Frustrated! Green water won't budge

[avri2119]

My chemical checks always seem to show high alkalinity and normal PH, so I'm running into the problem of needing to lower alkalinity, but then the ph drops too low! What does this mean???

Example: First, levels were:
pH: 7.4
Alkalinity: 240
Chlorine: 0

So, I tried lowering the alkalinity. Another check showed:
pH: 7.0
Alkalinity: 100
Chlorine: 0

So, I shocked the pool. HARD. No change in appearance after 12 hours. Still very green.
pH: 7.0
Alkalinity: 100
Chlorine: 10+ (both total and free are high)

What now?

 

[mknauss]

What now?

Follow the SLAM Process

 

[avri2119]

Follow the SLAM Process

I saw nothing about alkalinity in what I read there about the SLAM process. Does that play as big of a part as pH? I thought you're supposed to balance alkalinity first since it affects pH. But when I balance my alkalinity, it drops my pH too low.

 

[Orion7319]

I saw nothing about alkalinity in what I read there about the SLAM process. Does that play as big of a part as pH? I thought you're supposed to balance alkalinity first since it affects pH. But when I balance my alkalinity, it drops my pH too low.

Just make sure the ph is between 7.2 and 7.5. Then start. Use pool math to determine how much chlorine to bring it up to slam level based on your current CYA. Worry about everything else when the SLAM is done.

 

[proavia]

I saw nothing about alkalinity in what I read there about the SLAM process. Does that play as big of a part as pH? I thought you're supposed to balance alkalinity first since it affects pH. But when I balance my alkalinity, it drops my pH too low.

TA is the LAST parameter to worry about.

How are you testing your pool water?
How do you normally chlorinate?
Are you using FC/CYA Levels? If so, share your logs here.
Follow the SLAM Process and quit worrying about TA (it will slowly come down on its own as you adjust pH).
Don't adjust pH after the initial pH adjustment when starting the SLAM Process.once the SLAM Process is completed and your FC falls below 10, you adjust pH again.

Fill out your signature with pool, pool equipment (including manufacturers and model numbers) and test kit info. This better helps us to help you without needing to ask your pool specifics each time.

 

[avri2119]

It may be time to give up and call someone to service my pool. I’ve learned so much as tried so much and still we are here with green water. Can’t see the bottom. It lightens up but only to a lighter shade of green. Checking chemicals so frequently, keeping pool “shocked” waiting for a color change, pump on 24/7, it’s been weeks. I even spent a lot of money changing out my sand for fresh glass media. It’s been weeks of this.

The green pic of the stairs is today. After new media. After balancing chemicals and shocking again last night.

The wider picture is the best it’s been through this whole month or two, still not good.

 

[avri2119]

Also it’s VERY hard to find liquid chlorine in San Antonio Texas. Most places only have powder shock

 

[PoolStored]

Hi again! Saw you were here a few weeks ago. Did you follow this process as recommended by @mknauss ?

SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain

We’ve all had to deal with a green pool. Clear algae from your pool with a SLAM! Read here to use shock level and maintain to clear your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Mdragger88]

How are you testing your water?
Can u show us your latest test results?

 

[tcat]

Also it’s VERY hard to find liquid chlorine in San Antonio Texas. Most places only have powder shock

Order Pool Essentials from Walmart. Free delivery if you order $35 worth (8 gallons). I got it in 3 or 4 days.

 

[avri2119]

How are you testing your water?
Can u show us your latest test results?

 

[avri2119]

How are you testing your water?
Can u show us your latest test results?

Testing with strips, yes I know drops are recommended. I use two separate brands of strips at the moment to compare them until I purchase a drops set.

Total chlorine - 7
Free chlorine - 5
PH - 7.2 (was 6.8)
Alkalinity - 160
CYA - 0-30

 

[avri2119]

Hi again! Saw you were here a few weeks ago. Did you follow this process as recommended by @mknauss ?

SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain

We’ve all had to deal with a green pool. Clear algae from your pool with a SLAM! Read here to use shock level and maintain to clear your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

Yes I certainly tried! Last 3 weeks at least.

 

[Mdragger88]

Until u have a k2006 or tf100 you are flying blind.
They are absolutely necessary to do the SLAM Process. Anything else is just dump $ & pray.

 

[avri2119]

TA is the LAST parameter to worry about.

How are you testing your pool water?
How do you normally chlorinate?
Are you using FC/CYA Levels? If so, share your logs here.
Follow the SLAM Process and quit worrying about TA (it will slowly come down on its own as you adjust pH).
Don't adjust pH after the initial pH adjustment when starting the SLAM Process.once the SLAM Process is completed and your FC falls below 10, you adjust pH again.

Fill out your signature with pool, pool equipment (including manufacturers and model numbers) and test kit info. This better helps us to help you without needing to ask your pool specifics each time.

I’ll work on this. I don’t have a FC/CYA log. My CYA is usually (always) 0-30 and FC I’ve kept at 10+ for the last week.

 

[PoolStored]

Yes I certainly tried! Last 3 weeks at least.

Yeah, a couple of hypothesis for you. 1) if you are using test strips, there is no way to know your CYA level. You must know your CYA level, to get your pool to slam level, 2) again, using test strips, given the level of FC that you need to maintain, you can't test that with strips, 3) You are likely testing and replenishing chlorine a couple times a day. The more often that you test and replenish FC with chlorine the faster it will go. Particularly in the beginning, you should test every hour or two to keep it at slam level.

I would get a good test kit (Test Kits Compared), get a bunch of LC, and follow the SLAM Process more often.

I would recommend lining up a weekend and go to town.

 

[avri2119]

Until u have a k2006 or tf100 you are flying blind.
They are absolutely necessary to do the SLAM Process. Anything else is just dump $ & pray.

I’ll work on that next thank you.

 

[Mdragger88]

I’ll work on this. I don’t have a FC/CYA log. My CYA is usually (always) 0-30 and FC I’ve kept at 10+ for the last week.

Thats a broad range - so u don’t know whether u need to maintain a slam level of 10, 12, or 16 -
sadly if your cya is zero the higher u go with fc the more damage u risk to surfaces & equipment while simultaneously losing tons of it to the sun
If cya is higher & fc is Too low you are barely making a dent - that’s why they’re called guess strips - its all just a guess.

 

[wireform]

Avri
Feel sorry for you that you haven't followed the TFP recommendations as you would have been most likely swimming by now. The test kit and methodology is absolutely #1 and without it all is wasteful. Still not late to start and get with the program but unfortunately your water got worse in the interim. Get some liquid chlorine and get 5ppm daily into the water till the kit arrives to help it from getting worse.

 

[Mdragger88]

I’ll work on this. I don’t have a FC/CYA log. My CYA is usually (always) 0-30 and FC I’ve kept at 10+ for the last week.

He is referring to this chart
Here’s the screenshot

Or click this link
FC/CYA Levels