Search results

Cloudy green, or clear green? Cloudy green is pretty much always algae, clear green is copper. None of what you've described adding will produce any chemical reaction that makes it green. 24lb of baking soda will have increased your TA by 70 ppm - which is a lot. In the long run that will...

James described the highly undesirable consequences - your pH will keep increasing very fast. You will then need to add lots of acid to keep the pH under control. Which will decrease the TA so you have to add even more baking soda. I suppose it would be POSSIBLE to maintain TA that high, but...

No. Such debris will consume some FC, but as long as the FC level remains adequate algae can't get started.

With a DE filter, the grids are typically removed, thoroughly washed (with a hose) and stored over the winter.

Don't overestimate how much maintenance, though. "Regular" can mean "yearly" in a well-maintained pool. It's still more work than the other types, certainly, but it's not like you're backwashing weekly or anything like that.

He hasn't the faintest idea what he's talking about. Cal-hypo does everything bleach does (since it's bleach plus calcium), and it doesn't do any of the stuff claimed.

I'd suggest shocking before you close if it's "a little green." That algae will grow over the winter (albeit slowly) and you'll probably end up with a full-fledged swamp when you open. Far better/quicker/easier to kill it off now (while you're not wanting to swim anyway).

Yes, the algae is likely to grow back in 19 hours resulting in little or no net progress. You really need to keep the pump/filter running 24 hours a day and maintain the FC at shock as much of the time as you possibly can. It sounds like this will require you to shock the pool, not just the...

It'll help a lot more to close late (when the water temperature is significantly below 60 degrees) and open early (before it reaches 60 degrees). Those temperatures inhibit algae growth. A dose of polyquat at closing can also be helpful in preventing algae at opening. I suppose the tarp might...

When I had a similar effect, I was told by Richard and Jason that high FC could be the reason. What's your FC?

Shouldn't that be "open when it is still consistently BELOW 60 degrees"? Because if you let it get up to 60 before opening the algae can take the time in between to grow?

With those numbers I doubt the chemistry is at fault. Hopefully one of the experts will have some idea what caused the problem, since I have none.

Welcome to TFP! Testing and adding chlorine must be done every day. Some people can get by with every other day once they're well familiar with their pool's behavior, but certainly not starting out. Additionally, 160 oz of 6% in 25000 gallons is only about 3 ppm. With CYA at 60, you need to...

I would more suspect out-of-balance pH than TA. A full set of test results is probably best.

The test solution Bama mentioned does provide a predetermined result (50 ppm).

Re: Shock it and wait till it holds overnight? A feeder is a system that runs water over trichlor pucks to provide a continuous dosing of chlorine (but also CYA). What you describe doesn't sound like any chlorination system to me.

Very very bad idea. They will generally put in all sorts of stuff you don't need (and charge for it) even if they don't actively mess up your chemistry.

How big is the pool? 15 pounds of CYA in, say, 20K gallons would be 90 ppm, which is too much unless you're using an SWG AND it's really 0 now. I share the previous skepticism that it's really 0 - your initial issue sounds exactly like excessive CYA, and draining half the water will only cut...

Re: Virgin pool owner, and looking for help advice and anyth Most stuff you get in a "winterizing kit" is pointless. I'd take it back for a refund if possible.

Is reverse osmosis available in your area? That can help high calcium.

The uncertainty is 1 drop or 10%, so results between 28 and 31 are completely consistent. The 17 to 24 you mentioned in your first post is more difference than one would expect, and what I suspected as inadequate powder. For the numbers, I put in 20'x40'x6' (guessing at that as an average...

I run about 14-18 hours a day, since I have poor circulation. Two non-adjustable returns (but one gets almost all the pressure), a skimmer with no weir (and no place to put one) and a main drain that doesn't pull at all since it's plumbed into the skimmer and there's no way to adjust which it...

The usual reason for FC readings to be inconsistent (especially at high values) is an insufficient amount of the R-0870 powder. You should add enough of that so that the sample turns hot pink and there are some undissolved crystals at the bottom. Essentially, as I understand it, a particular...

If you've got FC in front of the return, but not elsewhere, it's being consumed too fast for the SWG to keep up. That non-zero result only proves that the SWG is working, NOT that sanitation is adequate! Also, if you can smell chlorine, that's usually CCs. Which is additional evidence that...

Most pool stores will carry polyquat, yes. And the bottle will instruct you on dosage.

Yes. If your CCs outgas quickly enough (relative to the rate your FC oxidizes organics and produces them) you can have low CC even with an active bloom. And a low- to moderate-level bloom can frequently not be evident to the naked eye. On the bright side, catching a bloom before it becomes...

Yes, MA reduces both pH and TA. But it reduces pH a lot more, so you generally use several pH cycles to bring the TA down appreciably. (Add acid to bring it down, TA brings it back up, repeat but the TA's a bit lower this time around.) Industry recommendations don't take into account the...

Re: Virgin pool owner, and looking for help advice and anyth If the solar cover is opaque, then it would certainly fit. The consumers of FC are organics in the water and sunlight, so if there's nothing getting in and no sun exposure then FC drop will be minimal.

I've heard the same, but have never been able to find any good way to prevent it. People talk about pumping more out throughout the winter to keep it below the tile (though not the returns) but in Boston there is zero possibility of that given the amount of snow and number of freeze/thaw cycles...

What's the reason for wanting to use the MPS?