Skimmer odor

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brasilmom

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2011
187
Brookfield, WI
Greetings,

I am new to this forum and have lived in a house with a pool for the last 4 years.

Recently, since we open the pool for the season, I have noticed a strange odor from the skimmers and also from the pump basket. It is a fishy/lake water smells. I use test strips to check chlorine levels and it is in good condition. I added chlorine and the next day the smell is still there. The pool has a chlorinator (Nature2 Zodiac Pro G Plus) and it is filled with tablets that I purchased this year. I also take a sample from time to time to a local pool supply store. I last shocked the pool on the week of the 4th of July and then another smaller shock on the 15th. The pool holds about 26,000 gallons of water is a lazy L shape and it is vinyl. On the shock around the 4th of July I used 10 gallons as there was some residual that I need to burn off and then more to balance the water. On the 14th I used 2 gallons. Then I add around 2 lbs of powder chlorine once a week. The smell on the pump basket seems to never go away. Any ideas?

Thanks. Be well

Miriam
 
Welcome to the forum :lol:

That's a little tough to figure out but your chlorine usage seems a little on the high side. Can you post test results that include CYA and CC's? If you've read much here by now, you already know that no one here is a fan of test strips....they are simply unreliable.
 
The most common reason for the lake/pond smell is algae. We need to know everything that's been added to the pool lately.
Without knowing whether you're using Dichlor, Trichlor or Cal-hypo and what the chlorinator is set on we really don't know how much FC you're adding, but it does sound like you're using a good amount.

The first thing you will need if you want to take control of your pool is a good test kit. Strips have proven, time and time again, to be very unreliable.
Take a sample to the pool store and have them test it. While, not accurate, will give us an idea of what the levels might be.
pH
FC
CC
TA
CH
CYA
 
Thank you for the reply. I do not have the test results as requested, however I will make sure to take a sample and also order a kit. Now, the kit. How long does it last? Can it be used from year to year? We live in WI so our pool has a short season, so I imagine I may not use the entire kit in one season.

As for the other information requested, I will say that I have not added algae product in the last few weeks. Last I added was early July, about the same time as I shocked the pool. The chlorine I use is made by BioGuard, which I fear is not worth the price. The tablet in my chlorinator is also made by them. The chlorinator is set on high. The chlorine I use is a sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione.

The water was tested on 7/3/2011 and the results were as follow:
pH 8.3
FC 0
CC (not sure what this is)
TA 107
CH 0.6 (I am guessing this is the total chlorine)
CYA 68

With that results, the following action was taken: I added 16 lbs of balance pak for the alkalinity; 8.5lbs of Lo 'N Slo for the pH; and and 10 gallons of liquid chlorine. After that I kept up with the 2 - 4 lbs of powder chlorine a week. Added another 2 gallons of liquid chlorine on the 14th.

Once I get new results from the pool store I will post. Hope this is somewhat helpful.

Thanks. Be well

Miriam
 
brasilmom said:
Thank you for the reply. I do not have the test results as requested, however I will make sure to take a sample and also order a kit. Now, the kit. How long does it last? Can it be used from year to year? We live in WI so our pool has a short season, so I imagine I may not use the entire kit in one season.
Stored properly, one of the recommended test kits should last 2+ years.
The fav around here is the TF100 from http://www.TFTestKits.net . If an order is placed before 2PM, I think it ships the same day. Excellent service. A good test kit is the best investment we made in our pool. Period.

Once I get new results from the pool store I will post. Hope this is somewhat helpful.
Good, we are waiting :)

Welcome to the forum :wave:

Thanks. Be well

Miriam
Click to expand...
 
You must test more frequently. Results from even 3 days ago are somewhat invalid. Anything older than that is not worth much at all. Testing your own water with a good quality drops based test kit will allow you to manage your pool effectively and start using less expensive additions that you have been getting from the pool store.

Posting up the current results (be sure the include CYA and CC's) will be a big help.
 
Ok, just got back from the store and here are the results:

pH: 7.9
FC: 4.1
CC: 4.1
TA: 207 (Total alkalinity, right?)
CH: 276
CYA: 95

I mentioned the odor and the clerk happily offered me yet another chemical. I passed as I am hoping to get some help from the forum and also be better educated on the care.

Thanks for the help. If there is more information on quality of the chemicals and brands I would appreciate if you can offer me a link or some directions as to where to find such info. Be well
Miriam
 
I mentioned the odor and the clerk happily offered me yet another chemical.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's typical. Probably not his fault as it was all he was ever taught.

While I would still question the results of a pool store test, the looming issue you have is your CYA is too high. It's job is to "buffer" the chlorine but you have so much in their the chlorine has, in effect, been rendered ineffective and allowing algae and bacteria to grow.I would certainly suggest you get your own test kit and confirm that CYA test with one that you do yourself.....no one will be more accurate than you ''cause it your pool.

Once it is determined that your CYA is really that high (and it probably will be based on what you put in in the past) then you have two options.

A partial fix is to limp along with CYA around 100 but you will have to bring your FC levels up extraordinarily high....7-12ppm just for every day use and 40ppm to shock (Yes, you will need to shock the pool)

A permanent fix is to drain and refill half of your pool and get your CYA down to around 50ppm and then your chlorine becomes much more manageable.

Either of those choices will work but don't underestimate the hassle it will be to hold your FC up that high if your keep your 100 CYA in the pool. In any case, I haven't lost sight of the fact that we are trying to eliminate the odor, the Shock process will do it once you decide on the choices above.
 
Well, the pH is high, and you should lower it to the mid 7's. But, I suggest you consider doing a partial drain/refill to lower your CYA to a more managable number.

