I have an above ground 18 ft. wide and 52in. deep. We have a salt water pump along with the regular pump that came with the pool. I tested the water yesterday evening and everything checked out ok except for the PH level was way too high. This morning got up and the pool was green. What is the best way to get rid of the algae in the in the pool and get the PH level down?
Green Pool
- Thread starter Thickey
- Start date
You need to shock your pool. We are advocates of using liquid chlorine (bleach) for this process. There is a "How to" article on shocking in Pool School (button located top right of your screen). During the process, it is critical that you have a good test kit. You said that you have tested the water, what kind of test are you using now?
I'm using the test strips that came with the pool, that test the FC, pH, and TA. I was going to go by the pool store here shortly and get a better test kit.
Most of the pool stores around me do not carry a test kit that is adequate for the shocking process recommended here. Shocking requires adding bleach to reach levels far beyond what most of the ordinary test kits can measure, so I would recommend getting a kit with the FAS/DPD to measure FC. There is one available through this site and there is another made by Taylor. Having a good test kit will put you in control of your pool, and once you get past the shocking phase... maintenance is usually a breeze with the methods described here. I was 'pool stored' for one season and never had any idea what was really going on with my pool. Since I came to TFP, I have never looked back.
No, you will have to lower your pH with Muriatic Acid, or you can buy a pool product called pH Down or pH minus. That's what I have always done as handling muriatic acid scares me a bit, but the pool product is probably just the same thing with a different name. 
Information on this is also found in Pool School in the article ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
Information on this is also found in Pool School in the article ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
Hi Thickey and welcome to the forum 
Shocking the pool will NOT lower your pH. Use muriatic acid to lower your pH.
Lower the pH to about 7.4ish before you start the shock process.
You should start reading Pool School ASAP and getting a idea of what is needed.
The test kits we recommend are listed/compared in Pool School. The fav around here is the TF100 from http://www.TFTestKits.Net
Shocking the pool will NOT lower your pH. Use muriatic acid to lower your pH.
Lower the pH to about 7.4ish before you start the shock process.
You should start reading Pool School ASAP and getting a idea of what is needed.
The test kits we recommend are listed/compared in Pool School. The fav around here is the TF100 from http://www.TFTestKits.Net
I received my TF 100 kit today and tested the pool.
FC 8
CC .5
TA 180
CH 190
CYA 30
The pool still has a green tint to it. What is the best way to get TA down.
FC 8
CC .5
TA 180
CH 190
CYA 30
The pool still has a green tint to it. What is the best way to get TA down.
The simplest thing to do about TA is to lower the PH to 7.2 every time it gets to 7.8. If the PH goes up annoyingly quickly, follow the directions on lowering TA in pool school.
Is the water a clear sparkly green? Or more of a dull slightly hazy green?
Is the water a clear sparkly green? Or more of a dull slightly hazy green?
Since you have recieved your test kit have you lowered your ph? If not go ahead and lower it to about 7.2. Then test your chlorine. After you get a chlorine reading use the pool calculater to add enough chlorine to get it to your recommended shock level, which I believe is around 12 or 13. Wait an hour and test again, bring the chlorine back up to shock level every hour or so if you can. Read the section of pool school on how to shock you pool, very informative.
Yep, sounds like algae.
Here's the link to how to shock your pool:
pool-school/shocking_your_pool
You are done shocking when you meet three criteria.
See red lines in my sig.
Congrats on your new TF100. You can now take control of your pool!
Here's the link to how to shock your pool:
pool-school/shocking_your_pool
You are done shocking when you meet three criteria.
See red lines in my sig.
Congrats on your new TF100. You can now take control of your pool!
