Brand new and clueless - Boatman/Backswimmers/Algae?

[tdillinger]

We finally got a pool up a couple weeks ago, and are slowly trying to figure everything out. We jumped the gun and started putting water in, but then got delayed a couple times, and it ended up sitting for a couple weeks before we got it full and the pump running. We are starting with tap water, so the numbers I've tested are....

PH 7.6
Alkalinity 270 (Is that even possible??? Seems so high, but it took A LOT of drops to change color!)
No chlorine and no CYA

I thought I caught a glimpse of *maybe* some algae on the bottom (tiny bit), and the walls were slippery. I did add 30 oz of bleach, and that helped with the slimy walls, but I just went and got some CYA and will start adding that today.

In the meantime, my kids have been playing in the water, and we have noticed several backswimmers and a couple boatman. Barf. Can anyone hold my hand and tell me what I need to do to clear those out? We've been skimming them and smooshing them (man, those are some WEIRD bugs that jump off the skimmer!! So weird!!). Do I need to treat for algae? Or SLAM? Or do I just keep working on my CYA/Chlorine levels and that will naturally take care of the potential algae issue? I don't want to overdue the chemicals and create a whole new mess.....

 

[PoolStored]

Welcome to TFP!!!

walls were slippery

SLAM is in order. It is also likely that you do not have enough FC for the pool to be sanitary. Do you have a test kit? Which one?

If not, get one now. Link-->Test Kits Compared

If you do not have a test kit, get 30ppm total of CYA into the water and add 3ppm of chlorine per day.

If you do, post a full set of results.

 

[tdillinger]

Welcome to TFP!!!


SLAM is in order. It is also likely that you do not have enough FC for the pool to be sanitary. Do you have a test kit? Which one?

If not, get one now. Link-->Test Kits Compared

If you do not have a test kit, get 30ppm total of CYA into the water and add 3ppm of chlorine per day.

If you do, post a full set of results.

I do have a test kit! Taylor K-2006. But like I said, no CYA had been added and very little chlorine has been added.

Okay, so SLAM. I've been reading up on it. I need to lower my PH to 7.2. Then get my CYA to 30. Then overdose on Chlorine. How do I know when I'm done with it...?

 

[PoolStored]

Okay, so SLAM. I've been reading up on it. I need to lower my PH to 7.2. Then get my CYA to 30. Then overdose on Chlorine. How do I know when I'm done with it...?

Do not "overdose" on chlorine. Your Target FC is 10. When you get the CYA in the pool, your target will be 12.

Please print out these instructions, read them 3 times, keep them with you for reference...Link-->SLAM Process

You are done when you have:
1) Overnight chlorine loss test loss <= 1FC (Overnight Chlorine Loss Test)
2) your CC <= .5
3) you have a clear pool, no algae, dead or alive, nothing on the floor, no debris, nothing!

Good luck...GO!

 

[tdillinger]

This is straight off the Poolonomics website but pretty accurate:

Thank you!

 

[tdillinger]

Do not "overdose" on chlorine. Your Target FC is 10. When you get the CYA in the pool, your target will be 12.

Please print out these instructions, read them 3 times, keep them with you for reference...Link-->SLAM Process

You are done when you have:
1) Overnight chlorine loss test loss <= 1FC (Overnight Chlorine Loss Test)
2) your CC <= .5
3) you have a clear pool, no algae, dead or alive, nothing on the floor, no debris, nothing!

Good luck...GO!

Thank you so much for your help!!

 

[tdillinger]

Do not "overdose" on chlorine. Your Target FC is 10. When you get the CYA in the pool, your target will be 12.

Please print out these instructions, read them 3 times, keep them with you for reference...Link-->SLAM Process

You are done when you have:
1) Overnight chlorine loss test loss <= 1FC (Overnight Chlorine Loss Test)
2) your CC <= .5
3) you have a clear pool, no algae, dead or alive, nothing on the floor, no debris, nothing!

Good luck...GO!

