Cloudy and getting greener- help please?

[TBWB]

Hey guys, we have an in ground pool (approx 25000 gal). Last year we switched from Bacqua to chlorine using the BBB method. This year opening the pool was a breeze and it was sparkling clean for a few months. I have been raving about TFP forums ever since! It was so much better than using the Bacquacil, until now.

We've had a TON of rain here in the past few weeks --to the point the pool fills way above the skimmer line and we have to drain it which I hate doing in the summer!

Since we've gotten all the rain it's gotten cloudier and now we're battling algae.

Here are the readings as of this morning. I believe my husband was confused when he added a bunch of baking soda yesterday which raised our TA way up. Our CH is low and our CYA is a little bit high. The pH is high, too, but I have a hard time telling what color red it is. That pH test is so subjective, I wish there was an easier way to accurately test it.

So, help? Where should we go from here? The algae is getting worse.

Here are the levels this morning:
fc 7

ph 7.8 or maybe a little higher

ta 290!!!

cya 90

ch 100


Here is our pool this morning and also a screenshot of our pool readings from the calculator.

 

[woodyp]

Only you can decide if you want to lower your CYA by replacing water to make shocking process easier. In either case, lower the old PH to 7.2 and begin the shocking process in pool school.

 

[JasonLion]

You definitely didn't want to raise TA like that. For now, lower the PH down to 7.2 right away and then deal with the high TA after the pool is clear and things are stable again.

Your main problem is that your CYA level is too high. I recommend replacing water until CYA is down at least to 60, and then shocking the pool. Shocking properly with CYA around 90 is going to be very very difficult.

 

[TBWB]

Thanks for the advice guys. We've added muriatic acid to start getting the pH down and we have pointed all the nozzles up so they are breaking the surface. We've got a pressure washer spraying water into the pool to act as a "fountain" and help create some aeration. I also had this thing that makes bubbles in a bathtub so husband is trying to hang that off the ladder as I type this. :lol:

So after pH is down to 7.2 we should drain it halfway and refill? Or vice versa?

It makes more sense to me to drain it first, then get the levels on the NEW water to the correct pH/ other levels? Otherwise all these chemicals we're adding are going to wash out over our driveway? Not to mention that we are adding water with the pressure washer right now that will just get drained out later.

 

[dattia]

You do not want to aerate the pool right now if you are trying to lower the pH, I believe that aeration raises pH.