Florescent Green Pool

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dpool

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Sep 20, 2007
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My pool is currently a lovely FLORESCENT GREEN. It was great for St. Patrick's Day! Not so hot now.

I've been dumping bleach (10%) for the last two days and I'm wondering what will be a sign that I'm finally going in the right direction. I did read in an above sticky that DEAD ALGAE is gray or white and LIVING is green. So - I've been dumping bleach (10%) in my pool for the last two days and it's still bright green. Is the change in color truly going to be the signal that I've won the battle against the ALGAE PARTY happening in my pool?

Some Numbers

5000 AG Splasher Poolm- 1 hp pump and a C900 Hawyard Cartridge filter (new), pressure is at start level.

CL - my tester doesn't read that high - but it turned BRIGHT ORANGE - so I'm thinking it's high. Top of water was fairly clear this morning so I figure even the bugs stayed away. However, for as high as the level is and the color of the pool I can't really 'smell' any significant clorine smell. That's what I expected with the amount of bleach I've added. Is this true of just CL or is that the burning off of the stuff people leave behind???

CYA - 100 to 120 unsure of reading because water was green before I tested but CYA was higher than expected. Could be the pucks added in winter rather than BBB plan I use in summer.

ALK - about 70

PH - 7.8 or a bit higher - however I tested AFTER I dumped bleach in and seem to remember that can alter PH readings.

So, if in another hour the pool is still bright green ...do I add more bleach? I've got three more GALLON JUGS ready to go. I'm just glad this has happened NOW because it's too cold here and there's no desire to 'jump in' before the CL level calms down.

I just put a new HAYWARD C900 Cartridge filter on the system thinking my old worn out filter was part of the algae problem - I did need a new filter because it had other problems but I just read that the filter doesn't kill the algae only the chemicals will and the filter just get's rid of the dead stuff.

dp
 
If there is debris in the bottom, get as much out as you can. It will use up your chlorine.

Don't just keep dumping in the bleach... you need to know what is going on with your water!!

Dilute your test water sample with bottled or distilled water (3 parts distilled water to 1 part pool water) and use this for your test. Multiply your result by 4. Now your test kit can read values 4 times higher. You lose accuracy with this method, but it gives you a better indicator than "bright orange"!!

You can now use Jason's calculator to help you add the correct amount of bleach. Keep testing and hitting it with the bleach, as often as you you can, a few times a day will help clear your pool faster.

CYA tests are not terrible accurate if there is 'stuff' already in your water. However, if you ave been using pucks, you probably have a pretty high level. I would go ahead and use 100 as that value in calculating how much bleach to add, for now.

You are correct that the filter merely removes stuff, but does not kill it.

Good luck!
 
Thanks Mermaid Queen,

I'm pretty sure the bottom is cleared but truthfully - can't see but about 4 to 6 inches below the waterline. I just know it was cleaned out before it got scrubbed 'real good' and then abandoned and left to bloom for a few weeks I'll run the net along the bottom but I don't think that's the problem.

Thanks for the dilution formula - I had read that before but couldn't remember how to do it - now I've written it down in my "POOL BOOK" (a binder I keep all sorts pool related notes, instructions and lots of TFP posts!)

I'm heading back out there to give it a try. I'm thinking it's going to look worse before it looks better just because a dead algae won't look as pretty as the grey dead stuff.

Wish me luck!

dp

Would adding any POLYQUAT 60 be advised at this point? I hear it eats chlorine too so I've held off recently. I did put some in early in the battle.
 
Someone can correct me if I am wrong on this but isn't a pH of 7.8ish a little high for this job too? Probably should get the pH down to around 7.2 since chlorine sanitizes better with a lower pH.

Craig
 
If his FC is really high, that can interfere with pH testing... otherwise Craig is correct, chlorine is more effective at lower pH/

Skip the polyquat... that is a preventative, and you are way past that point!! :) Later on, if you are on top of your testing and adjusting your chems, you still won't have any need for polyquat, except maybe at closing.
 
You should read my sticky on this subject. It takes you step by step through what you need to do to clear up the water. Reading up and being prepared before you start will make it all go much more smoothly.

