Help Turn my Pond into a Pool!

[Viking]

Starting my TroubleFreePool journey today to turn my pond or swamp into a pool. I've Read up on the pool school and ready to give it a go!
Facts:
-A LOT of green algae, with just a hint of black algae here and there.
-pool has largely been neglected for approx 18 to 24 months (I know, I know...terrible idea...will never do again etc)
-taken out 30+ large bags of leaves and muck out. Believe I have got 95% of em out. (Don't come up with much or anything in the leaf master anymore)
-I can still see tons of particles and "stuff" or algae floatin around.
-spent a ton of cash last 2 weeks doin the pool store thing throwin algaecide and chlorine at it...no more for those guys.
March 22 11:40am
FC 0.6 ppm
CC 2.95
pH 7.3
TA 86 ppm
CH 137 ppm
CYA 3 ppm

Thought I'd post before I begin the SLAM

 

[woodyp]

Sounds like you have most of the actual "physical work" done by clearing as much debris as you can. May the "Power Of Bleach" be with you! Maintain slam level (or a little above) and be patient, back washing/cleaning filter as often as needed. Best thing on your side at the moment is an extremely low CYA level. Depending on your local temps/sunshine levels, you might want to take that up to around 20 or so to help keep some FC in there and from burning off too quickly. Welcome to TFP.

 

[Richard320]

Hmmmm... those numbers look suspiciously like pool store numbers. Where did they come from?

Do you have a FAS-DPD test? Without it, you'll have no better luck following our SLAM process than you had shovelling cash at the pool store buying snake oils. With the right test kit and diligence, you could have clear sparkling water by next weekend.

Keep us updated -- we love green-to-clean pictures!

 

[Patrick_B]

+1 on Richards Q. You must have a FAS DPD kit to SLAM.

Welcome to the forum by the way.

 

[SwimAustin]

Hmmmm... those numbers look suspiciously like pool store numbers. Where did they come from?

Yeah, 2.95 is way too many significant digits to be believed. A test that accurate would cost way more money than the accuracy is worth.

I'm looking forward to another green to clean story. They're awesome.

You can dump in bleach blind, but it won't take very long before you're going to need to know exactly what's going on. For that you'll need a test that handles high chlorine levels. Those are the drop tests, not the color matching tests.

I bet the algae will protect the chlorine from the sun for a little while.

 

[Viking]

Yeah, I was sitting outside the pool store in the parking lot when I came across TFP. So I had just got those numbers. Thanks guys for the tips on the test kit. I've ordered the FAS/DPD chlorine kit.

 

[Viking]

Should I add CYA at this point? I'm concerned any bleach/chlorine I add will burn off too quickly. I'm in florida and the daily highs are already in the high 60s to high 70s.

 

[Richard320]

Should I add CYA at this point? I'm concerned any bleach/chlorine I add will burn off too quickly. I'm in florida and the daily highs are already in the high 60s to high 70s.

Personally, I would wait until I had my own test results before I added any stabilizer. Once you add it, there's no way to remove it short of draining.

You really can't even SLAM effectively without the test kit; after the first dose of bleach, then what? Did it get used up in two hours? Eight hours? What level is it? Without knowing, you don't know how much more to add.

My advice: start reading Pool School until you feel like this: I wouldn't add anything until I had test results I trusted.

 

[pwrstrk]

I would wait also Viking. Couple of days and you'll have the right tool for the job. No need to make more work for yourself. ?

 

[Casey]

Definitely get the TF-100! You will NOT regret it! It is a MUST HAVE in pool care.

 

[bridgman]

In cases where (a) algae is starting to grow in the pool and (b) owner doesn't yet have a test kit, the advice to "get a test kit ASAP so you can start managing your pool through the cleanup (SLAM) process" makes perfect sense BUT my first thought would also be "and after you've ordered the test kit, add a first dose of bleach while you're waiting for the kit to arrive".

Just curious why that first dose isn't usually recommended (I'm thinking about the case where owner posts on Thurs/Fri so kit isn't likely to arrive for several days). Is the problem that the pool might have 0 ppm of CYA and so even a dose like 10-12 ppm FC (shock for 20 ppm CYA, target for 100 ppm CYA) might be too high, or is it just that a few more days without FC isn't going to make things noticeably worse anyways ?

