Lime Green Pool

[SummerTimeGirl]

Hi guys! Been a while since I posted. Hope you all are well.

So anyway, i think i may have effed up. When I opened my pool this year it was green. Dark green. Despite efforts of closing it I'm immaculate conditions. So this year I had also bought the Culater kit to remove metal stains as we were having issues with that last year. Figured we'd get to it in the beginning of opening season since the chemicals would be close to where they needed to be in order to do it. And they were. Everything the kit said about where the chemicals and numbers should be, they were or I adjusted it to be.

Anyway, used the kit according to directions. Now, at the same time I was running the robot to clean up any Crud that may be on the bottom.

The pool seems to have gone from a dark green to a lime green but it hasn't changed now in days. No improvements. We opened on Friday and that's when I used the metal stain remover.

I'm thinking maybe I didn't wait long enough or raise the chlorine level or gradually like it said to. Either way, all my levels seem to be perfect. Of course the chlorine is still high since I was conducting SLAM after the treatment.

So I guess my question(s) is(are)......what exactly is going on? Why the lime green? The robot was running again yesterday and barely picked anything up after running for an hour. So I assume the pool is clean? But who knows. I did not take a Pic of the lime green color in daylight yet and am getting ready to leave for work now, but I did get a Pic of it with the pool light on (just now) so you can see what I mean. I will get one later today when I come home if you need it.

So what can I do to get things cleared up?

Oh, I also put brand new filters in this year.

So yesterday when I tested these were my numbers:

FC - 18
PH - 7.4
TA - 50
CH - 240
CYA - WAS 40 (at start up, not sure what it is now as I ran out of the reagent and am waiting for more)

Today at 4:30 - ish in the morning my numbers are:

FC -16
CC - 0
PH -7.8
TA - 80
CH - 200

Would love to hear some suggestions on how to proceed. Thanks.

Including pics of what it looked like opening day, today, and the robot filter yesterday after running an hour.

 

[Mdragger88]

High fc levels consume sequestrant so that was a bit of a waste before slam. Better to deal with algae first then deal with any stains afterwards.
Continue with the
SLAM Process until you pass all 3 end of slam criteria & if you think preciptated/oxidized metals are part of your green tinge you can try putting some polyfill (pillow stuffing) in the skimmers to try & catch/remove any precipitated iron at the same time (polyfill will not catch copper). Its cheap & easy & wont interfere with the slam.
4 days of slamming is not terribly long especially if it was dark green as you mentioned.
The slam process can take a week or more so just continue doing all the things listed in the slam article.

If you’ve got iron in your fill water, use Polyfill to remove it

EDIT: Found out this method only works if your iron is oxidized already, meaning it’s got a dull or bright green tint to the water, or a nasty brown tint. If you know you have iron in your fill water, but it isn’t oxidized yet, bring your pool to shock level and it’ll turn the telltale green...

www.google.com

 

[SummerTimeGirl]

I figured since the chlorine hasn't dissipated much and still at SLAM levels or above since Friday, and the CC was zero, that the algae was dead? But maybe not.

Either way I just ordered some polyfill. Should be there when I get home. I'll add it as you said to see what happens but I've also been using those skimmer basket socks too so hoping those have been getting and keeping some of that Crud out as well. Also have that Culater thing in the basket. If they even work. Thanks.

High fc levels consume sequestrant so that was a bit of a waste before slam. Better to deal with algae first then deal with any stains afterwards.
Continue with the
SLAM Process until you pass all 3 end of slam criteria & if you think preciptated/oxidized metals are part of your green tinge you can try putting some polyfill (pillow stuffing) in the skimmers to try & catch/remove any precipitated iron at the same time (polyfill will not catch copper). Its cheap & easy & wont interfere with the slam.
4 days of slamming is not terribly long especially if it was dark green as you mentioned.
The slam process can take a week or more so just continue doing all the things listed in the slam article.

 

[SummerTimeGirl]

When I got home from work yesterday I pulled my two filters out and surprisingly they were not that dirty. But I cleaned them anyway and put them back in. Put Polyfill in the filter basket as suggested. Kept the pump running 24/7, as it's been since opening, and still no difference this morning. Been brushing the sides and bottom too every day at 3/4am when I get up and then again when I get home in the afternoon around 3. Still no difference, IMO. Chlorine has been kept up too, but there hasn't really been too much of a loss of it each day. Not sure what else to do. Really don't think it's algae at this point cause I'd usually see improvement by now. At least that's been the norm in the past. Who knows.

 

[Mdragger88]

Be patient & Keep going
and let’s confirm your cya when your new reagent comes in.

 

[SummerTimeGirl]

Whelp, you were right. Must be something still growing in there. When I came home again today to a lime green pool, I sorta went nuts. Even tho my CC was 0 and my chlorine was 14 or better for the last several days, I went ahead anyway and tossed in 3 more gallons of chlorine and two diluted bags of HTH Shock. Then again I brushed the sides and floor. Got on my stomach or knees and cleaned the returns, the area where the filter basket sits, the door, around the light fixture (can't yet take it out to clean behind it due to algae and water temp...also cant reach it) etc. Tossed the robot cleaner in again and suddenly, the pool started getting lighter and has continued to do so all night. Finally can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Will finish SLAM and go along as usual. Thanks again!

 

[Mdragger88]

Not sure which HTH product you used but it either adds cya (if dichlor)
or calcium (if cal hypo) to the water so take that into consideration.
PoolMath effects of adding can tell you how much.
Its best to stick with liquid chlorine for the slam as to not fiddle with other parameters.