Newbie-New (Green) Pool-Looking for Advice

[Fox137]

Hi All!
I've been lurking for the past few days and wanted to finally post on here.

First and foremost, this is an extremely helpful forum and i've learned a lot just from reading through it.

My wife and I just bought a new house that came with a "bonus" green pool... I've never had a pool before and neither has she.. so it's all new to us.

I've read through pool school, the how to fight algea/SLAM guide and i've bought myself a Taylor K-2006 kit

After mustering up enough confidence.. I hooked up all the equipment and began to SLAM the pool.

The first night was a major transformation of a really green / pond water type to a much lighter shade of green.. and I think it has transitioned from there to a cloudy/aqua green/whitish type water (i'll try and get some pictures up later)

I've been testing and adding chlorine as needed for the past few days.. here are my readings from the past few days:

6/13 9AM:
FC: 13 ppm (Added chlorine per pool math to get up to 15ppm per CYA/Chlorine chart)
CC: 2 ppm
CYA: ~35 ppm
PH: 7.2
ALK: 50ppm
calcium: 30ppm

6/13 6pm:
FC: 11 ppm
CC: 1.5 ppm

6/14 9AM:
FC: 10 ppm (added chlorine to get back to 15ppm)
CC: 1.5 ppm
Also added baking soda to get alk up to 80ppm

6/14 7pm:
FC: 11.5 ppm (Chlorine added back up to 15 ppm)
CC: 2.0 ppm
PH: 7.2
alk: 80 ppm

6/15 9AM:
FC: 11.5 ppm
CC: 2 ppm
alk: 85 ppm

Forgot to add to my sig.. I have a vinyl lining...

The chlorine i'm using is 12.5% liquid sodium hypo

I have not added anything else to the pool at this point.. I've backwashed the filter twice since i've started...

Am I on the right track? or is there anything else I can do to help speed up the process? (After the first day or 2, I feel like my progress has slowed and the water has looked roughly the same - maybe.. maybe a little lighter green each day)

another thought.. i'm not sure how old the sand is in the sand filter.. should I be concerned about getting that changed out?

Thanks again in advance for any advice!! and i'm looking forward to being part of the Trouble Free Pool community!

 

[Fox137]

I wanted to add that I haven't tested the CYA in a few days due to the fact that I think the cloudiness of the water is throwing off the readings... to get to my 35ppm reading.. i tested the pool water stand alone to get about a reading of approx 30ppm.. I then followed the procedure to test the CYA and received a reading of approx 65 / 70.. so the difference is approx 35ppm.

I know not to trust the pool stores, but I have to go get more bleach and plan on having them test my water just to see the results.. Will post later.

Thanks again

 

[JohnT]

Welcome to TFP!

Though testing more often is usually required, your chlorine loss between tests is low. Almost too low. Your daytime loss is at or less than what you'd expect from sunlight loss with 35ppm CYA. But if the pool is clearing, you can stay the course and it should get there. The key is persistence with maintaining chlorine levels.

To speed it along, brush the pool daily. It will disturbe any algae on the surfaces and allow the chlorine to get to it. If you find a lot of leaves etc. on the bottom, you may want to use a pool leaf rake to remove them as well.

Don't worry about your sand. Though it can wear out, it takes a long time and something else almost always fails long before you need new sand.

 

[Fox137]

Thanks for the reply... It's been absolutely dreary the last few days.. A lot of rain and hardly... If any sun...

Just checked it today at about 3pm... And it was down to 11.5ppm (sun is out today)

Just got the results from the pool store too... Not sure how much I trust the FC numbers though..

FC: 10ppm
CC: 2ppm
PH: 7.2
Alk: 80ppm
Calcium: 30ppm
CYA: 20ppm



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

Have you dredged the bottom to remove leaves and branches and lawnmowers that may be lurking beneath the green? That will speed things along. Even vacuuming blind will help. Simple test: if the filter pressure goes up after vacuuming, you removed something!

