Turned green and numbers are way off! Help!

[tcbdab]

I am so frustrated this pool season already!!!

My levels were all good and within range. I upped the ph from 7.2 to 7.5 in hopes to clear up the cloudiness. Until three days ago -- my water started turning green again. I had issues last year with yellow mustard algae so I shocked at mustard levels (34) with 8.25% clorax. It did not do anything to the green water. Tested again today and my ph is 8.2, TA 90, CYA 75 (due to using trichlor tabs), FC 0, CH 125.

Should I add water to lower CYA and PH and go from there?????

 

[JohnT]

Welcome to TFP!

Your main problem is lack of chlorine. You don't have any now, and the algae is growing rapidly. Once the pool goes green, the algae can consume even shock levels of chlorine a very short while. We prefer to use the term SLAM instead of shock, because it emphasizes that you need to maintain the high chlorine level until the problem is resolved. Check out SLAMing Your Pool and Defeating Algae

Whether you drain or not is up to you. 75 is borderline high. It can probably be managed, but may require a little more care than you'd need at reasonable CYA levels.

 

[Isaac-1]

Personally if water is cheap where you live I would drain and replace about 1/3 of it, then adjust the pH followed by the slam procedure. Then stop using stabilized chlorine and maintain proper FC levels so you don't have to do this again every year.

 

[tcbdab]

So I have been SLAMing pool since yesterday afternoon. My CYA is currently at 52ish, FC was at 11 so I upped it to 20. and it is still PEA GREEN!!!!! What am I doing wrong???

 

[Isaac-1]

You just need to maintain the FC a little over 20, and give it some time, the key here is MAINTAIN

 

[Butterfly]

Running pump/filter 24/7? Are you backwashing/rinsing when pressure rises 25% over clean filter psi?

Is your fill water municipal or well water?

Did you replace water to reduce CYA or retested & got a different result?

 

[Charlie_R]

One thing I haven't noticed yet is what are you using to test with? If it is pool store testing, ALL numbers are suspect, and if it's strips, it would be even worse.

If you don't already have one, the TF-100 is the best investment in you pool you will ever make. http://TFtestkits.net

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Here is a link to the chart for how much FC to use for maintenance and SLAM in relation to your CYA level: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/128-chlorine-cya-chart-slam-shock

 

[tcbdab]

Soooo.... my pool is still green but looking better finally. I think I was having problems with the filter. I emptied the water and moved/loosen up the sand and now when I backwash it is actually cleaning itself out. @ Charlie R -- I am using the TF-100 tester kit.

So if my FC stayed at 18 over three hours in hot sun, does that mean the algae is finally dying??

 

[SwimAustin]

So if my FC stayed at 18 over three hours in hot sun, does that mean the algae is finally dying??

Three hours of sun and no chlorine loss means the sun is dying!