Hello-
I have a 15,000 gallon pebbletec playpool that gets FULL sun from nearly sunrise to sunset (no trees, no shade from anything).
Here in AZ, we had a huge dust storm almost a month ago that left the pool quite a mess. I thought it was all cleaned up, but I saw some brownish "stains" on the bottom. One was approx. 18" circle, one 12" circle, several other smaller circles. Silver dollar sized spots on the large swim step. When I brushed, I could see moderate algae but the "stains" did NOT come off at all.
I didn't take a photo of the algae, but it was HIGHLY aggressive. I would brush and within an hour I would need to brush again. The stuff that did brush off was on the shaded walls and looked just like mustard (although I don't know enough to determine if it is actually mustard algae - and I tried looking at lots of photos).
My shock process started Saturday evening when I added 9 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine (should have created approx. 54 ppm - but the chlorine was 2 months old and despite the 74 degree storage temp, only generated approx. 27ppm). Super filtered, yeah right....had a bunch of solids on the bottom of the inside of the jugs.
My CYA is approx. 85 and I do have the TF-100 kit.
Here are my actual chlorine results.....
7/30 (Sat sunset initial test) 1 ppm Add 9 gal 10% older chlorine
7/30 (Sat at sunset) 27ppm
7/31 (Sun AM) 20.5 Add 5 gal older 10% (approx. half strength)
7/31 (Sun PM) 32 ppm
8/1 (Mon AM) 28 ppm
8/1 (Mon PM) 23.5 ppm Add 2 gal 10% NEW stronger chlorine
8/1 (Mon Late PM retest before bed - 1 hr after adding chlorine) 32ppm
8/2 (Tue Early AM - before sunrise) 30ppm (only lost 2 ppm overnight in 7 hrs) Add 3 gal 10% older chlorine (yes, had a lot left over)
8/2 (Tue Late before bed) 22 ppm
The problem:
I have been brushing the pool 3-4 times per day and now the water looks milky when brushing (I think that is dead algae). However, I can brush 30 minutes later and it appears to be just as much algae on the bottom, like it keeps returning.
I couldn't find my vac, so I threw in the Polaris (didn't want to with 22ppm chlorine and had it out for shocking). Backwashed 3 times tonight (sand filter), each time looking white for 20-40 seconds.
I don't want to throw in more chlorine and trash the Polaris, but I'm not sure if i'm done fighting the algae (I don't want to do this again!).
Without the Polaris, I don't see the white cloud of algae on the bottom ever leaving.
Pool looks really good, until you brush it!
Filter runs 17 hours a day on high (off from noon to 7pm during peak power pricing). Water temp approx. 92 degrees - HOT!
Read the whole pool school and it says this might continue 2 weeks and that when ppm drops only 1 overnight you are good. Mine was 2 last night, but my residual chlorine is still 22, so I'm guessing it will fight tonight still.
Should I do anything special, or just keep brushing and let the chlorine fall back to 5ppm?
SWG is being installed in the next week or two....I can't handle doing this again!
Thanks!!
Dalton
I have a 15,000 gallon pebbletec playpool that gets FULL sun from nearly sunrise to sunset (no trees, no shade from anything).
Here in AZ, we had a huge dust storm almost a month ago that left the pool quite a mess. I thought it was all cleaned up, but I saw some brownish "stains" on the bottom. One was approx. 18" circle, one 12" circle, several other smaller circles. Silver dollar sized spots on the large swim step. When I brushed, I could see moderate algae but the "stains" did NOT come off at all.
I didn't take a photo of the algae, but it was HIGHLY aggressive. I would brush and within an hour I would need to brush again. The stuff that did brush off was on the shaded walls and looked just like mustard (although I don't know enough to determine if it is actually mustard algae - and I tried looking at lots of photos).
My shock process started Saturday evening when I added 9 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine (should have created approx. 54 ppm - but the chlorine was 2 months old and despite the 74 degree storage temp, only generated approx. 27ppm). Super filtered, yeah right....had a bunch of solids on the bottom of the inside of the jugs.
My CYA is approx. 85 and I do have the TF-100 kit.
Here are my actual chlorine results.....
7/30 (Sat sunset initial test) 1 ppm Add 9 gal 10% older chlorine
7/30 (Sat at sunset) 27ppm
7/31 (Sun AM) 20.5 Add 5 gal older 10% (approx. half strength)
7/31 (Sun PM) 32 ppm
8/1 (Mon AM) 28 ppm
8/1 (Mon PM) 23.5 ppm Add 2 gal 10% NEW stronger chlorine
8/1 (Mon Late PM retest before bed - 1 hr after adding chlorine) 32ppm
8/2 (Tue Early AM - before sunrise) 30ppm (only lost 2 ppm overnight in 7 hrs) Add 3 gal 10% older chlorine (yes, had a lot left over)
8/2 (Tue Late before bed) 22 ppm
The problem:
I have been brushing the pool 3-4 times per day and now the water looks milky when brushing (I think that is dead algae). However, I can brush 30 minutes later and it appears to be just as much algae on the bottom, like it keeps returning.
I couldn't find my vac, so I threw in the Polaris (didn't want to with 22ppm chlorine and had it out for shocking). Backwashed 3 times tonight (sand filter), each time looking white for 20-40 seconds.
I don't want to throw in more chlorine and trash the Polaris, but I'm not sure if i'm done fighting the algae (I don't want to do this again!).
Without the Polaris, I don't see the white cloud of algae on the bottom ever leaving.
Pool looks really good, until you brush it!
Filter runs 17 hours a day on high (off from noon to 7pm during peak power pricing). Water temp approx. 92 degrees - HOT!
Read the whole pool school and it says this might continue 2 weeks and that when ppm drops only 1 overnight you are good. Mine was 2 last night, but my residual chlorine is still 22, so I'm guessing it will fight tonight still.
Should I do anything special, or just keep brushing and let the chlorine fall back to 5ppm?
SWG is being installed in the next week or two....I can't handle doing this again!
Thanks!!
Dalton