Is algaecide necessary? My Fc is good, has only gotten low once (I shocked it that night). The water is very clear. Pool school for AGP recommends it once a week I think. Do I need to if all is well? Also, I only have the walmart algaecide for small pools not the polyquat, would it be better to skip it?
algaecide
- Thread starter merritt11
- Start date
Algaecide may have been mentioned in the guide since many temporary pool users also use very temporary testing techniques and do not balance regularly/properly. Sort of an insurance policy. If you are on top of your pool (testing and chlorinating that is...), I see no need for it, an I personally would not use an algaecide (maybe would during winterization, if one consistently had problems in the spring). I do not know what is in the Walmart algaecide, you could post it...
The walmart does contain some copper element to it which I understand from the site is not the best. I test the cl and ph daily and others (with strips, I know they arent the most accurate) a couple times a week just to get an idea. I am really on top of pool, I never thought I would enjoy taking care of it so much (?) I love it to be very clean and clear and it is. Our pool is small (3800g) but we get huge fun out of it. I chlorinate every night and check the look and feel of the water often. I guess I will skip the algaecide then?? Any dissenters let me know. thanks
You, my friend, are not the typical seasonal pool user (is it a seasonal pool?). I too like the testing/science. I started with a 1500 gallon floating ring pool early last summer to see if I liked maintaining it. I LOVED IT! We moved to a bigger pool now and I still love it. Ohhh...and the those pesky kids love it too, though I might have vacuumed one up...
My vote is for no algaecide.
By the way, could you/would you please put your pool specs/equipment in you signature?
My vote is for no algaecide.
By the way, could you/would you please put your pool specs/equipment in you signature?
Don't be surprised if something suddenly goes awry or things seem a bit off even though the strips say it's ok. We used strips for the first pool years (easy set type, blow up ring) and H was out there every day doing this, or that... Very pool boy like behavior.
The metal frame Intex pool came into being last year, and was set up w/strips and bottle/mainstream chemistry advice. It wasn't right. A week later we found this site, abandoned all prior knowledge, put the chems in storage and drained half the pool we'd just filled.
Borrowed dad's K-2005 and inherited an OLD reagent heavy K-2005 copy kit that I still use the CYA and R-0003 reagent from today (I have new, I'm just using the old stuff up cuz there's lots. Finally we had a real idea what was going on, and the strips have NEVER equaled the results of the kits. We haven't had to shock, and set the CYA at 25-30ppm to be able to keep FC on the low side. Plus the monster kit's test block actually tests up to 10ppm even if the range went from 5-10 for the last two color blocks. Still, testing for CC wasn't so easy although the lack of CC likely was the most confusing part. Our choice for verifying that was to let the FC drop to just below 2.5ppm and use the Hanna meter (meter designed for municipal drinking water systems, thus it won't test FC above 2.5ppm and TC above 3.5ppm). Still no CC to speak of.
After a while dad needed his kit back. That's fine, everything's in check and I have the old kit. H picks up an HTH 6-way from walmart at the end of the season that I didn't open till this year.
So, fast fwd to this year, after a winter leaving the pool up and no problems other than the cover falling in regularly I start up the pool w/test strips and miscalculate CYA. Oops... added enough to get to 45ppm. Way more than the 25-30 I intended it to be but in my rush I assumed more had left the pool over the winter with rain and the ports leaking like faucets all winter. I was in a serious rush as well with my kids plus neighbor kids helping/skimming/brushing and asking to get in after the last day of school, first sun day... My kit was not out yet but strips were handy. I did manage to get it ready in less than 3 hours but the CYA fail I'm still kicking myself over. Strips said 0 CYA, so I added 20ppm and overshot it by 10-15ppm. They still don't show the true value and look more like 0-10ppm than 40ppm.
Then I go and upgrade my kit w/reagents from a local pool/spa company. They actually had what I needed on the shelf. $60 later, a new Taylor test block, DPD powder, R-0871 reagent, and a 2oz bottle of phenol red... I spill the whole bottle of DPD powder while pulling the scooper off the top. OMG! $16 bux down the drain... or rather all over my patio and down my shirt. @#%$^%$&$^!!!!!
Fine, bite the bullet and order TWO DPD powders from www.tftestkits.net for less than I paid for the ONE container locally. Now I'm good. I finally have everything I need even if it is a *******, pieced together kit. I also have about ten years worth of reagents for the Hanna meter but it doesn't test for TA. I still feel a tad test kit rich. Too rich... lol
I guess I tell you all this because in retrospect... less money, time, energy, and gas would have been wasted had I just got myself the proper kit in the first place. Sure, I got by and had everything I needed (only because I didn't have to shock) and didn't have to pay for some of the reagents I am still using. But I have still spent as much, plus around $30 more by now than if I'd just ordered the kit.
