Been Lurking, Going to Try, Wish Me Luck!

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Alex_H

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LifeTime Supporter
Aug 21, 2015
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Hollywood, FL
So we had a DRY summer, didn't pay attention to water levels, pump ran dry, seemingly popped every O-ring in it. Took a while to fix everything (pump, valves, etc) and now I have a swampy green pool. Been using Chlorine from the big box store since I didn't get over to the pool store.

Just went to the pool store to get tested, and for the first time, I ignored there ever increasing chemical recommendation.

Test Results:
TC: 0
FC: 0
CC: 0
pH: 7.6
TA: 95
CH: 300
Stabilizer: 40 ( I presume CYA)
Total Dissolved Solids: 4000

I was terrified I was going to have really high CYA levels. They are recommending Phosphate Remover, I'm ignoring that for now.

Last night, vacuumed the pool as best I could (can't see a thing), raked, etc, pulled a bunch up. I do not have a test kit, but I will be back with a water sample on Sunday. I have been cleaning my filter multiple times/day as the water flow drops off... I thought I was getting somewhere, but now I realize that I'm not killing the algae, so filtering some out is meaningless.

I'm going to continuously add chlorine over the next 36 hours and see if I start to see some progress and improvement.

Advice appreciated.
 
You do NEED a test kid but frankly I don't see a problem dumping in chlorine because you WILL be doing that. The issue is that you have NO IDEA how much to put in or how it will react over time so you will be completely blind to the levels you need to maintain.

So I take that back...you need a test kit as Jason recommended. Adding chlorine without knowing how much and how often is likely to waste that chlorine so you might as well wait until you can measure things and then you can plan appropriately and use your chemicals more wisely.
 
I can't get the test kit recommended her until mid week.

I do know roughly that half a jug has brought us to the "shock" levels, but this time they're recommending because of the algae, a whole jog.

Adding 1/2 jug 2x /day or 1/4 jug 4x/day isn't NO IDEA, it's just not a terribly accurate idea.
 
That advice is wrong.

For a CYA of 40ppm, you need to maintain a FC level of 16ppm to ensure you are killing off the algae faster than it reproduces.
Using PoolMath, to go from 0ppm to 16ppm of FC in your 11k pool requires 261 oz of 8.25% bleach or 225oz of 10% chlorine. That is significantly more than 1/2 a bottle. Clearly, 1/2 bottle is not going to get your to OUR "shock" level.

And without a test kit, how do you know your starting FC the next time you are adding chlorine? There is no way to know how much to add to maintain 16ppm.

I would recommend you add 1/2 a bottle of bleach daily until you have the proper test kit ... that might maintain normal maintenance levels of FC and prevent the algae from getting worse. Then start the SLAM process linked above.

I do not know who "they" are, but I would start ignoring their poor advice and start learning the chemistry for yourself.

Have you discovered Pool School yet? Start with these:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool
 
Hi Alex,
welcome to TFP! Jblizzle is correct. It takes a certain amount of FC to start killing the algae off. The FC level is dependent on the CYA. He has provided the info needed for you to get rid of the algae once and for all, and to keep it away from now on.

Its not a one time dose of chlorine. Killing algae by any means is a process. We all wish there were a silver bullet to get it, but there isnt.

If you cant properly test your water several times a day and adjust the CHlorine to the level needed to kill the algae, then you wont. It will continually come back over and over again.
 
FYI, the jug is 2.5 Gallons of chlorine, or 320 oz. So the full jug to kick it off should have brought it to 20+ FC.

I have been adding chlorine to levels I've NEVER considered reasonable, and doing my best, to estimate, what the FC should be. I'd been pouring algecide like no tomorrow, Yellow, Green, All in One, etc. No luck.

Pure Chlorine did the trick, just in really high doses (the TFP Shock levels are WAY higher than the pool store recommends). I will be ordering a test kit and learning. But right now, the pool is recovering, and that's a HUGE step in the right direction. To go from Swamp Green to blue in 24 hours is impressive. The gunk is coming off the bottom.

I just thought that the idea of leaving the pool swamp green waiting for a test kit to come in the mail seemed silly. It would make more sense to buy a crappy local test kit at the pool store for $13, or the test strips as a starting point and start cleaning it up.

