New Pool - greenish water, can it be ready in time?

[schirico]

Steve here - new kid on the block -

Just had a pool constructed and am trying for a week now to get it ready for this monday (it's Saturday yikes!!!)

In ground pool
vinyl liner
kidney shape with a bump
18,000 gallons
Tagelus Sand filter
1.0 HP pump
electric heater (78 degree water - we are in northern New Jersey)
electric opaque safety cover
hayward cl220 chorinator

over the past week, vacuumed leaves and debris to waste (pool was not covered until very very recently, so there was a LOT of debris).

on 5/20 my readings were (chlorinator set to 1):
Chlorine - 0
PH 7.2
Alkalinity 210
CYA - 0

on 5/25 - (chlorinator set to 6)
FC - 20
CC - -0
PH - 6.8
TA - 180
CYA 30

on 5/26 - today - (chlorinator set to 6)
fc - 30
CC - 10
PH 6.8
TA 200
CYA - 30


water is kinda greenish - here is what I plan to do today.

1. FLOC the pool and hopefully pull particulates to the bottom for vacuuming (to waste)
2. get Baking Soda to increase the PH
3. get liquid chlorine (I won't add it yet) as I think the CYA is now just about where I want it, so I may be done with Trichlor for the season - unless CYA goes down - once I see FC go down to <3, I'll add the liquid chlorine - does it matter if the trichlo pucks are still in the chlorinator, or should I remove them or wait for them to completely dissolve?
4. as of right now, I"m lowering hte chlorinator setting from 6 to 1 in the hopes of reducing the chlorine load -


do you think we'll be able to swim in Monday for our backyard opening party? I'll leave the cover open today so hopefully the sun will dissipate the chlorine - but why is my pool still greenish?

thanks!

-Steve

 

[Butterfly]

on 5/26 - today - (chlorinator set to 6)
fc - 30
CC - 10 I hope this is a typo...can you confirm?
PH 6.8 use borax and raise to low to mid 7's ASAP!
TA 200
CYA - 30


water is kinda greenish - here is what I plan to do today.

1. FLOC the pool and hopefully pull particulates to the bottom for vacuuming (to waste)
We do not recommend the floc step.

2. get Baking Soda to increase the PH
No, you should use borax to increase pH and also, it is the first thing you should do.
3. get liquid chlorine (I won't add it yet) as I think the CYA is now just about where I want it, so I may be done with Trichlor for the season - unless CYA goes down - once I see FC go down to <3, I'll add the liquid chlorine - does it matter if the trichlo pucks are still in the chlorinator, or should I remove them or wait for them to completely dissolve?
4. as of right now, I"m lowering hte chlorinator setting from 6 to 1 in the hopes of reducing the chlorine load -


do you think we'll be able to swim in Monday for our backyard opening party? I'll leave the cover open today so hopefully the sun will dissipate the chlorine - but why is my pool still greenish?Green and cloudy generally means live algae. You should follow the shock process outlined in Pool School. What test kit are you using?

Welcome to the forum

thanks!

-Steve

 

[schirico]

Butterfly

cc - 10 - this is confirmed - the pool was DISGUSTING!!! I take this to mean I am killing a LOT of organics in the water and this is why I smell the chloramine just by walking near the pool...correct? I take that the cc was 0, we shocked, and is now 10 means things are dying right?

the fc is going higher, but I think that's because the chorinator with trichlor is set to 6 and is just continuing to dissolve chlorine in the water, hence my moving the dial back to 1.

headed to the store to get borax to raise PH now.

I have the TF-100 test kit. i will avoid FLOC for now...

thanks.....

 

[Butterfly]

Butterfly

cc - 10 - this is confirmed - the pool was DISGUSTING!!! I take this to mean I am killing a LOT of organics in the water and this is why I smell the chloramine just by walking near the pool...correct? I take that the cc was 0, we shocked, and is now 10 means things are dying right?
Right.

the fc is going higher, but I think that's because the chorinator with trichlor is set to 6 and is just continuing to dissolve chlorine in the water, hence my moving the dial back to 1.

headed to the store to get borax to raise PH now.


I have the TF-100 test kit. i will avoid FLOC for now...


thanks.....

 

[schirico]

Yikes - I was doing the readings wrong....I've gone back and corrected the math....

here are the correct readings (all reading taken in the morning)

on 5/20
my readings were (Hayward chlorinator cL220 with trichlor set to 1): water was disgusting, floor was covered in about 2 inches of leaves, sticks, and other organic disgusting slimey material.

Chlorine - 0
PH 7.2
Alkalinity 210
CYA - 0

net the bottom goop, vacuum to waste, add water, net the bottom, vacuum to waste, add water, etc. days of this.
filter running 24x7

on 5/23
- still no chlorine! so I set chlorinator to 6

on 5/24
TC - 5+
PH 6.8
(didn't do the other measurements - I would think PH went down because CYA was increasing with the increase in the chlorinator setting - trichlor tabs in Hayward CL220).

on 5/25
- (started sweeping sides every 4 hours, and vacuum bottom every 6 hours, backwash/rinse as needed)
FC - 10
CC - -0
PH - 6.8
TA - 180
CYA 30

on 5/26 - morning
fc - 15
CC - 5
PH 6.8
TA 200
CYA - 30

at this point I moved chlorinator to 4 and added 5 pounds of Sodium Carbonate. started Kreepy Krawly running during the day, about 6 hours, and then straight filter rest of the time, backwashing 2x per day - floor is very clean - brushing side and floor 2x per day.


on 5/27

fc 13
cc 0.5
PH 7.2
TA 260
CH 270
CYA 30

I just added 1.5 lbs. Sodium Carbonate, and reduce chrlorinator setting to 2.

I will test in 4 hours...pools is clearing up, perhaps not as fast as I want it to - but looking better every day - but I think If I turn off chlorinator tomorrow morning (monday) the sun will eat up the chlorine to a safe to swim level - is that a safe bet?

I think I'm okay on everything, except TA - and pool is steadily getting cleaner and clearer - I guess patience and steady measurement and adjustment of chemicals is what's needed.

How am I doing? what else should I be doing or not doing?

thanks -

Steve.

 

[duraleigh]

With a CYA of 30 and FC of 13, you are almost fine to swim in the pool right now. Anything up to shock value is quite safe to swim in and your shock value is 12ppm.

 

[schirico]

thanks for that info - and for such a helpful site.

I'm going to start a new post on test results!!