Please help 3 week old pool and its green but the numbers look good.

[Straight6tt]

Please help me, I filled my pool 3 weeks ago and as soon as we added chlorine (bleach) the pool turned green/yellowish and it has not dissipated. Some days i can see the pool floor quite clearly other days (like today) the water is very opaque. The pool looks like a greenish tub of bleach. Things I have tried:

In no particular order
-I raised the FC to shock level for two days and passed OCLT so I stopped thinking that algae wasnt an issue

-I poured "metal out" from the pool store into the pool and that made the water blue for 1 or 2 days but as soon as the next bleach addition was poured into the pool, the pool turned green again.

Here are my numbers from just a moment ago

PH 7.5
FC 4.5
CC .5
TC 5
TA 110
CH (turned purple)
CYA 30

I havent even hooked up my salt generator or added salt because it seems im doomed to a green pool forever. My family says that I need to go to the pool store and buy their products and take their advice and honestly im considering it. Maybe the troublefree way doesnt work for everyone.


My pool pump reads about 12 psi on high setting and on low setting it reads very low like maybe even 0 but there is still good circulation on low and plenty of water coming out of my return.

I just ordered proteams metal magic from amazon and will give that a try as the pool stores metal out is the only thing that has given me some hope in the last few weeks.

 

[Texas Splash]

Well, definitely do NOT go back to the pool store for products or advise. You'll just flush $$ down the drain. Greenish water is typically from one of two things: algae, or in some cases metals for those who are on a well. Are you on a well?

 

[Straight6tt]

I am not on a well, I have city water

 

[Texas Splash]

In that case, do not put anything else in your water other than regular liquid bleach (generic is fine). Maybe you can cancel the Amazon order? Your #1 priority right now must be to order the right test kit from TFTestkits.net. I use the TF-100 and there's simply no substitute. You MUST have the right test kit to measure FC at the levels required to "SLAM". And that's next.

A green pool means you need to Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain. It will require that test kit and a lot of bleach. For now, each evening, you could add about 1/2 gallon or so of bleach in your water at night just to try and keep things where they are until you receive the test kit, but the "SLAM" is what will clear your water. Take the time to read that page and get familiar with it and it will work for you.

Once you receive your test kit, post the following numbers for us: FC, CC, CYA, PH, TA. and CH. If you have any more questions, just let us know.

 

[Straight6tt]

I have the tf100 and I posted my numbers already. Is there something wrong with the numbers I posted in the first post? I have read pool school, I understand the numbers for the most part. I thought that since I passed oclt and I have .5 or fewer cc that it couldnt be algae.

Why would the metal out work for a day?

 

[bkfamily1]

S6TT (Audi perhaps?) - you use city water - did you fill the pool from your (city water) hose? or did you truck it in?

if you have iron or copper in your water, it can be oxidized and turn green with chlorine - however, it will normally be a nice clear (transparent) green - in other words, the water will be nice and clear, but it will be green instead of blue - the fact that you added bleach, it turned green, you added metal out, it turned blue, you added bleach again, and it went green sounds like metal in the water - however, the fact that it is cloudy at times sounds like something else

one thing the pool store can help with is a metal test - you can do them yourself, but they are somewhat costly and rarely needed - I would suggest taking a sample of your water to the pool store and ask them to test it for metals - if you filled with city water, it may also be worth taking a sample of that for them to test for metals - going to the pool store may also placate your family for a while - they don't have to know that you did not listen to them and did not buy anything from them - just don't take them with you LOL

I will agree with Texas Splash that you will truly find good water if you stay the course with TFP - but in this case, the pool store may be some help with testing - although I will agree that it would be best to stay clear of their advice and products (unless they happen to have liquid chlorine at the best cost per chlorine content - or you actually need a metal out and they have the right kind) - I get Sequa Sol at my pool store, and it is fine - on line may be cheaper, but the store is convenient, so I go there - if you find you indeed have metals, look for a sequestrant that uses HEDP or a "phosphoric acid derivative" as they will be the most effective - check out this thread Differences-in-Sequestrants

I agree with you that passing an OCLT would seem to indicate that you do not have algae - and your numbers look good, although I wonder about the little bit of CC and do not know what you mean by "turned purple" on CH - what is your FC doing over time? are you seeing heavy chlorine consumption? how long ago did you pass the OCLT? maybe it was good, but now it is not? maybe you could try another OCLT tonight?

there may be something else beyond my limited experience oing on, and hopefully some of the real experts will chime in - but in the meantime, I would get the water tested for metals at the store, ignore their other advice, stay the course with TFP and check the OCLT again tonight to see

 

[ITR]

Your numbers look fine. If the pool is only 3 weeks old have you at least called the PB and asked them? Definitely outside of my knowledge, but I'm sure JasonLion and Chemgeek will be around soon to give some advice. In the meantime, call the PB and ask them, but before doing anything I would wait for those guys to see this thread.

