Pool store suggested I drain my pool halfway, since shocking shocking shocking wasn't clearing the water. So, after I ceased chlorinating for a week, and greenness prevailed, I drained it halfway today. Any suggestions now that I have scrubbed the green off the sides and am ready to refill? Should I shock the remaining water first? Thanks!
Drained plaster pool half-way, now what?
- Thread starter geopool
- Start date
Welcome to TFP Geopool! Would I be correct if I assumed they told you do a partial drain and fill because your Cya was too high? If so I think you will want to fill first but we are going to need more info before we know for sure what the next step is. Do you have a good test kit? If not you will want to order one asap. My choice for turning a swamp into a beautiful sparkling oasis would be the TF-100 XL. You are going to do a lot of testing during the shock process. It may sound expensive but the money and trouble you will save by not buying all the stuff some pool stores would sell you will more than pay for it. Here is your homework.
Press the pool school button at the top right, first read the part that says Read this before you post. Do what it says and post back the results here. If you dont have a test kit now post your pool store results here if you have them and if not you can let them test and post it here. Don't buy anything they want to sell you unless it is liquid chlorine you can buy some of that if you want to.
You are going to need a lot of either liquid chlorine, like 10-12 % some pool stores sell or plain old 6% bleach. The ultra bleach is ussually 6% and regular 5.25% Great value from Wal mart is a good deal as is Clorox from Sam's or some place like that. I don't know how big your pool is but I would say about 20 jugs of 6% bleach would be a start. Just plain old unscented bleach.
Read pool school! Print out at least these parts:
Defeating algae
How to shock your pool
How to perform the overnight chlorine loss test(OCLT)
Read the part about test kits carefully as there are only a couple that will have what you need.
Read the part about the pool calculator. Go to it and get familiar with it. Poolcalculator.com
This may all sound like a lot but you'll get the hang of it quickly and you will gain the knowledge you need to keep this from ever happening again.
Lastly anything on the bottom that you can scoop out go ahead and do that now as well.
Press the pool school button at the top right, first read the part that says Read this before you post. Do what it says and post back the results here. If you dont have a test kit now post your pool store results here if you have them and if not you can let them test and post it here. Don't buy anything they want to sell you unless it is liquid chlorine you can buy some of that if you want to.
You are going to need a lot of either liquid chlorine, like 10-12 % some pool stores sell or plain old 6% bleach. The ultra bleach is ussually 6% and regular 5.25% Great value from Wal mart is a good deal as is Clorox from Sam's or some place like that. I don't know how big your pool is but I would say about 20 jugs of 6% bleach would be a start. Just plain old unscented bleach.
Read pool school! Print out at least these parts:
Defeating algae
How to shock your pool
How to perform the overnight chlorine loss test(OCLT)
Read the part about test kits carefully as there are only a couple that will have what you need.
Read the part about the pool calculator. Go to it and get familiar with it. Poolcalculator.com
This may all sound like a lot but you'll get the hang of it quickly and you will gain the knowledge you need to keep this from ever happening again.
Lastly anything on the bottom that you can scoop out go ahead and do that now as well.
Yes, you will need to shock your pool if it's green. That is algae. We shock with liquid chlorine like Dandelord said, liquid chlorine is the same thing as bleach.
Do exactly what Dandelord said. Also check out the amazing "green swamp to sparkling" threads from this season. If you follow the information in pool school and refrain from buying anything from your pool store except liquid chlorine we've got your back. Post your questions any time.
You need a FAS-DPD test kit, the best value is the TF100. The XL version is valuable for those who need to shock because you'll be testing a lot. Once your pool is clear, not having to order more reagents to keep it that way is helpful.
Do exactly what Dandelord said. Also check out the amazing "green swamp to sparkling" threads from this season. If you follow the information in pool school and refrain from buying anything from your pool store except liquid chlorine we've got your back. Post your questions any time.
