Aqua Green Water

[Redelephants]

Help!! My pool has turned aqua green and it doesn’t seem to want to turn back blue. I thought it was algae but I’m thinking now, maybe not. I started shocking today based on pool math calculator and have put polyfill into my skimmer to see if it’s metal. I am on a well so I’m sure it has iron in it. This is the first time the water has turned this color and it seemed to correlate with large amounts of rain. It’s been unseasonably warm and humid this year in the panhandle of Florida.

FC 40
CC 0
PH Was 7.4 before slam now unable to determine
CYA 100
TA 70

 

[Cwiggs]

What test kit are you using to get those tests?

 

[Redelephants]

What test kit are you using to get those tests?

Taylor K-2006

 

[Cwiggs]

Taylor K-2006

Cool, that test kit should work then.

I don't think having metals in your water is going to make it cloudy like that. You might just have algae and need to SLAM. Have you put any other chemicals in your pool recently?

CYA of 100 is high, what do you usually keep your FC at?

 

[Redelephants]

Cool, that test kit should work then.

I don't think having metals in your water is going to make it cloudy like that. You might just have algae and need to SLAM. Have you put any other chemicals in your pool recently?

CYA of 100 is high, what do you usually keep your FC at?

I haven’t, 12-14 ppm on FC normally.

 

[Cwiggs]

I haven’t, 12-14 ppm on FC normally.

Hm okay, as long as it didn't drop below 8ppm I think you should be good at 100 CYA. I would SLAM for a few days and see what happens. You can try a OCLT, but usually if your pool looks like that, you need to SLAM and a OCLT isn't needed.

Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
SLAM Process

 

[Redelephants]

Hm okay, as long as it didn't drop below 8ppm I think you should be good at 100 CYA. I would SLAM for a few days and see what happens. You can try a OCLT, but usually if your pool looks like that, you need to SLAM and a OCLT isn't needed.

Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
SLAM Process

Thanks, I guess the pump should be running 24/7 during the slam?

 

[Cwiggs]

Thanks, I guess the pump should be running 24/7 during the slam?

Yes, run the pump 24/7, keep an eye on the filter pressure.

 

[Redelephants]

It looks like my pool water has made a little progress overnight, however it doesn’t appear that I’m experiencing much chlorine loss. My levels were basically where they were last night this morning and my filter pressure has slightly increased. I would think if it were algae I would see much more chlorine consumption?

 

[JJ_Tex]

Are you on a well, have a "mineral" cartridge, or added algaecide recently?

 

[Redelephants]

Are you on a well, have a "mineral" cartridge, or added algaecide recently?

Yes to the well, no to the cartridge, never put algaecide in. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve topped off the pool from the well.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Any chance your well has iron in it? That can cause staining and colored water.

 

[Redelephants]

Any chance your well has iron in it? That can cause staining and colored water.

I’m sure it does, should I try some sequestrant? Picture shows 24 hr change with continuous filtering.

 

[JJ_Tex]

I'm certainly not an expert on metals, but here is further reading on the matter:

Iron Fill Water Filter - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mguzzy]

That doesn't look like iron.. its definitely some kind of suspended particulate. Can you see it with your light on? It looks more like the beginning of a bloom to me. Do a OCLT to rule that out.. but if you are in the middle of a SLAM then, this is the point during a SLAM when you have a lot of dead algae that just needs to be filtered. So clean your filters often at this stage. But then again, SLAMing with a FC of 40 and a CYA of 100ppm or more is making me wonder if something else is going on. What are your other numbers as well, CH?

CYA of 100 is high, what do you usually keep your FC at?

Yes that is too high for any pool. I can't imagine even trying to SLAM with a CYA that high. If you read your CYA at 100ppm you should do a dilution test.. since the test only goes to 100, it could be MUCH higher than that. Here is the procedure for doing CYA test with a diluted sample:

Water Testing Instructions - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Redelephants]

That doesn't look like iron.. its definitely some kind of suspended particulate. Can you see it with your light on? It looks more like the beginning of a bloom to me. Do a OCLT to rule that out.. but if you are in the middle of a SLAM then, this is the point during a SLAM when you have a lot of dead algae that just needs to be filtered. So clean your filters often at this stage. But then again, SLAMing with a FC of 40 and a CYA of 100ppm or more is making me wonder if something else is going on. What are your other numbers as well, CH?

Yes that is too high for any pool. I can't imagine even trying to SLAM with a CYA that high. If you read your CYA at 100ppm you should do a dilution test.. since the test only goes to 100, it could be MUCH higher than that. Here is the procedure for doing CYA test with a diluted sample:

Water Testing Instructions - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I will do that and report back. I cannot see any particulates with the light on, however the water does look better in sunlight. I do wonder, however, if I would be seeing a significant drop in FC if it were algae?

 

[mguzzy]

I do wonder, however, if I would be seeing a significant drop in FC if it were algae?

That is what an OCLT will accomplish. typically the only thing that will consume FC at night is Algae because the effect of the sun is removed.

 

[Redelephants]

After almost 48 hrs of continuous filtering, the pool color and clarity have greatly improved. I haven’t added anymore bleach since last evening. This is pretty strange….