We are renting a house with a painted pool from 1940. The filter at the bottom no longer works because they closed off the pipe. I placed something over the hole so debris didn't enter the water. The pool has mustard and black algae. The pool guys have given up on it because they say if we treat for algae it will be back in a month because it is a painted pool. They say we should get a Kreepy Krawler pool cleaner and that is the only way to keep the algae down plus once a week cleaning from them. The pool always looks a mess. We can brush and vacuum and the next day the algae is back. The chlorine is high and PH is 7.2. They throw chlorine tabs down on the bottom of the pool along with a floater. Don't really feel comfortable with my kids swimming in a pool that has 10 tabs on the bottom just sitting there. Should I be worried? This pool is a pain in the arse and it seems that the pool guys have given up. The owners refuses to replaster the pool. Is this pool a lost cause? Is there a way to get rid of the algae and keep it away even though the pool is painted. Any advice would be great. Thanks.
Painted Pool
- Thread starter mustardalgae
- Start date
Welcome to TFP.
You've come to the right place. Begin reading Pool School especially the ABC's of Pool Chemistry. Take a look at getting a good test kit.
At this point your CYA is probably sky high and that's what really causing all the problems. You'll most likely have to drain a good bit if the water to get it to where you can maintain it.
You've come to the right place. Begin reading Pool School especially the ABC's of Pool Chemistry. Take a look at getting a good test kit.
At this point your CYA is probably sky high and that's what really causing all the problems. You'll most likely have to drain a good bit if the water to get it to where you can maintain it.
Welcome to TFP! 
No pool is a lost cause and frankly I disagree with just about everything the pool guys have done/told you. Throwing tablets straight in to the pool? You can't fix algae because it's painted?
Do you have any kind of test results? It would help us greatly if you could share some results like Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and CYA (also called stabilizer or conditioner). Bama is right, the CYA would be the most important number because if it is sky high (probably is) then it will have to be reduced to start straightening everything out.
Your pool is not a lost cause, but it may take some work. Luckily you came to the right place to get it done!
No pool is a lost cause and frankly I disagree with just about everything the pool guys have done/told you. Throwing tablets straight in to the pool? You can't fix algae because it's painted?
Do you have any kind of test results? It would help us greatly if you could share some results like Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and CYA (also called stabilizer or conditioner). Bama is right, the CYA would be the most important number because if it is sky high (probably is) then it will have to be reduced to start straightening everything out.
Your pool is not a lost cause, but it may take some work. Luckily you came to the right place to get it done!
Please add your pool equipment in your sig line under user control panel/profile so we know what we got. Get those pucks off the bottom! Please order one of the test kits in pool school. Find a good bleach sale! Post up any full set of test results you currently can get.
Since you are renting the house, who is responsible for the upkeep of the Pool. I agree with those that already posted, the CYA is probably over 100 with the extensive use of pucks and you are not able to get the chlorine level high enough for your CYA level to defeat the algae.
Just got the chemical analysis:
Chlorine 4
PH 7.2
Total Alkalinity 60
Conditioner 40
Phosphates 250
Just had a new pool guy come out today and give an estimate. He wants to treat for phosphates and then clean the filter. He thinks he can get it algae free and keep it that way without having the owners buy a Kreepy Krauly like the current pool guys suggested.
Filter size is 48
Chlorine 4
PH 7.2
Total Alkalinity 60
Conditioner 40
Phosphates 250
Just had a new pool guy come out today and give an estimate. He wants to treat for phosphates and then clean the filter. He thinks he can get it algae free and keep it that way without having the owners buy a Kreepy Krauly like the current pool guys suggested.
Filter size is 48
I would ask him if he can get it clear without treating for phosphates. If he says, "No", then I don't think he is your go-to guy.
Phophates are irrelevant in a correctly managed pool.
We are not a good resource for responding to how someone else will take care of your pool. We are VERY good at teaching you how but I don't think we can be of much help if you choose an alternate path.
It's absolutely fine to do that (get someone else)......it's just not what we deal with very well.
Phophates are irrelevant in a correctly managed pool.
We are not a good resource for responding to how someone else will take care of your pool. We are VERY good at teaching you how but I don't think we can be of much help if you choose an alternate path.
It's absolutely fine to do that (get someone else)......it's just not what we deal with very well.
First you need one of the recommended test kits, which is linked in my signature. Then you follow SLAM, also linked in my signature. That involves raising chlorine to your shock level (15, if your CYA is truly 40 [I really doubt that]) and keeping it there until 1) CC <.5, 2) OCLT <1, and 3) Pool is clear.
Since those are most likely pool store test results I'm highly suspicious of them. About the only thing they ever get right is the pH and the CYA (conditioner in those results) is the one they get the most wrong.
as said a few times above, what you need is your own good test kit.
as said a few times above, what you need is your own good test kit.
It is hard to believe a CYA of 40 if they are throwing pucks in like crazy....
Buy a test kit...first and most important step to recovery.....
If your CYA is as high as we think you will need a partial draining before SLAM
You can learn this stuff quickly in pool school and free yourself of the lies and misconceptions.
Buy a test kit...first and most important step to recovery.....
If your CYA is as high as we think you will need a partial draining before SLAM
You can learn this stuff quickly in pool school and free yourself of the lies and misconceptions.