Green Pool - Don't mess with mommy!

[NewPoolMommy]

Okay so you guys know the story, went on vacation, came back and the pool is green. It's a 12x36, so pretty small. I've read and re-read all the other threads and am on my way to Walmart to get a test and liquid chlorine. (When you say bleach, do you mean straight up bleach like in the laundry aisle Clorox?)
Is there anything else I should pick up while I'm there?
Backstory, yes I'm a total rookie and used pucks all summer. ?? We tried using the powder shock 2 nights ago but it did nothing. Other than the pucks in the floater, on a daily basis I would run the filter for about 4-6 hours and brush it every few days.
If I understand correctly, my CYA is probably too high (I'll confirm after I test in a hour) and I need to stabilize it. Is that right?
I'm seriously so happy I found this website. So a huge thank you to anyone that takes time out of their Sunday to offer any advice. ?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Welcome to TFP, you will love it here...

Well, yes and no..

Yes, to just regular plain bleach. (Not splash-less or scented bleach)

No, to the Test Kit. You will not be able to find the type of test kit you need at Walmart. You need the TF100 approved test kit.

I know it sounds just like one of those late-night TV commercials.. Buy this.. and it will cure cancer and bad breath.. But, that is not really the case here. Before we can help you fix your pool problems, we need reliable test data from your pool. Pool store tests, or other test kits, do not provide the data we need to be able to help you. Look through some of the bazillion posts here and you will see what I mean.

We will need the following chemical levels, and the only way to do that is to buy one of the recommended tests. The tests are easy to do, and you, not the pool store, control the quality and accuracy of the tests.

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA

Each of the above tests are somewhat interrelated, so it is very important for us to have accurate test data. We do this by asking everyone to use the same basic test kit, so that we are always comparing apples to apples.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Welcome to TFP NewPoolMommy

Yes, just regular bleach and make sure you're not getting a scented or splashless/easy pour product as they can contain ingredients that can cause foaming and other problems.

To do a SLAM you won't be able to get the test kit at Walmart. You will need something like the TF100 or K2006. The TF100 is a better buy. Link in signature.
The kit from Walmart would be ok for checking daily needs but doesn't do CYA (stabilizer) or read high enough on the chlorine scale (FC) to do a SLAM.

If CYA is high you'll need to reduce it by draining water out of the pool. That should be done before wasting any bleach treating the water.

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

You should do a bit more reading from "Pool School" about slamming or even a couple threads where folks joined to clear up their green pools to see the advise we'll likely be giving you. You'll also see why it makes sense to buy the expensive test kit so you can get control of your pool and end up saving money in the long run.

There is a button at the top of the page for "Pool School" and also "Pool Math". Pool Math is for figuring out how much of what you need to hit your targets and Pool School has all the reference knowledge and explinations in how and why.

 

[Caco]

Hi NP Mom and welcome

You have a basic choice to make. With your pool being so small (12ft diameter and 36 inches deep??) you could run it as a seasonal temporary pool.
Our instructions for that are here: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/155-guide-for-seasonal-temporary-pools
The main difference is that you can get away with the small walmart HTH test kit, knowing if you run into problems it is easiest to drain, scrub with bleach, refill and do a mini slam to correct any algae issues

However if you decide to run as a permanent pool the best way to do so has already been suggested by the posters above

 

[Conjomen]

Walmart has a drop based kit with a cya test. It comes with oto chlorine test so it'll only go to 5ppm but it'll work if you are going to treat your pool as seasonal and take it down for winter. It's hth brand and around 20 bucks here in south Texas.