I’m so new to this!!! People say low chlorine causes algae. I have a salt water pool and I can smell the chlorine. Why is there an algae problem and why are the phosphates so out of control. Leslie’s pool water test sheet indicates 0-100 normal but mine are at 3760. Any suggestions?
Phosphate question? Where do you enter the number for phosphates in pool math?
- Thread starter Glena Bailey
- Start date
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,765
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Glena, I see you entered in blank additions but not test results.
Phosphates aren’t really something that is a priority if adequate fc is maintained in relation to cya as the pool becomes an inhospitable environment for algae so that is not in poolmath
FC/CYA Levels
Feel free to post your results
Fc
Cc
Ph
Ta
Ch
Cya
Salt (if you have a swcg)
how are you currently testing your water?
FC/CYA Levels
Feel free to post your results
Fc
Cc
Ph
Ta
Ch
Cya
Salt (if you have a swcg)
how are you currently testing your water?
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,854
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Good morning Glena. Allow us some time to provide you with a few references and TFP guidance to help you understand many of the concepts about pool water that I guarantee the pool store will not tell you. Free testing may seem convenient, but it's by no means accurate and their mission is to sell expensive products that most of the time you don't need.
As noted above, let us know if you are testing your own water and how, then we can go from there. Also be sure to update your signature with all of your pool and equipment info. See our signatures as examples. I'll place some links below that should help you along.
Very important -----> Pool Care Basics
www.troublefreepool.com
www.troublefreepool.com
As noted above, let us know if you are testing your own water and how, then we can go from there. Also be sure to update your signature with all of your pool and equipment info. See our signatures as examples. I'll place some links below that should help you along.
Very important -----> Pool Care Basics
Phosphate Removers - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
Create Your Signature - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
- Jul 17, 2019
- 3,714
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Welcome. A couple of key points:
- Leslie's job is to sell you stuff, which they do a good job of it via bad testing and bad information.
- From this and your other post, I can see Leslie's has you worried about phosphates. They do this because they want to sell you phosphate remover. There is nothing magical about Lake Jackson water and phosphates. If your chlorine falls below the minimum for your CYA, you are going to get algae regardless of your phosphates, TA, hardness, filter, pH, or moon cycle.
- Speaking of FC, we do things a bit differently here and recognize the relationship between your CYA and FC. There is a chart in my signature and that is the core of TFP, along with testing your own water with a quality test kit so you can avoid going to talk to the "experts" at pool stores, pool services, etc.
TFP is not for everyone, but we have helped thousands of pool owners this year alone and do not have any financial motivation to steer you in one direction or another. Read up in pool school and on the forums and decide if TFP is for you. If it is, then step one is getting a good test kit, and step 2 is unlearning misinformation from Leslies and your pool guy.
- Leslie's job is to sell you stuff, which they do a good job of it via bad testing and bad information.
- From this and your other post, I can see Leslie's has you worried about phosphates. They do this because they want to sell you phosphate remover. There is nothing magical about Lake Jackson water and phosphates. If your chlorine falls below the minimum for your CYA, you are going to get algae regardless of your phosphates, TA, hardness, filter, pH, or moon cycle.
- Speaking of FC, we do things a bit differently here and recognize the relationship between your CYA and FC. There is a chart in my signature and that is the core of TFP, along with testing your own water with a quality test kit so you can avoid going to talk to the "experts" at pool stores, pool services, etc.
TFP is not for everyone, but we have helped thousands of pool owners this year alone and do not have any financial motivation to steer you in one direction or another. Read up in pool school and on the forums and decide if TFP is for you. If it is, then step one is getting a good test kit, and step 2 is unlearning misinformation from Leslies and your pool guy.
The chlorine smell is coming from combined chloramines (CC) that’s indicative your chlorine is killing stuff. You get rid of the smell by adding more chlorine up to what TFP calls S.L.A.M level to keep oxidizing the algae. Once it’s done working, the CC burns off and you won’t smell it anymore.
But don’t trust Leslie’s testing as stated above.
AND - phosphate removers can have the unwanted side effect of severely clouding the pool. Other posts here go into the many weeks long attempts (at least in those instances) to clear it afterwards. Follow the information above about "SLAM", and maintaining the right level of chlorine afterwards. Simple is best:
Get your own test kit, monitor Cl, CC, CYA, TA and Ph, CA if pool is not vinyl, Salt. Generally never a need for anything additional - algicides, flocs, clarifiers, phosphate removers, and all the other pool store chemicals.
Kill the algae using the SLAM method, and then keep killing any new as determined by your CYA and Cl testing and the "Pool Math" recommendations noted on this site.
Recommended test kits, all the details about the acronyms, and what to do when can be found in the Pool School section.
Get your own test kit, monitor Cl, CC, CYA, TA and Ph, CA if pool is not vinyl, Salt. Generally never a need for anything additional - algicides, flocs, clarifiers, phosphate removers, and all the other pool store chemicals.
Kill the algae using the SLAM method, and then keep killing any new as determined by your CYA and Cl testing and the "Pool Math" recommendations noted on this site.
Recommended test kits, all the details about the acronyms, and what to do when can be found in the Pool School section.