Help, Pea Soup

[jessejamesny]

Hello,
So after losing my pool to algae at the very end of the season last year i decided to drain my pool this spring and start over. Everything was crystal clear for about a month and a half. I have a toddler who loves to swim and refuses to get out of the water even if she is shivering so we pretty much keep the solar cover on at all times when we are not in the water so the temps stayed between 83-86 degrees even up here in NY. Everything was going smoothly CYA around 40 and had FC at a target of 5. Had it down to being able to add exactly the same amount of bleach every day. Things were going "swimmingly". Then one day I go to do the daily test and I had almost 0 FC. I immediately got the FC back up to where it was but unfortunately it was to late. Next day algae started to bloom on the bottom. I unfortunately had to work a double that day and could not give it the treatment I needed. I put enough bleach in based off the pool math to put my FC up to 12 and hoped for the best until I could really start working the pool the next day. Unfortunately the next day it was worse. The bottom was almost totally green and the water itself was starting to get a slight murky green.

Started the process per the Defeating Algae section of pool school. Started the Slam. Filter running 24/7
Day 1: Got FC up to 15 and scrubbed the whole pool. Water turned a pea soup color. Checked every half hour and kept adding bleach to keep FC at 15. Once it seems to stabilize moved to every hour. Last addition was 7pm.

Day 2: After waking up FC was 10 so brought it up to 15, scrubbed the pool again and kept the pool to 15 checking every hour until I had to leave for work at 5pm and decided to bring FC to 16 because I would not be able to attend it until the next morning.

Day 3: still pea soup color. FC dropped to 9.5. brought FC back up to 15 and kept it there until I had to work at 3pm. Also scrubbed the pool again. Changed filters just in case. Had wife take another reading (decided it was a good idea to show her how to do the test) at 8pm. from 3pm to 8pm FC dropped back to 10.5 . She added bleach to bring it back up to 15.

Day 4: still pea soup. Does not seem like anything Im doing is working. Starting FC in the AM is 14.5 so not as much loss overnight.(unless my wife added to much bleach) Maybe im turning the corner. Scrubbed the pool again and will continue to test ever hour to 2. Rince and repeat from yesterday.

Any other ideas?

 

[Texas Splash]

You are right on-track! Keep it going. It's amazing how fast algae can overtake a pool, but it happens. No worries, you will win the battle, and from your notes above, you have been quite diligent in your efforts. So while you "maintain" the high FC level, scrub, and run your pump as you have been doing, make sure to clean anything you may have "in" the pool (i.e. ladder, lights, etc). Those areas make great havens for algae. You're on the right track!

 

[jeffchap]

With your CYA at 40, your SLAM FC target is 16 ppm. This is the minimum level that you don't want to drop below. I would overshoot that some, say 20 ppm, to keep from dropping down around 10 as you've been doing.

 

[Patrick_B]

With your CYA at 40, your SLAM FC target is 16 ppm. This is the minimum level that you don't want to drop below. I would overshoot that some, say 20 ppm, to keep from dropping down around 10 as you've been doing.

Good advice. Do what Jeff says and this will clear. Algae only grows when there is inadequate Feee Chlorine.

 

[pabeader]

and take pictures. it might look the same each day, but I bet a picture would tell a different story. Steps seem to be the best place to photo.

 

[cowboycasey]

With your CYA at 40, your SLAM FC target is 16 ppm. This is the minimum level that you don't want to drop below. I would overshoot that some, say 20 ppm, to keep from dropping down around 10 as you've been doing.

+1, get that fc up around 20 and never let it get below 16

 

[jessejamesny]

Update. It's been about a week. The water is no longer green. It is however still cloudy. Still running the pump 24/7 changing filters. I did not see the message about raising fc higher. I still however have a few brownish green spots. I hit them wuth a brush which causes it to turn into a green brown ploom that eventually settles back down in the water. I'll bring up the fc when I get home. Should I try vaccuming the dead algae off the bottom?

 

[pabeader]

yes. vacuum, brush, sweep, move the water around so it can make better contact with the algae.

 

[domct203]

yes. vacuum, brush, sweep, move the water around so it can make better contact with the algae.

+1

The algae spores will develop a "slime coat" as defense against the chlorine. Brush frequently to break up that coating and expose the spores.

Dom

 

[jessejamesny]

So I have the FC to 20. The pool is looking a bit better. Still slight cloudy tint to water and algae that rests at the bottom. I scrub it twice a day along with cleaning my filter twice a da. It's been 90 all week and my 3 yr old is begging to go swimming. Can a person safely swim with the chlorine level that high?

 

[domct203]

So I have the FC to 20. The pool is looking a bit better. Still slight cloudy tint to water and algae that rests at the bottom. I scrub it twice a day along with cleaning my filter twice a da. It's been 90 all week and my 3 yr old is begging to go swimming. Can a person safely swim with the chlorine level that high?

Let it drop to 1ppm below SLAM level then swim away as long as you can clearly see the bottom.

Dom

 

[pabeader]

Don't use new/favorite suit, just in case.