chemmy, unfortunately, if you don't drain and refill the pool, you most definitely won't be swimming for Memorial Day.
Leslie's Pools says they cannot help me so I came here.
- Thread starter chemmy
- Start date
So I used Pool Math and now my pH is holding at 7.4
CC 0.5
TC 12.0 (I don't know if it matters, but the SWG was running - I took the water sample 1' under the water at the extreme opposite end of the pool to hopefully prevent skewed numbers)
TA 110
CYA 40 (should be rising, I read it takes up to a week for this to dissolve and for SWG pools, the recommended low end is 60 according to Pool School)
I brushed it and skimmed it. I went to vacuum, but the vacuum I bought is defective and broke the first time I tried to use it (back to the store).
Pump (with SWG) has been running all day.
I don't care if I can't use it this weekend, I just want it to be right (aside from the leveling, which will be fixed this fall).
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I also cleaned out the filter once this morning and once this afternoon. It is getting gooped up with brown stuff (which Leslie's always told me was dead algae?)
CC 0.5
TC 12.0 (I don't know if it matters, but the SWG was running - I took the water sample 1' under the water at the extreme opposite end of the pool to hopefully prevent skewed numbers)
TA 110
CYA 40 (should be rising, I read it takes up to a week for this to dissolve and for SWG pools, the recommended low end is 60 according to Pool School)
I brushed it and skimmed it. I went to vacuum, but the vacuum I bought is defective and broke the first time I tried to use it (back to the store).
Pump (with SWG) has been running all day.
I don't care if I can't use it this weekend, I just want it to be right (aside from the leveling, which will be fixed this fall).
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I also cleaned out the filter once this morning and once this afternoon. It is getting gooped up with brown stuff (which Leslie's always told me was dead algae?)
My 15X42 was just like that a few weeks ago. Knowing my "formula" from last year, I started dumping bleach. Started off with 1 gal per thousand which is a little more than 4X the daily maintenance dose. I would spend a few minutes each day scooping, then run the filter for 4 hours.
This gathers the leaves nicely in the center for the following days session.
My pool now is free of green, about 95% clear, enough that I could vacuum the small debris and last of the leaves. Didnt take much work each day, and a few were skipped due to other things going on.
One thing I do have left to do is clean out the flap at the base of the side walls, where it joins the bottom. Got some extra material there that traps some greenery and leaf litter. Thinking about getting a nice fresh envelope opener and slicing away the excess vinyl.
This gathers the leaves nicely in the center for the following days session.
My pool now is free of green, about 95% clear, enough that I could vacuum the small debris and last of the leaves. Didnt take much work each day, and a few were skipped due to other things going on.
One thing I do have left to do is clean out the flap at the base of the side walls, where it joins the bottom. Got some extra material there that traps some greenery and leaf litter. Thinking about getting a nice fresh envelope opener and slicing away the excess vinyl.
Turn your SWG off and use liquid chlorine bleach. You are going to burn it up trying to SLAM your pool with it.
Thanks, I'll have to pull out the instruction manual and figure out how to turn off the SWG and leave the pump on. I know it's possible but Intex didn't make it easy.
Today's numbers
pH 7.2
FC 16.5
CC 0.5
TC 17.0
TA 110
CYA 45
I have 8 gallons of bleach ready to go, going out to pick up some more. I wanted to get the other numbers as steady as possible before I began the bleach (although the SWG adds some FC).
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I might borrow this formula
and yes, that "flap" is annoying. I JUST cleaned it out last year and it's all nasty again. I would do some landscaping around it, but we're taking it down after this season and re-doing it properly. That, and Bestway sent me a new liner when all that was missing from the kit was a $0.01 gasket that I requested... So it will be nice to have a fresh set-up!
Today's numbers
pH 7.2
FC 16.5
CC 0.5
TC 17.0
TA 110
CYA 45
I have 8 gallons of bleach ready to go, going out to pick up some more. I wanted to get the other numbers as steady as possible before I began the bleach (although the SWG adds some FC).
- - - Updated - - -
I might borrow this formula
and yes, that "flap" is annoying. I JUST cleaned it out last year and it's all nasty again. I would do some landscaping around it, but we're taking it down after this season and re-doing it properly. That, and Bestway sent me a new liner when all that was missing from the kit was a $0.01 gasket that I requested... So it will be nice to have a fresh set-up!
Looks like your numbers are good. SLAM'ing without the SWG on is better because you're raising FC instantly instead of being introduced slowly by the SWG. 
Dont use my formula, it is based on my pool and situation! Do the SLAM as advised! Looks like good numbers, so just concentrate on getting that debris out, as much as you can each day until the visibility is bad. With mine, it was 4 or 5 scoops of the net, since the debris had gathered together in the center of the pool. Minutes of effort, paying off as my pool approaches crystal clear!
