Horrid green water

[KDC43]

Readings now
FC over 5-10 ppm after sitting overnight
CC looks the same
PH 7.4
CYA 30
ALK 100


Moms Intex pool is on well water and all summer we have not had trouble with metal. And did not have a bit of trouble last year. She was ill for a few days and thought it looked green and cloudy so she bought this Walmart brand shock called Pool Essentials 3 and added it, and it made the water much greener. I went and added the HTH metal control stuff per directions and told her to shock it again because her FC was showing 0. And her CC was over 5 to 10 ppm, the highest my test kit will go. It got much much greener. Now you cannot see the bottom and still could not after it sat all night. I expected that everything would fall to the bottom overnight so we could vacuum it out.

Now she is draining the pool because I read the reviews on the Walmart brand shock and people are reporting that the stuff does not dissolve, it just lays on the bottom and bleaches and damages the liner. She had to get into the pool today and said that it felt gritty she felt no slime at all in the pool though, so we would rather be safe than sorry. One review mentions it turning their water really green. Someone else says it will not help with algae. We are not sure if this is metal or algae at this point.

We are wondering if there is something in this pool shock that could have maybe added metal to this water. I found this: Pool Essentials active chemical is Trichloro-s-triazinetrione which is classified as a Sanitizer, Algaecide and Bacteriocide. We will avoid this product in the future but do not want to end up with green water again if it is metal in the water. Could the HTH brand metal control be the problem?

I took a white bucket today added the well water and added chlorine to it to see if it would turn green. It did not. And when I tested that water on my test kit, a Leslie's kit, it showed 0 FC even though I put a lot of that shock in to the bucket. A CC test came up an odd dark orange color.

I only use bleach on my own pool and the HTH Metal control and have not had a problem.

 

[techguy]

Exactly how are you testing for FC and CC? It it drop based test or a powder you add tot he pool water and then drops?

Have you tested the well water for metals?

 

[KDC43]

It is a drop test. I thought the kit included powder but it did not.

I have not had the water tested for metals since she has never had trouble before and this just started within the past week. We live a good ways from a pool supply store. I will try to get that done tomorrow before she tries to treat after refilling I guess.

 

[techguy]

Let me guess you went to that Pool $tore with an L and they told you it was the same kit...

You can try to return it under their guarantee "If you are dissatisfied with your purchase, or the service you received, please call 1.800.L*****S. We will work with you to resolve any issue to your satisfaction."

Or you can get the items you need from tftests and move forward. The drop test's range is too small to be accurate while shocking the pool and that is when it's most needed. It is a nice tool when your pool is running great but if your pool gets cloudy or green, you MUST know what's going on and that requires accurate test results, often in the 10-20FC range.

An orange test tell you that your CL is in the 10-20 range, where...we don't know..just that it's in the 10-20 range. It's like a speedometer that tells you while you are on the freeway your speed is in the range from 50-100 MPH, thanks i know that... but am I going 55 or 95? No clue.

As for the metal.. Do you have rust stains inside the house? in the toilet?

Green water... can be cloudy green water filled with algae or it means it's clear emarald green water with no algae, this would be caused by copper in your water.

Wal-Mart shock is typically made by HTH, a reputable brand. But I don't buy most of my pool chemicals in the pool area of Wal-Mart. I shop mostly in the laundry aisle..bleach, washing soda, borax, baking soda (a couple aisles over).

Pool School is what you need to read. It will describe what we do here to keep our pools clean. I have had my pool for over 7 summer and this is my best looking I have ever had it. I have spent $10 (ten) in chemicals at the pool store this year. oopps I forgot... i bought liquid chlorine this week at another store...now I am up to $25 this year.

I would fill your pool, add a cup of bleach while doing so to kill of any nasties there, re-test when your full and let's meet back her for more help. it sounds like you are already a BBBer.

 

[KDC43]

In all fairness they did not lie to me, I just was in a hurry and not paying attention and assumed. It isn't a cloudy green it is clear emerald green, I really think it is copper. This is Moms pool and her well and she has no trouble with the laundry. This pool shock has algaecide and I am betting that is where the copper came from. On the box it only says Trichloroisocyanuric acid and other ingredients. This is not the HTH brand it is a brand packaged by Walmart and is cheaper. It just puzzles me why the HTH metal control did not work.

I use the bleach on my own pool and like that better as you can be sure exactly what your level will be.

 

[techguy]

If the algaecide has a "cupro" ingredient, it has copper in it. I am not a metals expert but if its clear and green, its likely copper. I think pH has an effect on the appearance of the copper and the performance of the sequestrant.

I will let the copper experts come in. I am out of my range.