Where do we go from here?

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JulieS1007

Well-known member
Feb 21, 2013
52
Houston, TX
Pool Size
27000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Hayward Turbo Cell (T-CELL-5)
We bought a house May 2012 with a pool. We've never been pool owners and the pool is over 40 years old...built sometime around late 60s, early 70s. The previous owner had a guy coming once a week to clean and do chemicals, but we didn't want to spend the extra money each month and since I wasn't working I was "volunteered" to take over maintenance. We've done "okay", but have had too many times of "oh, the pool's green again". We didn't "close" the pool this fall/winter, mainly because we didn't know how/were supposed to. It got clogged up with leaves and debris. I *think* a pool cover was left with the house (it was an estate sale, we didn't get much of any info on anything about anything on the house), but no idea the condition and we haven't gotten it out to check. Anyway...back to the point...we got to the point where the filter pressure was just way too high and we didn't have the time or cooperative weather to clean it out so we just turned it off. And the pool sat, uncovered, unfiltered, uncirculated for about a month. Needless to say it was brown and murky, and we actually had some wild ducks land in it thinking it was a pond. :roll:

So, this past weekend we started getting it cleaned back up. We took the filter apart and cleaned it all out. Got it all recharged with de and tried to start getting the chemicals back in balance. Got the ph lowered to about 7.2 and have been shocking the Crud out of it. Well, the very first day of running, the drain plug on the filter broke off! Apparently the pressure got too high?? Was able to get it fixed about a day or so later only to find that the pressure would shoot up about 20psi in only 30-45min of running. Not being able to sit outside and watch it continuously to keep backwashing and recharging every half hour, we just turned it to recirculate and have just been doing that for about 3 days now and still shocking about twice a day. Now, I will say the water has now turned from brown to bluish green and you just just barely make out the last step and shadows of debris on the bottom at the shallowest end. A huge improvement from where it was without running the filter.

Now, where do we go from here?? Will any additional days of shocking while just recirculating clear the pool anymore? Should we try to vacuum even if we can't see the bottom? We got some black algae killer, but it says to clean and vacuum the pool before using it? When is it safe to turn the filter back on without fear it'll explode the plug again if we don't watch it continuously? We don't know if the filter grids have ever been chemically cleaned, would it be a good idea to go ahead and do that?

All I've got is the basic little $15 test kit so I can't tell exactly what the chlorine level is...at least as bright as the 5 at the high end of the vile. The ph appears to be about in the 7.2 range. And the TA is roughly 60. I plan to head to Leslie's this afternoon to get a new test kit (again, the one we have came with the house and NO idea how old it is) so I'll probably go ahead and get the water tested to see what else is out of sync. I'll post results as soon as I'm back home.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! THANK YOU!
 
Welcome to TFP!

The next step is to continue at shock level, but run the filter any time you can manage to. The color change is very suggestive that the algae is dead, but without a better test kit it is best not to risk lowering FC just yet. Now that the algae is either dead, or close, filtering will start to improve fairly quickly. That is to say, the first few cycles will raise the pressure very quickly as before, but soon enough it will last longer and longer and eventually get back to normal.
 
First, you need a good test kit. I would recommend NOT getting one from Leslie's, as what they sell you will probably not have the FAS/DPD chlorine test. To get the right kit, see this link: pool-school/pool_test_kit_comparison. After you get the good test kit, you will have to follow the shock PROCESS (not product), as detailed in this link: pool-school/shocking_your_pool. DO NOT use shock PRODUCT, because that adds CYA or Calcium, which only complicates the process. Last link for you: to know how much chemicals to add, use this link: http://www.poolcalculator.com EDIT: Oh, see I am too slow at typing. Guess I was beat to the post.
 
Wow ... my typing is getting slow ... got beat twice :p

Welcome to TFP!!!

First, do NOT go to Leslies to buy a kit ... they will not have the one you need. You want to get one with the FAS-DPD chlorine test and typically they have to be ordered (see link in my signature for a comparison ... the TF100 is really the best value, comes with a 18 month warranty, and is sold by the forum owner ... so you support this site indirectly)

Second, while waiting for the kit to arrive ... read Pool School and then read it again ... and again. It has all the information you will need to truly understand what is going on in your pool ... very quickly you will know more than the employees at Leslies.

You can continue to run on recirculate and follow the shock PROCESS (see Pool School) and you will get everything killed, but eventually you will have to filter it all out. The good news is that DE filters very well. The bad news is that DE filters very well :) So, it will clog very quickly and require you to backwash it and recharge with DE a LOT. We recommend backwashing when the pressure goes up 20-25% of the clean pressure.

You have come to the right place and people have cleared pools that were worse than yours I guarantee. Just be ready to use a LOT of bleach.

Ask questions as they come up :goodjob:
 
No, that is not good enough. There is a difference between just DPD test (Leslie's) and FAS-DPD. It's not really worth getting into the differences, but just trust that you need the FAS-DPD. You can return the black algae killer, as if you follow the shock process, you will not need it.
 