I checked my levels after leaving a sock full of stablizer in front of the air return all night... I'm still not quite up to 30 on the CYA, but my PH is now definitely 8.0 or above! We had the air valve open on the return jet, so I'm assuming that brought the PH up. Do you know if I can use Sodium Bisulfate to lower the PH, instead of muriatic acid? I have a PH Decreaser on hand, and Sodium Bisulfate is the ingredient on that....

 

[PoolStored]

I checked my levels after leaving a sock full of stablizer in front of the air return all night... I'm still not quite up to 30 on the CYA, but my PH is now definitely 8.0 or above! We had the air valve open on the return jet, so I'm assuming that brought the PH up. Do you know if I can use Sodium Bisulfate to lower the PH, instead of muriatic acid? I have a PH Decreaser on hand, and Sodium Bisulfate is the ingredient on that....

Do not use Sodium Bisulfate. Adds sulfates to the pool. Use muriatic acid to lower pH. CYA may take 24-48 hours to show up in test...don't blindly add more...if you put enough in to raise CYA to your target, then wait for it to show up...

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

Non-Recommended Pool Chemicals

These pool chemicals should not be added to your pool. Save your money and frustration and avoid these chemicals!

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[tdillinger]

Do not use Sodium Bisulfate. Adds sulfates to the pool. Use muriatic acid to lower pH. CYA may take 24-48 hours to show up in test...don't blindly add more...if you put enough in to raise CYA to your target, then wait for it to show up...

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

Non-Recommended Pool Chemicals

These pool chemicals should not be added to your pool. Save your money and frustration and avoid these chemicals!

www.troublefreepool.com

Glad I asked! Thanks again!

 

[Newdude]

we have noticed several backswimmers and a couple boatman. Barf. Can anyone hold my hand and tell me what I need to do to clear those out?

There may not be anything you can do. My back yard butts up to a farm and I have my fair share of both, and 3X as many Beatles as either.

 

[tdillinger]

Lowes has Muriatic Acid to etch concrete, but it doesn’t give me a concentration percentage, and I’m not sure it’s what I want… I might need to order some.

 

[koffey]

Lowes has Muriatic Acid to etch concrete, but it doesn’t give me a concentration percentage, and I’m not sure it’s what I want… I might need to order some.

I've never had to use muriatic acid in my bestway pool.

 

[tdillinger]

My PH is at 8.0, and I’m trying to lower it before I SLAM.

 

[mknauss]

Lowes has Muriatic Acid

Go out to the Garden Section. They typically have Pool chems there.

 

[Newdude]

That brand changed their MSDS to say 'trade secret 10% - 30%', likely to hide the fact its half strength. Always look for the buzz words like low fumes / eco if the % isn't listed. It's totally fine to use the weak stuff, you just need double the amount.

And even that may not matter. I went to the paint store when HD only had the weak stuff and the paint store had full strength for $25.99 so it actually cost more. Next time I'll try the mom and pop paint store and not the chain.

I did find full strength at Ace Hardware for $9.99.

 

[mknauss]

If not in Garden Section, the Kleen Strip will work. Assume it is 20% strength to start.

 

[tdillinger]

That brand changed their MSDS to say 'trade secret 10% - 30%', likely to hide the fact its half strength. Always look for the buzz words like low fumes / eco if the % isn't listed. It's totally fine to use the weak stuff, you just need double the amount.

And even that may not matter. I went to the paint store when HD only had the weak stuff and the paint store had full strength for $25.99 so it actually cost more. Next time I'll try the mom and pop paint store and not the chain.

I did find full strength at Ace Hardware for $9.99.

I found the full strength at Ace! Thanks so much for the suggestion!

 

[tdillinger]

I got my PH to 7.2, and my CYA to somewhere around 35 (it's hard to see exactly when the dot disappears...). I brought the total Chlorine level up to 14 last night, and I just tested it this morning. It's still 14. So that must mean I don't have any algae, right?

Reading the instruction for SLAM, I need to wait for the pool to be clear (it is), until chlorine holds overnight (it did), but also until CC (which is combined chlorine, right?) reaches 0.5. How do I figure out what my CC number is?

 

[koffey]

Step5 on

 

[tdillinger]

Step5 on

View attachment 515050

I skipped right over that part! Thanks!