Test-Kits.Com.

On another note…

Happy Friday, everyone! Weekend’s almost here!

Another article has popped up in which an official from an environmental agency has stated that a need exists for testing bodies of water in and around areas where drilling for natural gas will take place. It seems as though the closer the date gets when drilling will begin, the more people become concerned and say, “Hey… We really need to think about our water supply. We have NO idea what this amount of drilling might do to it.”

Jun. 7 — Surface water and water wells near pending natural gas drilling operations should be tested before any drilling starts, Scott Fickbohm, manager of Otsego County’s Soil & Water District, said.

“We need baseline tests if we’re going to be able to show that any changes have occurred,” Fickbohm said Friday.

In his agency, he and one other staff member could work part-time at monitoring surface water in the county, he said. The Soil & Water District does not have the means to test thousands of water wells, “but I’m working on a database to try to let people know where they can get their water tested, and how much it will cost,” he said.

Costs will depend on how comprehensive the tests are. “I’ve heard everything from hundreds to thousands of dollars,” he said.

…

The state may mandate that drilling firms pay for baseline testing of water wells within a certain distance of a drilling operation, he noted.

Although the state’s rules have yet to be issued, Soil & Water is preparing for its upcoming duties because it cannot wait, Fickbohm said.

“We’re taking our lead from the SRBC,” he said.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is monitoring the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania for conductivity and Ph values because when these values change they may indicate the river is being polluted, he said.

“Conductivity is the presence of ions in the water, and that’s likely to pick up any change in salinity,” he said.

In their quest for shale gas, companies are drilling thousands of feet down into a zone where there are pockets of saline water, Fickbohm said. A change in the river’s saline levels might mean that brackish water from the depths has reached the river, the largest source of fresh water in the Chesapeake Bay. ( source )

Testing for Conductivity

Conductivity testing typically gets done with the use of a conductivity meter. You will find examples of several popular conductivity meters below.

Product Name	Model
Conductivity Meter: Digital 0 to 1999 µS Water Quality Meter (WA300) with Remote Sensor Probe & 36″ Lead	WA300
Conductivity Meter: Digital 0 to 1999µS (PWA-301) with Integral Sensor Tip & Protective Cap	PWA-301
Conductivity Meter: Digital Pen Style 10 to 9990 µS/cm (CO502) ATC with Calibration Solution, Screwdriver & Hard Case	CO502
Conductivity TDS Meter: Digital (CDM22CT) with Built-In Thermometer	DCM22CT
Electrical Conductivity EC Meter: Digital 0 to 20.0 EC (EC506) ATC with Calibration Solution, Screwdriver & Hard Case	EC506
pH/ORP/Temperature Conductivity Combination Digital Water Testing Meter (DPHO1380K) with Software & Carrying Case	DPHO1380K

While this article mentioned conductivity as a means of testing for changes in surface water’s salinity, other testing methods such as TDS meters, salt (chloride) meters and/or chloride test strips may work as well, but their effectiveness, we believe, may get limited by their detection ranges.

Voted one of the “Most Valuable Products for 2008!” by Aquatics International Magazine, the Lamotte Color Q Pro 7 tests for seven critical pool and spa water parameters: Free Chlorine, Total Chlorine, Bromine, pH, Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and Cyanuric Acid.

It comes with either TesTabs or liquid reagents and has a 6-month manufacturer’s warranty.

Below you will find a table which lists each water quality parameter the meter can test along with the meter’s associated detection limits.

The Lamotte Color Q Pro 7 offers convenient pool or spa-side water testing without the need for color matching or look up charts and conversion tables. It provides direct readings for Free Chlorine, Total Chlorine, Bromine, pH, Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and Cyanuric Acid and by doing so eliminates all guesswork.