Slightly green water

[kiernansmum]

Hello all...

Let me start with the stats- taken with the Taylor kit...

FC=3
CC=3
PH= 7.2
TA= 130
CH= 50
CYA= 40


When I initially opened the pool, the water was a cloudy blue color... I had to vacuum a lot out to waste (the dirt was too fine for my sand filter to pick up), and then refill. We have well water, which has caused some issues in the past with high iron levels.

Once the dirt was out, and some of the cloudiness was decreasing, I tested the water, and needed to raise CYA and TA, which I have done successfully (see results at top).

However, the water in the deep end of the pool appears slightly green in color to me. There is still some cloudiness, but there is no algae- when I brush the bottom and sides of the pool, I am not seeing any "dust".

My gut tells me the water may be slightly cloudy due to the pH being low (7.2) and the green is coming from the minerals in the well water. I'm curious about the well water though, because adding bleach hasn't really caused the green color to darken...

What do you think?

Thanks!
Courtney 8)

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

First, is your CC level really 3, or is that a typo? If CC is really 3 you need to shock the pool.

A slight green cast to the water, might be nothing. I would raise your FC level up a little more as see if it gets worse or goes away.

Low PH does not cause the water to be cloudy. Low PH also makes it unlikely that the green is from metals in the water. Since you just opened, I suspect it is the last gasp of the algae in the process of going away.

 

[kiernansmum]

Thanks!

Do I need to raise the pH or is 7.2 okay?

 

[JasonLion]

As long as you are using bleach or a SWG, a PH of 7.2 is fine. If you are using trichlor tablets you should raise the PH to 7.8.

 

[wolverine]

I had the same problem with my pool after algae outbreak in early may due to high temps in florida before we found this site and went to BBB method and we are on a well also. Like has been said many many times on this forum a good test kit is a MUST...then shock with bleach and keep it up. I had never seen what you said was blue/green water before and we have had our pool for 6 years and yes it was very strange indeed as i told my wife i think the pool is stained. We beat it with some polyquat and alot of bleach and the BBB method has our pool looking like a mirror.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Hi Courtney,

How's your circulation in the deepend? Do you have returns at that end, pointed down, to aid in circulation, do you have a bottom drain?

And lastly is your FC holding overnight?

 

[kiernansmum]

Hi there...

We have 2 skimmers and 3 eyeballs... The skimmers are across from each other on the 40' sides of our pool. There is an eyeball at each corner, except the corner with the stairs.... I have each eyeball in the deep end pointing downward. Should I have them pointing in any particular direction (toward/ away from skimmers) other than down according to my pool setup (see attached pic)?

I did raise the pH as we are using the 3" tabs (3 at a time in a floater) until we finish the tub we purchased last year, then we will be using strictly liquid. I also shocked as recommended. When I tested the levels the following day, the CC read about .5 higher than the FC. I don't remember the exact reading (#'s are at home)...

The pool really seems to be clearing up, and I'm almost happy with how it looks...I think not staying on top of the CL level was a serious mistake I made last summer. We have since purchased the recommended kit, and I can't argue with the results.

Thanks again for all your help and suggestions!
-Courtney 8)

 

[JasonLion]

If the return eyeballs are where the "x"s are in your drawing, then I would aim the two in the deep end down and straight out from the wall, and aim the one in the shallow end slightly up and straight out from the wall. With three returns, there are many different ways to do that that will all work.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Which Taylor kit do you have? Are you using the FAS-DPD test, and if you FC isn't holding overnight, you need to keep shocking it until it does.