No worries, my FC drifted down a little when I checked it this afternoon, so I used Pool Math and added the appropriate amount of bleach, swept, skimmed, and turned on the filter.
I think I made a mistake calculating something and added too much bleach (1.5 gallons 8.25%) What do I do? It's a little clearer (I can see down into it to the bottom intake hose), a little less anry green, but still ectoplasm green. Skimmed, filtered, and raked (barely anything on the bottom, but also hard to see where stuff is so I just try to hit everywhere). Cleaning filter cartridge - it's brown and goopy each time I clean it (about 2x a day). CYA numbers still coming up (aiming for around 60-70ish since i have SWG).
Today's numbers
pH 8.2
FC 49.0
CC 1.0
TC 17.0
TA 110
CYA 50
What do I do? It's a little clearer (I can see down into it to the bottom intake hose), a little less anry green, but still ectoplasm green. Skimmed, filtered, and raked (barely anything on the bottom, but also hard to see where stuff is so I just try to hit everywhere). Cleaning filter cartridge - it's brown and goopy each time I clean it (about 2x a day). CYA numbers still coming up (aiming for around 60-70ish since i have SWG).Today's numbers
pH 8.2
FC 49.0
CC 1.0
TC 17.0
TA 110
CYA 50
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How are you testing your water? Your pH being 7.2 and FC 49 is really suspect. If you used a reliable test kit like the ones recommended, you've got a dire pH problem! How much bleach did you add and did you test before you added?
Sorry, 8.2. Mistyped!
I did test and used pool math (I thought correctly). My FC had dropped so I added 3/4 gallon of 8.25% bleach solution. I then let the filter fun overnight.
Slight improvement of the green color, but not as much as I had hoped.
I did test and used pool math (I thought correctly). My FC had dropped so I added 3/4 gallon of 8.25% bleach solution. I then let the filter fun overnight.
Slight improvement of the green color, but not as much as I had hoped.
I figured the pH would be high at least temporarily since bleach (sodium hypochlorite) is a base and I'm basically turning the water basic. Once the sunshine burns off the additional chlorine, it should reduce the pH anyway over time, I'm guessing. It confuses me that the water is green and now there's too much chlorine (although with a sunny 90 degree day here, it should burn off and/or be used up by algae).
I'm far too impatient to have a green pool.
I'm far too impatient to have a green pool.
The PH may indeed be high, but the PH test is not telling you that. The PH test is meaningless when the FC level is that high, the test simply doesn't work at those FC levels.
The next time the FC level is below 10, test and adjust the PH. Until then just ignore the PH test.
The next time the FC level is below 10, test and adjust the PH. Until then just ignore the PH test.
I am so impatient. I keep hoping for quick results, but having patience.... Not one of my best virtues when it comes to the pool...
FC has drifted down as expected to 40.5
CC 1.0
TC 41.5
CYA around 50
Scooped, skimmed, brushed, filtered, getting a new vacuum tomorrow to take care of that.
FC has drifted down as expected to 40.5
CC 1.0
TC 41.5
CYA around 50
Scooped, skimmed, brushed, filtered, getting a new vacuum tomorrow to take care of that.
At what point do I wonder if there's too much copper in the pool, making the water green?
FC 36
CC 0.5
TC 36.5
CYA 50
I tried to attach a photo I took with my phone, but the upload keeps failing. Still green, not really cloudy, but green enough I can't see the bottom. Not much of anything from vacuuming, scooping, skimming, pump running 24 hours...
I'm wondering if the 2 lbs of shock (with copper algaecide) Leslie's told me to dump in before they told me then that they couldn't help me is any reason for the green that refuses to go away...
FC 36
CC 0.5
TC 36.5
CYA 50
I tried to attach a photo I took with my phone, but the upload keeps failing. Still green, not really cloudy, but green enough I can't see the bottom. Not much of anything from vacuuming, scooping, skimming, pump running 24 hours...
I'm wondering if the 2 lbs of shock (with copper algaecide) Leslie's told me to dump in before they told me then that they couldn't help me is any reason for the green that refuses to go away...
Metals in the water cause the water to be a clear transparent green. If there is cloudiness, it is something other than metals. It might be something like algae and metals, but odds are it is just algae, hopefully completely dead algae at this point.
You should see a visible improvement in the water clarity each day, even if only a small change. As long as things continue to get better, you are on the right track.
You should see a visible improvement in the water clarity each day, even if only a small change. As long as things continue to get better, you are on the right track.
Thanks JasonLion. I'll keep the chlorine levels up and keep up with the SLAM process. I've never had to battle like this before. Usually turned on the SWG and pump and green was cleared in a day - not a week or more!