First Test Results - HELP! algae, dirt, pollen?

[stlewis98]

:grrrr: :grrrr: :grrrr:

We bought our house 11 months ago and a pool guy cared for the pool. We kept him for a month and decided to handle it ourselves since we had
handled the pool at our former rental home with beautiful results. This pool is both larger and screened in vs. that pool. We live in the Orlando, FL area.

We went away for a few days and forgot to add more chlorine before we left. When we got back we noticed we had some algae growth and started trying
to get rid of it. A neighborhood pool guy told us it was mustard algae and we treated it with stuff from the pool store and at first it seemed like we had gotten rid of it but it just keeps coming back and in the same places. After searching online I learned about this forum (thank you very much!). It's been an ongoing battle ever since with us wondering if it is algae, dirt, pollen or what? I have shocked the pool to what I thought was very high levels over the last several months but it comes back. I switched to liquid bleach, baking soda, borax and soda ash from pool store chemicals in the last 4-5 months.

We just bought a Hayward Shark Vac thinking that if it was dirt it would suck it up and not come back. The vac does a great job so no regrets buying it but by the next a.m. it's back. My husband replaced our filter cartridge at the end of the season last year.

So.... I went ahead and ordered a TF100 Test Kit figuring that since my test kit could not measure over 5.0 I really had no idea what level of FC I had though
it was almost an orange yellow color. I got the kit a few days ago and just did my first test. Here are the first results:


pH = 7.2
FC = 17
CC = 0 or 1 (getting used to whether it really was clear or a very very light shade of pink)
TC = 17 or 18 (depending on CC)
TA = 120
Calcium Hardness - our pool finish is something called Fibre Tech which is a resin (plaster?) so I tested but after the first drops it again was hard to say whether it was the slightest shade of pink so I proceeded to add the R-0012 to see if it would turn blue and even after 41 drops it was still clear so I guess that means the reading is 0?
CYA - Didn't test
Water temperature = 65 degrees

I found photos that looked similar to what ours looks like on another website that seemed to suggest this was phosphates and all I keep reading here is not to worry about them, that shocking would cure and/or prevent them. I wanted to attach 2 photos here that I took but don't know how yet.

HELP!!! All and any assistance is very much appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Welcome to TFP.

You need to test your CYA so you'll know what the FC target should be.
Test your tap water for CH. If you have a water softener test the un-softened water. Post back what you find.

Read and follow the article in Pool School on properly shocking your pool. That will get you a long way toward and clear and trouble free pool. :0

 

[stlewis98]

Thank you Dave. I just ran the additional tests and here are the results:

CH for tap water = 130

CYA - approx 150 - no lines low enough on tube so that's an estimate

Thanks for your quick response. Does this info help ?

I'll read up on pool shocking per your suggestion.

Susie

 

[Bama Rambler]

Yes, that helps, but you're not going to like the suggestions!

Do you use softened water to refill the pool? If not then I'd be suspect of the pool CH test. Unless you've had a great deal of rain lately.

With a CYA of over 100 you should start by draining and refilling half of your water. Then test the CYA again. You're probably going to have to do that a few times to get it into range.

It may be cheaper in the long run to completely drain, chlorine wash, and refill the pool with fresh water. You'll have to be mindful of the water table where you are if you decide to do that. I'm not familiar with the water table in the Orlando area but there should be plenty of local folks that are. Ask a pool builder, or even a house builder for that mattter and I'll bet they know. A county extension (agri) agent will know also. Even your neighbor may know.