Newbie questions- mineral springs salt pool owner

[Lank1405]

Hi All,

Just moved into this house in September and its the first time I've owned a pool. We had it opened last friday afternoon. It was very green and loaded with algae along the sides and bottom. We've been running the filter a ton and backwashing a couple times, as well as manually brushing the algae all day yesterday. The water got pretty clear but the algae was still there. We went to our pool store today and they had me add 2 lbs of Burnout73 (22k gallon DE pool). He then told me to run FILTER for an hour. First question is, should this have been on the RECIRCULATE setting, rather than filter? It would make sense to move the shock around. So I did FILTER as told for an hour, then added a quart of Bioguard Banish, and again was told to put the pump on FILTER overnight (where I'm at now). For some reason, I really feel like that needs to be circulated as well...am I wrong ?? So to recap:

1.Added 2 lbs of burnout-told to run FILTER, not CIRCULATE, for 1 hour...is this true?
2.Added a quart of Banish algaecide- told to run FILTER, not circulate, overnight. Is this true? For both I feel like the pump should've been in CIRCULATE to move the chemicals around

My next instruction was to brush the pool good in the morning (tomorrow A.M.), then FILTER again for 24 hours...Why do I feel like this is inaccurate? At that point, which will be Wednesday morning, I'm told I'll be able to vacuum up the dead algae.

Am I receiving correct instructions here? thanks folks!

Brian

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Hey there Lank, welcome!

First thing to understand is that our methods are generally *nothing* like pool store methods. For example, we aren't selling potions and we use many of the same chemicals but instead of buying them for 3x the price at the pool store, we get them from the grocery store. For example- Alkalinity Increaser is just baking soda but far more costly at that pool store. Liquid chlorine is just plain old unscented bleach, 8.25% from the grocery's laundry aisle. So our costs are less.

We don't add anything without doing our own testing first to determine what is amiss. So a good test kit is a must- either the TF-100 or the Taylor K-2006. Both use the exact same Taylor reagents but the TF-100 is put together with more of what you test more often, so its a better buy. TFTestkits.net is the source.

Your addition of all that Burnout73 was nothing more than Calhypo. How's your calcium level? You just added a mess more. Liquid chlorine (aka bleach) would have been cheaper I'm pretty sure.

Algaecides are more of a preventative rather than a cure, and one we rarely recommend. I'm sorry to say Banish contains 3% copper which is something we never suggest using.

To rid your pool of algae you need nothing more than bleach and a test kit. You want to perform a SLAM procedure, which is more than a one time dose.
These are the directions: SLAM Process

Filter stays on 24/7 during a SLAM, and you backwash as your filter pressure rises. You keep the FC level at the proper amount based on your stabilizer CYA level and the algae dies off and gets filtered out.

Brushing is always a good idea, but you need FC in the water to kill off any algae hidden under biofilm that you brushed into the water circulation.

You just need to decide who you are going to listen to- our way or the pool store's. And get yourself a decent test kit

Maddie