Not messing with bleach. Chlorine is so cheap in So. Fla. because of all the pool companies. May keep some in the garage since it's shelf stable and I can keep with the pool stores closed. I'm also going to consider a SWG which I had written off as gimmicky, but I'm learning the chemistry here, even if I am winging it at first.
 
Alex_H said:
FYI, the jug is 2.5 Gallons of chlorine, or 320 oz. So the full jug to kick it off should have brought it to 20+ FC.

I have been adding chlorine to levels I've NEVER considered reasonable, and doing my best, to estimate, what the FC should be. I'd been pouring algecide like no tomorrow, Yellow, Green, All in One, etc. No luck.

Pure Chlorine did the trick, just in really high doses (the TFP Shock levels are WAY higher than the pool store recommends). I will be ordering a test kit and learning. But right now, the pool is recovering, and that's a HUGE step in the right direction. To go from Swamp Green to blue in 24 hours is impressive. The gunk is coming off the bottom.

I just thought that the idea of leaving the pool swamp green waiting for a test kit to come in the mail seemed silly. It would make more sense to buy a crappy local test kit at the pool store for $13, or the test strips as a starting point and start cleaning it up.

Not messing with bleach. Chlorine is so cheap in So. Fla. because of all the pool companies. May keep some in the garage since it's shelf stable and I can keep with the pool stores closed. I'm also going to consider a SWG which I had written off as gimmicky, but I'm learning the chemistry here, even if I am winging it at first.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum.

I understand your point of view here, why just let the swamp simmer. But TFPC is all about knowing what, why, and exactly how much. We don't recommend to blindly just pour chemicals into the pool.

Bleach is chlorine is bleach. What do you mean by "shelf stable"? All liquid chlorine will degrade over time, the higher the %, the faster it will loose it's strength.

Dom
 
The cornerstone of TFP is knowledge. You need a proper testkit to know what your pool needs. You already know that and I believe you have one on the way. Once you know what your pool needs you need to know how to satisfy it. That's where Pool School comes in. Well, that and us of course.

Pool $tores and quite a lot of 'industry' folks don't understand the relationship between. FC and CYA. That's why it's seems like you are putting in a lot of chlorine. Once you get a good test kit and can get a usable CYA number you'll know exactly how much chlorine you need to keep algae away and keep your pool sparkly.

Also, even though you are doing the hybrid thing you seem to be getting the desired result, so more power to you. If you read on the SLAM you will notice that not only do you need to get up to SLAM FC but you need to maintain it at that level until the water is sparkly clear. Without the test kit, that's going to be hard to do. That's why we recommend a lower chlorine level while you wait for the kit.
 
Given the choice between wasting $10-$20 on chlorine, or the wife calling a pool guy in and spending $1000 to start replacing everything, I'll waste some chlorine.

I've STOPPEd with the algaecide, I'd been dumping it in like no tomorrow on pool store recommendations. Now I'm shocking and holding (as best I can estimate).

In terms of shelf stable. Bleach and its packages is designed to transport around the country, sell, etc., and is usually as 6%, right? The pool store chlorine is 10.5% or 12%. If I am keeping stuff in the garage for emergency use, the regular bleach seems more likely to survive stable for months unused. I wouldn't count on keeping pool store chlorine around. But < $5 for 2.5 Gallons is WAY cheaper than buying bleach at Walmart.

That's what I learned from pool school and other stuff here. Get the chlorine high, keep testing, keeping it there until 100% algae gone, then keeping it high enough to not get it back.

Well, I need a good test kit to do this. While I'm waiting for it to arrive, I'm turning the pool blue, which is certainly a better result.

This is inexact, but I'm not polluting the neighborhood anymore. :) I'm making decisions based on the limited information I have and the chemistry from pool school and getting somewhere in the right direction. I ran some calculations with Pool Math, doing some estimates, and pool turning blue. I'm probably wasting chlorine keeping it too high, but that's okay. Tomorrow morning, refilling the chlorine jugs and getting a pool store test, we'll see where we're at.
 

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Getting the test kit will be a HUGE step in the right direction. It's possible the blue you are seeing is a chemical reaction between the chlorine and all of that algaecide (copper) you added to the water. We'll find-out soon. Just don't go too crazy with the bleach right now until you get that kit. Maybe one gallon a day is enough just to hold things in check until the kit arrives.
 
