Help, Pool Water is Green!

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Scuba_Steve said:
Correct me if I am wrong Richard. I am new to this and very well could be.

Most solutions will at some point come to a resting point pH wise. This meaning that it will take an unusual amount of outside force to cause it to raise any further or in the other extreme lower further. A "normal" swimming pool has this resting point around 8.2-8.3 from what I understand. After that you can aerate away and it will not budge.

The OP had a pH high enough that it was off the scale. Not only off the scale, but off the scale by quite a bit from how it sounded. Also more than likely due to pH issues the pool was precipitating metals.

I therefore made the conclusion that the OP had a pH problem that needed a more long term solution. That is why I suggested to fairly aggressively attack the very abnormally high TA.
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That's true, but it's only been two days fixing this problem. It's too soon to start fussing with TA. The philosophy here is that you mess with that only when you're bored or you have one of the problems. If she gets tired of adding acid daily, then it's time to get medieval. But if it holds for three or four days at a time, it's not so onerous a chore.

You might have grasped things quickly, but we have a huge number of posters who need to take things easy and slow. If the green is gone and the pool is swimmable, enjoy it! Deal with the pH rise tomorrow.
 
OK I appreciate all the advice. I have not added any more acid, the pool had a green hue yesterday, but is clear and blue today.

Results

FC 2.5
CC 0.5
pH 7.6
TA 200
CH 175

I guess my question is the Pool Math Chart I have only changed the FC target when slamming to find out how much to add. I have not changed any of the other targets. I thought the calculator had the targets and I just do what it takes to get to those targets. Such as pH the pH target is 7.5. Is that correct I just change the FC goal as for a SLAM other than that the targets are correct?

Today we are having some kids over so I am going to add enough bleach to get to a target of 10 because in another thread someone said to increase my FC before a party.
Since my pH is 7.6 and the goal is 7.5(per Pool Math) do I add acid?
There is a lot of advice and some of it differs so my next question is don't worry about the TA now that my pool is clear?

Here is a picture from today:

Shutterfly | View Shared Pictures

Again I appreciate all the advice, thank you

- - - Updated - - -

One more question, again on another thread I was told CH was not as important since my pool liner is vinyl. So that is why I was not testing it as much. I test the FC, CC, pH the most.
 
Your pH is between 7.2 and 7.8 so technically you don't have to do anything with it. Just plug the now number in as your target, poolmath will say do nothing, and you move on. Same with TA.

That being said... I'd encourage you to target 7.2 pH. With your high TA and all the aeration a bunch of splashing kids create, you'll probably find TA went down some and pH climbed right back up when you test again tomorrow. You'll be lowering the TA without any special effort on your part. If you don't lower it now, tomorrow the pH will probably be into the 8's from all the aeration.

The learning curve is steep, but in another week or so it will start to make sense. A lot of this has to be learned by doing.

I can't comment on your FC level because you didn't post your current CYA level.
 
Thanks again. The learning curve is steep and I feel like a mad pool chemist.
However I think I was getting confident until the pool turned green after the rain. This method does work well, I just wish I understood it all, but I think you are right the more we do the more understanding I will have.
 
The only reason pools turn green is because algae is growing and the only reason algae grow is because there is not enough chlorine in the pool. Chlorine must be kept above minimum for the CYA level at ALL times to keep the pool properly sanitized and algae free. Chlorine CYA Chart Keep it at target or a little higher always. If there will be lots of swimming raise 2 or 3 ppm higher still before and after lots of swimming.

It is safe to swim when chlorine is above minimum and below shock level. So don't worry about having chlorine level at 8 or 10 with CYA at 30.
 
Point of clarification as noted in previous posts to this thread. Cloudy and green is algae. Clear and green is usually metals in the water. Seems pretty likely to me with chlorine level below minimum that this is an algae problem and therefore a chlorine problem and not a metals problem. But, I have been wrong before. At least once. :)

Performing the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT) will answer the question of algae vs metals if there is doubt.
 
Hi Michelle :wave:

Do you have an update on your CYA level? I did not see it in your last set of numbers.

Rain is great for filling a pool with a little fresh water but it's important to maintain testing and chlorination even during the rainy days. Algae loves rain water too, unfortunately :)


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It is true that last time it was green it was clear and green and I forgot that until I was reading your response Pooldv. However I am confused maybe I am reading the CYA chart wrong and the Pool Math calculator. I thought the minimum for me not to go below was 2, and that I keep the FC between 2-4, I have added extra to bump it up when the kids are swimming or having friends over to swim, to around 6-8. But with you saying I am below the minimum, please tell me is FC of 4 really my minimum? If so I will work to keep it at 4 or higher at all times.


