Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Chlorinating, maintaining the right chlorine levels,
chlorine problems. Dichlor, trichlor, cal hypo, bleach,
granules, chlorine pucks and chlorine sticks.
chuck from sarasota

Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby chuck from sarasota » Tue 01 Dec, 2009 19:14

Have the same problem. Pool store man says don't worry about it. Been that way for two weeks. I have stopped using the 3" clorine tabs and will discontinue shocking once a week until this situation clears up. I have a 10K pool and I dont use liquid chlorine just one shock packet once a week and two 3" tablets.
Chuck


Guest

Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby Guest » Thu 03 Dec, 2009 16:02

How much is your ph and cya?

Do not add any chlorine yet!
adobekid1

Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby adobekid1 » Sat 21 May, 2011 13:05

I too have chlorine readings off the scale! over 5ppm! This is true with three new different tert kits (oto and ph drop test). I too have confirmed via test strips and my local pool store that the chlorine level is correct. I have my pool in perfect balance (18,000 gal. vinyl liner). So....why are the test kits not accurate? I have shocked my pool when opened as directed by my pool store with bioguard, 6 pounds. Thanks! Who am I ? Google "adobekid1"
chem geek
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Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby chem geek » Sat 21 May, 2011 16:08

The test kits are probably right, at least for order-of-magnitude of you having high chlorine levels. I don't know which BioGuard product you used for shocking, but if it was BioGuard® Smart Shock®, then that is about 63% Dichlor (anhydrous so equivalent to 73% Dichlor dihydrate -- normal Dichlor product is 99% Dichlor dihydrate) PLUS some copper as well as clarifier, flocculant, etc. Anyway, 6 pounds of this product in 18,000 gallons would probably raise the FC by 16 ppm and also increase CYA by 15 ppm. So there is no mystery here, but I suggest you read the Pool School and get yourself a proper test kit if you want to properly manage your pool. Following pool store advice will likely cost you a lot more.

Anyway, that chlorine level will not damage your vinyl because you also added CYA to the water, via the Dichlor. CYA significantly moderates chlorine's strength. It would, however, be a problem if you dumped it in one place and had it settle to the bottom of the pool. When adding most concentrated chemicals, you should add them slowly over a return flow with the pump running, preferably in the deep end, and then lightly brush the side and bottom of the pool where you've added the chemical to ensure thorough mixing.
Spain

Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby Spain » Thu 08 Mar, 2012 12:03

Hello,
I picked this thread out of the ether!! I have a similar problem here in Spain with regards to my outdoor pool water OTO test results showing Dark Orange. Weather over the last couple of months has been very, very cold with faint, insignificant sunshine.

Because I thought it necessary, on return from holiday (2 mths), I added chlorine cryatal to pool, without first checking reading!!! Since return I have not been able to sort out thes Orange Test problem. Have tried by adding copious amounts of PH + powder..............as you can tell I know nothing about this chemical balancing of the pool.Be grateful for any advice guidance you can give.

Thank you for your time..................David Castle
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Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby chem geek » Thu 08 Mar, 2012 21:22

The orange OTO test means that you have a very high chlorine level in the pool. You can add a chlorine neutralizer product to reduce the chlorine level. pH adjustment isn't going to fix this problem.

If you can't find any chlorine neutralizer at a pool store, you can use hydrogen peroxide for that purpose, preferably a concentrated form of it. Even if you only find 3% hydrogen peroxide, one volume of it will neutralize an equal volume of 6% bleach so 1 gallon of 3% hydrogen peroxide will neutralize around 6 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) in 10,000 gallons of pool water. Obviously, if you can find 27% hydrogen peroxide then you'll only need to use 1/9th as much.
David Castle

Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby David Castle » Sat 17 Mar, 2012 06:08

Thank you VERY much for the info. My trouble now is to find out the equivelant to a Chlorine neautralizer or Hydrogen Peroxide..in Spanish!! Will keep you posted. Again, thank tou...David Castle :crazy:
Too Much Chlorine

Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby Too Much Chlorine » Sun 30 Jun, 2013 19:20

Okay, so I tested this morning and my home kit showed about 3 ppm chlorine and a PH of roughly 7.8. Okay so no problem right? I added water to bring the chlorine down a bit as the pool was a bit low anyways. So...next test PH is up above 8 (okay, could be due to the additional city water) but now my chlorine test is showing bright orange.

This is counter intuitive to me. I get the PH reading, kinda, but can't imagine how my Chlorine level went up after I raised the water level in the pool by at least an inch, maybe an inch and 1/2. Any thoughts?

M :)
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Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby chem geek » Mon 01 Jul, 2013 00:14

That is bizarre. Are you talking about the 5-drop OTO chlorine test or are you talking about test strips?
Too Much Chlorine

Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby Too Much Chlorine » Mon 01 Jul, 2013 12:15

I am using an Aquarius 4 drop kit. I am going to try the strips and see. I think the kit is flawed.
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Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby chem geek » Tue 02 Jul, 2013 02:07

If you're going to get a test kit, don't get test strips. Get the Taylor K-2006 or the TFTestkits TF-100
maillady49

Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby maillady49 » Fri 16 Aug, 2013 15:03

my pool is a 24x12 indoor and the chlorine is showing orange with the 5 drop tester .what do i need to ddo to drop it
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Bright Orange Chlorine Test Results - Damaging?

Postby chem geek » Fri 16 Aug, 2013 23:48

You can use hydrogen peroxide to lower the chlorine level with the least amount of side effects. You can get 27% hydrogen peroxide in Baquacil® Oxidizer. You can use The Pool Calculator to calculate the dose required by entering the FC amount you want to lower (pretend you are adding chlorine so put in 0 for the "Now" FC and put in the amount of FC you want to lower by as the "Target" FC) and enter 54% as the bleach concentration. The indicated volume of bleach is the amount of 27% hydrogen peroxide to use.

If your 24x12 pool has average 4.5 foot depth, then it is 9700 gallons so to drop the FC by 10 ppm would take 22 ounces (almost 3 cups) of the 27% hydrogen peroxide.

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