Algae not going away, I'm getting worried

[csorton]

Okay I'm on my 3rd day now of the pool being at shock level and the color is still the same shade of green. I'm getting worried that I'm going to have to drain my pool. I have been brushing it often and constantly checking the FC level and keeping it above 15 but no results. Someone told me once that I need to kill the phosphates also. Do I need to do that and keep shocking it or do I just need to be more patient. I thought the color would have lightened by now. Please help.


FC - 20
pH - 7.8 (was 7.4 before I started shocking)
TA - 120
CH - 220
CYA - 30-50

 

[beaumatt]

I was in the same spot you are now a few weeks back. I ended up bumping my FC to closer to 30, but it was about the 3rd or 4th day I noticed a change in the color. You may be right on the verge, so be patient. Within a day or two after I was back to cloudy blue.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

How are you testing the water?

There is a big difference in shock levels for a CYA of 30 and 50. If your CYA is 50 you should be shocking to 24, and that could explain why you aren't seeing progress..

Phosphates are algae food, but they are irrelevant if you maintain proper FC levels.

 

[reebok]

you won't have to drain if you follow the methods outlined in pool-school/
where is that cya reading coming from?

 

[duraleigh]

Someone told me once that I need to kill the phosphates also. Do I need to do that

No. But you do have to keep your FC levels up. That CYA test result is suspect. How are you testing?

 

[csorton]

The CYA tested at about 40 before I started shocking the pool.

 

[duraleigh]

How are you testing?

 

[csorton]

Ok I just tested the CYA and it showed 60 when the black dot dissapeared. But I was told that the algae in the water would cause the reading to be a little high. I have been running the FC at least over 20 anyway. It only dropped to about 15 once and I put it back up. I have a feeling my pump might have a lot to do with it. It's a 12400 gallon pool and it only has a 2500 gph pump filter.

 

[anonapersona]

At CYA 60 on the CYA chart I see 24 for shock level and on the calculator I see 18.

Are you getting good circulation?

 

[csorton]

I've decided to keep my FC at around 30 for a while and see what happens. I cleaned the filter this morning and there was a lot of algae in it. Throughout today it looks like the dark green has changed to a lighter green. Hopefully it is starting to work. As far as the circulation its as good as it gets for the 2500 gph pump that I have. I can't afford to buy the 4000 gph one just yet. It is circulating though because I can see the water moving in a circular motion around the pool.

 

[csorton]

I have another question on how I should be running my pump during all this. I have the skimmer that mounts on the top rail of the pool with a hose on the bottom of the skimmer that attaches to the port about 1/3 the way down the side of th pool wall. If I don't use the skimmer part I can just attach a plastic screen cap to that same port. Which way is best? Do i use the skimmer or will it filter the water better if I just put on the screen cap over the pump inlet port and bypass the skimmer?

 

[Ohm_Boy]

If the algae is becoming lighter, then what you are doing is working. When the algae is dead, it will be more of a gray and not green.

And using the skimmer will be fine, as it also takes in water from the bottom of the skimmer can. You should brush the pool to stir up the dead algae periodically which will help get it to the filter. The Intex filters can clog quickly too, so you'll need to check it often.

 

[anonapersona]

And if you see algae gathered on the floor of the pool perhaps you can vac that away. But don't leave it there, as there could be living algae under the pile where while it is sheltered from chlorine it can start to grow again.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Your CYA is 60. Shock to the appropriate FC level and run the pump 24/7 till it clears. Replace the disposable cartridges every 2-3 days until the water clears.

Once this clears up, make sure you are running the pump at least 12 hours a day and change the filter every 1-2 weeks. Never let the FC drop below the min level for your CYA and you should avoid a repeat.

 

[PaulR]

Ok I just tested the CYA and it showed 60 when the black dot dissapeared. But I was told that the algae in the water would cause the reading to be a little high.

Try this--fill your CYA view tube with straight pool water (no R-0013). Look at the black dot. Does this look cloudy? If it does, the test could be affected. If it's basically clear then the test is unaffected.
--paulr

 

[csorton]

So far so good. The water is pretty cloudy now but it's not green anymore? What does the cloudy water mean? Do I continue at shock level until the cloudiness goes away?

 

[Butterfly]

Green to cloudy means some dead algae

Unless you have the FAS/DPD test kit, shock 'til clear.

See Pool School for How to Shock Your Pool.

 

[anonapersona]

So far so good. The water is pretty cloudy now but it's not green anymore? What does the cloudy water mean? Do I continue at shock level until the cloudiness goes away?

The algae is dead if it is not green, and it has been bleached white but is still floating around the pool. At this point your filter needs time to catch it all. You still need to brush just in case there is live algea hidden somewhere -- it can shelter underneath dead algae and grow safely there.