New Member Fighting Black/Green Algae

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S

sf32738

0
Aug 21, 2016
18
Deltona, Florida
Greetings TFP Members. I'm new to TFP and a 2yr pool owner and didn't realize how troubling a pool can be when you rely on a pool maintenance company to maintain your pool --- never again.

So, with that said, I have been reading the TFP site as much as possible on how to maintain and "fix" problems. And yes, I purchased the TF-100 test kit based on recommendations from the members of this site.

SO --- on with the story.

Back in July I had to leave the house for a month to take care of a traumatic death in my family. Upon returning home in August, I found my pool excessively GREEN and a lot of black "splotches" covering the base of the pool. I ordered a stainless steel bristle brush and started scrubbing the best I could for a week, went to the pool store and told them what was going on. They sent me home with chlorine "shock" powder and Algae Eliminator. --- I dumped it in as they directed.

Within a day or two, the green started to settle down and I was able to see the bottom of the pool again. Nothing like it used to be however. I kept scrubbing the pool, vacuuming it, and scrubbing. Nothing seemed to really help.

I then found TFP --- wow, what a lot of information to sift through and even much more contradicting information from what the pool store was telling me.

The weekend of September 3rd - 5th, I was out of town again in North Carolina with family. We came home the 6th and the pool seemed "normal".

Skipping to Thursday, September 8th ---
I came home from work to find that my pool was once again GREEN!!
The Green Pool >> Shared album - S Flynn - Google Photos

Friday evening I stopped at Walmart again and picked up another 8 gallons of bleach and this time I dumped in 4 gallons of it, in hopes to kill off the starting Algae cycle once again.

Saturday morning, 24 hrs later my pool is looking much better... however very cloudy comparatively. I figured i would let it sit for another 24 hours and then begin testing and learning how to use the TF-100 test kit as I hadn't had a chance to put it to use yet.
The better looking pool >> Shared album - S Flynn - Google Photos

Sunday morning, pool still looks as it did on Saturday, still cloudy though.

I'm still not 100% how to use everything in the TF-100 test kit (going to go find reading material on it tonight).
I did however manage to get a standard pool test completed. Based on the readings, I went ahead and added another gallon of bleach to the pool, as it seems to be reading only .5 CF.

My interpretation of the readings:
CF = .5
pH = 8.2+++

Pool Test Results >> Shared album - S Flynn - Google Photos


I couldn't figure out how it was so low on CF since I was running my SWG at 70% and my pool pump runs for 10 hours p/day.

Now, about the SWG. After seeing that the CF was so excessively low, even after putting in 4 gallons of chlorine on Friday night, I started to get curious if the SWG was working properly. I went out the box and the LCD was displaying 3300 ppm of salt... ok, that is within normal range. While I was watching the SWG I noticed a clicking noise and then the power and "generating" light completely went out. About 45 seconds later it all came back on. About 30 seconds later it did it again. It was doing this in a constant cycle. --- My first thought, What!!! Not this too. :-?

So -- back to reading on TFP about my model of SWG. If found that multiple people have experienced this same and/or near symptoms. I then went back out the box, powered everything down, and tor into it. Low and behold, it seems that I have a micro cracked limiter on the board (new limiter on order now).
Stress Cracked Limiter >> Shared album - S Flynn - Google Photos



OK, now that you have heard the story --- now for the questions.

First, what tests (how to links would be awesome) show I perform next on the pool to help stabilize this thing and get it back into shape ?
Second, Am I missing anything or not understanding ? any help would be much appreciated.

Regards,
Stephen Flynn
 
Well Stephen, we're happy you found us :handwave: I'm sorry you're going through all these difficulties this summer. Bummer.

But we can get you fixed up, I swear! The thing you have to understand is that once algae takes up residence (and seriously, it *is* all around us already, y'know?) it likes to multiply. Like bunnies. And it multiplies at a rate that you have to interrupt with lots and lots of chlorine and brushing. See, not only does it multiply but algae has this annoying trick of hiding under something called "biofilm" which protects it from chlorine's killing powers. That's where brushing comes in to play- your brushing while the pool is filled with high doses of chlorine disrupt the biofilm scab and allows the chlorine to get at the algae.

You've added some bleach, that's great! But without knowing all your test results (specifically that CYA stabilizer level) we don't know if you've actually put in enough, and the minute you put it in it gets used up killing algae. So you have to re-test and re-dose again...and again to stay on top of those algae spores. At first dosing hourly is ideal.... and as you re-test and see that your chlorine level is holding, that lets you know you're winning the war. Up to now you put in chlorine and then left it for a day or so thinking it was enough. It wasn't.