You need a FAS-DPD test kit, the best value is the TF100. The XL version is valuable for those who need to shock because you'll be testing a lot. Once your pool is clear, not having to order more reagents to keep it that way is helpful.
Thanks Dalandlord, they suggested I drain because of huge amount of dissolved solids, due to kreepy krauly experiencing issues, and not clearing white cloudiness. Seems to work for an hour and then filter shows 10 lb pressure rise. Did the backwash/rinse filter/add DE for three weeks and still had the pressure rise. Maybe leak at a joint or valve or gasket. Anyway, currently looking at EBay for cheaper Kreepy Krauly in my 300-400 price range.
Have you purchased your kit yet?
Are you still at 0 chlorine? Have you refilled yet?
The pressure rise might be normal, due to algae that was partly dead. If you never kill the algae all the way, you'll always have partly dead algae clogging your filter. Frequent filter washing is normal during the shocking process, the dead algae has to be filtered out but if you don't maintain shock level it re-grows. Thus you have a constant supply of mostly dead algae and your filter fills up rapidly.
Are you still at 0 chlorine? Have you refilled yet?
The pressure rise might be normal, due to algae that was partly dead. If you never kill the algae all the way, you'll always have partly dead algae clogging your filter. Frequent filter washing is normal during the shocking process, the dead algae has to be filtered out but if you don't maintain shock level it re-grows. Thus you have a constant supply of mostly dead algae and your filter fills up rapidly.
geopool said:
OK, we need some test results to go anywhere. It is OK to refill unless you were planning to drain completely. Where I live that is a risky proposition as the water table is very high. You need to order a test kit. I would fill, test, post the results here and we can get rolling with it. You are going to have to backwash and recharge every time you get a 10lb rise but when you start killing algae it will go longer and longer between backwashing.
I don't think a leak will cause a pressure rise. I think you have so much algae it is just clogging the filter. A few questions for you:
Does the pressure come down when you backwash?
How long does it take to get the 10lb rise in pressure?
Did you order a test kit?
Do you have any test results from the pool store either before or after the drain and fill? if so post it.
Did you read pool school?
We need to know at least what you CYA (aka stabilizer) level is to get started and you need to be able to accurately measure high levels of free chlorine to get threw the shocking process. You need the right kind of test kit for that. My favorite is the TF-100. I would go ahead and spend the $10 extra for the XL option because you will do a lot of FC testing for the shocking process. The speed stir automatic stirrer is also nice to have and makes it easier but it is $30 extra and you can do without it if money is an issue. If you attempt to fix this problem without the correct type of test kit you will no doubt spend more on stuff you don't need, and mostly don't work than the test kit will cost you. Post some test results we can get started. Just know going in it sounds like the pool is a mess and it is going to be a process to get it right. But at the end, you will have a gorgeous, sparkly clean pool and all the knowledge you need to keep it that way.
Hi geopool and welcome to the forum 
You have gotten great information.
I suggest that before you spend any big money you do a couple things so that we can help:
1. Post a full set of test results, and
2. Tell us how you have been chlorinating.
You have gotten great information.
I suggest that before you spend any big money you do a couple things so that we can help:
1. Post a full set of test results, and
2. Tell us how you have been chlorinating.
Thanks for the responses. No, I have not ordered the test kit, but will today. Pressure rise takes about 2-3 hours. I do spray the filter wings with a chlorine solution after spraying down each time too. So, I'll order the test kit, and post some results before I refill the dark green monster. I want to find an affordable Kreepy Krauly first too, so I'll try to order that today as well.
Previously (btw we live in San Diego) I was testing and chlorinating from pool store stock about twice a week. Someone said that Home Depot chlorine might be old having sat on the shelf, and less effective. I like the idea of supermarket shopping though. pH would fall after 2-3 days too, so I added ph up. Really no swimmers using the pool either.
Previously (btw we live in San Diego) I was testing and chlorinating from pool store stock about twice a week. Someone said that Home Depot chlorine might be old having sat on the shelf, and less effective. I like the idea of supermarket shopping though. pH would fall after 2-3 days too, so I added ph up. Really no swimmers using the pool either.
