Green Pool - Trying to be patient through SLAM

[froggypris]

Hello all!

Although this is my first time posting, I've been following this forum for weeks! Thanks for all the helpful information! I'm looking for customized help.

Bought a house in mid-April with a beautiful pool... then took the cover off. Haven't had a pool since I was a kid so we hired someone to open it for us. He dumped in a bunch of chemicals and the water was crystal clear. After researching your methods I decided to use your method vs. dumping tons of money into chemicals at the pool store. Somehow I turned my water green in the process (I'm assuming algae - I can see it on the bottom).

I have removed as much debris as possible (there was a TON at the beginning because the pool hadn't been opened for 2+ years) and have been partially draining the pool to get the CYA down.

I purchased a Taylor K2006 and have been calculating with the Pool Calculator as well.

Here are my numbers
FC 30.5
CC 0
pH 7.2
TA Unknown (I can't get the test to turn red. After 20+ drops it only turns orangey yellow)
CYA ~100

I know I need to keep SLAMMING as the water is still green and I haven't passed the OCLT. Can you please provide some advice/guidance? I'm trying not to get frustrated.

 

[Isaac-1]

I would suggest continuing with the partial drains and water replacement, the CYA test only reads up to 100 ppm, anything over 100 will still read about the same, so your CYA may be much higher. It is nearly impossible to do a successful SLAM with that high of CYA, so if you can get it down to the 40-50 ppm range it will likely go a lot easier.

 

[froggypris]

How far should I drain? Under the skimmers? Thanks for your quick reply!

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

You're in good shape, you can see the floor!

First, try testing CYA using the dilution method explained in post 8 step 9. When you know what the CYA is, drain some water and replace it to get CYA to something manageable. Even 70 is world's better than what you have. By the way, you can order refills for R-0870 and 871 here, because it's rare to find them stocked by a store and you're probably running low.

I'd try vacuuming to waste to lower the water level, at least some of it. Loosen up that stuff on the floor and vacuum it up and send it out the backwash pipe and out of your pool without clogging the filter. It's a win-win-win situation. Debris gone, filter spared, CYA lowered.

Just so you know.... the pH test doesn't work at FC above 10. So don't bother testing it. And the TA test goes blue>yellow instead of green> pink at high FC. The results are still valid, you're looking for the color change. It's just different colors.

Just consider this weekend to be a writeoff and spend it killing algae.

What is your CH level? If it's not too high, you could use Cal-hypo shock powder instead of bleach to SLAM. Easier to haul home. Not sure if it's cheaper. though.

 

[froggypris]

I'm already loving how quick the help is here! THANK YOU!!

I've already ordered refills based on past suggestions here. They should be here on Saturday. I've been vacuuming to waste daily (sometimes twice a day). It's become my second job really. HA.

Thanks for the info on the PH and TA.

CH level is really high. Haven't checked in a few days but it was very high the last time I checked.

Is the best way to kill algae to bring CYA down and keep adding bleach?

 

[DaninFLA]

have you done the diluted CYA test to get an idea of what your levels are??

 

[froggypris]

No. I'm going to do that when I get out of work today.

 

[Richard320]

I'm already loving how quick the help is here! THANK YOU!!

I've already ordered refills based on past suggestions here. They should be here on Saturday. I've been vacuuming to waste daily (sometimes twice a day). It's become my second job really. HA.

Thanks for the info on the PH and TA.

CH level is really high. Haven't checked in a few days but it was very high the last time I checked.

Is the best way to kill algae to bring CYA down and keep adding bleach?

Bleach alone is what kills the algae. Lowering the CYA makes the shock level lower and easier to maintain. You have to think of the future, too. When CYA is 100, minimum FC in a nice clear algae free pool is 7-12. The pH test is useless above 10. Do you really want to have to let FC drop so you can test pH? It's a pain.

