Algae bloom and draining of pool

[DerrikM]

Due to a recent illness, I had to be away from home and my pool for well over a month. I returned home earlier this week to a disaster. The guy I had looking after the pool apparently did nothing. I have very bad algae growth on the walls, water is perfectly clear due to pump reuuning daily on a timer. Now for my question.

I was planning to do a total drain and refill this Spring due to high calcium and cyuneric acid levels. I am still not close to 100% physically, so I am looking for a way to accomplish both the algae elimination and the drain/refill with the least amount of effort. Can I start the drain, and as the water receeds, spray the exposed algae with a dilution of bleach and water, and then get in the pool and scrub with a brush and rinse with clear water? Would a spray dilution of polyquat and water be a viable and/or better solution?

Any help and advice you can give me will be appreciated.

 

[DerrikM]

Additional question. Would a power washer be a viable option? If used on algae, would I need to spray the algae with bleach before power washing or would the power wash remove the algae well enough to be drained to waste?

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Before going there, lets ask a few questions:

What are the current chem levels of the pool and your fill water?
How many gallons is the pool?
Is there scale formation?
How old is the plaster finish?
What is the plaster finish? Plaster, Diamond Brite, Pebble Tec, etc...

We encourage people to put the pool and equipment spec in their signature. Many pool problems involve pool chemistry an not just short term stuff either.

Scott

 

[DerrikM]

10,000 gallons
Regular plaster finish. I bought house 5 years ago with pool installed. Pool built in 1999. Not sure if it ever was refinished, but I doubt it.
Moderate scale formation on floor and walls, but can't acid wash or resurface this year.

Pool Water = FC 4.0, CC 0.5, Ph 7.5, TA 170, CH 910, CYA 100+ (ESTIMATE IT AT 130).
Fill Water = Ph 7.0, TA 320, CH 360

Water is clear, but algae present on walls and some on floor.

Thanks

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Looks like a couple of 50% dumps should do it. I don't like dropping pools more than that unless I know there is no water under the shell.

I'd hit the walls with a 50/50 mix of water and Clorox with a pump garden sprayer, wait 15 minutes and brush it. Then pour about 5 gallons around the perimeter near the water line. The bleach will continue it's merry way down along the wall to the floor.

Brush and refill the pool. Let the crud settle as it's filling. If it doesn't, floc it. That will cause cause everything to drop. Vacuum to waste and refill for the second time to get the CYA and CH back to where they belong.

Scott