"Slight" Algae

[GypsmJim]

The wife used to take care of the pool with test strips. Green half the time. When I retired I got your kit, read this forum a lot and have solved my problems....well almost.

Within a week after opening the pool I religiously adjust ALL of your recommended parameters (i.e, pH, CYA, CL, etc etc) to the middle of the ranges. All is OK. I'm using bleach, test every day and add as necessary.

Everything is fine until early July when we go on vacation. I add slow dissolve pucks to a auto chlorinator and the CL level is fine when we get home. However, as expected the CYA has jumped up. Now at about 85. So, I up the CL to meet the requirement of the CYA, per your specifications for that CYA.

I always have a little brown "dirt" on some depressions in the pool liner bottom. I can disturb them with my feet and see brown. Probably a lot of pollen. I vacuum every few days. However, NOW, it's obvious they are green. It's not stuck to the sides, it's all loose particles, which I assume are algae.

I know how to fix it from this site, and I will. My question is, short of hiring a pool boy for a week while on vacation, and having him test and add bleach, how can I PREVENT it in the future?

 

[ajw22]

Have you done a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test?

A SWG can handle chlorinating a pool while on vacation without raising your CYA.

 

[GypsmJim]

Have you done a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test?

A SWG can handle chlorinating a pool while on vacation without raising your CYA.

Yes, It goes down by about 2 ppm.

I don't have a SWG. How much would it cost to change my system and how much trouble?

 

[BDY]

How long do you go on vacation?

And what kind of pump do you have?

 

[ajw22]

Yes, It goes down by about 2 ppm.

2ppm is a fail on the OPCLT and says you have algae in the pool. Pass is 0.5-1ppm loss while dark.

You should do a SLAM Process until you can pass the 3 exit criteria and get your pool algae free.

I don't have a SWG. How much would it cost to change my system and how much trouble?

Get a Circupool SWG for a 30K-40K size pool using their $10 upgrade deal.

Cost you $1300-$1400 + 400lbs of salt for about $100 + installation.

Compare and Review Saltwater Chlorine Generator Prices and Features | DSP

www.discountsaltpool.com

Circupool SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[GypsmJim]

2ppm is a fail on the OPCLT and says you have algae in the pool. Pass is 0.5-1ppm loss while dark.

You should do a SLAM Process until you can pass the 3 exit criteria and get your pool algae free.



Get a Circupool SWG for a 30K-40K size pool using their $10 upgrade deal.

Cost you $1300-$1400 + 400lbs of salt for about $100 + installation.

Compare and Review Saltwater Chlorine Generator Prices and Features | DSP

www.discountsaltpool.com

Circupool SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I don't want to spend that much. I didn't ask how to fix it, bur rather how to avoid it next year.

To answer a previous poster, our vacation is 7 days.

 

[ajw22]

I didn't ask how to fix it, bur rather how to avoid it next year.

Keep your pool algae free before you go on vaca.

 

[BDY]

Did you raise the pool to slam level before leaving? Can anyone pour in a jug midway thru vacation?

Just thinking

 

[GypsmJim]

Keep your pool algae free before you go on vaca.

It WAS algae free.

 

[GypsmJim]

Did you raise the pool to slam level before leaving? Can anyone pour in a jug midway thru vacation?

Just thinking

No I didn't slam it because there was no need at the time. It was perfect.

No, no one to help.

The problem, as I see it, is the fact that the CYA goes so high because of the tablets I am putting in. I won't ever use that stuff again, but when on vacation I see no alternative.

 

[ajw22]

It WAS algae free.

Did you do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test before vaca to confirm that?

 

[an1vrsy]

If I had an AGP and I did not have anyone to add bleach for me while I was gone, I would make a cover or buy a cover for it. I would take the FC up to SLAM level for my CYA, then cover the pool. When I got back, remove the cover, test and see how it worked.

Now, I don’t have a AGP and I don’t know if a cover even exists for AGPs. If I had to I would make one.

 

[JeanZ1]

Raise chlorine to SLAM level right before vacation and then some tabs in a floater. Worked for me several times before I got a SWCG.

 

[Mdragger88]

No I didn't slam it because there was no need at the time. It was perfect.

No, no one to help.

The problem, as I see it, is the fact that the CYA goes so high because of the tablets I am putting in. I won't ever use that stuff again, but when on vacation I see no alternative.

Jim, 3 or 4 dissolved tabs in a floater adds around 10ppm cya in your pool.
Here’s what each dissolved tab does


That’s Not a make or break amount so long as you have a recommended level to begin with (30-50ppm).
When going on vacation raise fc to slam level for your cya (this will get you through the 1st part of the week) & put 3 or 4 tabs in a floater (these dissolve slowly so they will help you through the rest of the week as the fc falls).
The trouble is relying upon them alone for chlorination Or continuing their use after the vacation is over.
did I mention they are slow to dissolve? After a week away I always still have some left in the floater.

 

[SoDel]

This info is just from reading a lot on this site so take it for what it’s worth (always had SWG) but one random internet dude’s observation: with no SWG and no one to add chlorine for a week while you are away, it’s a toss up if you can keep enough FC in a pool over the course of a sunny week to prevent algae. Those are the facts. You can try raising FC to SLAM level before you leave and you can try using just enough pucks to maintain FC without raising CYA to the point where the ratio of FC to CYA is so low it’s basically ineffective, but it’s still going to be iffy with some successes and some failures.

A humble suggestion: raise FC to SLAM level, drop a few tabs in a floater, go on vacation and have a blast. If there’s an algae problem when you return, SLAM the pool and smile when recalling how much fun you had while away .