I'd suggest just running the CYA test as directed, without any funny math adjustments. The graduations aren't equidistant, so you may be way off. Going over a bit on the FC isn't going to be a huge problem with green water.

As it clears, you can do it again and get a better reading on CYA. Remember, too, that each time you backwash and refill, you lose some CYA.

Final tip:

 

[Fox137]

Welcome!

Have you dredged the bottom to remove leaves and branches and lawnmowers that may be lurking beneath the green? That will speed things along. Even vacuuming blind will help. Simple test: if the filter pressure goes up after vacuuming, you removed something!

I'd suggest just running the CYA test as directed, without any funny math adjustments. The graduations aren't equidistant, so you may be way off. Going over a bit on the FC isn't going to be a huge problem with green water.

As it clears, you can do it again and get a better reading on CYA. Remember, too, that each time you backwash and refill, you lose some CYA.

Final tip:

I did finally get a leaf rake and removed a bunch of leaves/**** this morning.. so hopefully that will help speed things up a bit.. I thought I had to wait till i could see the bottom to do that. I will take your advice and do some blind vacuuming as well.

Hope that it clears up more soon!

 

[Fox137]

so just another update.. still can't see the bottom of the pool.. and it's about day 10 of SLAM..

I am not really sure what my CYA is.. K-2006 tells me 70 (but I haven't added any dichlor or trichlor.. and only about 30ppm worth before I started the SLAM)... Test strip readings are approx 30 - 50.. so i've been going with 45 as my CYA reading.. (for what it's worth.. pool store readings tell me 20 for my CYA)

here are my last few readings:

6/20: AM
FC - 12.5 (added enough to get back to 18 after testing)
CC - 1.5

6/20: PM (7pm ish)
FC - 13.5 (raised to 18ppm after testing)
CC - 1.5

6/20: 10pm
FC - 15.5 (raised back to 18ppm after testing)
CC - 1.0

6/21: 10AM
FC - 14.5 (raised back to 18ppm)
CC - 1.0


I just feel like my progress is stalling as I haven't noticed much change in the water the last few days....

I've been scrubbing and leaf raking (I haven't been able to pick up much debris the last day or 2, but I can't see the bottom of the pool to really tell)

I will post a few pics today.

Any advice would be appreciated..

 

[schertzy82]

You have to hold it at shock level the entire time or the algae will just grow back faster than the chlorine can kill it. 7+ hours in daylight between chlorine additions is just too long if you're fighting algae.

 

[Fox137]

I usually get about 3 - 4 treatments in per day... one in the morning, once at lunch.. once in the evening and sometimes once before I go to bed.. Unfortunately, yesterday, we were out all day...

 

[Fox137]

6/15

6/18

6/20

- - - Updated - - -

Unfortunately, I don't have a pic of before I started (but it was bad.. really dark green).. Looking at the pics, I guess it looks like i'm making progress... Maybe i'm just being too impatient?

 

[Beens]

If the CYA is actually 70 (the reading from your K-2006) it's going to be impossible for you to get ahead of the algae if you're dosing based on 45. Maybe that is what is happening...

 

[Fox137]

It could be.. i'm not 100% certain.. I can try doing the filter water through a coffee filter before I test my CYA to see if that makes a difference..

I just don't think it can be as high as 70.. I've backwashed / refilled quite a few times this past week as well and the CYA (per the K-2006) has stayed about the same.

The water IS getting clearer... I know because about a week ago when I would just put pure pool water in the test tube, the black dot gets obscured at around 35ppm... now I can still see the black dot (not super clear) but I can def see it even with the test tube filled.

