Getting a Late start.

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markstevenwong

markstevenwong

Active member
Jun 2, 2023
34
Orangevale, CA
Pool Size
13000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
I'm opening my pool and due to excessive rains in California, the water is black.
I'm going to get a box of floculant, but not sure if that is going to do the trick...
Not looking forward to the summer....
 
Please do not add floc to your pool. It will not fix your problems.

If you haven't already, read through the TFP Pool Care Basics. We'll get you on the right path. You will need to buy a good test kit, though: Either a Taylor K-2006C or a TFTestKits.net TF-100/TF-Pro. The TF models are better bang for the buck, but either one will help us help you get this corrected.
 
I tested the water at Leslies. they have a new system where they put the water in a machine with a disk that reads the water directly into the computer, but I just ordered the TF100 kit. Won't be here till next week.
I'm using strips and Leslie's until I get the kit. Total chlorine is reading 10ppm and free is reading 5ppm. I'm adding 2 gallons of chlorine every 12 hours, that is so far. I added two gallons of CYA to the skimmer and it still reads low on the strips. so testing it at Leslie's again today to see if I need more. The water is no longer black. It's a dark green with sort of a milky quality to it. I don't know if I'm doing it right or wrong, but I'm muddling my way through it the best I can.
 
I would not add anything beyond liquid chlorine until you receive your kit. Guess strips and pool store testing are going to prolong this effort. Especially don't add any more CYA until you're able to test it yourself.
 
It's getting better. It looks like this below. at least it's not black anymore, but how much longer do you think it's going to take. I've kept the Chlorine at shock level since Saturday, and the filter has been running 24 hours a day since.
20230606_141443.jpg
 

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I think I'm fighting a losing battle here. I had the pool covered all winter, but the bottom is still covered with rotting leaves.

I tried to vacuum it today and it just jammed the lines with dead leaves. I had stick a water hose at the pump end and un-jam the pipes. It smells like rotting leaves. Put two gallons in to try to kill everything in there. I think this is way beyond what I can handle. Test kit is still not here.

We had a visitor that insisted on bringing her german shepard, and it proceeded to literally chew big holes in the cover. I patched it up the best I could, but I guess the leaves must have gotten through before I had a chance to patch it up. It smells terrible.

I feel totally defeated...
 
While you wait for the kit you may as well get to work getting up as much organics as you can with a quality leaf rake. The slam will go nowhere fast or at a good pace with the junk at the bottom. That stuff will keep consuming any chlorine you put in thus not letting the slam move in the right direction.
 
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I've been scooping the leaves out and to muck seems to be curculating in the water, because it's not coming up in the net, just leaves. I'm only getting a few leaves each time I pull up the net.
I did get a message from USPS saying the kit was coming today! I'm glad I'm retired. I'd never have time to do this if I was still working...
 
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Please don't give up, you can do this! Once you get that test kit and can start the SLAM, you'll start to see progress. Do you have a good source of liquid chlorine ready to go?
 

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