Dead Algae that won't go away!

[amboyle7]

I'm following the Pool School Instructions and will continue to keep it at shock levels until I lose less than 1 ppm overnight (which right now is hard to tell because the test kit won't arrive until tomorrow). Which is why I wanted to know if it was swimmable. My kids are ready to shoot me for doing this during a heat wave, especially with the weekend coming up!

I so wish I knew this site existed eons ago. I could have done it the right way from the beginning!

Better late than never, I suppose...

 

[Txmat]

All of us understand the kids and your frustrations. While waiting on your test kit put the kids (if their old enough) to work brushing the pool every 30-60 min. You want to keep the chlorine that is in the pool distributed and the particles floating so they can be pulled into the filter. I don't know what kind of filter you have, but just be sure you backwash or clean when the filter gets too dirty. With a sand filter a little dirt helps trap small particles - too much and it doesn't trap efficiently. If you can vacuum to waste that will help get the algae off the floor of the pool.

When you get your kit tomorrow follow the instructions do all the tests and then post the results here and you will receive further advice. Pictures of the pool water are also helpful in getting the correct advice.

The good news is you are well on your way to success and if you follow the advice on this site your kids will not have to wait for the pool in the future. Once you grasp the concepts and the interactions it is not difficult to maintain a sparkly clear pool, but it does take consistent attention.

 

[supertune]

amboyle7,
I was in the same situation last year with never having the pool right.
This year I found this site in April searching for the words of pool chemistry.
Ordered a TF-100 XL kit and posted my first test results and I got a overwhelming response of help!
I was a little slow learning, but as soon as I quit mixing pool store results with my TF-100 results and just relied on my results the pool did exactly what it was suppose to do and now it behaves perfectly! Now that I understand my water, pool care is very simple.

Here's some pics to help you see what will happen doing this the TFP way!

Chuck

 

[amboyle7]

Looks absolutely beautiful and quite refreshing!

I'm still waiting for my test kit--was supposed arrive today, but it didn't. Hopefully, if I keep doing what I learned in Pool School, my water will look as perfect as yours before we have to close the pool for the season!

Thanks for posting the pics!

 

[amboyle7]

Yay! Got my test kit today!

I had fun playing with all the little bottles of chemicals--like a chemistry set for grown-ups!

Here are my results:

FC 4.5
CC .5
TC 5.0
pH Hmmm...there was no test for this, so I just used the "basic" kit they gave me. It looked like about 7.8 to my eyes.
T/A 100
CH 120
CYA 20-ish

I'm going to try and post pictures of my water, if I can figure out how. The water, though is very clear--the clearest I've seen it, ever.

I still have a dusting of brown particles on the bottom, which might be dirt or dead algae.

 

[amboyle7]

Okay, I'm trying to post these pictures. Let's see how they come out.

 

[Sportsman]

looks great. keep going until you pass the three conditions of shock but I'd say you're almost there.

 

[duraleigh]

Looks pretty darn good! You've come a long way. I would suggest you bring your CYA up to 40ppm and keep your chlorine just a little high (about 8-10ppm) for the next couple of days.

I think your pool will continue to get even clearer if you do that and vacuum. The brown dirt you refer to is almost surely dead algae

 

[Txmat]

It is like playing chemist. Here is what I think about your numbers. With the cya that low you may find your loosing a lot of chlorine to the sun. Read pool school on how to add stabilizer to bring the level to 40-50. With your TA that high you will find your PH rising, so lower the TA to 70-80.

 

[amboyle7]

Thanks guys! I'll take your suggestions and keep working at it.

My husband has a question: Should the filter be kept on 24/7 or is it all right to give it a rest and if so, is it better to turn it off at night or during the day?

Also, we are planning a vacation in August. We have no one to maintain the pool on a daily basis. It would be a shame to have all our hard work undone. What is the best way to avoid coming home to a green swamp?

Thanks again, I really appreciate all your help!

 

[Butterfly]

Looking good!

You should do the OCLT tonight, directions in Pool School.
If you pass, you should increase your CYA as mentioned.

Don't worry about your TA. Each time your pH reaches 7.8, lower it back to 7.2.
Over time, your TA will come down.

Do you need more info on the pH test? It can be difficult for some of us to read.
Knowing what colors correspond w/the pH scale can be helpful, so here ya go, hope this helps:
above 8.2 purple
8.0-8.2 purplish red
7.8 pinkish red with a hint of purple
7.6 red
7.4-7.5 red with an orange cast
7.2 orange
7.0 yellow orange
6.8 and below yellow

 

[Butterfly]

Thanks guys! I'll take your suggestions and keep working at it.

My husband has a question: Should the filter be kept on 24/7 or is it all right to give it a rest and if so, is it better to turn it off at night or during the day?
Best to run 24/7 while shocking.

Also, we are planning a vacation in August. We have no one to maintain the pool on a daily basis. It would be a shame to have all our hard work undone. What is the best way to avoid coming home to a green swamp?Use the google search, bottom left on page for "vacation" and you'll get lots of ideas. It can be done, but is much easier if you have someone to check the pool while you are gone. How long will you be gone?

Thanks again, I really appreciate all your help!

 

[amboyle7]

We'll be gone for 10 days. Last year, I think the Creature from the Black Lagoon took up residence in our pool while we were gone.

Yeah, the pH thing is a little bit of a challenge. My husband and I never see quite the same color

Now, speaking of the pool...I think I'll go take a closer, wetter, look at that water...

Thanks again--you guys are awesome!

 

[Txmat]

One other thought on vacation is to bring the CL to shock level before you leave which will give you several days before it gets too low. Also, since you now know how to bring the pool back if it goes a little green it will not take you long to get it back.

 

[supertune]

I wouldn't stop the pump until your all done with the shocking process.
I run mine just in the day now that the pool is balanced.
I would let the pool balance out a day or two, then add your chlorine 30 mins before shutting the pump off in the evening.
Last one out of the house in the am, we turn it back on.

My ph was always rising up over a course of a week or ten days. Used muriatic acid to lower to 7.2 every time it got to 7.8, as I did this my TA came down to 80 and now the ph stays right on 7.5 all the time! Not even when the kids splash and turn up the return to make a waterfall.

Chuck

 

[amboyle7]

Well I did the OCLT test last night.

At 11:30 p.m. (last chemical added at 7:30 p.m.) FC was 8.0 and CC was .5

This morning at 9:00 a.m. (sorry, Sunday is my day to sleep in), FC was 7.5 and CC was ZERO (water didn't turn pink with the reagent).

Me thinks we finally got it!

Thanks again for all your great advice! I'm glad I finally listened!