green again

[frustratedinky]

Hi there. Just a quick question.
I was here a few weeks ago for advice, in the end i ended up slamming my pool. Did this for 2 week and finally my pool became clear again.
I was able to keep it that way for almosta week.
Then on friday i had surgery and wasnt able to be out at the pool. But my husband was out there daily brushing and testing (but not adding any chems as this is usually my job and i dont tell him to add he wont ?). Everything seemed to be ok. But on monday i was back to green.
Now im not positive, but im guessing that my chlorine bottomed out abd "boom" more algae tada!
So i started yet another slam process.
Just wondering if anyone else woild happen to agree?
Thanks

 

[robertmee]

Yes....with this heat and sun load you can't go more than a day without adding chlorine. Depending on where your CYA is could also exasperated the loss due to sun. What is your current CYA and what target FC were you maintaining before hubby took over?

 

[frustratedinky]

It has been horribly hot. My CYA has been steady at 50. And as far as my target FC...im not really sure. Ive just been trying hard to keep the pool blue. Chlorine always varied. But it always seemed pretty steady around 3.
Ive seen that some people can get their pool from green to blue in just one night. Mine never happens this way. We always miss out on swimming for about 2 weeks when this happens. Is that normal?
Thanks you for your help.

 

[AimeeH]

It has been horribly hot. My CYA has been steady at 50. And as far as my target FC...im not really sure. Ive just been trying hard to keep the pool blue. Chlorine always varied. But it always seemed pretty steady around 3.
Ive seen that some people can get their pool from green to blue in just one night. Mine never happens this way. We always miss out on swimming for about 2 weeks when this happens. Is that normal?
Thanks you for your help.

Your "target" chlorine is dependent upon your CYA number. If your CYA is 50 your target should be 6 and never drop below 4. It sounds like the chlorine wasn't being properly maintained which as you've discovered is an open invitation for an algae party in your pool. See here Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart

Can you put how you are testing and how you are chlorinating in your signature? That is helpful.

 

[robertmee]

3 is too low for a CYA of 50....you should be targeting twice that and never let it drop below 4. You were on the edge at 3 and going from Friday to Sunday with no chlorine addition your FC likely dropped to 0. Now that it is green with algae you need to SLAM with a FC level of 20 until your water is clear and you pass an OCLT along with less than .5 CC. If you follow the SLAM procedure your pool should be clear in a few days or less. It should not take 2 weeks. I fear that it takes you that long because you're not raising your FC to 20 and keeping it there during the shock level and maintain portion of SLAM.

 

[frustratedinky]

Thank you. I started slamming 2 days ago( but probably with not enough chlorine). Today i added 4 gallons of bleach and tomorrow morning i will be adding another gallon along with a gallon of 10% pool shock & chlorine. I need to make another run to the store tomorrow for more bleach...
I hope that this will help.

 

[AimeeH]

Thank you. I started slamming 2 days ago( but probably with not enough chlorine). Today i added 4 gallons of bleach and tomorrow morning i will be adding another gallon along with a gallon of 10% pool shock & chlorine. I need to make another run to the store tomorrow for more bleach...
I hope that this will help.

What is going to help you the most is a good water test kit. It will likely save you the expense of the bleach to clear up a green or cloudy pool.

 

[Piolin]

If you don't have a recommended test kit, I really encourage you to buy a TF 100 kit

Starting day 5/25/2015 INTEX AGP 24'x12'x54" 8,400 gal, with salt and borax, INTEX 3,000 GPH pump with 16"sand filter, WM Hayward Skimmer, Intex SWG CG-28669, 1 1/2" hard plumbed PVC, Lil' Shark Vacuum With Leaf Canister, TF100 test kit, speed stir, K-1766 Taylor salt test
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart

 

[frustratedinky]

I know how much everyone praises the great test kits. But in all honesty i cleared my pool the first time using inly walmart drop kits and test strips. For me its money for bleach, food and gas vs. Money for a proper test kit. I know it would probably help a lot but money doesnt allow for me to buy it.
I will keep doing what i can with what u know and what people are willing to help me with. It worked ince...it surely had gotta work again right?? Im sory. But as much as id like to spend $70 on a pool test kit, my budget just wont allow it. I didnt know that when i got a pool (8years ago) it would be this hard. If i had known may be i wouldnt have bought one. I only bought one to have entertainment for my kids in the beginning...butnow i cant imagine not having one. So im trying to learn what i can with what ive got.

 

[Donldson]

Well, just how much money are you going to waste from your pool turning green again? It wouldn't have if you had gotten a good test kit and kept up with your pool. Without a proper test kit you have never actually done a SLAM (how can you possibly measure 20 FC?) or passed a SLAM since you can't perform an OCLT (how can you measure an overnight FC loss?). "In all honesty" we don't "praise" a proper test kit, they are essential to managing your pool properly.

So do it however you want, but without proper test results we can't offer you good advice. I wish you luck.

 

[robertmee]

How about money to make sure your pool is safe to swim in for you and your kids. I understand we make decisions based on economics. That's life. So if you cant afford to take care of your pool to where you are certain it's safe to swim in, then the correct decision is not to blindly throw chemicals in it....the correct decision is to shut it down. If algae is growing in it then it's also a good bet FC levels are such that pathogens and bacteria can grow too.

 

[Piolin]

I know how much everyone praises the great test kits. But in all honesty i cleared my pool the first time using inly walmart drop kits and test strips. For me its money for bleach, food and gas vs. Money for a proper test kit. I know it would probably help a lot but money doesnt allow for me to buy it.
I will keep doing what i can with what u know and what people are willing to help me with. It worked ince...it surely had gotta work again right?? Im sory. But as much as id like to spend $70 on a pool test kit, my budget just wont allow it. I didnt know that when i got a pool (8years ago) it would be this hard. If i had known may be i wouldnt have bought one. I only bought one to have entertainment for my kids in the beginning...butnow i cant imagine not having one. So im trying to learn what i can with what ive got.

Oh man, I really can related, the only way I continue to have a pool was thanks to TFP, we run on a thigh budget at home, two kids and wife at college full time not working... But I will not risk my kids health...

8,400 gal 3,000 GPH pump, SWG CG-28669, TF100 test kit, speed stir, K-1766 Taylor salt test.
The corner stone of TFP
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart