First Timers opening pool GREEEEEEENNNN!

[michielles]

We have an Intex Metal Frame 20x4. This is our !st year opening. Last year we took it down and stored it but it was a MESS to redo $$$$. This year we left it up and did not cover it and are trying to open by next week. Cleaned out leaves and shocked pool with bleach. Worked for a day and then back green! Tried the BBB system yesterday and no help. Went to pool center today and got test strips and stabalizer. Did test BEFORE putting stabalizer and results are. Ph is 8.4 (high), Free Chlor is 0 (low), Total Alk between 180 & 240 (high) and stabalizer is 0 low. We just put in stabalizer in sock. PLEASE help. We want to learn how to open the pool so later we can upgrade to a hard side pool. We really want to learn the tricks of the trade on our own without taking water samples and etc. I have NO idea what else to do so will someone PLEASE walk us through this to get our pool back. Oh BTW this is also a SWG pool. We have NOT added any salt and generator is unhooked until this clears up. The pump is running with filter 24/7. Thanks for your time! :?: :?:

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

You need to lower the ph with Muratic Acid, first. Then shock with liquid chlorine. You will have a very, very difficult time clearing this up without a proper test kit. How did you know how much stabilizer to add?

Chlorine kills the algae but it's constantly being consumed, its not a one time application - you have to keep the FC level up until it holds overnight.

Read How to Shock your Pool in Pool School.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

You are really going to flounder until you get one of the recommended test kits ... test strips are worthless as they are just too inaccurate and pool store testing is not much better.

Order a test kit and read Pool School a few times.

You can not "try the BBB thing" for one day and declare it did not wore ... as obviously you do not yet understand what the BBB method is.

The BBB method is really just about understanding your pool’s chemistry and through accurate testing, adding only what the pool NEEDS and not what someone wants to sell you.

 

[Stuamurr]

Welcome to the forum,

The shock process as detailed in pool school at the top right of the forum page details the process of shocking your pool, if you have a green swamp you will need to spend some time, shocking your pool is not just running the FC up high once and then letting it drop, it's maintaining a high FC residual until you reach the criteria in pool school that means you have passed the shock process.

I would strongly recommend the purchase of the TF100 test kit in order that you can test everything you need to, in a cost effective and accurate manner, test strips are very inaccurate and confuse most users of them.

Stick with the teachings here in particular the pool school articles and you will be on the road to easier, better informed and more enjoyable ownership of your pool.

 

[jblizzle]

To add. Here are some links to get you started:
Defeating Algae
Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis
Shocking Your Pool