Horrible algae after opening pool! Can't see bottom.

[Jason B]

13,000 gallon pool. I have 74% chlorine pro shock I'm about to use to do a triple shock today.
http://reviews.lesliespool.com/product- ... r-Pro.html

I have a Hayward E65 DE filter.

My pool place is telling me NOT TO RUN THE FITLER while shocking it because of how bad my algae is and that my de filter will keep clogging. Again, the algea is so bad, you can see the bottom anywhere. The pool is dark green/black. I have a loop lock cover and shocked it in april, bottom was clean, but I guess that wasn't enough.

I'm debating on what to do about running the fitler?? Again, my pool installer says I shouldn't run the de fitler while shocking because it will clog over and over because of how green/black the pool is. I don't know if I should listen to this, or run it and keep backwashing a bunch of times.

Advice? I really don't want to wait 2 weeks for this to clear up. Do I need to run the filter ever when it's this dirty? or triple shock it with it off, and then double shock the next day, etc. etc.?

Side note, one year I had bad algae and used this product and it seems to help super fast.
http://www.swimpool.com/GreenPoolAlgae-Green_Treat.htm

 

[duraleigh]

Well,

1. That is a nasty pool

2. I have an idea what "triple shock" may mean and that could be a bad idea.

3. Your pool installer is ignorant. Pump should be run 24/7 during the shock process.

4. read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School then read "How to Shock Your Pool".

Follow that article TO THE LETTER and your pool will clear nicely.

5. Testing the pool often and accurately is essential to what we teach. Without knowing your CYA level, I would suggest you not "triple shock" that vinyl pool. What does it mean?

6. Trying to clear your pool with "magic bullets' from the pool store usually leads to frustration and a serious depletion of funds. If it were my pool, I would bite the bullet and clear your pool correctly and then enjoy a trouble free summer.

 

[Jason B]

Thanks. Triple shock would be 52 ounces of 74% shock on day 1, then 25 on day 2, 12 on day 3, aprox. For 13,000 gallons aprox to clear algae. So I guess if I'm running the filter I'm going to need a ton of de and repeated backwashes every 30 min? I guess this is why they told me not to run it and in two weeks it would get clear. I really don't want to wait 2 weeks. lol

 

[jblizzle]

What you described is totally arbitrary and unlikely to work. You have to get the algae out somehow and that is what the filter is designed for. You could try running on Recirculate for a few days until all the algae is dead and then maybe be able to vacuum some of it to waste. Certainly keep the water moving, so if you are filtering during the day and backwashing when the pressure rises 20-25% over the clean pressure, then run on Recirculate at night or when you are away.

Read these to get an idea of the correct procedure, one of the recommended test kits is a must:
Defeating Algae
Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis
Shocking Your Pool

 

[Richard320]

Start with one of these:

Removing as much crud as you can mechanically really reduces chlorine consumption and speeds the whole process along.

I see a backache in your future, so buy some of this when stocking up on Chlorine.

And maybe some of this:

You can omit the decorations to save some money.

Study Pool School until you feel like this

Take a break and move back to the last picture.

Follow the instructions in Pool School and keep posting pictures! I'm always on the lookout for successful cleanups to bookmark to use for inspiration for the next swamp owner. You could be on this list

my-pool-experience-with-algae-t58756.html
a-little-encouragement-for-those-with-algae-and-new-to-bbb-t57137.html
testimony-this-is-why-you-should-do-bbb-t58451.html
first-time-shocking-with-bleach-t45074.html

 

[msgtdan]

And keep the pictures coming

 

[Jason B]

Thanks Richard320 and everyone else. I did read all the articles. I've had good luck for past 10 years opening by using this same shock, just never this bad.

Ok, used the net to get all the green algae off the top and brushed the pool. Then I added 52 oz of 74% chlorine pro shock that I have leftover from last year. PH was around 7.7 before. It's been about 2 hours since I added the chlorine and it's getting lighter[attachment=0:i6ax3eoh]pool3.jpg[/attachment:i6ax3eoh] I still HAVEN'T turned the pump/DE filter on yet.

I also brushed the whole pool again, then a bunch of algae came to the surface again and I used the net to skim it off again. Latest pic. It's getting lighter, but I'm still afraid to turn the pump on with it this dark. Should I turn it on, or wait until tomorrow for after I add another 20 oz of shock.