Just remember that pool $tore tests are not very reliable. Take the same water to three different places and you'll get at least two different answers. Heck, you can take the same sample to the same $tore a few hours later and get a different answer. Having said that, there are some stores that sell the correct kit. It needs to have a powder for the FC test. You will spend quite a bit more for it, but you would have it in hand.

Take back everything you haven't used and go from there.
 
Welcome to TFP Alex, :wave:

We're glad you're here. I love your thread title: "Been Lurking, Going to Try, Wish Me Luck!" I do however read a little uncertainty in the title itself, as is to be expected for a 1st time Slam. Just the thought of it is a little scary, and intimidating, to say the least. I know this because I was there not too long ago myself. But we want you to know that you have come to the right place, and if you follow the TFP guidelines, as well as, the advice and suggestions you're given along the way, You without a doubt can, and will, get it done, and know how to keep it done.

As far as the pool store test kit, or the strips you mentioned, don't waste your money on those. The FC levels that you will need to be maintaining while doing your SLAM, in order to ensure the algae is all killed out, will not even come close to accurately registering on either of those. So as the others have suggested, one of the recommended test kits (preferably the TF 100)is definitely the only way to go to be certain that when you complete your slam, you'll end up with a crystal clear pool, as well as, not have equipment damage associated with doing blind chlorine pours. So take the money you would have spent on those, and apply it to one of the recommended test kits because I promise you it will be one of the best investments you will ever make.

Then when you complete your SLAM, you can then lose the uncertainty, gain the confidence to say something more appropriate like: I use to Lurk, But then I DID IT :goodjob:, but it wasn't done by luck at all, it was done by gaining all this awesome knowledge of how to get it done, and most importantly, how to keep it done. You've Got this, Alex, and know that we'll be with you every step of the way. Have a wonderful night, and again welcome to TFP!!! :)
 
My phosphates are high, pool store is trying to sell me a Phosphate Remover. I'm going to hold off until I see what's going on.

I'm planning on the TF 100, but a little success from the "too high" levels and adding throughout the day has given me some confidence.

I like the 1G/day until the kit arrives, that ought to keep everything WAY at bay, and we'll be swimming by next weekend.

Thanks everyone!
 
Sounds like you are already making some very good decisions for getting it cleared correctly, and as soon as your new test kit arrives, you will be well on your way to much happier days. Have a wonderful night. :)
 
Last edited:
Day 3, still winging from not having a test kit (it was discussed that I should mail order end of day Friday, it is 0 business days later), and pool is looking better than years.

TC: 5
FC: 5
CC: 0
pH: 7.5
TA: 115
CH: 335
CYA: 20
TDS: 4600

They tried to sell me super water clarifier for the cloudiness, I resisted.

Today's goal: bring CYA back to 40 (it's South Florida) with Tablets, FC back to 16, and pH down to 7.2

I don't have a Total Dissolved Solids Plan. I know the Forum maintains it's harmless if the chlorine is right, I believe that. But it also means no margin for error? Anyway, focusing on getting the debris off the bottom (replaced host for vacuum today) and letting chlorine do it's thing.
 
Waiting on the mail can be tough. Until the kit arrives, resist getting too carried-away with chemical treatments. Stick with adding regular bleach as needed and you'll be fine. Even though you do want a fair amount of CYA for FL, you won't know for sure what exactly your CYA level it is until your test kit arrives. Sweeping and vacuuming is always a good thing to do.
 
Good morning Alex,

Yeah, once the test kit arrives it will be a lot easier, and be a lot less confusing. WELL DONE, on resisting the clarifier, It would have been a temporary quick fix, but we want you to get permanent results, not too mask the issues. So I'm proud of you because you are figuring it out already. I can see that when your test kit arrives you are going to be a quick study, and be able to breeze through the process. Have a wonderful Day!!! :)
 
Argh, the junior guy that was "helping" me got me the wrong hose for my vacuum (it broke Friday). Going to have to go back today.

Meanwhile, I'm not dumping stabilizer in (Pool Math says 2 lbs, Store said 2.8 lbs, I'm just using my "normal" tablet level I was using before finding this site).

All will make more sense once I have a good test kit.
 
You are on the right track. Continue to ignore TDS and phosphates. There is a reason it is not included in the test kit. I have no idea what mine is and my pool has been crystal clear for over 3 years. Keep saying no to clarifiers and other stuff they are trying to sell. If it is not on the Recommended Pool Chemicals list then it is not in my pool.
 

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