Algae Problem

[PoolRose]

I too have "tried" the Pool Frog. Last year was my first year as a pool owner and this was the system they set up for the pool. It never kept the pool from going green! (Not in the good sense, either) I still have it attached, but I don't have a cartridge in it and it is set to max flow (10). I have good pressure. I have used the BBB method to transform my "pea soup" into a very pretty pool. However, I was gone for one day and it turned green and cloudy and I haven't been able to get it back. So, I broke down and went to the pool store to see what was going on with my water. These are the numbers the computer water analysis printed out. I don't have a test kit yet, I was trying to go by the test strips first just to try the method out.
CYA: 42 (bought and applied 1.75 pounds by store request!) (so may be 55 by end of next week)
TC: 0.2
FC: 0
pH: 8.3
TA: 228 (Bought store brand dry acid 8lbs to apply over next four days) (I have applied some of it today)
Not a Salt Water pool
This is my first post, so if you need any other information, please let me know.

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

First thing to do is to bring your PH down to around 7.2 to 7.4. You should always keep your PH between 7.2 and 7.8.

Then you need to shock your pool. Shocking is ongoing process, not a product you simply put in the water. Read How to Shock Your Pool in Pool School.

Longer term, you will do much better if you have your own test kit.

 

[257WbyMag]

Get yourself a TF-100 here...www.tftestkits.net.

 

[PoolRose]

Keeping Chlorine in the pool is a much harder task that I expected. March and April were easy with 50-70 degree weather. However, higher than normal temperature and 97 degree record today, it seems to go away as soon as I add it. I have been using bleach in the 174oz jug and have quite a collection.

1. On average, when I get everything "normal" what kind of schedule should I be looking at to add bleach to my pool once it has been shocked?

2. Is there a schedule of "events" that I need to know to keep my pool looking good and obviously safe for my kids?

I am worried about going to the grocery store and getting stopped and interrogated because I am buying too much bleach for a normal household. They are very picky around here about chemicals...

Thanks for the very quick reply!!!

 

[Richard320]

You're using a lot of chlorine for several reasons. One is the heat. Algae grows faster in warm water. You have something going on if those readings are correct; .2TC -0FC = .2CC. That's Combined Chlorine, sorta half-used up. Odds are, you'll add some FC (bleach) and both FC and CC will go up. FC will go down with time, CC will linger a while. The way to eliminate it all is to shock.

If the grocery clerk looks at you funny and it bugs you, see if any pool stores sell liquid chlorine. Sometimes it works out cheaper because it's stronger. Also, places like Lowes have a pool section hidden somewhere in the garden section, and they sell liquid chlorine. At a place like that, they're used to seeing people buy mass quantities of stuff, it won't raise an eyebrow at all.

Once things get balanced, you'll be adding bleach every day. Maybe two at the outside. Hard to tell how much acid you'll use; it depends a lot on your fill water, plus each pool has its own personality. You should figure on testing daily for at least the first month, and keep track of things. By then, you'll have a sense of how rapidly things change, and what your chemical consumption is, and you might be able to skip a day here and there.