 

[pwrstrk]

If you don't know where the levels are your just wasting bleach. You could over shoot or under shoot. It's all about accurate testing and doseing . I would want to know where my levels were before I guessed how much bleach to add. If it's already a swamp a couple more days until the kit comes isn't going to matter.

 

[bridgman]

Yep, agree that if it's already a swamp a few extra days isn't going to matter.

I was thinking about the case where "it's not a swamp yet but looks like it might be heading that way" and wondering if even guessing low on FC might slow down the growth enough to save time later. Sounds like that is not the case though...

 

[pwrstrk]

Yep, agree that if it's already a swamp a few extra days isn't going to matter.

I was thinking about the case where "it's not a swamp yet but looks like it might be heading that way" and wondering if even guessing low on FC might slow down the growth enough to save time later. Sounds like that is not the case though...

With that case where you are at the start of a algae bloom trying to hold it a bay until the kit arrives would be ok. I have seen that suggested until the kit comes. Then you can really get down to business when you know where the levels are.
It's all a guessing game until you know were everything is. ?

 

[bridgman]

Got it, thanks. I agree completely that without proper testing (and either understanding the FC/CYA relationship or initially getting forum assistance from people who do) you're just guessing...

 

[Dreampool13]

I'd definite order your TF-100 but I personally would start dumping bleach in now. You have a ton of organic matter to battle and I honestly doubt you can overshoot. I'm not sure what your pool size is, but I did a quick calculation and if your pool is 15,000 gallons and your CYA is less than 20, you could pour in 4 jugs of bleach to get your chlorine to 14ppm.

I guess waiting a few days until your test kit arrives, but I'm so impatient that I'd be pouring the bleach immediAtely. I can't wait to see the after pics when your pool is blue and sparkly.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh just saw it's 24,000! I'd dump in 6 bottles of bleach.

 

[Richard320]

I'd definite order your TF-100 but I personally would start dumping bleach in now. You have a ton of organic matter to battle and I honestly doubt you can overshoot. I'm not sure what your pool size is, but I did a quick calculation and if your pool is 15,000 gallons and your CYA is less than 20, you could pour in 4 jugs of bleach to get your chlorine to 14ppm.

I guess waiting a few days until your test kit arrives, but I'm so impatient that I'd be pouring the bleach immediAtely. I can't wait to see the after pics when your pool is blue and sparkly.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh just saw it's 24,000! I'd dump in 6 bottles of bleach.

Think it through..... 6 gallons of bleach, maybe $20. Then what? Will it be gone in an hour? Two hours? How much will he need to add to add to replenish to get it back up to SLAM level? Because if FC isn't kept up, the algae will just resume growing and that twenty dollars' worth of bleach died for nothing. Sure, some got algae killed off. It'll grow more to replace it unless the FC level is maintained.

SLAM is a battle to the death with algae. Hit it hard. Don't let it get up, kick it while it's down. Keep kicking it. Never ease it up. Don't give it a chance to stage a counterattack. A one-time megadose might get things to change colors, but it won't clear the pool. The algae will be back.

 

[pwrstrk]

I'd definite order your TF-100 but I personally would start dumping bleach in now. You have a ton of organic matter to battle and I honestly doubt you can overshoot. I'm not sure what your pool size is, but I did a quick calculation and if your pool is 15,000 gallons and your CYA is less than 20, you could pour in 4 jugs of bleach to get your chlorine to 14ppm.

I guess waiting a few days until your test kit arrives, but I'm so impatient that I'd be pouring the bleach immediAtely. I can't wait to see the after pics when your pool is blue and sparkly.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh just saw it's 24,000! I'd dump in 6 bottles of bleach.

I think you need to go back and reread the SLAM process. Nothing you suggested about guessing and dumping in some bleach is in the instructions. I think the OP would like to rid his pool of algae. Not waste time and money.

 

[Casey]

Just checking in to see how your SLAMing is going Viking. Let us know if you need any help or have questions. Take a pic and let us see your progress!

 

[Viking]

Made good progress this week. It's nice to actually see the bottom of the pool again! LOL.