Issues with shocking for Algae! Please HELP!!!

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M

MattGinGA

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Jun 13, 2009
18
I opened up my pool this year to a green mess. I've gotten all the big stuff out of it but can't seem to beat the algae. A few days ago I found this forum and have been following your advice. Yesterday afternoon I started a major shock on my pool using bleach. My CYA level was at 50ppm when I started so I thought it was in a good range. By the way I use a SWG. I started yesterday afternoon at about 16ppm on my chlorine just going for a shock on the pool. Today after running my SWG through the night my Free Chlorine is at roughly 23ppm. Is this normal. I read how I would have to continuously add chlorine and at this point I haven't had to add since my initial shock. Also, the water is still green not grey like I figured it might be. How long does it normally take to start killing algae. Any help would be appreciated.

Matt
 
Re: Issues with shocking for Algae!

It will take a few more days.

I would suggest you not use your SWG to shock but rather to run it back in "normal" and keep your FC up with bleach.
That's your call but you're putting some unnecessary wear and tear on your SWG cell.

Keep the faith and keep your FC right up there where you have it. You should start to see improvement very soon. The best advice is not to give up....keep your FC high until your pool sparkles.
 
Just as duraleigh suggested, you must keep your chlorine level up by manually dosing the pool with bleach. Brush it too!
 
Hi there...I recommend you turn off the SWG. Your FC is getting too high for your CYA level. If the FC holds overnight you are done shocking....also you really want your CYA to be in the 70-80 range, because of your SWG.

Once your CYA is in range and your FC is holding overnight, you can allow the FC to drop to normal levels and then turn the SWG back on to it's "normal" setting/run time.
 
How could I be done shocking if the water is still green? What's going to kill the rest of the algae off? You guys are the experts here, I'm just trying to make sense of it. Will it help me defeat this algae problem if I take the CYA level up even more?

Matt
 
No one said you are done shocking.

You are done shocking when:

Your FC holds overnight or you lose 1ppm or less;
your CC is .5 or less;
your water is clear.

You should be using liquid chlorine to maintain your shock level (which is based on your current CYA level).

Once your FC levels are stable and your water is clear, raise your CYA in to the recommended range and then turn the swg back on.
 
So you don't think I should keep my SWG on? According to pool school it says I can keep it on to maintain the chlorine level while shocking. My current FC is about 24ppm as of a little while ago. That's after running all day and not adding anything. Any particular reason not to run the SWG? Thanks for all your help by the way. I'm just learning.

Matt
 
It can be on to help maintain shock levels.... But your posted FC levels were higher than your shock level, which is 20 and at one point it was almost 28...no need for it to go that high.

The SWG should not be on when performing the Overnight FC Loss Test. If you leave it on, it's producing chlorine and then you can't confirm if you actually lost any.
 

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Alright, here are my latest test results. How am I lookin'?

FC-24
CC-0
TC-24
PH-7.0
TA-110
CH-70
CYA-65

Let me know what your suggestions are. We're getting there. We're turning blue now but not yet clearing.

Matt
 
Hi Matt and welcome to the forum :wave:

If your pH is testing at 7 while you are at shock levels, it is proably lower than that. Next time your FC drops to 10 or below, retest and adjust your pH to 7.4-ish.
(High FC levels make the pH test read a false high.)

Along with POP and filtering, also brush the pool at least once a day. :wink:

It would be helpful if you add your pool and equipment specs in your sig. Go to User Control Panel, upper left under TFP Logo, select Profile, the Edit Sig.

Got a pic of that pool for us?
 
I think there is a popular belief that shocking will always kill the algae. IT WONT! Sometimes you need an algaecide. Yes your CYA lvl will hold chlorine better at around 80ppm with a SWG.

Also, make sure your not trying to test your water after you shock seeing as how the chlorine lvl is so high that it tends to thow off most testing reagents.

What type of filter do you have and when did you clean or backwash it last. Make sure that when adding something to kill the green stuff that you give the pool a quick brush down to disperse as much of the green stuff as you can. It will make the shock treatment/agaecide or whatever your using that much more effective.
 
Yeah. She must have posted that as I was asking the question. lol I hit the post button and then read that. Thanks. 8) Also, here is a picture. Hope this helps.

CIMG1137.jpg

Matt
 
You can add ph increaser, but with the FC being so high there really isn't an accurate way to know what the level really is. You could make a small adjustment, certainly. Just be careful that you don't overshoot and end up too high, having to add acid.
 

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