If FC is reading off the scale high then don't worry about the PH right now. High FC levels will cause PH to read higher than it actually is. The next time FC is below 10 test the PH again and adjust it as needed, aiming for a PH of 7.2 to 7.4.

Murky water will cause the CYA test to read higher than actual.

You really need a better test kit. A good test kit is the best investment in your pool you can make. I recommend the TF Test Kit, the Taylor K-2006 is also fine. The key test you need is the FAS-DPD chlorine test, which will give you accurate readings of FC and CC up to at least 50 ppm.
 
Thanks all.

Well the CL readings are high - 100? and that's with the distilled water test. I figure that's skewing all other tests as noted.

The pool is still bright green but I'm thinking a watched pool never changes. Other's have stopped by and told me they think it looks "less green" "more cloudy" "less bright" but I'm thinking they are only trying to make me feel better. (Plus it clouded over so everything is looking 'less bright' including my attitude!)

I stopped adding 10% bleach. I will test again when the sun goes down. I put the POLYQUAT 60 back on it's shelf. The pump and filter have been on now for about 12 hours. Usually, in the summer high use periods, I can get away with two 3 to 4 hour session split between morning and evening with good results. This new filter is about 10 sq ft smaller than the old one and pressure hasn't changed since I started. I'm starting to wonder if the pump is too powerfull and the filter is not able to filter the water... except... the water seems really clean (no stuff floating in it). When I put it in a white sided cup (those blue picnic cups) It does tend to look greyish but collectively the whole thing still looks the color of jade.

I know I need an extra dose of POP for the pool at this time. I just saw some pictures of amazing results with clearing pools with just bleach, scubbing and filtering (REPEAT) (Jason - I did go read your sticky) so I just have to be patient. I could always drain and start again (done that before - remember this is an above ground splasher type PORTABLE pool so that's one of the benefits of ownership.) Possibly should have done that 4 gallons of bleach ago! HA!

dp

I want to believe!
 
Tested CL again as the sun has gone down. Best I can figure, I'm at about 40 ppm - which means stuff is getting eaten, right! Or that nice sunny day ate up 60 of the cl that was in - possible but my CYA at about 100-120. Using Jason's calc I'm figuring I'm about where I should be. Will test again in the morning. I'm trying to keep the pump/filter on as long as possible - I /m aftraid to do 24/7 because ... I never have. I usually only run it all when I'm awake and home. and it's just a 1hp spa pump - I didn't think it was suppose to run for very long.

dp

I really really want to dump more CHLORINE in but will resist for tonight - :-D
 
With dilution you will have quite a bit of variability in your test results. If CYA was really around 100 I would expect you to lose perhaps 20% of your chlorine over a sunny day. With CYA around 50 it would be 50% lost. Between the uncertainty in the CYA level and the uncertainty in the chlorine testing your results sound reasonable. My guess is that CYA is below 100 and the chlorine loss was mostly from sunlight and much of the remaining difference was imprecise testing. Or to put that another way, there really is no telling without a better test kit.
 
Jason (and others)

Thanks for the input - I know, I know, I know - I have a TF100 (I think that's the one) on my POOL WISH LIST right now. But since it cost about the same as a tank of gas - I have to wait a bit and save up or find a way to sneak it into the budget. The POOL budget just got blown on a new filter - maybe I can take it out of a month of MOCHA CHOKA LATTE fund. HA!

I am about to run out of the CL regent and went to the pool store to see if I could just pick up a bottle of the yellow cap stuff - no luck. the pool store dude said that I couldn't use the taylor yellow cap without buying the kit (I think I bought mine 7 test kit at a TARGET/WALMART last year when the BBB system convinced me to give up the strips!) I decided to save my money so I can get the kit here. Seems to me I can get a single bottle cheaper back at TARGET/WALMART and I go there tomorrow. I made the mistake of NOT KNOWING THE GENERIC/CHEMICAL name so I could just ignore the dude if that wasn't true.

Now for an update: TA DA! I BELIEVE!!!

