Questions about ALGAE

[SCBillsFan]

We have had our pool (with SWG) up a little over a month and everything was working great. Until the motor on the pump stopped working 1 week ago. It was burned out completely. Purchased a new one, the bigger Intex SF60110, because of reading lots about how the SF80110 that came with the pool isn't really large enough for the Intex 12'x24'x52" pool. We are also getting a replacement motor from Intex for the SF80110. I guess if ever needed, we will have a back up sand filter and won't ever have to go through this algae mess again! Anyway, the new SF60110 will be arriving today. Going a week without any filter or circulation has turned our pool completely green. See picture attach . When we hook up the new filter pump tonight, I plan on starting the slamming process. I tested all the levels this morning, and this is what everything read:

CYA - 30
FC - 0.4
CC - 0.2
ph - 7.8
Calcium Hardness - 40
TA - 40
Salt - 4600



Questions -

Can I use bleach instead of chlorine?
And if yes, how much bleach do I use? Looks like bleach is a 6% solution, whereas chlorine is 10%-12%. Does this mean I need to add double bleach to equal the amount of chlorine I would add?
Do I need to bring the ph level down before I put all the chlorine into the pool tonight? And what do I use to bring the ph down? Muratic acid?

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I spent years working in hotel management, so I used to take care of pools all the time, but never saltwater, and it's been years since I have maintained a pool. Thanks!

Tracey S.

 

[otter86753]

Tracey,

Sorry for your issues. Lower your PH to 7.2 using MA. You can use bleach. When you input your test results into poolMath, make sure you use 6% bleach as what you are using. Bleach codes tell how fresh the bleach is e.g. 2015 167 or 15 167 would be the 167th day of the year the bleach was bottled. Good luck. I too am starting a SLAM tonight.

 

[Texas Splash]

Hi Tracey! Here's a basic roadmap to help you get going:
- CYA is perfect to start a SLAM
- Adjust ph to 7.2 with muriatic acid. Use the Poolmath calculator to calculate amount.
- When you start the SLAM, use regular household bleach. Generic is fine. Most are 8.25%, but your area may be different. Whatever percentage you buy, make sure to change the % value on the Poolmath calculator and you will be fine.
Until your pump arrives, add one gallon of bleach to the water each evening and manually brush it around if possible. That's just to keep it from getting much worse.

Hope this helps. Let us know if you have any other questions.

 

[Piolin]

http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl

 

[domct203]

We have had our pool (with SWG) up a little over a month and everything was working great. Until the motor on the pump stopped working 1 week ago. It was burned out completely. Purchased a new one, the bigger Intex SF60110, because of reading lots about how the SF80110 that came with the pool isn't really large enough for the Intex 12'x24'x52" pool. We are also getting a replacement motor from Intex for the SF80110. I guess if ever needed, we will have a back up sand filter and won't ever have to go through this algae mess again! Anyway, the new SF60110 will be arriving today. Going a week without any filter or circulation has turned our pool completely green. See picture attach . When we hook up the new filter pump tonight, I plan on starting the slamming process. I tested all the levels this morning, and this is what everything read:

CYA - 30
FC - 0.4
CC - 0.2
ph - 7.8
Calcium Hardness - 40
TA - 40
Salt - 4600

View attachment 41470

Questions -

Can I use bleach instead of chlorine?
And if yes, how much bleach do I use? Looks like bleach is a 6% solution, whereas chlorine is 10%-12%. Does this mean I need to add double bleach to equal the amount of chlorine I would add?
Do I need to bring the ph level down before I put all the chlorine into the pool tonight? And what do I use to bring the ph down? Muratic acid?

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I spent years working in hotel management, so I used to take care of pools all the time, but never saltwater, and it's been years since I have maintained a pool. Thanks!

Tracey S.

Welcome!

Sorry to see that green mess. You're in good hands here.

I just want to stress that is not the lack of filtering that caused your algae to grow, it was the lack of chlorine. Chlorine is the primary sanitizer in your pool.

Your Filter's primary function is to remove particulate matter from the water. This includes dirt & dead organic matter killed by the sanitizer.

Your Pump's primary function is to provide circulation to aid in the mixing of any chemicals in the pool as well as pass the water through the Filter.

If you had manually added the necessary amount of chlorine to maintain FC & brushed when not swimming the pool may have gotten dirty, but it would not have gotten green.

Dom

 

[singingpond]

Ditto to Dom's comments - we routinely shut off the pump when we go on vacation, and just leave the pool with significantly elevated chlorine, and usually with a trichlor floater - even without daily bleach addition and manual stirring (which would be a safer approach) we don't come home to a green pool after a week's absence.