This pool is killing me

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Brettkarren

0
Aug 2, 2015
20
Mesa, Arizona
Test results (leslie Pool supply)
FC: 0
CH: 520
CYA: 150
TA: 120
PH: 8
ACid Demand: 3
TDS: 2000
phosphates: 500

The problem: currently slight yellow algae growth on walls and skimmer intake area. On and off for years. I get it "cleared" but it comes back regularly. currently about 103F outside in daytime and 75F at night.

History: built in 2011. SWG originally, converted to chlorine 1 yr ago. Using trichlor tabs and cal-hypo (73%) powder to shock when yellow (advice per leslie's). Pool was drained and acid washed in March 2016. Still using original filter. The cost of the replacement filter is like $800 (i'm not joking. Its literally the most expensive one possible). I believe I will be buying a brand new filter system: either a sand filter or a more reasonable to replace cartridge filter (I have researched some that are the appropriate size but the replacement filters are much more reasonable. still pentair)

I found this sight a few weeks ago.
what I think I know from the research on the threads here:
I have ordered the TF-100 kit.
I understand that the CYA is too high as well as the CH and TDS. This will need a full/partial drain.
I plan on doing the trouble free pool system with liquid chlorine if I can.

Questions:

How do I get this back on track?
In what order do I: Shock, drain, replace filter system?
should i slam this sucker before I drain (not sure if even possilbe with CYA so high)
do i dare get a new filter with the water contaminated?
will I ever get the current filter clean enough to get rid of the algae?

How do I drain in this awful heat without damaging my plaster?
At what level should somoene in AZ climate have their CYA, CH and TDS
tap water has TDS of 500 here to begin with

Should I go with a newer cartridge or try out the sand filter?
I have 4 kids
Pool is used 95% in the daytime
I have a desert wash (open field) behind my house
no water restrictions

I know its a lot of info and questions but I tried to keep the info tight and complete. Please help me out. Its killing me here.
 
Brettkarren said:
Test results (leslie Pool supply)
FC: 0
CH: 520
CYA: 150
TA: 120
PH: 8
ACid Demand: 3
TDS: 2000
phosphates: 500

The problem: currently slight yellow algae growth on walls and skimmer intake area. On and off for years. I get it "cleared" but it comes back regularly. currently about 103F outside in daytime and 75F at night.

History: built in 2011. SWG originally, converted to chlorine 1 yr ago. Using trichlor tabs and cal-hypo (73%) powder to shock when yellow (advice per leslie's). Pool was drained and acid washed in March 2016. Still using original filter. The cost of the replacement filter is like $800 (i'm not joking. Its literally the most expensive one possible). I believe I will be buying a brand new filter system: either a sand filter or a more reasonable to replace cartridge filter (I have researched some that are the appropriate size but the replacement filters are much more reasonable. still pentair)

I found this sight a few weeks ago.
what I think I know from the research on the threads here:
I have ordered the TF-100 kit.
I understand that the CYA is too high as well as the CH and TDS. This will need a full/partial drain.
I plan on doing the trouble free pool system with liquid chlorine if I can.

Questions:

How do I get this back on track?
In what order do I: Shock, drain, replace filter system?
should i slam this sucker before I drain (not sure if even possilbe with CYA so high)
do i dare get a new filter with the water contaminated?
will I ever get the current filter clean enough to get rid of the algae?

How do I drain in this awful heat without damaging my plaster?
At what level should somoene in AZ climate have their CYA, CH and TDS
tap water has TDS of 500 here to begin with

Should I go with a newer cartridge or try out the sand filter?
I have 4 kids
Pool is used 95% in the daytime
I have a desert wash (open field) behind my house
no water restrictions

I know its a lot of info and questions but I tried to keep the info tight and complete. Please help me out. Its killing me here.
Click to expand...

I do not have an inground pool but I would say your order should be drain/refill, shock, scrub walls, floor and any other little nooks and crannies you can to ensure the pool is clean and then I would replace your filter. As far as the filter type, it is a matter of personal preference. They all have their positives and negatives. You can read this thread, Pool School - Pool Filter Comparison, to help you make a decision.
 
Welcome me to the forum!

Great job taking your first steps to a Trouble Free Pool by ordering a proper test kit.

You should wait wait until your test kit arrives and we get some good test results before you do anything major to the pool. We have seen pool $tore results be quite inaccurate time and time again.

I recommend you add one 96 oz jug of plain old 8.25% laundry bleach daily until your kit arrives. Nothing scented or splashless, just plain bleach. This will add 4ppm to your FC to try to 'hold' the algae where it is. Once we get some valid test results from you we can plan your strategy.

