So, I've got a first-class swamp... an 18x34 above-ground pool that was built two years ago and then (due to separation and divorce) neither filtered nor covered nor treated for two years. I've been working on it for about a week--shocking daily, algaecide, got the pH balanced, etc. I went by Leslie's yesterday, and they suggested I try Alum since the water wasn't clearing. So I broadcast 10 lbs. of alum last night and let it sit.
Well, it worked! Kind of. The water is quite clear now, but instead of sinking to the bottom, most of the algae and organic matter seems to have risen to the top as a sort of greenish foam. So I'm no trying to figure out how to get it all out. I tried a shop-vac, which worked really well. However, it only cleared about 1 foot square before filling up. Obviously not practical.
Then I tried setting the filter to "waste" and sort of guiding the foam into the skimmer with the leaf net. This actually worked reasonably well, and I got about half the foam (by volume) out before it got too broken up to "steer" anymore. Now instead of one big sheet of foam 1/2" thick, I've got sort of patchy foam 1/4" thick.
It looks to me like the best thing to do is let things settle a little bit, then try to do the skimmer to waste again. I figure if I do this a few times I'll get it down to where maybe the shop-vac will be practical. Anybody know of a better way?
Thanks,
Patrick
Well, it worked! Kind of. The water is quite clear now, but instead of sinking to the bottom, most of the algae and organic matter seems to have risen to the top as a sort of greenish foam. So I'm no trying to figure out how to get it all out. I tried a shop-vac, which worked really well. However, it only cleared about 1 foot square before filling up. Obviously not practical.
Then I tried setting the filter to "waste" and sort of guiding the foam into the skimmer with the leaf net. This actually worked reasonably well, and I got about half the foam (by volume) out before it got too broken up to "steer" anymore. Now instead of one big sheet of foam 1/2" thick, I've got sort of patchy foam 1/4" thick.
It looks to me like the best thing to do is let things settle a little bit, then try to do the skimmer to waste again. I figure if I do this a few times I'll get it down to where maybe the shop-vac will be practical. Anybody know of a better way?
Thanks,
Patrick