Hey geo, what butterfly meant was, what kind of chlorine were you using? Like 3" trichlor tabs or liquid chlorine or 1" tabs. Anything other than liquid chlorine has other things in it. The most common problem we see is 3" trichlor tabs which contain CyA. The fc burns off but the cya just keeps building up to levels that make it all but impossible to sanitize the pool. So posting exactly what you have been adding to the pool will be helpful.geopool said:
If you have so much algae that the filter pressure rises that fast you do have a job ahead of you. You are going to have to do a lot of backwashing and recharging at first but you will get there.
Is there any reason to run the filter on this pool right now? Till it's filled, and the shocking process begins it'll just fill up over and over. Once the shocking starts, the filtering will then become effective.
I think Geo needs to fill the pool to dilute the CYA and start shocking ASAP. not running the water just sounds like it will get worse.
Geo some water to a pool store to get a CYA reading after you've filled it. The rain we are getting today should help with the fill...ok it's sprinkling really but every drop helps.
Once we know your CYA level we will know what base and shock levels you need for your FC.
Did you order the test kit? Hopefully it arrives soon. Until then you can try to find a store that will do a fas-dpd test but itlf you find one please post where - I couldn't find one when I looked when I ran out of the powder and was waiting for it to arrive.
Follow the instructions in pool school and post here regularly - you'll get you pool cleaned up though it will take some time from the sounds of how bad yours is. Read some of the posts from others who have been where you are now too.
We are here to help
Geo some water to a pool store to get a CYA reading after you've filled it. The rain we are getting today should help with the fill...ok it's sprinkling really but every drop helps.
Once we know your CYA level we will know what base and shock levels you need for your FC.
Did you order the test kit? Hopefully it arrives soon. Until then you can try to find a store that will do a fas-dpd test but itlf you find one please post where - I couldn't find one when I looked when I ran out of the powder and was waiting for it to arrive.
Follow the instructions in pool school and post here regularly - you'll get you pool cleaned up though it will take some time from the sounds of how bad yours is. Read some of the posts from others who have been where you are now too.
We are here to help
I was using HTH 3" tabs in two floaters, and chlorine jugs from a local pool store.
I'll take a water sample in tomorrow and post results.
So filling the pool sounds like the consensus idea? I purchased a funtional Kreepy Krauly today too.
I'll take a water sample in tomorrow and post results.
So filling the pool sounds like the consensus idea? I purchased a funtional Kreepy Krauly today too.
I think you're concentrating too much on the vacuum and not enough on the water quality. Did you order the test kit too?
Bama Rambler said:
I'll second that Dave. You have to kill it before you can get it out of the pool.
The pool store would have to be open 24 hrs a day and next door to the house to do all the testing this is going to take. And the chances are they don't use FAS-DPD testing anyway. It will cast more in gas going to the pool store than a test kit costs.
I killed the algae before and couldn't vacuum it out after brushing due to malfunctioning vac.
So you all are saying fill it, then hit it hard and begin the sampling? Kit hasn't arrived yet.
So you all are saying fill it, then hit it hard and begin the sampling? Kit hasn't arrived yet.
That's what we are saying but we have to know the cya level to know exactly what hitting it hard really is. The FC level depends on the cya. Hopefully the amount of water you drained is enough to have it at a managable level. The first thing you want to do after filling is post a set of test results. If you don't have your kit yet a pool store set will give you an idea but you will have to test so often you might want to wait for the kit to start. I would trust Dave's judgement on that. Did you stock up on bleach yet?
Fill it back up and when you can run the pump add 2ppm of chlorine in it. Do that each evening until the test kit arrives, then post a full set of test results.
and also, the pool store recommended I fill, then first add 15 lbs of cyanuric acid stablizer and run filter for 2 weeks, or else the chlorine added will be lost.
geopool said:
If CA is 300 --- PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't add anymore. Needs to be below 150, preferrably below 100.