No algae but water has a green tint

[Jacks mom]

Hi all,

this is my second year managing my pool and last year was fairly easy thanks to TFP.

my water is clear but has a strong green tint to it, and based on what I have read here I suspect that it is a copper issue.

my overnight FC loss was 0 and I a have a heater that has not been working.

i have several questions

Can I assume based on the he above information that green color is from copper?

How do I deal with the issue to get the pool back to blue.

It seems like there is a knob on the heater pipes to divert the water but I am not familiar enough with the equipment. Is it possible that I need to open another valve if I close the heater valve. Just afraid I might break my equipment..

FC 3.5
PH 7.8
CH 375
TA 210
CYA 55

Thanks!

 

[Divin Dave]

If the water is clear, but tinted green then its most likely copper.

Many algaecides use copper as an algae inhibitor. That is a primary source of copper, so if you've been using it, then you might want to reconsider that product.

It could also be caused by old copper heater pipes, and if the ph gets high, like +8, that will just make the copper from the pipes disolve into the water faster.

Whether or not you have a heater bypass depends on how the equipment was plumbed, etc. If you could post a picture of the plumbing, we could tell you. If there is not a bypass valve, then the alternative would be to re-do the plumbing to bypass the heater.

Im not much of a copper expert, but Im sure someone with more knowledge on how to deal with it will come along.

 

[Zappafan]

Pictures are a good start. Then you can start to eliminate potential issues.

 

[Jacks mom]

Heres a picture of my heater.
thanks

 

[duraleigh]

How about a picture of that green water?

 

[Jacks mom]

Sorry it's up side down... can't figure out how to flip it but colors the same.

thanks

 

[Pflugerpool]

How did you arrive at that CYA number? Because if your CYA is really 55, then your minimum FC level is above 4, and since you're below that at 3.5 you might very well have algae.

 

[Jacks mom]

I generally keep my FC 5-7 but I wanted to an overnight chlorine test so I didn't add chlorine until this morning. There was no overnight chlorine loss so I assume no algae. FC is higher now since I added bleach after I tested.

i have TF-100 test kit.

 

[duraleigh]

1. did the water turn green suddenly or has it always been like that?

2. Get a copper test at a pool store - don't buy anything - report the results.

Don't assume even then that it is or isn't copper but it's a starting point to getting your pool back to clue.

Confirming again, you lost less than 1 ppm FC last night, correct?

 

[Jacks mom]

I noticed a little green tint on Friday and it has been getting stronger since.

should I try to bypass the heater and run the pump? I am not running the pump now.

Looks like there is a valve on the heater pipes. Just wondering if I close that valve, would there be another valve somewhere in the system that would need to be opened?

 

[Jacks mom]

I just went to a pool store and they said there's no copper in the water. She kept saying that Theres an algae problem. Is it possible that there's algae but no chlorine loss overnight?

should I look into any other possibilities?

there is nothing growing on the walls...


thank you

 

[Pflugerpool]

should I try to bypass the heater and run the pump? I am not running the pump now.

Whatever the problem is, I would think that it would be much harder to deal with if you don't have a running pump. You've got to be able to circulate water though the system.

 

[domct203]

.......................... my overnight FC loss was 0 and I a have a heater that has not been working.........

FC 3.5
PH 7.8
CH 375
TA 210
CYA 55

I generally keep my FC 5-7 but I wanted to an overnight chlorine test so I didn't add chlorine until this morning. There was no overnight chlorine loss so I assume no algae. FC is higher now since I added bleach after I tested.

i have TF-100 test kit.

These are confusing statements...... You say your FC is normally 5-7ppm, but you post a FC of 3.5ppm and say that is because of an OCLT?

If your FC is normally 5-7ppm and now it's 3.5ppm that's a 1.5-3.5ppm loss, or you started at 3.5ppm and left it like that for 8-10 hours?

Regardless, you are letting your FC drop below min, which is an invitation to an algae party.

Also, you show a CYA of 55ppm, how did you determine that? Is it an assumption because it was right between 50-60ppm? If so, it is most likely closer to 60ppm, making that FC at 3.5ppm even more detrimental.

Can you post your FC levels at the start of the OCLT & at the finish of the OCLT?

Dom

 

[aboykin2269]

I would perform another OCLT to be sure and this time check your CC.
Combined Chlorine of greater than .5ppm indicates a problem. If your CC is .5 or less and you lose less than 1 ppm FC overnight, then at least you could be relatively sure there is no algae.
When I did my SLAM, I did the OCLT 3 nights in a row just to be sure.
The people here can help you. Good Luck.

 

[domct203]

I would perform another OCLT to be sure and this time check your CC.
Combined Chlorine of greater than .5ppm indicates a problem. If your CC is .5 or less and you lose less than 1 ppm FC overnight, then at least you could be relatively sure there is no algae.
When I did my SLAM, I did the OCLT 3 nights in a row just to be sure.
The people here can help you. Good Luck.

+1

This time raise your FC to 10ppm for the test due to your CYA level. Check the FC at sunset, at least 30 min after the addition of any chlorine. Check again before sunup, ideally 7-8 hours after the initial FC reading the night before.

Dom