So I am not a pool owner anymore, but I maintain my neighbors for them. I switched them over to the BBB method this year when we moved in. The funny thing is... he works for a pool company!

Anyways... He started the year off w/a new liner and water from a truck. So I get it going and inform him it will be at least a week before the kids (5 of them) can swim. Well it didnt work, they were swimming before the water was ready. I havent had much problem w/it all summer till now. I ran out of chlorine 2 x's and it got green both times. 1st time, not to bad, still could see the bottom, maybe 2 days w/o it, shocked it right back to normal. This last time, it was bad. It went about 5 days w/o any chlorine, plus he said somehow the kids flipped the switch to the pump in the house so it didnt run for about 2 days.

On the 11th is when I finally got chlorine and stabilizer to get it going again. Here's been my results thus far...

Pool specs...
Sand filter
18ft round above ground
vinyl liner

8/4/11 (when diaster started to happen)
FC 0
CC 0
TC 0
PH 8.2
TA 210
CH 270
CYA 0

8/11/11 (1st night back on track)
FC 0
CC 0
TC 0
PH 8.2
TA 200
CH 240
CYA 0
I added 159 oz chlorine, 56 oz acid, and 53 oz stabilizer.

8/13/11
FC 9
CC 0
TC 9
PH 7.2
TA 170
CH 230
CYA 0
Not sure what I added because I didn't write it down.

8/15/11 (morning)
FC 5
CC 0
TC 5
PH 7.2
TA 180
CH 240
CYA 0

8/15/11 (night)
FC 7
PH 6.8
TA 160

8/16/11 (morning)
FC 10
CC 0
TC 10
PH 7.2
TA 170
CH 230
CYA 30

I have added a total of 18 gallons of chlorine (12.5%) since this has all started. And probably 3/4 of the stabilizer, and 1.5 gallons of acid. I can finally see the bottom, no more green. It's just a cloudy clear, but the water sparkles in the sun (where it didn't before). I've tried to get him to take the steps out so i can clean them, but nothing thus far! It's almost like a losing battle w/him. He told me that in years past all he ever did was keep chlorine pucks in the inline feeder, throw some floc in every week, vaccum it out and be done. He didn't backwash, rinse, brush, etc! I've backwashed twice a week w/rinse, brush all the time, and he doesnt use the pucks anymore.

So where did I go wrong?? I can try and get a picture up too.

Nowhere that I see. The shock process can take a long time, in my case it took two weeks.

Some pics of it. Not the best, but ya get the idea.

My biggest question is who buys the chlorine and why did you run out? Especially for 5 days.

A good sized algae bloom can take a lot more than 18 gallons to clear up.

The only thing you did wrong was be concerned. Maybe you should just tell him to go back to the way he was doing it.

Sounds like it's time for some PNP (Pool Neighbor Patience) :~}

Those pics tell me you are getting close. Keep shocking!