GM All. I've only been a pool owner for a couple of years, and last year at closing time I closed up a decent amount of leaves in my pool, after giving up and trying to get out as many as I could. BAD MOVE! I opened the pool on Sunday to not only a very dark/murky brown water color, but also to some type of black algae-type things all over the walls of the pool. They were about 1-2 inches long, and about a quarter inch wide, and pretty much covered all walls of the pool. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought they were leeches! However, I rubbed one of the black areas, and it came off, so it appears to have been some type of algae.
Here is what I've done so far:
Did the leaves being left in the bottom cause this? When I closed the pool all chemicals were in balance via the BBB method, and I added some additional chlorine just for safe measure. The pool was probably 60 degrees at the time.
What should I do next? I'm shocked it hasn't cleared up more with running my sand filter for the last 2 days, so I don't know if I'm just supposed to wait, or if I should be doing something else. Also worth mentioning: I do not have well water, and so I don't "think" rust is the issue, since this is the same water that was in there crystal clear last year.
Thanks!
Heygreene
Here is what I've done so far:
- Tested all chemicals with my Taylor kit, and brought up my PH and TA to proper levels.
- My FC was at zero, of course, so I slammed it to 16 on Monday night. By last night (Tuesday) I was at .5, so I slammed it again to get to 16.
- I also went ahead and put in the 4lbs of CYA to bring my levels from 0 up to hopefully around 40-50. I think this may have been a bad move, since now I won't be able to backflush for ~2 days.
- I have scrubbed the walls of the pool as best I could without getting into the funky water. This took care of most of the "leeches" on the side of the pool, so it at least looks a little less disgusting.
- I have vacuumed out around 2/3 of the leaves at the bottom of the pool, and will get the rest tonight. Is there an easier method than continuously filling my skimmer basket up with leaves and then having to dump it every 1-2 minutes? This is very labor intensive, but I have a feeling there is an easier way (I hope).
- Sunday upon opening the water was a coffee color. Monday it was a dark tea color (could barely see the leaves in the bottom during broad daylight), and this morning it's not much better... maybe a little lighter tea color.
- This morning, in a moment of weakness, I added some algaecide from Wal-Mart... I hope I don't come to regret that... but I figured foamy clear water was better than brown tea.
Did the leaves being left in the bottom cause this? When I closed the pool all chemicals were in balance via the BBB method, and I added some additional chlorine just for safe measure. The pool was probably 60 degrees at the time.
What should I do next? I'm shocked it hasn't cleared up more with running my sand filter for the last 2 days, so I don't know if I'm just supposed to wait, or if I should be doing something else. Also worth mentioning: I do not have well water, and so I don't "think" rust is the issue, since this is the same water that was in there crystal clear last year.
Thanks!
Heygreene