 

[ailanthus777]

I'm brand new here and haven't even read through the pool school yet, but I'll tell you what works for me, since your water looks identical to mine after our pool is opened...
Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum until you're not seeing anything caught in the strainer basket anymore. Then vacuum to waste until you've lost about an inch or so of water, quit vacuuming, and top off your water level. Repeat vacuuming to waste 2-3 more times. Then, give your pool a hearty dose of shock and make sure your pump is running 24 hours per day. You may want to vacuum more to waste, (like 1 inch per day) because even after the algae is dead, your pool is still full of dead algae, which can apparently pass through a sand filter. The vacuuming to waste helps with that. It's not going to happen overnight, but you should see an improvement every day until your water is clear. Keep your chemicals in range. And for me, once my water is clear, I run my pump 12 hrs per day. Oh, and don't forget to backwash/rinse periodically.

Like I said, I'm no expert, and I'm sure there is probably something wrong in my methodology, but I thought I'd pass it on since it works for me. Good luck!

6/15


- - - Updated - - -

Unfortunately, I don't have a pic of before I started (but it was bad.. really dark green).. Looking at the pics, I guess it looks like i'm making progress... Maybe i'm just being too impatient?

 

[kimkats]

Do not use "shock" please. Use only bleach/chlorine to kill the algae. "shock" as in the bags of shock will do more harm than good in that it will add CYA.................not a good thing if it is already a little high.

You are getting closer. You have a good test kit so it is only a matter of time now. One thing you can do is put your brush in your pool. Note how far down it is before you cannot see it any more. Do that off and on over the week. You should be able to see the brush a little deeper each time.

Good luck!

Kim

 

[Casey]

You are making improvements every day according to your pictures. The SLAM'ing of pools takes time and no two pools are alike. One pool can be cleared in a week and others drag out. Why that is, no one knows. My brother's GF cleared their pool in a week. I was very impressed with her tenacity to follow through and finish it. That water was gross!

Keep SLAM'ing the pool, brushing the walls and floor and vacc'ing the pool weekly. Once you get past the initial SLAM, you can consider adding some DE to your sand filter and let that help filter the water down to a smaller micron. I would hold off for another few days before you add the DE. Also note that a dirty filter will filter better for you right now so don't go crazy back washing. If you can't see the return flow, go ahead and back wash.

Keep us updated!

 

[Fox137]

Hello All.. back for another update..

Thank you all for your wonderful advice...

Over the past few days, i've been vacuuming / scrubbing.. and I've vacuumed to waste the last 2 days as well.. (all the while keeping the pool at shock level) Pool looks about the same, maybe a little better.

my overnight FC loss is approx 3ppm (Typically goes from 18ppm down 15ppm).. and my CC is hovering right at 1.0ppm..

Is it worth trying to FLOC the pool? I have some that the previous owner left me, so it won't cost me anything to try it...

The pressure on my sand filter hasn't moved up much.. it's been approx 12 psi the last few days.. I'm not so sure it's catching any of the finer particles? (I will try putting a little DE in the sand filter this weekend)

I'm also considering maybe just getting a DE filter..

here is a pic from this morning

Thanks again for your help and keeping me sane.

 

[kimkats]

I can see a change on my computer. It looks bluer. You are on the right track! Keep it up SLAM!!!! Keep the pics coming!

Kim

 

[Casey]

Do NOT FLOC the pool. You need chlorine, which you are adding at SLAM levels and filter time. Please add a complete set of test results.

 

[northrn]

Perhaps you aren't seeing a huge difference because you are looking at it several times a day. However, I can certainly see a difference from your first picture to your last. Keep at it, follow the SLAM rules, and you will not fail.

 

[Fox137]

Thanks for the encouragement.. I will keep trucking ahead!

here are my latest readings

FC: 17.5 (just added chlorine back to SLAM level)
CC: 1.0
ALK: 100ppm
PH: 7.3
Calcium : Did not test

I have noticed that my CC has been coming down..started around 2.0 - 2.5 when I first started..and it has been drifting down to 1.5 / 1.0.. now i'm back and forth between 1.0 and 0.5 - Hopefully that this is a sign that there are less and less things for the chlorine to "kill" ?