Recently came home from vacation to a swamp of green. So as is usual, I go to pool store and was told I need this and that. So after loading up on alkalinity, when i was told it was a zero and my cya was zero, I add the necessary ingredients only to find the issue no better. Go to the other pools store in town and told i need alkalinity, ch and cya after a week of waiting. So, I find this site and read and read and read and decide first to get a test kit. I was astonished at how bad the pool store screwed me. So much so that i did the tests 3 times each. Anyway, loaded up on bleach and finally got the pool clear of mustard. Now the latest issue is getting alkalinity down(i think thats the only issue) but now dealing with the green algae starting to show up. Need your advice as long as it isnt to go to the pool store. Here are my numbers

FC--11
ph--8.1
TA--180
CH--160
CYA--90
It is a SWG and the reading is 3000
Temp--81

Like i said, water is clear until I brush the algae. What to do next? Muratic Acid or take the CH up to shock again? Let me know and thanks for all the good advice thus far.

Welcome to TFP!

Sadly, stories like yours are all too common. Pool store testing is surprisingly bad sometimes.

The first step is lower PH to 7.2. You never want to let PH go above 7.9. When TA is high, you need to keep an eye on PH, as it will tend to go up quickly. Lowering PH will also be the first step to getting TA down.

Then shock the pool. Only after shocking is done can you worry about PH and TA again, as the high FC level during shocking will invalidate the PH test.

Ouch...

No one here will tell you to go to the pool store.

How much alkalinity up did you add?

PH isn't accurate when FC is over 10ppm. Let the FC drop below 10 and redo the pH test. Then use acid to lower it to 7.2 before you begin shocking and then forget about it till the process is complete. After that, you'll use the acid/aeration method to lower the alkalinity. What level was the pool store aiming for anyway?

The test results are missing total chlorine and combined chlorine. (TC & CC) What test is it? When you test pH, do another FC, TC/CC test. If you can see algae, you need to shock.

CYA is high, thus shocking will take a lot of chlorine. Your best course of action might be a partial drain and refill. What's the TA of your fill water?

I have a Taylor k-2006 kit that is recommended. Does it test TC and CC?
I am adding acid at a rate of 40 oz per 5 hours. Right or wrong?
I have the SWG generating. Should I turn it off?

My alkalinity reading got to 240. We have had some rain so it has come down some.

Thanks for the help.

Yes, the K-2006 has the FAS-DPD test, which is the one you want.

There should be a little vial of powder numbered R-0870 and a bottle of liquid R-0871 and another bottle R-003. That's the stuff.

Here's a bunch of videos. http://www.taylortechnologies.com/produ ... ber=K-2006
Select To Test (Free and Combined) Chlorine using FAS-DPD [updated 3/5/10]

OK got a free chlorine of 13 and a combined of 0.

Now you get to decide whether you want to drain & refill some water to get that CYA number down, or do you want to try shocking with 90 CYA?

Pool calculator says shock is 23, the chart in Pool School says 35. Either way, that's a whole lotta bleach.

The good news is, your water is not green sludge, so hopefully it won't take but a couple days to kill the algae. And you'll get some good exercise toting those jugs and brushing all the time!

OK, in the mean time should i run the swg?

If i drain should i quit with the acid?

I wouldn't run the SWG. There's no way it can keep up, and you'll just burn out the element.

And if you're going to drain, yes, stop adding stuff. It's just wasted.

Thanks, I will report back.

You're getting good advice but I recommend using the shock level as recommended by the chlorine/CYA chart. It's a littl more aggessive than the Pool Calc and it might help you get through the process faster.

Will do. Couple of more questions. Am I correct in thinking that a partial drain and refill will not only drop cya but also my alkalinity and ph? All of which need lowered.

After drain and refill and before I start shock I need to get the ph to 7.2-7.3?

I am planning to shoot for a cya of 60. Good?

You guys are awesome. Thanks

IF, your fill water is low in TA & pH, draining and refilling will lower both. A lot of places have high pH and TA in their water.

Yes. You need to adjust your pH before you start to shock because the pH test is unreliable at high FC levels.

60 is a little low for an swcg pool. I'd shoot for 70 and see what it winds up at.

If this is not a vinyl pool you need to get your CH up as well.