The TF-100 instructions are pretty simple if you just read the test steps one step at a time. Write down your results and tell us:
FC (free chlorine)
CC (combined chloramines-the cooties)
pH (duh, pH!)
TA (Total Alkalinity)
CH (Calcium Hardness)
CYA (Stablizer, cyanuric acid)

We'll help you from there. Go buy plain old liquid bleach from Publix or Walmart or Costco... nothing scented or fancy. 8.25% is good, 10-12% available some pool stores may price out better.

Some short reading- SLAM Process

[FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]

Great pics- very helpful :)

Yippee :flower:
 
Thank you guys! I've printed and laminated the Extended Test Kit Directions (Pool School - Extended Test Kit Directions) pages and have read / re-read them this evening. They are now part of my TF-100 kit print outs. :D --- I'm getting ready to watch your linked YouTube videos, thank you for these.

I will get the remainder of the tests completed tomorrow evening when I get home from work, and then get them posted on here.

@YippeeSkippy I purchased the Walmart BestValue 8.25% bleach, that is what i've been using since reading the TFP site.
 
For emphasis, you need to post the test results. Tell us how your water looks, too. A pic is helpful if you are having water quality issues but until you post those results, we are all flying blind.
 
And the test results are in ---

Water Temp: 82F
FC: 0.5
PH: 9
TA: 190
CH: 250
CYA: 0
SALT: 3200

Read through my SWG manual today, Hayward is recommending a CYA of 80 (so the manual says).
Hayward support also got back with me on the Serial / Year of my AquaRite system. They confirmed it is NOT covered under warranty and that it is a 2002 model.

Getting home this evening the water is still somewhat cloudy, but the weather is overcast as well, so difficult to say. Comparing to yesterday, it is a bit clearer.
 
Last edited:
How did you get a pH of NINE??? :confused:

How much chlorine did you put in the pool lately and when was that last? Cause you're surely inviting an algae-orgy with your current FC level.

Don't worry about the SWG until you get your water in line and then you can't tinker with it. Get some CYA stabilizer in there and then use liquid bleach now and get that FC up.
 

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Bring that PH down to 7.2 then follow the directions for the SLAM. Add what Pool Math says to bring that FC to your SLAM level.

Get some CYA to bring your CYA up to 30 so you have a fighting chance to keep some FC in the water.

:kim:
 
OK, so this evening I have added 4lb of Clorox stabilizer into my skimmer basket socks, and 56fl oz of muriatic acid to bring down the pH levels.

Should I also add chlorine at the same time? If so, how many gallons of 8.25%? Or wait tell tomorrow morning?

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
You need to get some chlorine in there.

That amount of stabilizer would bring you up to 50ppm. That means your SLAM level to kill algae is 20ppm That's about 300 ounces of 8.25% bleach. Then re-test and keep it up there until it passes those 3 criteria listed above.
 
Thanks Yippee. This morning I added 2 gallons of bleach and then this evening I added another 2 gallons after I swept the pool and scrubbed it. I could still see a lot of algae on the floor that needed a good steel kicking.

I'll retest the water in about an hour or so to get new readings.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
I finally feel like i'm making progress (obviously with the help from you guys here). :p

This evenings readings:
Temp: 84F
FC: 24.5
pH: 7.6
TA: 190-200
CYA: 40
Salt: 3200

Nothing added today. Serious clumps of "blobs" on the bottom of the pool in my dead zone just after the skimmer.
Ready to vacuum and sweep again.
Bottom of the pool looks much clearer (algae wise), water is still cloudy.
 
How is your filter pressure doing? Is it increasing, and showing you it is in need of cleaning out the cartridges? That might help.

Also- you're running the high chlorine water thru the solar panels too, right? Otherwise that stagnant water might cause you problems.
 
Yes, I just checked the filter pressure and it is running high.

I was curious about that the other day when I added the CYA, as I had read in here that washing the filter would lose some CYA.

So thinking ahead I purchased 8 lbs of it knowing I would have to clean the filter during this process at some point.

Very good catch on the solar panels... No, I've not been running those as I typically don't during the summer. They are in now though.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
Good to hear you are on the right track now.

I know CYA was my first big problem as a pool owner. I found with a 0 CYA, FC wouldn't stay in my pool for more than 2 hours.

Let us know how it turns out for you.
 

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