New pool owner - Algae/pollen, FC at 14 - what to add?

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scrapper47

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Aug 3, 2016
4
Hudson, WI
Hi all - I am a new pool owner and not sure what to do next. Above ground pool, bleach, 18x34 oval. Pool is blue but cloudy, with some yellowish/green sediment on bottom of pool. I think it is mustard algae because the pool steps feel slimy, but not sure if pollen acts that way too.

Used TF-100 Test Kit and got following levels:

TC - 5
Br - 10
FC - 14
CC - 1
CYA - 60
PH - 7.5
TA - 130

Do I shock it when FC is already at 14?
Or do I add algaecide and leave chlorine levels alone?
Is it safe to swim with FC at 14?
What about using pool clarifier?

Thanks for any input you can provide to this newbie....
 
scrapper47 said:
Hi all - I am a new pool owner and not sure what to do next. Above ground pool, bleach, 18x34 oval. Pool is blue but cloudy, with some yellowish/green sediment on bottom of pool. I think it is mustard algae because the pool steps feel slimy, but not sure if pollen acts that way too.

Used TF-100 Test Kit and got following levels:

TC - 5
Br - 10
FC - 14
CC - 1
CYA - 60
PH - 7.5
TA - 130

Do I shock it when FC is already at 14?
Or do I add algaecide and leave chlorine levels alone?
Is it safe to swim with FC at 14?
What about using pool clarifier?

Thanks for any input you can provide to this newbie....
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum.

Can you post some pictures as well as add your pool's info into your signature? The pool info will help others with your questions. Don't forget to list your TF-100!
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/115-read-before-you-post

With a CYA of 60ppm, your daily FC target is 7ppm, with the absolute minimum at 5ppm. Shock FC level is 24ppm. Your current level of FC 14ppm is somewhat elevated, but quite shy of killing anything that doesn't belong in the water.
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/128-chlorine-cya-chart-slam-shock

Cloudy water is almost always a chemistry issue, and chlorine is the remedy, just chlorine. Please do not waste your money on algaecides or clarifiers, which usually do more harm than good, they are not silver bullets. Why would you suspect mustard algae, which is somewhat rare?

With your descriptions like 'slimy', I would suspect algae. Does it sort of 'poof' away when brushed? (you are brushing, right?).

If this were my pool, I would begin a SLAM:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl

We do not advocate the pool $tore 'Shock & Pray" mantra. A SLAM is a maintained elevated FC level based on your CYA level. The SLAM is maintained until all organics (eg algae) are destroyed (oxidized by chlorine), and is confirmed by passing the three required criteria of the SLAM:
1) Water that is clear of algae, dead or alive
2) OCLT pass (http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/136-perform-the-overnight-fc-chlorine-loss-test-oclt)
3) CC's are 0.5ppm or less

How do you normally chlorinate the pool?

Also be sure to check out Pool School, especially The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry & Pool Chemistry.

And of course, ask any questions you have, and please keep all of them in this thread, it makes it easier to follow.

Great to have you with us,
Dom
 
We started with a pool that was opened late (mid-june), and had thousands of tadpoles living in it. We had a pool company help us with clearing the tadpoles and opening the pool. However, we continued to have greeen algae that took several weeks to clear up. We ultimately spent over $1000 with the pool company and still do not have a pool that is swimmable. I'm really not willing to go back there, but I also feel very over my head here.

Two nights ago I added 2 bags of shock to the pool. Next day ran the shark and backwashed the filter. I still get some algae poufing when I brush and still feels a bit slimy. I can take pictures tomorrow. it is blue with a very small amount of algae settling . The algae at this point is yellow in color, so assume that is mustard algae. It is still a bit cloudy as well. I am so tired of telling the kids not yet when they ask to go swimming.

Here are my readings chemical readings tonight. pH is down a bit, CYA and FC up a bit.

pH - 7.3
FC - 16
CC - 1
CYA - 70
CH - 600
TA - 120

My biggest questions are - what else can I do to clear the water? How much bleach or shock should I put in to accomplish this? are the current levels safe for kids swimming?




18x34 above ground pool, 52" deep across entire pool
vinyl liner, chlorine system
uses chlorinater with silk tab pucks and liquid chlorine
hand brush and small shark for cleaning bottom
 
Did you read the SLAM link above? There is a chart that shows you what to aim for with the FC, and "maintain" it until you pass the overnight loss test have less than .5 CC's. The more often you can test and redoes, the faster the process goes. (Normally.)
 
scrapper47 said:
We started with a pool that was opened late (mid-june), and had thousands of tadpoles living in it. We had a pool company help us with clearing the tadpoles and opening the pool. However, we continued to have greeen algae that took several weeks to clear up. We ultimately spent over $1000 with the pool company and still do not have a pool that is swimmable. I'm really not willing to go back there, but I also feel very over my head here.

Two nights ago I added 2 bags of shock to the pool. Next day ran the shark and backwashed the filter. I still get some algae poufing when I brush and still feels a bit slimy. I can take pictures tomorrow. it is blue with a very small amount of algae settling . The algae at this point is yellow in color, so assume that is mustard algae. It is still a bit cloudy as well. I am so tired of telling the kids not yet when they ask to go swimming.

Here are my readings chemical readings tonight. pH is down a bit, CYA and FC up a bit.

pH - 7.3
FC - 16
CC - 1
CYA - 70
CH - 600
TA - 120

My biggest questions are - what else can I do to clear the water? How much bleach or shock should I put in to accomplish this? are the current levels safe for kids swimming?




18x34 above ground pool, 52" deep across entire pool
vinyl liner, chlorine system
uses chlorinater with silk tab pucks and liquid chlorine
hand brush and small shark for cleaning bottom
Click to expand...

your sig shows silk tab pucks- are they still there? Curious if those contain CYA as usually solid forms of chlorine do. I'd test FC overnight loss starting tonight and then see if that drops more than 1 ppm by the morning.
If it doesn't I'd be swimming there tomorrow and deal with cloudiness after :). To perform FC loss test correctly you need to remove all sources of chlorine from the pool (no tabs, pucks, SWG, etc) so the loss if any would be real.
 
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