JoyfulNoise: I did maintain testing on rainy days. Except I am nervous about using the muriatic acid. I did add bleach when needed. The kids even swam at the beginning of the week in a clear blue pool. I just thought as long as I was in the range of FC 2-4 I was OK. My problem is that I added acid the week before last and inhaled some by accident and it affected my asthma a bit. As a result, now I am too nervous around the acid and won't add it, so now my husband adds it. He was away last week at Boy Scout Camp so I did not adjust the pH. He is back and added acid yesterday and again today.

Last night numbers were:

FC 5
CC 0
pH 7.8

This am numbers were:

FC 5
CC 0
pH 7.8

Pooldv, I was just thinking about it being metal from the last time. You are correct that even though my numbers are good I am missing the 3rd component of a clear pool, I had a false sense of security with my CC being 0-0.5 these past few days.

We will SLAM, and just started by adding acid first to bring down the pH and in an hour will start adding bleach to get it to the SLAM level.

Thanks for the help!
 
Yeah, MA vapors are no fun. Always best to try to stay up-wind of your pour. It doesn't bother me much but, with your asthma, definitely let someone else handle the pH control ;)

It sounds like you maintained proper chlorination but just let the pH drift while your husband was away, is that right? Seems odd to me that high pH would cause you a problem. Perhaps you need to bump you CYA up to 40ppm to maintain a better reserve of FC. I've read that some folks who use manual chlorination (especially in hot locations) tend to stick to the higher end CYA level.

Sounds like you're on the right track now and all you need is a SLAM to get you back to normal.

Good luck.


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This has nothing to do with your green pool problem but explains why I did not see your CYA number. On the website view, your post #27 shows the full set of numbers in bold with CYA. On the Tapatalk app, post #27 only shows regular type face and no CYA number.

Did you edit that post #27?


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I did edit it. I was having trouble adding the picture. The first time the link did not work. Not sure about the CYA #, but I think the first time the picture was right under the numbers and maybe when I deleted the bad link I accidently deleted the CYA too. So that could have been how it was missing.
 
Michelle9 said:
I did edit it. I was having trouble adding the picture. The first time the link did not work. Not sure about the CYA #, but I think the first time the picture was right under the numbers and maybe when I deleted the bad link I accidently deleted the CYA too. So that could have been how it was missing.
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Reasonable.

No worries, I just thought it was interesting that Tapatalk wasn't picking it up. Bugs are to be expected.


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Yes, you are reading the CYA chart correctly. Mostly. However, timing is everything. If there is a bunch of swimming all afternoon and everyone gets out and you test FC at 4pm and it is 2.5ppm then there is high likelihood that FC will drop below 2ppm throught the evening and night as it is used up oxidizing bather waste.

The plan needs to be that you test and add chlorine such that it will still be above the minimum next time you test and add. So, targeting 4ppm you test and it is 2.5 and you know that it will be the next afternoon before you will test again and that your pool uses about 3ppm per day you would raise the level from 2.5 to 5.5 or 6 so that by the time you test next time it will still be above 2.

Muriatic acid is not fun. Definitely get a wind check before pouring and make sure you are upwind. Or get a respirator from lowes or hd. Or let hubby add it.
 
pooldv said:
Yes, you are reading the CYA chart correctly. Mostly. However, timing is everything. If there is a bunch of swimming all afternoon and everyone gets out and you test FC at 4pm and it is 2.5ppm then there is high likelihood that FC will drop below 2ppm throught the evening and night as it is used up oxidizing bather waste.

The plan needs to be that you test and add chlorine such that it will still be above the minimum next time you test and add. So, targeting 4ppm you test and it is 2.5 and you know that it will be the next afternoon before you will test again and that your pool uses about 3ppm per day you would raise the level from 2.5 to 5.5 or 6 so that by the time you test next time it will still be above 2.

Muriatic acid is not fun. Definitely get a wind check before pouring and make sure you are upwind. Or get a respirator from lowes or hd. Or let hubby add it.
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+1 :goodpost:

This is true. Test at the end of the day or evening and add back the FC you need. We do a lot of late afternoon swimming and my pump is timed to shut off after 5pm so the SWCG is not producing chlorine overnight. Therefore, after 3 kiddos and 2 adults, I'll usually kick in about 2ppm FC using bleach just to make sure the water has a little extra FC to help with the bather load. That way the pool starts up the next day with the right FC level.


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