This morning I looked out at my POND (minus the frogs) and shook my head in dismay. GREEN GREEN GREEN. I knew I wouldn't be able to run the pump until later in the day and thought - all is lost. HOWEVER, when I got back out there much later in the day - I could see blue water! Well, I still can't see all the way to the bottom - but I can see at least three feet down and it's only a 3.5 deep! I could see there was nothing solid on the bottom and I could see the darker green patches of algae growth where I'd miss scubbing blindly. I threw in my WANDA WHALE (because even if I cook her with a HIGH CL reading it would be good because she was infected with algae, too.) and now the water is really cloudy. I take that as a good sign! I'm hopeful. The naysayers are telling me to not get 'too excited' and I know this could easily turn on me but I finaly have HOPE. Thanks. I'm off to re-read JASON's HOW TO de algae a pool.

dp

I BELIEVE!
 

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WalMart usually stocks a six way drop based test kit (not the test strips) that sells for under $20 that can get you through a jam. All the Taylor reagents are sold separately, but not everyone will sell them to you that way. Simple to find anything on the Internet but the shipping on small orders will make it more expensive.
 
I'm curious if you ever were able to get your pool cleared up? The pool store has told me that I have Simple cell green algae (that beautiful neon green you're talking about) I've been told it is almost impossible to kill as it seems that clorine has very little effect on it. I've been at this for sometime now and I'm wondering if it gets better. We've drained the pool for the second time tonight, hubby wants to drain it completely but I have been told that is not wise. Anyway just wondering if you were able to conquer it?

Thanks
 
beth,

The pool store is giving you bogus information. Chlorine will clear your pool....promise.

If you have a test kit, can you post some current test results?

If not, get a current test from the pool store but don't buy anything. Post the test results by starting your own new thread and there's a ton of folks here who will help you get that pool cleared and sparkling all summer....without a bunch of pricey chemicals.
 
Re:

beth_clydes said:
I'm curious if you ever were able to get your pool cleared up? The pool store has told me that I have Simple cell green algae (that beautiful neon green you're talking about) I've been told it is almost impossible to kill as it seems that clorine has very little effect on it. I've been at this for sometime now and I'm wondering if it gets better. We've drained the pool for the second time tonight, hubby wants to drain it completely but I have been told that is not wise. Anyway just wondering if you were able to conquer it?

Thanks
Click to expand...


Beth_Clydes,

I'm so sorry I didn't see your post asking if I conqured the FLORENSENT GREEN POOL until now when I was going over old posts to see what troubles I was in last year!

YES! YES! YES!

I think it must have cleared very soon after that last post because then I was on to either enjoying the pool or getting ready to enjoy the pool.

I AM A BELIEVER!

Now, I have to tell you I got myself in the same mess this year because my pump went down and i was unable to circulate the water for a couple of months and when the weather warmed up my lovely POND - minus the frogs - showed up AGAIN!

This time I knew I CAN DO THIS! and started by buying a bunch of BLEACH. I use the hardward stores 10% only because I can't do the math and haven't taken the time to look at the GROCERY STORE regular bleach, YET! That's THIS season's TASK - investigate REGULAR Bleach concentrations - do not get scented!

First I had to get a new pump and I bought a spare FILTER CARTRIDGE (so I can have one in an one ready!) and THEN found out that the broken pump/motor isn't so broken just REALLY NOISY!!! (new pump/motor is going in this weekend!) TESTED with old TARGET kit - numbers told me what I knew - no CL and I scooped goop algae out of the pool for TWO HOURS (it was like MOSS on the TOP of the water and not on the sides this year - weird???) The pool turned from a DEEP GREEN MUCK to a BLUE/WHITE with in three days but it's VERY CLOUDY - I figure that all the dead stuff floating. I still haven't seen the bottom but I know it's there! I'm filtering and waiting as I write.

Oh, and I FINALLY ordered the TF100 test kit - cost a bit but I'm hoping it will save me in the long run as I get a better handle on the numbers and can be more accurate with what needs to be added to the water. I'm kinda addicted to those strips, though, might use those for the daily peak .... but I don't know. I'm just too excited to get the TF100 kit and work with that and see what numbers I REALLY get.

I have a small batch of PUCKS that I'll keep on hand for when I go on vacation and can't get anyone to mind the pool other than that - I'm a TRUE BBB convert! Took me about THREE season to be convinced. So far, now I only go to the pool store to find pieces and parts of equipment and sales on toys.

Hope you had a good season last year and HOPE you have a good opening and GREAT season ahead!

dpool
 
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