Stubborn Algae problem/Conversion has Begun

[frustratedpoolmom]

The evening/nightime loss does seem excessive for this point in the game... perhaps it is worthwhile to check the hoses and replace if possible. Refresh my memory - is this new sand this year? Perhaps the sand is all gunked up...

This is still walmart bleach (you haven't switched to Dollar store 3%? )

 

[amoses]

Still using 6% recently dated (august) Great Value bleach - 182 oz. $2.54 ea.

Sand was replaced at the beginning of this season, hose between pump and filter was replaced in mid July. This is the 3rd season for the other two hoses.

CC's are still very high, not sure exactly what. I was going to test them last night but I stopped after 30 drops and the solution was still very red.

If I added bleach tonight with the pump on recirculate (doesn't that bypass the sand) then would that tell me anything.

Geees, that pool sure looks good for having this problem.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

That's a good idea (recirculate).

Check those other hoses - there may be buildup in there...

 

[amoses]

I will see what it takes to replace them tonight. They are pretty major flex hoses, can you get that stuff at Home Depot or Lowes? or does it need to come from a pool store? Also, If I change the hoses now and the problem is in the sand, then am I ruining new hose by putting them on before I change the sand?

Also, should I keep adding the amount of bleach that I did last night? I added an extra gallon each time and the FC's still were not coming up like they should. I don't get that.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I don't get it either.

I don't think you'll be ruining them by changing them now. I personally have not seen the appropriate hoses at home improvement stores - just pool stores.

 

[Debstar60]

Aaron,
I got my hoses at Rec Warehouse for around $8 each...that was cheaper than the pool store..just ck around. I wonder if you take a sample and have it tested for baq. just see what it says??

Deb

 

[amoses]

I wonder if you take a sample and have it tested for baq. just see what it says??

Deb

That's an idea, although I would think that my pool would not look this good if there were any Baq left. I have strips, if there were any left would it show up on them?

 

[crewchief47]

Maybe take the steps out and clean those off real well if you haven't already?!?!

 

[amoses]

Maybe take the steps out and clean those off real well if you haven't already?!?!

I had just had them out of the pool and scrubbed them with bleach water, one week before I started the conversion, There was no visible algae on them when I started the conversion and I see nothing on them now. Is that something I should do anyhow, even if I don't see anything on them?

Thanks everyone for these suggestions. Please keep them coming. Eventually we will figure it out.

Aaron

 

[Fortuneteller]

I just recently converted also and I had a similar problem, my levels did not drop as bad as yours but mine would not hold either, I was dropping 2 - 3 ppm during the night, things that I did that may help, maybe something you missed.

- I replaced all my hoses, 3 six foot hoses from lowes $3.00 apiece
- I removed the top of the sand filter (or any filter) and cleaned the edge and the gasket
- I removed and cleaned the clear water tab holder between the return and the filter
- cleaned behind the plastic skimmer piece that holds the skimmer with a tooth brush, behind the screw of the return (inside the pool of course)
- swept the pool, concentrating on the lines (seams) where the pool was pieced together, sand and stuff sometimes gets caught there
- remove the steps, actually i did my conversion without the steps in the pool at all, scrubbed them down with bleach and left them out
- wiped any gaskets down and any skimmer baskets down
- wiped out the areas that hold the skimmer baskets with bleach
- last there is a foam spunge on some of the skimmer flaps, took that out and rinsed with straight bleach and put back

Sounds like alot but did all this in about 30 minutes

next day my levels held

Hope that helps, I know you probably thought of all this, but just in case.

 

[amoses]

I have not been in the pool yet, but some of this will have to be done from in the pool. With very high CC's, is it safe to get in it?

-The remaining hoses will be replaced tonight
-Steps should be Okay from the cleaning I did just before the conversion, correct? Should I take them out and leave them out?
-not sure what the "clear water tab holder" that you are talking about is, but I will look for it and clean it.
-Foam spunge was already soaked in bleach for a day
-skimmer basket and plate were scrubbed once, I will do it again with a toothbrush
-I can clean the filter top, no problem. But what about the sand? isn't all this cleaning kind of a mute point if the sand is still full of goo?

 

[Fortuneteller]

In my case I took Dave's advice and turned the pump off for 1 night to isolate the sand, and i still had the drop in PPM so we determined it was not the sand causing the drop.

The clear tab holder which you may not have is a pot coming off the filter that you put these donute clear tabs in, the water comes out of your filter and a small amount goes into this pot and strips the chemical and adds it to the return depending on how much you want, I had one so I cleaned it, lots of mold in mine, you may not have one.

 

[diverman57]

my conversion took forever before cc would come down, but i had a bad case of
water mold and it had gunked up my lines pretty badly. did u have any issues with
water mold before converting? but eventually my cc did come down, it just took a couple
months. in the meantime i did swim in the pool with very high cc and suffered no ill effects.

 

[amoses]

I am not sure what black mold is or looks like, so I am not sure. I had something that continually would grow on the bottom of the pool, but my pool never did get cloudy. I always assumed it was algae, but maybe it was not. fixing to change my hose, If I can get the right connectors.

 

[amoses]

Got home and cleaned with tooth brush around skimmer inlet, took return apart and cleaned it with bleach and tooth brush. Installed new hoses between pool and pump and pool and filter, hose between pump and filter was just changed in July. It was dark now so did not have time to remove filter top and clean it and the gasket. By the time a ran back and forth to lowes and home depot a couple times trying to make the connections work it was 9:00 - lost 1.5 hours of dusk and dark for bleach time.

9:00 PM FC=2.0 added 2 jugs of bleach

I put the filter in recirculate which bypasses the sand and also puts a little more pressure out of the return for better circulation. I am hoping to see less drop in FC. Based on my previous posts from early this morning, is that a good strategy? I will continue to update the FC's as I go this evening. I am going to check it every .5 hours.

Any more advise?

 

[Butterfly]

Fingers crossed for your overnight test

If you still have a big FC loss, you perhaps should reconsider removing the steps.

 

[amoses]

9:30 PM FC=6.0 added 1.4 jugs
10:00 PM FC=9.5 added 1 jug
10:30 PM FC=10. added 1 jug
11:00 PM FC=13.0 added .6 jugs
11:30 PM FC=11.0 added 1 jug
12:00 AM FC=13.0 did not add, will see where it is in the morning, sent up a prayer and am going to bed. Tomorrow is day 11.

Aaron

 

[amoses]

Day 11, Sept 3
I just dont get it. Gopt up at 5:00 AM and FC had dropped like a rock.

FC=3

Hopped in the pool - kind of cold - un bolted all the stuff on the ladder and remved it and the 5lb bucket with 80 lbs of cement in it from the pool. replaced filter setting from recirculate back to filter (obviously it was not the old, dirty sand)

Added two jugs of bleach

I'll see what it does tonight without the ladder. Any other ideas? I am becoming a little apprehensive and frustrated with my pool. Some little thing is doing this, just can't figure out what.

 

[amoses]

I also took off the top of the filter and cleaned the underside of it, gasket, etc.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I'm at a loss Aaron, hopefully Jason will offer some insight.