Need to close but have major algae. Clear it up first?

[NicInNC]

So, we've neglected our pool since it's gotten cooler. Our winter cover had to be tossed because quite frankly, it was a piece of junk. So, we're ordering a new cover and need to close. My once beautiful pool water is now looking like pea soup. I thought about keeping it green through halloween, dressing up like a witch, tossing a bunch of dry ice into it and pretending it was my giant cauldron. :lol:

I put 15...yes 15 jugs of bleach in it 2 days ago and it didn't do squat. My CYA is 70 (too high for my liking...I try to keep it below 50) and I'm showing no CC or FC. I didn't bother testing the PH and all since we're going to close it.

Do I even bother clearing up the pool before closing or just wait until next season and clear it up during opening? I'm mad that 15 jugs didn't do anything. The algae is REALLY bad though. I've scrubbed, vacuumed, backwashed....continuously. I don't want to spend the money on bleach if it would be better to just cover it green and wait until late spring.

 

[benavidescj]

Well, the algae should not be a problem. But if you let the other chemicals go and your Calcite index is higher that .6 you could be damaging the liner, I think. Some of the experts should be around soon to confirm this.

This is just me, but I would not want to close with a swamp. I am anal about my pool and just would not like it.

 

[benavidescj]

By the way, the 15 jugs of bleach you put in the pool. I did some calculations and I don't think that you even got to shock level for your size pool and the amount of CYA you had, assuming you are using 96 oz jugs. Even I you did get up to shock level, the amount of algae you say you have would have easily eaten up what you put in and laughed at you. Shocking is a process that requires vigilance. You have to get to the shock level for your pool size and CYA then maintain that FC level over time. You can't just add some bleach and walk away, it won't get rid of it.

 

[chem geek]

If this 27' above-ground round pool is 4' deep (48"), then that's around 17,000 gallons. 15 jugs (96 ounces each) of 6% bleach would raise the FC by around 40 ppm. Was the bleach an off-brand regular which might have been weaker (possibly < 3%)? Usually only off-brand Ultra or Clorox Regular are 6%.

If you aren't going to be maintaining the chlorine level in the pool and want to prevent algae growth in the future, then you can use other products at extra cost as insurance. Using 50 ppm Borates would likely take the edge off of such growth as would weekly PolyQuat 60 algicide or even (gulp) a phosphate remover or copper algicide though those the latter two have their own problems/issues. It's much easier to prevent algae than to fight an existing bloom.

 

[NicInNC]

The bleach was the Ultra from Aldi's.

I'm going to buy more bleach and spend the weekend treating it the way I should.