What am i doing wrong?

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Peep

Peep

0
Jul 30, 2009
6
Ohio
So I switched to this method mid summer last year after finding this site. It seems like I just cannot keep my pool blue and clear. My CYA is 50, so my target FC is 6. I check EVERY MORNING with my Taylor test kit I got from the recommendations off here and if my FC is below 6, I use the pool calculator to bring it up to target. (I also adjust Ph if needed; TA seems to stay stable.) CC always reads 0. It seems like it will be clear for a few days, then if the pool is not in use for awhile, even if the FC stays stable, I start to get green gunk on the bottom. I can see it if I brush. I do put a cover on the pool so it doesn't get brushed every day. Is that the problem? Also, we run the filter on low for 10 hours a day. Is that not enough? I'm just getting frustrated b/c my neighbors seem to have no trouble with their pool using the puck method, but this method makes so much more sense that I really want to stick to it. Does it make a difference keeping the cover on all the time? (Like for maybe 4 days in a row with no use?)

Today I checked my FC and it was 5.5. My son went to swim and I've got that gunk on the bottom again. Does that mean I need to do shock level again???? I thought if the FC didn't drop, then I was free of any algae. I figured if I checked every day and stayed on top of it, this wouldn't happen. What should I do? I'm frustrated. I really don't want to spend one day every week keeping my FC at shock level. and filtering 24 hours for 4 days, to have one day of crystal clear water. Everyone on here makes it seem so easy, what am I doing wrong? :cry:

Thank you.
 
Welcome to TFP.

You might just try running your FC at around 10ppm for a week or so. Sometimes algae can be just right on the edge and a little more chlorine on a consistent basis clears the water. You should have to brush more than once a week barring any problems.
 
I do my testing at night, so the chlorine level stays at my target rate all night. If something is in the pool from day-time use, the chlorine has all night to get rid of it.

Did you do an over night test? You might have something just on the verge of getting started, but with your daily vigilance you keep it in check. (Just barely, or almost..)

Good luck
 
Do an overnight test.

Also I would recommend you run your pump at least 16 hours on low, if not more (I have a 2 HP and run it 24/7, the pool is covered whenever its not used, no alge, FC steady and holds overnight, but I do get "gunk" on the bottom-not so much it bothers me though).

Describe the gunk... is it a dusty, caught in the divits, crevices? Or is it visibly growing...? Gunk on the bottom does not = algae. It could be pollen, dust or blown in dirt...

Are you staying above 4 with your target of 6? If not, that could be part of the prob. Try targeting 7 or 8 - it may just be your pool uses more chlorine than average. An overnight test would reveal if something organic is going on, and reveal more if the gunk is algae or not.
 
Thanks everyone! I've done the overnight test a few times and it seems to hold, but I'll do one again tonight and double check. As for the gunk on the bottom, it's not really visible until someone jumps in the pool or I brush it. When I brush it, it's a green cloud of dust that mixes in with the water. It covers the whole pool in an even layer. The water doesn't turn green, just not crystal clear anymore and I have to run the filter constantly for a few days to get that clarity back. In the meantime, the cartridge gets coated in green. That is algae, correct? It seems like the cycle will then repeat itself. I just really want to get to a point where every few days I just have to put a bit of bleach in, yk? As for how low it gets, since I check it every day, in the past week the lowest it got was 2.8 and that was after a few days of heavy rain. It generally stays between 4.5-6. I will target at 7 for the next week and see what happens, as long as my overnight test doesn't reveal any problems.

I like the idea of testing at night. Thanks. :-D I just did another test (after adding 1 1/2 bottles of bleach a few hours ago) and here are my results. I'll re-test in the a.m.

FC: 9.5
CC: 0
PH: 7.5
TA: 140


Thanks again everyone for the quick responses!!
 
Yeah, it sounds like algae. Once you allow the FC to go below the "min", algae can take hold, even in "normal" levels of chlorine. Then the chlorine is consumed as you add it, and what you see is algae and/or dead algae on the bottom.

You should follow the instructions in How to Shock your Pool, and use an FAS-DPD test to confirm the chlorine levels and perform the overnight test. IF you don't have an FAS-DPD test, you will have a harder time determining if you have live organics or not.

Are you confident in the CYA level? Never let your FC go below 4. IF you have to target higher to achieve that, then that could just be your pool's chlorine demand, every pool is different.
 
I'm as confident as I can be in my CYA level; I've done the test twice since opening the pool this summer and used a picture I found on here somewhere that showed when the dot is considered not visible. It's such a subjective test though...it's hard to be sure, yk? I have the Taylor FAS-DPD test kit so I feel confident my other numbers are accurate.

So I guess I should bring it to shock level now then and test again in the a.m.? Thanks for the tip about not allowing it to fall below 4. I like the idea of targeting higher to make sure that doesn't happen and I really do feel that we need to run our pump longer. My husband has it on a timer and he doesn't want to run it more than 10-12 hours a day, but I think he's just going to have to deal with it. :roll:

Thanks again for your help. I really want it to be as easy for me as it is for so many of you.
 

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frustratedpoolmom said:
Do an overnight test.

Also I would recommend you run your pump at least 16 hours on low, if not more (I have a 2 HP and run it 24/7, the pool is covered whenever its not used, no alge, FC steady and holds overnight, but I do get "gunk" on the bottom-not so much it bothers me though).
Click to expand...

Why do you recommend such a long runtime? If I know my GPM rating, isn't one turn over per day really enough?
 
Not necessarily, every pool is different. You should start out with more time, then cut back, hour by hour, watching for water clarity issues, FC levels, etc. to determine your ideal run time. 10 hours on low wasn't very much and obviously wasn't working for the OP....so I suggested 16 as a starting point to try and find the ideal time :wink: . Who knows, 12 on low might be enough.
 
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