And I don't have that cool box or the record chart.
Seasonal or not... pool water must be properly maintained and knowing the actual results is so much better than ranges even when everything seems to be just fine according to the strips.
BTW... the strips show my fill water to be 100ppm CH. Sooooo wrong. More like 2ppm.
The metal frame Intex pool came into being last year, and was set up w/strips and bottle/mainstream chemistry advice. It wasn't right. A week later we found this site, abandoned all prior knowledge, put the chems in storage and drained half the pool we'd just filled.
Borrowed dad's K-2005 and inherited an OLD reagent heavy K-2005 copy kit that I still use the CYA and R-0003 reagent from today (I have new, I'm just using the old stuff up cuz there's lots. Finally we had a real idea what was going on, and the strips have NEVER equaled the results of the kits. We haven't had to shock, and set the CYA at 25-30ppm to be able to keep FC on the low side. Plus the monster kit's test block actually tests up to 10ppm even if the range went from 5-10 for the last two color blocks. Still, testing for CC wasn't so easy although the lack of CC likely was the most confusing part. Our choice for verifying that was to let the FC drop to just below 2.5ppm and use the Hanna meter (meter designed for municipal drinking water systems, thus it won't test FC above 2.5ppm and TC above 3.5ppm). Still no CC to speak of.
After a while dad needed his kit back. That's fine, everything's in check and I have the old kit. H picks up an HTH 6-way from walmart at the end of the season that I didn't open till this year.
So, fast fwd to this year, after a winter leaving the pool up and no problems other than the cover falling in regularly I start up the pool w/test strips and miscalculate CYA. Oops... added enough to get to 45ppm. Way more than the 25-30 I intended it to be but in my rush I assumed more had left the pool over the winter with rain and the ports leaking like faucets all winter. I was in a serious rush as well with my kids plus neighbor kids helping/skimming/brushing and asking to get in after the last day of school, first sun day... My kit was not out yet but strips were handy. I did manage to get it ready in less than 3 hours but the CYA fail I'm still kicking myself over. Strips said 0 CYA, so I added 20ppm and overshot it by 10-15ppm. They still don't show the true value and look more like 0-10ppm than 40ppm.
Then I go and upgrade my kit w/reagents from a local pool/spa company. They actually had what I needed on the shelf. $60 later, a new Taylor test block, DPD powder, R-0871 reagent, and a 2oz bottle of phenol red... I spill the whole bottle of DPD powder while pulling the scooper off the top. OMG! $16 bux down the drain... or rather all over my patio and down my shirt. @#%$^%$&$^!!!!!
Fine, bite the bullet and order TWO DPD powders from www.tftestkits.net for less than I paid for the ONE container locally. Now I'm good. I finally have everything I need even if it is a *******, pieced together kit. I also have about ten years worth of reagents for the Hanna meter but it doesn't test for TA. I still feel a tad test kit rich. Too rich... lol
I guess I tell you all this because in retrospect... less money, time, energy, and gas would have been wasted had I just got myself the proper kit in the first place. Sure, I got by and had everything I needed (only because I didn't have to shock) and didn't have to pay for some of the reagents I am still using. But I have still spent as much, plus around $30 more by now than if I'd just ordered the kit.
And I don't have that cool box or the record chart.
Seasonal or not... pool water must be properly maintained and knowing the actual results is so much better than ranges even when everything seems to be just fine according to the strips.
BTW... the strips show my fill water to be 100ppm CH. Sooooo wrong. More like 2ppm.
Yikes! Good grief I cant believe you had so much trouble with all of that. Well, at any rate, i do want to upgrade but it will have to wait until next year- I am aiming for a good test kit and possibly a new filter for next year. This year we are tapped so I am making due. I know the stips arent accurate (I do have a drop test for CH and PH). We are expecting our 6th so we are pretty cash poor (happily cash poor I sould say). I am not sure how to put my pool specs and other info on my signature. I just have one of those 16x48 round summer escapes pool with the filter that came with it. The instructions say it carries about 3800g. We have a ch/ph drop test kit, strips, and my own eyes and hands. A small cheap vacuum (that works like a charm) and a net to get out floating stuff (mostly ants and small leaves). My son had a friend over yesterday who swims for real (like competetively) in all kinds of pools and I was so happy to hear him say "your pool is crystal clear" He said a lot of the pools he swims in have foggy bottoms. Well, thats about it. Thanks