need help - cleanup stalled

[ghostus]

I got an algae bloom about 3+ weeks ago. Shocked with liquid bleach and ran the filter full time, killed all the algae, and it slowly and steadily improved over about 2 weeks, and then just seemed to stall. The shallow end (3-1/2') is fairly clear, deep end (8-1/2') still has a murky green color, can barely see the bottom, and has been that way for nearly two weeks, without getting better or worse, and I can't figure out where to go from here.

I've kept it chlorinated, and am pretty sure algae is dead - FC has stayed in the 3-5 range, adding maybe a half bottle a day on average. I tried shocking again last night, took it to FC ~ 12 last night, still reads 10+ this morning.

Also can't figure out whey I also seem to get a good bit of sediment, which I'm assuming is decomposed leaves? I've scooped all the dead leaves out - which had accumulated over the winter - but have vacuumed the whole pool to waste 2-3 times, and within a couple of days it comes back. I do live next to a wooded lot which is an unfortunate challenge to keep leaves, etc. out, but I have been keeping it fairly clear.

Here are my test results from this morning:

FC - 10
pH - 8.0
TA - 60
CH - 100
CYA - 50

any thoughts?



25,000 gallon vinyl in-ground, Birmingham AL
Zeosand filter w/ 1 hp pump

 

[Suziqzer]

With your CYA level at 50, it looks like your shock level is 16 according to the pool calculator. You need to maintain shock level until your have met all the criteria for shocking your pool.

See the pool school section about how to shock your pool. Shocking is not a product or a one time thing.. it is a process to get through, but once it's done.. crystal clear will be your reward!

 

[BoDarville]

Welcome to TFP !

When you shocked a couple of weeks ago, what FC level did you target? With a CYA of 50 ppm, the FC shock target is 16 ppm and it must be maintained at that level throughout the Shock Process. It also sounds like you stopped the shock process too soon. You need to keep maintaining FC at shock levels until all of the following criteria are met:

• 1. CC is 0.5 or lower;
  2. An Overnight FC Loss Test shows a loss of 1.0 ppm or less;
  3. And the water is clear.

You will need to resume the Shock Process. But before you resume, since your FC is at 10, I would let it drop by about 1 ppm and then test pH and lower it to 7.2. This will make the FC a bit more aggressive as a sanitizer. Once you resume the Shock Process, ignore pH until you meet the criteria above and FC drops below 10 ppm.

Finally, good job on clearing up the dead leaves and such from the pool. Be sure to do the same for your skimmer baskets and pump filter screen. Debris in those places are often overlooked but will act as a drag on FC consumption just as much as if it were on the pool surface.

 

[Richard320]

Shock is a process. A one-time blast isn't enough. It can take weeks.

You're not even at shock level FC right now. Have you read Pool School? There's a how-to on the shock process.

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[ghostus]

I have, but I guess all of it didn't take! Thanks for the input, apologies for my ineptitude.

So, curiosity - I guess the murky cloudiness in the water is still algae? is the sediment that settles on the bottom of the pool also algae-type stuff falling out, or is it dirt/leaves/junk that doesn't want to go away?

 

[Casey]

Your cloudy, green deepend is algae. You never killed it. What I would suggest to you is to start the process of shocking to 16ppm and don't let up until you can pass the over night test. You also need to brush that pool, especially the deep end. It will help the chlorine hit any dead spots you may have. Good luck and kill it all!

What kind of test kit are you using?

 

[ghostus]

thanks so much! starting to look much better.

my kit is a Taylor.