You are correct to be concerned with draining a plaster pool in that heat. If you don't keep the pool walls wet the plaster will quickly deteriorate in that strong sun.

A filter does not eliminate algae, chlorine does. The filter just catches debris, and it sounds like yours is doing that indeed. Once your pool is clear you may find that the filter is fine for your needs.

BTW- we never 'shock' our pools, as in a one time application of a large amount of chlorine.

We methodically SLAM the pool (https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl) until it is clear of organic contaminants.

Nice to have you here, thanks for posting.
 
I'll add to Dom's excellent response that we don't worry about TDS here.

In AZ, the reason you'll drain your pool from time to time is CH (calcium hardness) due to our very hard water, and in your case, CYA from prior tablet use. Please also heed Dom's advice on draining in this heat. Even at 85 degrees, your pool plaster will need to be sprayed at least every 15 minutes with a hose - with temps over 100 right now, you'll want to be out there spraying nearly continuously.

Search around the site here - people have had good luck reducing CYA by either using a very large tarp to drain from the bottom of the pool while filling on top of the tarp over the pool. If you have a main drain, others have been able to get a good reduction by draining via the main drain, while adding fresh water near the surface in the shallow end, allowing the higher density of the saltier existing water to keep it lower in the pool.

Either way, don't drain until you have your test kit and can perform a diluted CYA test to get a "real" CYA number. :)
 
I wouldn't do squat until I had my own test results besides keep the pH in range and FC up. You're working blind, so maybe 1 jug of plain 8.25% household bleach per day. And of course brushing and vacuuming.

520 CH is easily managed.
150 CYA is not. Not if there's algae. But we don't know if it;s really 150 or if it's 120 or if it's 200. The graduations on the CYA test tube stop at 100 and they get very close together at the high end, so what looks like 150 could well be 250. When you get your TF100, run the CYA test. If it reads higher than 90, repeat the test using the dilution method. That's step 8 here Pool School - CYA

Then you'll know how much to drain and replace. Once that's done and you're armed with a test kit, whipping that pool into shape should be easy. Schedule a big barbeque swim party for Fourth of July so you have incentive.
 
triptyx said:
I'll add to Dom's excellent response that we don't worry about TDS here.

In AZ, the reason you'll drain your pool from time to time is CH (calcium hardness) due to our very hard water, and in your case, CYA from prior tablet use. Please also heed Dom's advice on draining in this heat. Even at 85 degrees, your pool plaster will need to be sprayed at least every 15 minutes with a hose - with temps over 100 right now, you'll want to be out there spraying nearly continuously.

Search around the site here - people have had good luck reducing CYA by either using a very large tarp to drain from the bottom of the pool while filling on top of the tarp over the pool. If you have a main drain, others have been able to get a good reduction by draining via the main drain, while adding fresh water near the surface in the shallow end, allowing the higher density of the saltier existing water to keep it lower in the pool.

Either way, don't drain until you have your test kit and can perform a diluted CYA test to get a "real" CYA number. :)
Click to expand...


I am still waiting on my TF-100 kit. was supposed to be delivered yesterday. I called and now the new date is tomorrow. Frustrating because we are having slightly lower temps for today and tomorrow (90s in day and 60s at night). This might be the only time in the next few months that we go this "low". I plan on doing a partial drain right at sunset. Do you think i still need to wet the walls every 15 min even when the sun is down? I was hoping for every couple of hours, since I need to go to work the next day. I can't stay up all night.
 
You should wait for your test kit. And research using a tarp to exchange your water. Search in this forum as there have been several threads on it.

You should keep your plaster wet, but it is less critical at night. Remember that it will take quite some time to refill even a partial drain.

Take care.
 
triptyx said:
I'll add to Dom's excellent response that we don't worry about TDS here.

In AZ, the reason you'll drain your pool from time to time is CH (calcium hardness) due to our very hard water, and in your case, CYA from prior tablet use. Please also heed Dom's advice on draining in this heat. Even at 85 degrees, your pool plaster will need to be sprayed at least every 15 minutes with a hose - with temps over 100 right now, you'll want to be out there spraying nearly continuously.

Search around the site here - people have had good luck reducing CYA by either using a very large tarp to drain from the bottom of the pool while filling on top of the tarp over the pool. If you have a main drain, others have been able to get a good reduction by draining via the main drain, while adding fresh water near the surface in the shallow end, allowing the higher density of the saltier existing water to keep it lower in the pool.

