I started on our pool last Thursday. I put in 3 big jugs of bleach and kept it at shock level. The next morning it had went from nasty green to a chocolate milkish color. I have continued to shock it since then but see NO improvement. Here's where my problem is..... It says to leave your pump running 24/7 well after about 3 hours it pretty much stops filtering and I have to backwash. I have been leaving it on 24/7 but by midnight i'm sure it's ready for a backwash. What is the point of leaving it on if it's not "working" after 3 hours at night? I've dealt with the green "pond" for the past 3 years. Almost always it went from green to very cloudy blue within hours. This year it went from green to chocolate milkish color. I've done everything the same. Any advice?
Advice please?
- Thread starter tazzy24
- Start date
Welcome to TFP,
If you could post a set of test numbers it would help in clearing up the problem. Add the specifics about your pool in your signature. Read Pool School at the top of the page, great info there. Get a good test kit, Taylor k2006 or TF100. I use the TF100, link is in my signature.
If you could post a set of test numbers it would help in clearing up the problem. Add the specifics about your pool in your signature. Read Pool School at the top of the page, great info there. Get a good test kit, Taylor k2006 or TF100. I use the TF100, link is in my signature.
Until I can get a good test kit all I have is the Walmart one. Will definately be getting a good test kit! Chlorine is dark orange, which means above 5. PH is 7.2, TA is 40 (that's when it turned pink) and there is no CYA. The pool is 24 foot round, Hayward SP1510 pump, Hayward Vari-flo XL SP714 filter. I read on here that you should be able to go 2-3 days without backwashing a sand filter. I have to every 3 hours while it's this messy. I haven't added any stabilizer because it says you can't backwash for 48 hours. Thanks for any help!
It has been chocolate milk and you've been backwashing every 3 hours since Friday with no change?
Two thoughts... One is you could have a lot of sludge on the bottom, you could try vaccuuming to waste or scooping with a leaf rake/net. The other is that you might not be maintaining an adequate chlorine level and the algae is keeping up with your attempts to clear it out. The lack of CYA means any chlorine you add during the day will get burned off in an hour or so, never mind what gets used up killing the algae.
The "no backwash" rule for adding CYA depends on how you add it. If you put it in the skimmer then yes you should not backwash (would lose undissolved crystals caught in the filter). If you put it in a sock and hang it in front of a return jet, backwashing is okay.
--paulr
Two thoughts... One is you could have a lot of sludge on the bottom, you could try vaccuuming to waste or scooping with a leaf rake/net. The other is that you might not be maintaining an adequate chlorine level and the algae is keeping up with your attempts to clear it out. The lack of CYA means any chlorine you add during the day will get burned off in an hour or so, never mind what gets used up killing the algae.
The "no backwash" rule for adding CYA depends on how you add it. If you put it in the skimmer then yes you should not backwash (would lose undissolved crystals caught in the filter). If you put it in a sock and hang it in front of a return jet, backwashing is okay.
--paulr
Well I don't backwash every 3 hours at night when I'm asleep. But yes, during the day every 3 hours. Is it ok to leave it running all night if after 3 hours it isn't doing anything? I just don't want to damage the motor. I will vacuum to waste. I know there is sludge on the bottom, I scoop out some everyday. And I will get right on adding the stabilizer in a sock. Thank you!
Welcome to TFP!!
To maintain circulation overnight, place the multi on recirc while you're sleeping and then go back to filter (& backwash/ waste during the day while you can keep an eye on the pressure/ flow)
I know it's labor intensive right now as you're turning your swamp back into a pool
but once you get the good kit and can more precisely monitor the chlorine, it'll speed up. It'll also go more quickly once all the debris is off the bottom
After this hurdle, most of the time you spend with the pool will be swimming, not maintaining it 8)
Once the pool is clear, shoot us a post about how you close it and we may be able to keep the swampyness to a minimum next spring
To maintain circulation overnight, place the multi on recirc while you're sleeping and then go back to filter (& backwash/ waste during the day while you can keep an eye on the pressure/ flow)
I know it's labor intensive right now as you're turning your swamp back into a pool
but once you get the good kit and can more precisely monitor the chlorine, it'll speed up. It'll also go more quickly once all the debris is off the bottom After this hurdle, most of the time you spend with the pool will be swimming, not maintaining it 8)
Once the pool is clear, shoot us a post about how you close it and we may be able to keep the swampyness to a minimum next spring
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