Ooops. Got an algae bloom.

[apwelb]

We have had very hot weather and last week we had a huge downpour which literally took my pool from ideal water level to about 2" above the skimmer box.

I was testing and maintaining b/t 5-7 ppm. Underneath the return jet for the main drain I noticed kind of a light green streak which I thought looked like a stain and being a newb, did nothing about it. Just tested and maintained.

On Friday I thought I had kind of a green tint in the deep end but wife and kids were out of town and I have colorblindness so I tested Cl, was at about 3ppm (40 CYA) so I bumped it up to 7. I should also mention I added water to the pool on this day because it had evaporated to the point I needed to.

I covered it Friday night and was very busy all day Saturday and did not test or even look at it.

Took the cover off today and had green on the liner in several places. I brushed it heavily which dispersed the algae and when I tested it I was at 3 ppm. I brought it up to approximately 20ppm, which is high relative to the prescribed shock level (13) but it was warm and sunny so I figured I would hit it hard and see what happened.

It has now been about 5 hours and I am at 16ppm with no CC but the deep end is still green with the suspended algae. We ran the vacuum and have brushed the halibut out of it.

So, basically I am still at shock levels and the pool is full shade. Will be dark in about 3 hours.

What should I do, folks? Am I good where I am at and let it go overnight or should I do something?

I figure it's now just a function of letting the filter do it's work overnight and test again first thing.

Please give me your thoughts and I will follow-up with any additional questions.

 

[apwelb]

Also, pH is 7.8. Just tested it. I know this is on the high side. Should I adjust or let it ride at this point?

 

[dmanb2b]

Ignore the PH of 7.8 as FC levels over 10ppm tend to make the PH test read falsely high. Keep shocking and run the filter 24x7

Also, is it a clear green or cloudy?

 

[diverman57]

 

[diverman57]

And the water is clear.

 

[apwelb]

go back to pool school and read how to shock your pool. it is not a one shot deal.
you must raise fc to shock level and keep it there until you pass overnight fc loss
test, there is no cc and pool is crystal clear. there is no short cuts and no magic bullets.

That's why I posted, guys. I have read the shock article and used it to clear my swamp. I'm not trying to sound chippy but I'm not some 10 year old who needs to be scolded.

The reason for my question is I am currently above shock levels (per CYA) after first pass so should I let it ride for now until it dips below shock level and repeat the process until I have met the criteria of should I hit it again before I go to bed.

In other words, if I go to bed and it's still above shock level, am I ok until morning?

In otherwords, should I hold tight at this point because I am above the shock level?

 

[apwelb]

Ignore the PH of 7.8 as FC levels over 10ppm tend to make the PH test read falsely high. Keep shocking and run the filter 24x7

Also, is it a clear green or cloudy?

It's kind of a clear green. I can see the bottom drain but it has a green tint which is in the deep end only. (I am running the skimmers at half cock to emphasize drawing water from the body of the pool).

The shallow end is crystal clear.

 

[Butterfly]

In other words, if I go to bed and it's still above shock level, am I ok until morning?

Yes, you are good til morning

 

[apwelb]

I guess I already knew the answer, but being new to this wanted to make sure.

Am I better off with the solar cover off or on? I can argue it both ways so would like some input, please.

 

[Richard320]

I guess I already knew the answer, but being new to this wanted to make sure.

Am I better off with the solar cover off or on? I can argue it both ways so would like some input, please.

I'd put it on. It has algae on it, so if you don't clean it now, the next time you put it on, you'll re-introduce algae spores (Is that the word I want?) into the pool again. Might as well toss any pool toys in overnight, too.

 

[Bama Rambler]

I agree with Richard, it should be put on at least a couple of hours while at shock level.

 

[apwelb]

OK. Man this is frustrating. I just need to learn from it. Obviously my Cl levels dipped allowing this to happen so I need to retest CYA, make sure it's where I think it is and just be more diligent.

Woke up this morning and Cl is at 14. It's gonna be another hot, sunny day so I am running the vacuum after brushing (there were some yellow streaks on the liner that I brushed off) but the pool is looking better.

My thoughts are that I should bring it up to about 16ppm after vacuuming so I have a buffer that will allow it to stay at shock levels longer while I am working.

Question. I have been noticing a powdery substance settling in mostly in the shallow end, liner grooves and the grooves that run down to the deep end on the sides of the pool the last couple of weeks. It is a brownish color and I was thinking it was pass through from the sand filter but now that I have had this occur I am wondering if it wasn't algae. The water would be crystal clear but I would have these deposits. When I swam down and brushed them with my hand they dispersed very readily. Almost too fine to be sand although I assume there is some breaking down of the individual sand particles which would resemble dust.

What do you guys think? Is it possible this was algae? What would be a point of determination?

Thanks for all the help. I was very frustrated last night as we were planning on entertaining and instead I had a green pool....grr.

 

[Bama Rambler]

The point of determination would be if they're still there and you can pass the OCLT. That would say that they're not organic.

I think it's a good idea to raise your FC a little high.

 

[apwelb]

The point of determination would be if they're still there and you can pass the OCLT. That would say that they're not organic.

I think it's a good idea to raise your FC a little high.

Thanks, Bama. You're very helpful and I appreciate it.

I need to pay more attention to the OCLT, I think. I passed it after swamp conversion but it sounds like if I think things are getting off, it is a good way to determine Cl consumption.

If I fail OCLT at any point, is this an automatic shock? I assume so, but have paid so much attn to FC and pH and given the heat and sun load lately I expected loss so I have not even tought about that.

Is it appropriate to assess that periodically, or only when I think something might be amiss?

 

[Bama Rambler]

If you fail the OCLT, then yes, you need to shock.

I recommend it when something appears off. It won't hurt to do it once in a while, but it's not needed unless you suspect something.

To me it's relatively easy to do and it rules out anything as organic.

 

[linen]

Hey fellow Minnesotian (Lino Lakes here).

I check my OCLT once a week...gives me peace of mind. If I see something about the water that I do not like (hard to put in words), I immediately do a OCLT that night. I am still learning my pool and I tend to be a water control freak (I think a bunch of us on the forum are). I also like data!

 

[apwelb]

Hey fellow Minnesotian (Lino Lakes here).

I check my OCLT once a week...gives me peace of mind. If I see something about the water that I do not like (hard to put in words), I immediately do a OCLT that night. I am still learning my pool and I tend to be a water control freak (I think a bunch of us on the forum are). I also like data!

Hey. Ya, I agree. Probably should have done this when I thought the color was off.

Oh well. Part of the learning curve I guess.

It actually looks much better right now. I just brushed the whole thing which dispersed some more and bumped it up another 3ppm so hopefully it will stay at shock level until this evening and I can do it again.

I have to head out of town because my dad is in the hospital and it's not looking good so the wife will have to pick up the reigns...

 

[linen]

I have to head out of town because my dad is in the hospital and it's not looking good so the wife will have to pick up the reigns...

Sorry to hear that..hope all goes well with your father! Just send your wife here (maybe even have her use this thread) if she has trouble, and we will help.

 

[apwelb]

Thanks, man. Appreciate the kind words and help with the hole in the ground I throw money in...