Newbie Fighting Algae

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viscid

0
Jul 25, 2012
26
St Charles, IL
First post, total newbie, sick of not knowing how to care for my pool so I've been reading this site a lot in the past few days. We've been fighting a cloudy, algae infested pool for 2 weeks now and I can't clear it. Got my TF-100 kit today and have the results:


FC - 12
CC - 13
pH - 7.3
TA - 180
CH - 300
CYA - 110

Over the past week the algae has gotten worse. Last night I went to Leslie's, yes, I know, probably not smart, and got a 4 lb container of Green to Clean and 9 lbs of their Super Chlorine. I was adding Borax and Bleach for the past week trying to kill it without an algaecide. Nothing was working and we were frustrated I couldn't clear it up. Any assistance would be much appreciated. I set up a little PVC fountain to aerate it a little as no one has been in it for 3 weeks now. I'm back washing every other day so I'm filling the pool for a couple hours a day off my un-softened well.

Thanks in advance for any input.
 
Welcome. An FC of 12 isn't even close to the level you'll need for a CYA of 110. Your best option, if you can, is to drain half way and refill to cut that CYA level in half. Then see the CYA/chlorine chart in Pool School to determine the FC required to SLAM it.
 
I did the CYA black dot method. It was slightly past 100. I'll test everything again in the morning. I'm in Chicago so I'm thinking I should just close up the pool rather than draining half of it at this point in the season. Why spend $500 on fresh water? Thanks for the replies.
 
Arg! Didn't see that you were in St. Charles. Me too! In our area, it is WAY too soon to close. You will open to a green mess if you close now.

Try that dilution method tomorrow when it is sunny out. (Expecting on and off sun tomorrow...)

Is your chlorine feeder empty of pucks? If not, empty it ASAP.

Since I am so close to you, PM me, (click on my name and click send private message), if you want me to peek at your pool.
 
Still somewhat green this morning. A lot of algae on the bottom, dead and clumped up. Here are my readings:

FC - 10
TC - 11
pH - 7.5
TA - 160
CH - 250
CYA - 140

I can't afford to drain half of the water off. Any other options or just use the Pool Calculator to keep FC, TA, and pH at their proper levels while the algae dies and filters off?

Thanks.
 
In your signature you have " fill with well water". Is the current water in your pool from well? If you were going to drain and fill were you going to have water trucked in? I ask this because if you are going to fill with well water it should be realitivly cheap to fill as only electric for pump. But high levels of iron could give you trouble depending on chemistry of your well water, but there may be a way of filtering it out while filling the pool.

in regard to your question on any other way to get CYA down. There is reverse osmosis but way more expensive than refill. The CYA may deteriorate some over the winter, the question I do not know the answer to is; how much will it drop? Also since 100 is at top of scale you could be way over 110, you need to do the dilution test to get a true number. Even at 110 I do not think you can accurately measure of chlorine needed to perform a slam, which you need to truly get rid of algae.

I Would pm mariann, if she is close enough to drop by, she could more acuratly assess the problem and explain your options and why. I have read many of her posts and she is very knowledgeable, and it is a very generous offer that can save you a lot of money in long run.
 
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Wish I could tell you that CYA would evaporate or somehow normally get "used up"....but it doesn't. Seems somehow you show your CYA has gone from 110 to 140 in 12 hours? Typo?
 
I didn't do the dilution method as it was not in the test kit instructions. This morning I did the dilution method and received the 140 reading. We trucked in water last fall to fill the pool when we replaced the liner which had a manufacturer defect. Since then I've been filling off my well which has an extremely high iron content. My spigots do not run off my softener setup. I'm worried about runnin 10k gallons of water off my well pump. I spend over $400 a month on electricity so I'm not to worried about the cost of running the well pump, just if it burns out seeing my well is a little over 700 feet deep....

Thanks.
 

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Just as a side note for later, I believe I have read that there are filters that can filter a good portion of iron out of the water,
that you can add to the hose economically. I would search "iron filter swampwoman" and read those threads, swampwoman has high iron water and may have some tricks you can do to manage your well water additions in the future.

As for your problem now, I do not think you will have much success managing algae or even sanitization at that high level. Pool store will tell to use there green to clean and a whole host of other products costing you way more than a drain and refill and in the end (after they drain your wallet) they will tell you you have chlorine lock and need to drain the pool anyway.

if you just close for the season, I think Mariann is right, you will have a big mess in the spring, as I said in my addition edit above, I would pm her she could be an invaluable resource.
 
I did pm her and I think she's coming this afternoon. Hoping to go the delivered fresh water route. It's now a fight with the spouse, she wants to add more stuff like clarifier... And why does a pool store not say anything about CYA other than to get you to buy all their many bottles of garbage! Thanks again, much appreciated.
 
Hey, I think your on the right track, Mariann is very knowledgeable and in person conversation is much better than typing on a computer and she can see and test herself. May want to have wife present to hear her, she may change her mind quickly.
 
I saw viscid's pool and tested CYA with my Taylor kit. His CYA is about 270 with a greater dilution ratio. Yes, I know. Don't holler at me.

We talked about the possibility of multiple drains and refills using his well water and a MetalTrap25.

Any other thoughts all?

Marian
 
Well now he knows where he stands and he and his wife can make some more informed decisions. Just for curiosity be nice if he lets us know what he does and how it works out. I feel for him, been there, not real fun, and would still like that magic bullet.
 
I'll keep you updated. I know what needs to be done but she's not ready for the truth. Another battle awaits.... Stay tuned. Off topic, I want to start a thread (let me know if there is one already) about everyone's background - why you believe in this method. I would think everyone was handed the same old story when they first got their pool.
 
Go ahead and start a new one!

Even though there are other threads on this topic out there, we all love to discuss how happy we are and why. With a new thread, you will get new members, new thoughts, (and a lot of us "not-so-new")... Go for it! Especially if it will help convince the other-half!!!

- - - Updated - - -

Use a catchy thread title...
 
Good idea, explain your wife is not convinced of this method, and is looking to the pool store industry to solve problem quickly and economically. Not sure how long you have been pool owners but I know most people with pools follow pool store advice and many times do it for years in what they think is successfully, so I understand why people are skeptical when they come to this website and I believe most members here are the ones that have been "pool schooled". Let us know new thread title when you post. I believe SWG got such a big push because it basically follows this method, even though most people who I know that have them think it is an alternative to chlorine they really do not understand the science.
 
The plan is to drain the pool to 1 ft in the shallow end and have a truck deliver a load of water and then repeat. With a CYA level of 270, taking a third out should put the CYA at 180, then taking another third out will put the level at 120 which still seems too high. I really don't want to have to have a super high chlorine level because the CYA is so high. Are my calculations correct? Would you do 3 drains or even drain the entire pool? With a vinyl liner, I'd probably have to hire someone to fill it so the liner doesn't get all wrinkled...
 
Hmmm. Will your installer give you a free estimate to secure the liner for a full-drain? I really don't know if that is do-able, but worth a call.

- - - Updated - - -

Suggest the call for two main reasons:

1) There is a significant margin of error on the dilution test, especially at 3:1. Your CYA may in fact be higher that 270.

2) You would be starting with (almost) fresh water and not a CYA of (hopefully 120)
 

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