Back from Leslie's. I'm actually a little surprised by the results I got:

FAC: 6
TAC: 6
CH: 230
CYA: 20
TA: 100 (like double what my test kit was reading...)
pH: 7.4
TDS: 200
Pho: 0

I did get some Ultra Bright since the guy said it should bind up all the suspended gunk and help clear the water faster. I figured since most of my numbers are all within range it couldn't hurt so I could at least see the bottom so I can vacuum. Since I should be home all day tomorrow, I might try to run the filter tomorrow and see how fast the pressure is jumping up. Now off to find a good test kit to order!
 
Welcomt to tfp, JulieS1007 :wave:

Do you have your own kit yet with the FAS-DPD test? Pool store numbers are notoriously unreliable...cya in particular.

JulieS1007 said:
I did get some Ultra Bright since the guy said it should bind up all the suspended gunk and help clear the water faster.
Click to expand...
I would skip the ultra bright for now. What you need to do is to get any junk that is on the bottom of your pool netted out. Then you need to do the shocking process but for this to be most effective you will need a good test kit with a FAS-DPD chlorine test and an accurate cya measurement.
 

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We do not recommend the clarifiers or floc until a last resort. Usually all they are good at is maybe getting very small particles to clump so that the filter will capture them ... you already have a problem with the filter being too efficient and clogging quickly because all the algae is not dead yet.

I would return that as well ... and then decide if you are going to listen to the pool store or the forum as the advice you will get is not likely compatible. BTW ... we do not have anything to gain ... keep that in mind.
 
I just ordered the TF100 test kit. I guess it should come in early next week. Maybe I will return the Ultra Bright since I just had to spend $14 in shipping! Ouch. :shock:

But that reminds me, I need to go throw out some more shock before I forget. We're currently using up the Power Powder Plus bucket we've already got. I guess it's a good thing it's been overcast all week we've been using it since it's not stabilized and our CYA is already low. But I honestly have no idea how much to use. The bucket says 1lb per 16,500 gal but then the scoop is labeled in oz? I've been doing 2 scoops. Should I put in more since that one chart says my shock level should be more like 10 and it's 6 right now?
 
Oh, one other question. If we want to switch over to this BBB method, can we just pick up with that method when we run out of what we currently have? Or is there some kind of transition window? We still have like half a bucket of chlorine tabs. Can we use those in the floating things while using bleach as like a shock method or what not? (I haven't read the whole BBB method yet...just feeling it out right now)
 
You really need to read through pool school. All of this will make a lot more sense.

When you decide to make the switch, make it right away, but don't throw out the tablets. A lot of users here use pucks while on vacation, but they use bleach (or a SWG) at all other times.

This forum preaches that the BBB method isn't about what you use in your pool; it's about understanding what you're putting in the pool and understanding why you're doing it (and ONLY giving the pool what it needs!).
Sent from my Exhibit II using Tapatalk.
 
The key to BBB is understanding the chemistry with a good test kit and then only adding what you need to maintain the pool and not any potions someone else thinks you need ... thus saving yourself money.

So, you can start any time ... by understanding what you are doing.

The powder you are using is cal-hypo and adding calcium which can be bad if it gets too high ... you are < 200ppm so using some will not hurt too much. You can use the poolcalculator.com at the bottom to see how much CH you are adding with your FC.

How many oz does the scoop say? Then is that volume or weight?

The tablets will add CYA. If you understand how much CYA you are adding and actually need to add some (like you do), then you are free to use them. They are just a little troublesome as they add FC and CYA and are very acidic so lower the pH. Realize that if you need to increase your CYA a lot, then using the pucks will take awhile and that adding the CYA directly will help faster.

Generally the chemicals we recommend (like bleach) only affect one thing, which makes it easier to understand what they will do in the pool.

You can switch to bleach at any time.

You will have a much better idea where you stand when you have the test kit.
 
duraleigh said:
Why? Are you shocking your pool by following the advice in Pool School?
Click to expand...

Trying to follow as close to the shock process as I can right now until my TF100 test kit gets here. But basically shocking at least twice a day until all my algae dies.
 
I would suggest you wait until you get your kit, can post some numbers, and then get started the right way.

Pool School has an article on how to shock but you will need the kit and you will need to follow it to the letter to get good results.

There is no "switchover" when you start practicing the methods we teach, rather it is gaining an understanding of what needs to be done, why it needs to be done, and learning the precision required to do it. It isd almosat impossible to shock your pool correctly without test results which you will have when you get your kit.

All of us on the forum started just like you have but, through reading, re-reading and asking questions, you will evolve to a point where you will have a good grasp of your pool water management.
 
Happy to say the water keeps getting better. It's actually more greenish blue this morning instead of bluish green. After I run errands this morning I plan to try to start running the filter some this afternoon. Hopefully it'll clear up significantly by the end of the weekend!
 
You are making some progress ... although as you know working a little blind until the kit arrives.

Do no be impatient ... clearing a pool correctly (by passing the 3 tests in the Shock Process article) ... can take weeks, not just a couple days. But, after you are done, the maintenance will be much easier.
 

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