 

[bkfamily1]

OK - ignorant noob question - what is "PB?"

 

[otter86753]

PB = Pool Builder (I had to learn the acronym jargon on here and it took me a while to figure out PS!!!)

 

[bkfamily1]

thank you, otter

couple other thoughts - was it clear after the initial fill? once you passed the OCLT, did the FC stay above 2 since? could you post a pic? maybe add your test kit to your signature so people will know you are already using a good kit

 

[Straight6tt]

I went to the pool store a few days ago and asked for an iron test as that is what I thought my problem was. He gave me a phosphoric test. I did not have any idea what that was but he said it tested for metals. I have now learned it does not test for metals. What am I to do, go back and ask for another "metal test"?

I filled my pool with my hose with city water. It was clear until the moment I added bleach and than the whole pool turned into a clear green. So I thought metals again. Now the pool is an opaque green and I can barely see the bottom. I will start the slam tonight. If this doesnt work I dont know what im going to do. I just wish I could have enjoyed the pool that I worked so hard to install for a few days.

It might have been a day or two that the pool sat without chlorine or water circulation. But at day two or 3 the pump was hooked up and chlorine added. I didnt realize it would be this frustrating.

- - - Updated - - -

BY CH turned purple, I mean the test says if the liquid turns red that indicates calcium, well the water turned purple so i stopped the test. I dont know what purple water means.

 

[pooldv]

The pool cannot spend any days with chlorine below minimum level for your CYA or algae will grow. Chlorine CYA Chart. Chlorine must be kept at target level at all times to keep the pool properly sanitized.

You need to Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain and follow all the steps to kill the algae. It is fine to swim and keep the chlorine level just below shock level. We swam every day for a week and a half while we slammed a few weeks ago. My pool was crystal clear and algae free for 3 years. I got lazy coming back from vacation and let my FC drop to 1.5 and got some algae.

 

[bkfamily1]

S6TT - well, you apparently found one of the quite common idiots in your pool store - bummer

still, there are 2 things we know could be the issue

1) metals - adding bleach to a clear pool which turns clear green sure sounds like metals - best way to confirm is a test - find another person who is not an idiot at the same store, or try a different store - or buy iron and copper test kits (they have them at tftestkits.net) and check it yourself - if there is iron or copper, I am not sure it hurts anything at this point other than making your eventually clear water have a green tint instead of blue - so if you do not want to go to a store and are willing to do it yourself, I think you can carry on in the meantime

2) organics - the OCLT will tell you if you have organics or not - once again using Dave's famous words, let's go back to basics - chlorine is consumed by two things - sunlight and organics - the OCLT done properly eliminates sunlight and isolates the affect of organics - good OCLT test done properly means no organics - I know you did one before, but that does not mean it is still good

If you want to start a SLAM tonight, go ahead. That won't stop you from checking OCLT overnight tonight - add the bleach, get up to SLAM level FC, give it enough time to circulate (at least 30 preferably 60 minutes) and test your FC after dark (at least 30 preferably 60 minutes after sunset [7:56 today in your area]) - test again before first light tomorrow (at least 30 preferably 60 minutes before sunrise [6:09 tomorrow]) - if it is still less than 1, then organics are not the issue

I feel your pain wanting your pool good. But keep the faith. TFP will get you straightened out. I had my first major algae bloom this year. I went straight to the pool store. I spent $600 on chemicals, and after a week, the pool was no better. And their recommendations made it worse. After a bunch of granular (dichlor), my CYA was through the roof, and my pH was in the basement. The low pH killed the shaft seal on my pump which allowed water to leak and get in the motor bearings which seized up. So I had to replace the shaft seal and the motor for about another $250. Then I had to do a partial drain and refill to get the CYA down low enough to SLAM the pool (by that time I thankfully found TFP). After about 50 gallons of 12% liquid (which only cost about $100 by the way), I finally passed an OCLT after 2 1/2 weeks, most of which was wasted time listening to the pool store. Of course by then, all the iron from my well water had accumulated and turned the water green. But a quick treatment of Sequa Sol solved that. I was having trouble keeping the FC stable and seeing regular shots of CC. Again, with advice from TFP, I eventually found the black caves of death behind my lights. I got them cleaned out, and all is well. The pool looks great, and the water feels great. And I could not have gotten there without TFP. And my story is not unlike many many others here.