The best bleach, imho, is Clorox. :goodjob: Plain, regular, unscented bleach.
The walmart brand, Great Value is my second fav.

We recommend muriatic acid to lower pH and Lowes, HomeDepot, hardware stores, pool stores, carry it. There are different % strengths, so that needs to be taken into consideration for price and dosing the pool.

Bleach and muriatic acid are the two most often added chems. CYA/cyanuric acid/stabilizer/conditioner (you don't need any, you are trying to get rid of some :shock: ) can be purchased at the same places as the muriatic acid. Walmart CYA gets good reports.

What is the pH, TA & CH of your fill water?

So, what do you think about doing the water dance with some drain/refill to get that CYA lowered?

sorry some repeat info....Dave posted first :p
 
Just piling on with the others :mrgreen: Ok, not really.

The problem with the Pool Store numbers is that they are notoriously wrong and they get the CYA more wrong than anything else. You may well have a lot more than 100 ppm CYA.

If you really want to take control of your pool and never have any of those august outbeaks, and have the sparkliest pool water you've ever seen, We're glad to help if you'll do your part. If you follow our teaching, you'll be surprised how easy it is to maintain your pool once you get past this currentg outbreak.
 

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Thank you much for all the replies and info. I will order a test kit and get the numbers verified. Now, on the suggestion of lowering the level of water and then filling it back up, I have another question. Is it harmful to the pool/equipment to have the CYA high as it is now? The reason is that our season is rather short and the water takes forever to warm up. Thanks to the long lasting heat wave we got last week, the pool now sits at a very comfortable 85F temperature. I know that if I lower the water level and fill it up again, it will most likely not reach that temperature again. At the end of the season (November) we close the pool and the water level is lowered anyway. Can I wait until next year to work on the CYA? I can work on it this year by following the other suggested method.
In spring when we open the pool back up, the level of the water is much higher due to snow fall and thaw, early spring rains, etc. Is that water also something I should get rid of?
Thanks and pardon for being so ignorant. Be well
Miriam
 
Yeah, actually, the reason I suggested the two options was because it is in the latter half of the season. Your pool water temp is yet another reason to keep it where it is.
With that new information, I would simply verify that your CYA really is near 100 and then deal with it the rest of the season. A test kit (either the TF-100 or Taylor K-2006) becomes mandatory now because no other test kits will test chlorine up in the ranges where you need to be.

You will not regret it's purchase anyway but I would consider it essential to maintain your pool now. Wrap your mind around the FC levels you will need.....40ppm to shock and then a daily maintenance level of the FC between 7 and 12ppm.

Almost forgot, high CYA will not harm any of your equipment
 
If you want to try to go with the 100ishCYA, we'll do our best to help.

It will help if you add your pool and equipment specs to your sig.
Go to User Control Panel (top left under TFP logo), select Profile, then Edit Sig.

I suggest you find a source for liquid chlorine as that will be less jugs to haul. :wink:
 
Can I leave the tablets there or shall I remove the one in the chlorinator?

Why liquid should always be used? What is the benefits of one over the other?

Any suggestions on a source for liquid chlorine? Sounds like I will need to add a whole lot on a daily basis....

Thanks again. Be well

Miriam
 
Take the tablets out and don't use any more the rest of the season. As Butterfly said...
The tablets are adding to the CYA problem
Click to expand...

every 10ppm of FC that comes from the tablets adds 6ppm CYA. The FC gets consumed, the CYA continues to accumulate.

Pool School contains a lot of this information and really needs to be read more than once to absorb it.
 
brasilmom said:
Can I leave the tablets there or shall I remove the one in the chlorinator?
The tablets should be removed. CYA at 100ish is hard enough to handle without adding more :wink:

Why liquid should always be used? What is the benefits of one over the other?
Liquid chlorine does not have unwanted side effects like adding stabilizer to an already overstabilized pool.
Any suggestions on a source for liquid chlorine? Sounds like I will need to add a whole lot on a daily basis.... You can call around to the pool stores. Maybe one would give you a discount based on volume purchase. Others will be along for ideas on other locations to purchase the liquid chlorine. It would help if you add your city/state to your profile :)

Thanks again. Be well

Miriam
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The tablets will be removed immediately. So, since they were used for a period of time, is this something one can dry them out and keep or it is trash?

As for the liquid x powder chlorine. Foe next season as the pool gets in a proper balance, then what is the best route? Continue to use liquid and add stabilizer? Switch back to powder? Will the tablets suffice in feeding stabilizer?

I am in Brookfield, WI (53045). Just west of Milwaukee.

Thanks for all the education and help. I will be visiting the pool school and reading all I can.

Be well

Miriam
 
As for the liquid x powder chlorine. Foe next season as the pool gets in a proper balance, then what is the best route? Continue to use liquid and add stabilizer? Switch back to powder? Will the tablets suffice in feeding stabilizer?
Click to expand...

Using bleach/liquid chlorine and adding stabilizer separately is the best and what we teach on TFP.
It is simple and easy and you just get things balanced and keep them there.

So, the best route is to use an unstabilized source of chlorine because it has no unwanted side effects!
You can do this by being a 'jug dumper' (adding bottled bleach/liquid chlorine usually daily) or use an auto feeder like the Liquidator or SWG (salt water chlorine generator).

You will need to wait and see what your test results are for next spring to see what your options are.
Sometimes CYA disappears during the winter, however usually it is still there.
Once you get the pool opened in the spring and test the water, we can go from there.

You can save the tabs for vacations :wink:
 

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