Either way, don't drain until you have your test kit and can perform a diluted CYA test to get a "real" CYA number. :)
Click to expand...

you mentioned draining from the main drain? I'm not sure how I would drain my pool using a main drain. Can you elaborate. Meanwhile, I'm looking through threads about this topic. Thanks
 
Don'tcha just wish you could snatch the Leslie's pool store folks there in AZ and ask them what they were *thinking*!?!?! To encourage the use of calcium products in an area of the country you're in is preposterous! Now, someplace like Florida with constant rain and water replacements...they can get away using some of those products if used judiciously. Grrrrrrrrrr!!

That said <brushes anger off shoulders>.... another option in your area is Reverse Osmosis. Its like Dialysis for pool water. It ain't cheap, but it saves a lot of headaches and worries about emptying the pool in summer heat. I believe you can't have a current algae outbreak though but am not positive if the water is clear and not green? Might be worth checking in to :)

Maddie :flower:
 

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YippeeSkippy said:
Don'tcha just wish you could snatch the Leslie's pool store folks there in AZ and ask them what they were *thinking*!?!?! To encourage the use of calcium products in an area of the country you're in is preposterous! Now, someplace like Florida with constant rain and water replacements...they can get away using some of those products if used judiciously. Grrrrrrrrrr!!

That said <brushes anger off shoulders>.... another option in your area is Reverse Osmosis. Its like Dialysis for pool water. It ain't cheap, but it saves a lot of headaches and worries about emptying the pool in summer heat. I believe you can't have a current algae outbreak though but am not positive if the water is clear and not green? Might be worth checking in to :)

Maddie :flower:
Click to expand...

I'll look into that. Thanks.

- - - Updated - - -

triptyx said:
It all depends on how your pool is plumbed. :)

If you can post a picture of your equipment pad that will be a good start. We need to figure out how your pool is plumbed.
Click to expand...

I'll grab some pictures of the equipment later today and post.
 
You either need to exchange out the bulk of your water using the tarp method or utilize reverse osmosis.

Either of those will drop our CH to low levels along with your CYA.

Good luck --
 
Depending on your ability to stay up late you might be able to get away with some partial drains and refills at night. Start draining when sun is off Pool In evening, and fill back up before sun is out in morning. I just did a drain and refill back in April, I had high speed pump that drained pool from 6pm-midnight and used 4 hoses to get it filled back up by noon. I did keep plaster wet the few hours the sun was out.

Temps were a little cooler then, so I would be more inclined to do partial drain/refill now instead of full drain. Drain enough to have pool filled back up by 8am (or even earlier if your pool gets a lot of sun at sunrise).
 
I took some of the advise from around here and ended up doing a partial drain just after sunset because the temps were cool. I drained about 60% of the pool and used a few hoses to refill.

Is is there a time period that I need to wait before I retest the water?
right now it's sitting with zero chlorine and a little yellow algae on the walls. Should I slam it next? When should I do this?
in the meantime, should I just throw a gallon of liquid chlorine in randomly until it's ready to test and slam?
 
First order - retest CYA. Then test pH and FC. If your CYA was actually reduced to by 60%; your new number should be about 65 - say 70. Still high but manageable and likely preferred for AZ. Prepare to Slam. Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain

If CYA is 70 ppm, your Slam target is 28 ppm FC. Get a lot of bleach and hopefully you have time to add, test and maintain the FC @ 28. Let us know your CYA.

You can do all of your testing now, assuming your pump has been running for at least 30 mins.
 
Once the water is high enough to turn on pump, I would add a gallon and let it circulate until it's full. Once full, do a set of tests and post. Ultimately, you're going to need to SLAM but you need to know the new CYA first
 
I did a quick PH check. 7.8.
I added some acid but I had to go to work. So I added a gallon of 10% liquid chlorine which I think will raise the chlorine from 0 to about 6ppm.
I'll do all my testing this afternoon and post the results.
I have an uphill battle to fight with this mustard algae. I want it gone for good.
 
Brettkarren said:
I did a quick PH check. 7.8.
I added some acid but I had to go to work. So I added a gallon of 10% liquid chlorine which I think will raise the chlorine from 0 to about 6ppm.
I'll do all my testing this afternoon and post the results.
I have an uphill battle to fight with this mustard algae. I want it gone for good.
Click to expand...

good plan, and great job on getting the partial drain done overnight. We got hit with an abnormally cool evening, so perfect night to get it done.
 

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