Is the reason my pool place it telling me NOT to the run the pump because they think the chlorine will eat most of it up and be less work?

(I grew up with a pool and have opened/closed my own for the past 8 years, but never had it this bad where I couldn't see the bottom. I've used this site many times and use borax and baking soda for alkalinity and PH which has saved a lot of money instead of buying the official pool stuff)

 

[Richard320]

Around here, we say to leave the pump on the whole time, and backwash when the pressure rises 25%.

The technical advice duraleigh gave you in post #2 hasn't changed.

 

[duraleigh]

3. Your pool installer is ignorant. Pump should be run 24/7 during the shock process

Sooner or later, you will have to decide what path you take........relying on the pool store's advice or the advice from the forum.

Either one may clear your pool but blending them almost never works and you end up caught in the middle (and usually confused)

I know that seems a bit harsh but please don't take it that way.....we see this confusion a lot when newbies first find us. What we teach on this forum is based on common sense, rock solid science and proven over and over by thousands of pool owners.

 

[SkyKid]

+1 to the way TFP says to clear your pool
I'm a first time pool owner who didn't have a clue and ended up with a green pool
Followed what I was told here and after 2 weeks my pool was sparkly clean and We have been swimming since
water temp is 84 now and the water seems clearer than ever
Also I've only went to a pool store once to get a feel of how they work(wow lots of pressure from them and I felt like they were looking down their noses at me when I told them I test my own water)
That will be the one and only time I ever step into a pool store again

 

[Jason B]

Thanks again.

Ok, I called my pool installer again, and was asking him the reasoning behind what he said. He said he was trying to save me some time but not turning the pump on right away because of the de filter clogging up super fast with all that algae and mutiple de changes and finger cleanings. (I deal with this to a point when I open it every year, but this time it was the worst I've ever seen) So, he told me to do shock first and wait to turn the pump on so the chlorine can kill the bulk of it first. Supposedly this was a time saver. I will continue to update this thread. I've now brushed it a 3rd time (the pool is only 14x30, 13,000 gallons) and the brushing really seems to help it get ever lighter after it sits. Maybe I'm slightly simulating the pump running will all my brushing, because it keeps getting lighter. I was just kinda afraid to run that pump with it looking like green foam everywhere.

I think I've gotten the bulk of the algae out by skimming the top after brushing. I've been dumping it into a trash bag and just weighed it, 20 pounds of algae!

3 hours later....

 

[karmabiker]

3. Your pool installer is ignorant. Pump should be run 24/7 during the shock process

Sooner or later, you will have to decide what path you take........relying on the pool store's advice or the advice from the forum.

Either one may clear your pool but blending them almost never works and you end up caught in the middle (and usually confused)

I know that seems a bit harsh but please don't take it that way.....we see this confusion a lot when newbies first find us. What we teach on this forum is based on common sense, rock solid science and proven over and over by thousands of pool owners.

What he said plus 1 MILLION.

 

[Jason B]

Turning the pump on tomorrow. ALso didn't help that my pool place was out of DE, which they are getting in tomorrow luckily.

 

[Jason B]

Ok, day 2... Added 25 more ounces of shock to keep my fc level at 23 per the CYA chart. Pool is cloudy, can't see bottom yet, but all green looks gone. I still didn't turn the pump on yet. I called my pool guy again and told him it cleared up a lot and he's still telling me to wait before I turn the pump on. He keeps saying it will be easier with less filter changes, etc. :?:

 

[jblizzle]

As was stated before:

Sooner or later, you will have to decide what path you take........relying on the pool store's advice or the advice from the forum.

 

[Jason B]

Just an update. Started to run the filter after I could see the bottom and vacuumed to waste. I got all the dead algae out. I only had to change the DE one time, (when you vacuum to waste you will lose your DE of course) Pool is crystal clear. Now just need to adjust alkalinity a little and raise PH and should be good. Took about 3 days total. So, I guess if you are low on DE, don't feel like changing the de multilple times with bad algae that could possibly require a finger acid wash after done, or your pool place is out of DE like mine was, you could use this as a work around and run the filter at the end.

Rumor is that real bad green algae can penetrate the fingers in the DE filter and slow the down flow requiring an acid wash, which can be an expensive pain if you can't do yourself. This is why he was telling me to shock first run filter later so my horrible bad algae had a chance to die.

 

[msgtdan]

Looking good!