 

[DaninFLA]

No. I'm going to do that when I get out of work today.

ok, cool. that will give us a better idea on how much water to drain. larger water changes are more effective than multiple smaller water changes. only thing you need to know is your water table elevation. you don't want to empty the pool too much lower than the water level in the soil. best way to do this is get dig a hole as close to your pool as possible. if the hole is filling up with water, let it sit a few hours and see what the depth is. that's your current water table elevation (it fluctuates). don't empty your pool much lower than that.

 

[froggypris]

best way to do this is get dig a hole as close to your pool as possible. if the hole is filling up with water, let it sit a few hours and see what the depth is. that's your current water table elevation (it fluctuates). don't empty your pool much lower than that.

There's no diggable land anywhere near the pool. It's all concrete. ?

 

[froggypris]

Just performed the diluted test - it gave me 100 (50 x 2). How much water do I need to drain?

Side note: the pool is MUCH CLEARER than it was this morning!! ?

 

[DaninFLA]

is there any digable dirt in proximity to pool? even if its 20 feet away? you need to get 1/2 your water out in the end, at a minmum. 60% would be better. but you need to have a pretty good idea about your water table to drain 1/2 the pool.

you can do a 1/4 drain and refill and be pretty safe about floating concerns. if you do two 1/4 drain and refills, then your CYA would be at around 56ppm. still a bit high. one additional 1/4 drain and refill would put you at 42ppm.

I would try and dig a hole and confirm water table. if low do the full 50-60% drain and refill. will be a lot less painful (and cheaper) to do that as opposed to three 1/4 drain and refills...but you don't want to risk floating your pool. safest course of action is the 1/4 refills.

I would re-check CYA after each refill and adjust accordingly.

 

[froggypris]

is there any digable dirt in proximity to pool? even if its 20 feet away?

The grass beyond the pool slopes dramatically... not sure if that causes any issues.

I felt like I was making progress with the water clearing. The whole digging and emptying 60% of my pool has me pretty overwhelmed to be completely honest. How am I even supposed to tell when 60% is gone? Eyeball it?

 

[BuckeyeChris]

IMO, if you don't have any substantial concerns with a refill (if your town caps water usage or you have to truck it in, etc), just do a 1/4 exchange twice (or three times). I'd hate for your pool to move even a 1/16 of an inch and crack a bunch of pipes under the ground. Especially if it's all concrete. You can probably drain, fill, mix well, drain and fill in the time it would take to dig a 7 foot deep hole.

 

[Richard320]

I few comments...

Figure out your average depth. That's sort of how you calculated volume, right? Say it's 60 inches. Draining 25% is 15".

Floating the pool is probably not a worry unless that sloping land is marshy indicating water near the surface. That slope is also handy for siphoning. Hook up the vacuum and hose and set the head down in the deep end to keep the hose down. Slowly feed it in until all the air is purged and it's full of water. Then cap it with your hand and haul it out and get it down below the level of the water and you have a siphon. A garden hose works, too, but the pool vacuum hose probably flows at least 4 times as much water.

 

[DaninFLA]

The grass beyond the pool slopes dramatically... not sure if that causes any issues.

I felt like I was making progress with the water clearing. The whole digging and emptying 60% of my pool has me pretty overwhelmed to be completely honest. How am I even supposed to tell when 60% is gone? Eyeball it?

if you don't know, then don't do a single drain and refill. as far as percentages go, well kinda eyeball. figure out your average pool depth. if one end is 3 feet, the other is 6 feet, and its pretty consistent slope, then your average pool depth would be 4.5 feet. so 1/4 of that is a little over 1 feet.
come up with an average pool depth and go from there, but i wouldn't go more than 2 feet at worst case.

 

[froggypris]

Hook up the vacuum and hose and set the head down in the deep end to keep the hose down. Slowly feed it in until all the air is purged and it's full of water. Then cap it with your hand and haul it out and get it down below the level of the water and you have a siphon.

Did this last night! Great tip! Thank you! In the process of a refill.