pool is "Shrek green"

[jberrymd]

We have been out of town for a week and the house sitter just sent me a pic of the pool and it is Shrek green. It is disgusting!

We have a service that comes weekly and checks the water and add chemicals. I do the cleaning myself. I spoke with the technician before we left town and told him I was having trouble and he said he would get it under control.

Our pool s 20x40 and started out Salt but after the cell went bad, we have just been doing Chlorine. He shocks it and adds algaecide and I am diligent about brushing the walls almost daily.

We Have had issues with CYA and last year drained half of the pool and refilled to bring that live down. I do not know what the level is at this point. Could that be the issue again or do I just need another service to maintain the chemicals?

Thanks

 

[mknauss]

If you have been a member of the forum for two years you know the drill - test results.

TFP bases the pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. To do that you need your own accurate test kit. Order a TF100 test kit. The other test kit that can provide the tests needed is the Taylor K2006C. Be aware of the C - it is a size. The small K2006 has too few reagents that you will need the most of.

I suggest you go through Trouble Free Pool School. If you provide us some more information (please complete a signature - see Pool School - Read This BEFORE You Post) we can provide you some interim guidance until you get your test kit.

 

[jberrymd]

Will do...I guess I just get on when I have issues and ask questions without providing the proper info. I will look for a kit.

 

[Richard320]

I'll bet that the pool service guy has fed your pool too much CYA. Again. Hopefully he didn't use copper sulfate based algaecide.

As long as you're online, go ahead and order refills for the FAS-DPD test and maybe the CYA test so they'll be there when you get home. If it's just lime green and doesn't have mounds of waterlogged compost on the floor, it shouldn't take but a couple days to clear up with a SLAM Process.

 

[jberrymd]

I have just read the ABC's and the SLAM pages and have asked the service to send me the data for the water. Haven't heard back yet, but I did mention NO DICHLOR to shock. He typically uses a granule of some sort so I assume that is the dichlor and that my CYA level is likely too high again. Are the tabs cheaper or just easier than adding liquid chlorine when needed?
I suspect when I get the new kit, I will likely send him on his way and try it myself for a while. I may not know what I'm doing but at least I will see it daily as opposed to weekly and can address things before they get too out of control.

Thanks for all the help and encouragement.

 

[mknauss]

Tabs are Trichlor -- they add CYA too.

The only two means of adding chlorine that do not add undesirable items is Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach/liquid chlorine) or a Saltwater Chlorine Generator.

 

[jberrymd]

Still out of town, but our pool guy called and said the impeller on the pump was broken and the water had not been circulating. Hopefully that was the issue all along and he can get the green out with a proper SLAM. In the meantime I will learn how to use my new kit.

 

[jberrymd]

As an update, got home and pool guy had fixed the pump impeller. Water was circulating and could see major improvement. Keep the pump on for several days and with two more shocks we had a crystal clear pool two days later. I did have to drain and refill the spa as polaris can't clean the debris out of it but that was quick. I also replaced the nasty, algae filled filters so hopefully got as much of the nasty stuff out of the system.