Balancing the totally unbalanced

[cbythesea]

I have neglected my pool for over 2 months. It has been too cool to swim here and I stopped testing to save my agents and reagents. Also, I stopped adding acid and just added some liquid chlorine every now and then if I saw any growth in the pool. Outdoor temps are starting to stay in the 80's to 90's and I thought I would start getting my pool back into shape. Threw in 2 gallons of chlorine 4 days ago because water was green. Vacuumed the dead algae to waste today. I still have moderate algae growth on walls, water cloudy, will probably go green pond on me by tomorrow if I don't do something fast. I just don't know where to start. Tested the water with my Taylor K-2006c test kit and the following are the results:

Chlorine = 0 ppm (yikes)
PH = 8
Acid dem. = 2 drops
TA =70 ppm
CH = 90 ppm
CYA =0 ppm(ooh not good)

On my way to the pool store shortly because I broke my skimmer basket today and can't run the pump until I replace it. Great, looks like rain and the PH is already at 8. Living in Florida it rains at times daily and the rain drops hitting the surface of my small pool aerate it driving the ph up constantly. If anyone has any advice as to the order to make my adjusments in I would appreciate it. P.S. This is the first time I have let it get like this over the winter and really not sure what to do to to my filter now that I have had a green swamp run through it. Thanks

 

[kimkats]

HI! OH yeah! Another FL person! AND one with a good test kit! SWEET!

We got ya covered. Here is a link to what you need to do, SLAM. Read it and maybe even print it out. Follow it to the letter and let us know how it is going every step of the way with pictures to show us how it is going.

Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain

Please only use your test kit. Do not allow the Pool store to test your water or sell you anything other that chlorine.

Here is some more light reading to teach the hows and whys of TFP:

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Hugs! We got ya!

Kim

 

[pooldv]

Welcome to TFP!

Yep, definitely time to SLAM. Next winter it is fine to neglect your pool except for the chlorine. I keep my FC up around 10 all winter. Just add a jug or two of bleach when FC drops to 3-5. It will stay clear all winter and be ready to go in spring.

 

[cbythesea]

Thanks Kim and pooldv. I followed the link and read up on slamming. Unfortunately, I Have to work a 12hr shift tomorrow. Slamming will begin on Tuesday. In preparation today, I will remove the leaves, add CYA until goal of 30ppm, chlorine to 5ppm and later tonight muratic acid to get ph to 7.2ppm. I normally go with liquid CYA. However, I am on a budget and bought powder CYA. How long before the CYA dissolves and I can get an accurate reading to base my target FC level on for slamming? Can I add Chlorine and the powder CYA to the pool around the same time?

 

[pooldv]

I always use the powder. It usually takes a couple of days for it to dissolve and another day or two to show up on the test. We normally recommend waiting a week to retest just to give it plenty of time to get dissolved. Just add enough granular CYA to get to 30 ppm and go with it. Add the CYA in a sock and hang it from a stick in front of a return or put it in a skimmer basket. Squeeze the sock whenever you think about it to help it dissolve faster. Yes, you can add chlorine while adding CYA.

More here on chemicals, what they are, what they do and how to add them to your pool, Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

Good plan, lower PH, add CYA and start SLAM on Tuesday. Assume your CYA is 30ppm and chlorinate accordingly.