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h20gal

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  1. Thank you, Waterbear, for your prompt feedback. I've decided to stop the solar heating process with bubble cover today & to start heating with propane. This will enable me to keep the two thick spa covers on the pool all the time except when the pool is actually being used (every other day for about an hour only). I will super shock with bleach until I get a 10 ppm BR reading. With the pool solidly covered, I should be able to maintain BR 4-6 going forward (which I've been able to do in the past). I will pick up some Polyquat as well. I don't want to switch to chlorine. I really can't. The little pool is part in ground & part above ground (on a hill). I can't drain it all the way as it could completely pop out of the ground when no water is in it (per Viking Pools, the manufacturer). I'll give you an update in about a week. Thx so much.
  2. Waterbear - Thx for the dilution tip. I did both the 1:1 & 4:1 dilution tests for BR. Both came up 0 tonight. So, over-sanitization isn't the problem. Re your questions: Are you only using sodium bromide and MPS right now or do you also have bromine tabs in a floater or feeder? Also, have you tried shocking with sodium hypochlorite? (bleach or liquid chlorine). As I stated in my first post above, I established the sodium bromide bank, super shocked with MPS the first time, super shocked with liquid bleach the second time & yes, there is also a floater with BR/Cl tabs. Still have BR at 0 after the initial reading of 5 ppm max from both super shock treatments. So, with the dilution tests showing BR at 0, do you think I should wait to shock again until AFTER the solar heating process is completed (a couple more days)? Then the pool will be covered most of the time again, the heat will be kept stable with a propane heater & the bromine level won't be affected so much by the sunlight? Also, when exactly should I do the BR test after shocking? In 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 1/2 hour? Note, I can mix the shock in the water manually with the pole broom + use the circulating pump. Thx much.
  3. Waterbear - Re your 1st point above, I'm using the Taylor K-2005 DPD test kit (I know not your first choice), which is what I've used for years without this current problem. Is there a separate FAS-DPD or OTO kit available just for testing BR? If the BR was over 10 ppm, how many days would it take to come down to a readable DPD level? The last super shock was done on 6/3/12. The water looks crystal clear now (was a bit cloudy at first) & the BR reading is still 0 today, 6/7, as it has been since 6/4. Note, the pool has been totally covered the last 3 of 4 days. Re your 2nd point above, yes, the bubble cover is clear. If this scenario is happening, which is the opposite of your 1st point, do you think I should wait to shock again until AFTER the solar heating process is completed (a couple more days)? Then the pool will be covered most of the time again, the heat will be kept stable with a propane heater & the bromine level won't be affected so much by the sunlight? Also, when exactly should I do the BR test after shocking? In 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 1/2 hour? Note, I can mix the shock in the water manually with the pole broom + use the circulating pump. Thx.
  4. Both times that I shocked were in the early evening when the sunlight was not on the water at all, however, the water had been in sunlight all day (with bubble cover). Would that be the reason for the BR reading of 5 max & the drop to 0 fairly quickly? Does the sunlight's affect on the water carry over for additional hours/days or is it an issue on the bromine level only when the sun is directly on the water? Do you think I should wait to shock again until AFTER the solar heating process is completed (a couple more days)? Then the pool will be covered most of the time again & the heat will be kept stable with a propane heater? Thx.
  5. I have a 3,300 gallon, 8Wx13Lx6' deep fiberglas exercise pool. It is covered except the first 4-5 days of the season when I solar heat it & when we are in it which is about an hour a day, 3-4 days/week in the summer. I understand the chemical balance & use the 3-step bromine procedure. Upon opening the pool a week ago, I drained off about 16" of water, added new (from well), added Metal Gone, added 16 oz Sodium Bromide, balanced the water over several days, & circulated three days running to clear up a bit of cloudiness, cleaning the cartridge filter a couple times in the process. I had the pool covers off all day for 4 days to solar heat the water. Right now, Bromine 0, pH 7.6, TA 75-100, CH 175. My question is this: Does sunlight render the Sodium Bromide Bank ineffective or less effective? The reason I'm asking is Day 2 of solar heating (covers off), I tried to get a BR reading of 10 from the first shock treatment (used 3 times MPS, or about 16 oz, & only got a reading of 5). Within an hour the BR went down to 0. A couple days later (Day 4 of solar heating, covers off), I tried to get a BR reading of 10 from the second shock treatment using 240 oz of liquid bleach (way over what is recommended). Again, I only was able to get a BR reading of 5 & within an hour the BR went down to 0. I've had a floater in the pool the whole time with BR/CL tablets & still the BR is 0. The pool has been totally covered for about 3 days now because of cooler weather & still the BR is 0. What do you experts think? Does sunlight render the Sodium Bromide Bank ineffective or less effective? Many thx.
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