So many chemicals the pool is dyed blue

[Chall2036]

So my husband and I just got out of the military and we are temporarily staying at his parents place which is on the market. It has a beautiful 22,000 gallon pool. Well recently I gave birth and the pool took a serious backseat. It turned into a swamp. We took some serious measures to clear it up with the help of a professional and things were getting back on the right track. Well his cousins decided they really wanted to swim in the pool while my husband and I went away for the weekend. So they added an excess of chemicals to the pool. I am not able to give an exact amount only because no one is owning up to it, but I do know it has a lot of algaecide in it. The pool has literally been dyed a turquoise blue color without using actual dye in the pool. I only have the test strips and the chlorine level has been reading VERY HIGH, the highest it will read on the strips for a week now. The pool is so cloudy you can't see the bottom. I don't know what to do.

P.s. I do understand the importance of having a good test kit, but because we are only here for another 2 weeks I don't see the point in purchasing it right now. I wish I had more information about what was in the pool but unfortunately they don't even know what exactly they dumped into it.

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello and welcome to TFP! Well, unfortunately I do not have good news. First, the test strips are of no a value. "High" on a test strip means nothing really unless we know the pool's CYA level. But what did happen is all that algaecide added copper to the water (metals). Once that's in - it's in. The only way to remove metal in a pool is drain it. So the cousins have some work to do here. Here's what I see possibly happening:
1 - Take a water sample to the pool store and have them test for metals. Because chlorine has already been added, it may skew the results, but it would be nice to try.
2 - Try a water exchange. Remove a good amount of that water and replace with fresh water and NO algaecides. Have the cousins pay for the water bill.
3 - You need a proper test kit (TF-100 link below). Without it you have no idea the true FC level.

What may end-up happening is you will try to remove as much copper from the water as possible and manipulate the FC so that it doesn't cause a chemical reaction between the two - hence the blue/green colors and possible "future" stains in the pool when the copper begins to precipitate out onto the surfaces. It's really unfortunate, but that's what happens when people just dump stuff in a pool. I see it all the time.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

 

[Richard320]

Sounds like they added Copper Sulfate, which is a great algaecide and hair and plaster dye, but a lousy pool disinfectant. It does make a pretty shade of turquoise, doesn't it?

What you need is a metal sequestrant. I've never had to use one, so I can only repeat what's in Pool School - Metals in the Water and Metal Stains

Now, be aware that if there's still some algae, that needs to be killed off and the water balanced before you treat the metal.

 

[BuckeyeChris]

Knock $500 of the cost of the house and send the new owners to TFP to fix the mess.