I know it is frustrating. I have been there. So have most people on here. But keep the faith. Stay the course. You will get there. And once there, it will be worth it.

- - - Updated - - -

quick note about swimming during a SLAM - yes it is fine from a chemical safety standpoint as long as you are at or below SLAM levels - but if your water is cloudy, and you can not see the bottom, it is not safe - you will not be able to see a person in distress at the bottom

- - - Updated - - -

this is definitely in the realm of expertise of chemgeek and others, but I have a thought about your purple CH test

check out the detailed instructions and note for testing - CH is toward the bottom Extended-Test-Kit-Directions

The sample may turn purple during the test, or go to blue for a moment and then turn back to red/pink. This is called a "fading endpoint" and is caused by interference from metal ions. If this happens, do the test again, but this time add five drops of R-0012 before adding any R-0010 or R-0011L. Remember to count the initial five drops in the total.
In extreme cases, a fading endpoint may occur even when adding five drops of R-0012 at the start. If that happens, mix pool water with an equal quantity of distilled water, test that, and then multiply the result by two.

the purple may be from metals in your water - another thing pointing to that issue

 

[Texas Splash]

Geez, this thread exploded while I was away. Anyways, since metals seems to be a big topic of discussion, I wanted to paste this comment I keep handy from Chem Geek:

There's no sense in testing iron in the pool once you've added chlorine. The iron test kits are useful for testing ferrous iron before it is oxidized, such as testing the fill water. Once you've added chlorine it oxidizes nearly all the iron to ferric iron that then forms iron oxides. So now the approach is to physically remove these precipitates either through vacuum-to-waste, through sweeping to get to the filter (or to skimmer socks or batting material) and then you'll be left over with a smaller amount of iron in the water. At that point you can either use a metal sequestrant or physically remove it with something like Metal Free that tries to capture and precipitate more into the filter.

So "if" you have metals, you'll just have to treat accordingly. Sorry about the TF-100, but I didn't know from your thread you even had one because it wasn't in your signature. Other than the sequestrant and possible metals issue, I had this thought. I suspect it's ridiculously hot there in Gulfport, and you seem to maintain a relatively low CYA and FC level. As long as you can stay on it there that's fine. But it would not take much of a dip in FC at all for algae to grow really fast in that water. I understand you did pass an OCLT previously, just recommending you keep this in the back of your mind if the metals issue doesn't pan-out an you end-up doing another SLAM. Best of luck to you!

 

[AprilsZoo]

I didn't see that anyone else mentioned this:

you said you passed the OCLT, but if your water wasn't blue and crystal-clear, along with everything else then you didn't pass, simple as that.
​

You will need to SLAM again, & make sure all the criteria are met before you let things go back to baseline.

If after several days of SLAM, you have passed everything else and have crystal-clear but not blue water, then more things may have to be considered.

BTW, easy way to tell if you have iron in your city/tap water: what color are the inside of your toilet tanks?

 

[Straight6tt]

Straight6tt = toyota supra

I appreciate the help everyone and I have begun the slam.

The inside of my toilet does not seem to have any discoloration at all.

 

[Straight6tt]

CC was 1 this morning, maybe there is algae in there. Slam continues

 

[bkfamily1]

how much did the FC drop overnight? any improvement in the clarity of the water? I know when mine was really really bad (could not see my hand 12" below the surface when collecting water samples), it took a week to clear up. But little by little I could see the clarity improving each day.

 

[Straight6tt]

I didnt check what my fc was after my last chlorine addition last night, when I woke up the FC was 12, which is right where it should be for slam. I assume I put a little too much in last night thus it dropped to the appropriate level by the morning.

I dont believe it looked any better today, but maybe slightly.

 

[smforte]

By chance did your pool builder happen to add anything at start up? Algecide etc? I fought metal staining last year, tested the stain with a vitamin C pill which lifted the stain. I did an ascorbic acid treatment (instant blue water and liner) then slowly got my FC, PH back up, keeping both on the lower (sigh) side. Used a sequestration every couple of weeks to keep the metals in check. Metals are gone for the most part this year but do still try to maintain with sequestration. Good luck!