Foreclosure Swamp

[dougsmiley]

Bought this house pool was presumably open in 2012 but not touched in 2013. Water is a dark green cloud.

Started today got the ph right then kept pool at shock level for several hours in the evening. Scooped out lots of leaves and muck from the bottom, think most of it is out but cant see much. Brushed walls and floor twice. Sand filter is taking in so much algae it seems to only run well for about 3 hours without a backwash, less if im stirring things up. Water has gotten gray-er but isnt completely gray.

Is there hope or should i just give up and drain it?

Update in the morning will see if the chlorine level holds well.

 

[Casey]

Welcome to TFP and congrats on buying a discusting swamp! First things first, add your location to your profile and your pool equipment to your signature so we know what you're playing with and where. Next, tell us what kind of test kit you have? Don't have one? You should invest in the TF100. It's the best bang for your buck verses the K2006. You get more regents. Also... start reading Pool School to get a grasp on how to care for your new pool water. It's going to sparkle so DON'T DRAIN IT!!!

 

[JasonLion]

A good place to start reading is Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis. There is also lots of good material in Pool School.

The first step on a swamp is to get all of the debris out of the pool that you possibly can. You can work on that while your test kit is being delivered

 

[dougsmiley]

I ordered the TF100 but its not here yet. Have strips that actually go to 10 chlorine so better than most i guess. Trying to get started as its supposed to get warm in a couple days and I know that will make my battle worse. Currently the water temp is pretty low, 55 to 60, but in a few days its gonna have some 85 degree sunny weather to make algae grow fast.

Live in central indiana. Pool is a 24' round ~45" deep. Have a sta rite sand filter with brand new sand and a hayward pump. Sorta botched together from parts on craiglist but it seems to be functioning.

Using liquid pool shock I obtained for $2.99/gal at the local ollies.

So should i just give up until the test kit is here and call that bleach wasted? I've been reading pool school and I am trying to follow the swamp post with the exception of the kit not being here yet.

 

[JasonLion]

If you don't have all the physical debris out, then yes the bleach is probably wasted. But if you have already gotten as much debris out as possible and gotten some color change out of the water, then there is some point in continuing adding bleach without better test results. The keys to cleaning up a swamp is getting all the debris out first, adjust any levels that are wildly out of line, and then hit it hard with chlorine, preferably every hour, for a number of hours in a row.

Liquid pool shock is good, that is the same thing as bleach just a different concentration.

Can you give us test result numbers from the test strips? They will only be approximate, but that is a start.

Also, more description of the water color and any change you have seen in the water appearance would help.

The filter obviously has some work to do, and the main thing is to kill all the algae to make the filters job easier. Without a good test kit it is nearly impossible to tell what kind of progress you are making against the algae, though water color changes can often be very suggestive of where you are at.

 

[dougsmiley]

I removed as much as I could while adding bleach. Hours of skimming the bottom. Lots of leaves and muck vaccum isn't working real well unless it's to waste .

Water started out dark green. Got worse the more I stirred it. After being at the 10 level or greater for at least 5 hrs it's slowly getting more of a greyish tint.

Will report test in the morning

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[JasonLion]

That is very promising. It sounds like you have made some progress against the algae and most of what remains is giving the filter time to work.

From what you have said It is definitely worth continuing chlorine additions. With some approximate test results we can even think about balancing levels, even if only very roughly.

 

[duraleigh]

We ask for your location so the advice we give is relevant to your climate. "United States" is not helpful.

 

[Beens]

Under his name says "united states" but....he said central Indiana ^^ up there in one of the posts. ;-)

 

[zimm]

You should always vacuum to "waste" otherwise all that dirt is going into your sand filter.