End of my rope

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Daniel'smoneypit

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Jan 22, 2017
1
Tinley Illinois
Battling algae with my pool the wife and I are fighting over the looks of the pool. Can't use it or invite people over looking like this. I understand. I've scrubbed my but off trying to get rid of it.

It's a in ground 27000 plaster pool with a cartridge filter running from 7a to 8 p.

Ive added the initial dose of algaecide to the pool. We filled it in June of this year and live in the Chicago area. I haven't used the solar cover at all and pool temp is 80.

I'm looking for advice on why this is happening ?What can I do to get rid of it ? How do I prevent it in the future?

2 small boys here that keep me busy and I certainly don't want to hurt them with dangerous chemicals in the pool

Thanks
Dan
 
:wave: Welcome to TFP!!!

Algaecide is a preventative and if you follow the teaching here, it is something that you should never even need.

The only reason for algae to show up is due to not enough chlorine. You must maintain your FC above the minimum for your CYA as shown in the [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA].
But, lets step back.

Have you discovered Pool School yet? Start with these so we can speak the same language:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

To take control of the pool, you must invest in one of the Recommended Test Kits so that you have reliable chemistry results.

Bottom line: To get rid of the algae, you need to follow the SLAM Process process. To prevent algae, you need to maintain adequate FC levels. And to do either, you need a good test kit.
 
Welcome! :wave:

First the bad news: algaecide works better as a preventative than as a cure in the same way that Lysol stops the spread of germs but drinking it won't cure a cold. Once the algae has taken hold, the algaecide is pretty much useless.

The good news is chlorine kills algae.

Most likely, you've been following pool store advice and chlorinating with pucks. Maybe even using powdered "shock". The thing they don't tell you is that those dry forms of chlorine add stabilizer to the water. The higher the stabilizer, the higher the chlorine needs to be to kill bacteria and algae. Chlorine gets depleted by the sun and by oxidizing algae. The stabilizer remains. So as the stabilizer increases you need more and more chlorine but each time you add you'll add more stabilizer which makes the stabilizer get even higher and on and on until you're trapped in a vicious downward spiral that ends up in a green cloudy pool with an empty wallet and a search for a real solution that ended here.

Rather than point you at all kinds of how-to-articles, I'll point you at some of my favorite threads that should inspire you. Sorry, some pictures are gone since photobucket abruptly changed their terms and won't allow third-party hosting. But there should still be a few good pictures if you scroll through. See what the pools looked like before and after and do what they did. Recovering my old inspirational links The most recent are last.
 
Welcome to tfp! We practice trouble free pool care which uses a minimal amount of chemicals, time, and money!

Fixing your pool will consist of testing the water with your test kit as mentioned above. Slamming the pool, then keeping up on the pool with bleach and Muratic acid. People here have gone over 4 years algae free!
 
Most of us have been in your shoes at one time or another... green swampy pool... random chemicals... endless brushing... no joy...

Cheer up. Just follow the testing and SLAM procedures here and it'll soon be clear & blue. They work and you'll be a hero.
 
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