This is my first time opening our pool after the winter and a mild/warm winter at that in NE OK. The water was very green and gross when I got started about six weeks ago. I went to our local pool store with a water sample and asked them to tell me what to do to open it and clear it up.
I shock, shock, shocked it and after discovering an air leak, lots of vacuuming and vacuuming to waste, adding drop out, the water finally started to clear up and the kids were even swimming in it. I also added other things they told me, the list is so long I can't remember all of it. The water was clearing, I could see the bottom of the pool, I thought we were well on our way and I was shocking the pool weekly and keeping the floater filled with chlorine tabs.
I have had my water tested several times a week a the pool store the past 6 weeks. Two and a half weeks ago I told them it wasn't looking good again. Their response, shock it and keep chlorine in the floater. Two weeks in a row my test strips showed 0 free chlorine. Their response is always that my levels looked good, just shock. As of Monday (2 days ago) this is where I am at: Took in a water sample, told them my water is green and getting worse fast. I am loading the pool with chlorine tabs and still says 0 free chlorine. Their results also say 0 chlorine. I am still told all levels look good besides FC is (O) so just shock. This is very frustrating to me. I told them it's getting green and it's not holding chlorine. All I get is the same answer for 2 weeks.
This is where I am as of NOW. Monday took in another water sample, here were the results: FC 0, CC .2ppm, PH 7.6, TA 100ppm, CH 160, CA 35ppm. Her response again, just shock. Seriously! I shocked 3 days previous and the test results show no chlorine! I called a friend (used to be a pool store owner, highly respected and knowledgeable, oh and she was the one who helped me locate my air leak, not the local pool store).
This is what she told me to do: Get my CA up to 50. To do so, add 3# of stabilizer in the skimmer basket. Once dissolved, add 8# of shock, after an hour add algae terminator accordingly (I added 40 oz. which wasn't quite the 16 oz./10,000 pounds recommended for visible algae). After 24 hours brush sides and bottom of pool. I did all this late Monday night and now today, Wednesday forenoon I have the greenest, bug filled water that I think would make SHREK happy. I don't have current readings but plan to get some from the pool store this afternoon. I think I have spent close to $400.00 already so I don't feel so bad asking for test results. I expected the water to get cloudy blue when I shocked it again.
I am completely frustrated and to the point of almost giving up. I now fear my CA level may be too high but know I can't get an accurate reading on that until a week after adding it. Can someone please tell me what to do. My friend told me give it 2 days til I see results.........why aren't the bugs at least dead?
I shock, shock, shocked it and after discovering an air leak, lots of vacuuming and vacuuming to waste, adding drop out, the water finally started to clear up and the kids were even swimming in it. I also added other things they told me, the list is so long I can't remember all of it. The water was clearing, I could see the bottom of the pool, I thought we were well on our way and I was shocking the pool weekly and keeping the floater filled with chlorine tabs.
I have had my water tested several times a week a the pool store the past 6 weeks. Two and a half weeks ago I told them it wasn't looking good again. Their response, shock it and keep chlorine in the floater. Two weeks in a row my test strips showed 0 free chlorine. Their response is always that my levels looked good, just shock. As of Monday (2 days ago) this is where I am at: Took in a water sample, told them my water is green and getting worse fast. I am loading the pool with chlorine tabs and still says 0 free chlorine. Their results also say 0 chlorine. I am still told all levels look good besides FC is (O) so just shock. This is very frustrating to me. I told them it's getting green and it's not holding chlorine. All I get is the same answer for 2 weeks.
This is where I am as of NOW. Monday took in another water sample, here were the results: FC 0, CC .2ppm, PH 7.6, TA 100ppm, CH 160, CA 35ppm. Her response again, just shock. Seriously! I shocked 3 days previous and the test results show no chlorine! I called a friend (used to be a pool store owner, highly respected and knowledgeable, oh and she was the one who helped me locate my air leak, not the local pool store).
This is what she told me to do: Get my CA up to 50. To do so, add 3# of stabilizer in the skimmer basket. Once dissolved, add 8# of shock, after an hour add algae terminator accordingly (I added 40 oz. which wasn't quite the 16 oz./10,000 pounds recommended for visible algae). After 24 hours brush sides and bottom of pool. I did all this late Monday night and now today, Wednesday forenoon I have the greenest, bug filled water that I think would make SHREK happy. I don't have current readings but plan to get some from the pool store this afternoon. I think I have spent close to $400.00 already so I don't feel so bad asking for test results. I expected the water to get cloudy blue when I shocked it again.
I am completely frustrated and to the point of almost giving up. I now fear my CA level may be too high but know I can't get an accurate reading on that until a week after adding it. Can someone please tell me what to do. My friend told me give it 2 days til I see results.........why aren't the bugs at least dead?
