Low Chlorine, getting the green stuff, help!

[scottiedog]

Hey All,

I am a complete beginner to the world of pools and I am sorry of I am repeating previous questions, lots to learn about pool care

Anyway, I purchased a home with a nice, inground, gunite pool, roughly around 20,000 gallons. I visited my local pool store and to be honest it was not a good experience, they wanted me to buy everything in store (even a new Polaris pool cleaner when mine works perfectly), didn't mention about taking my water in for testing, really put me off. So talking with others they suggest I purchase a good test kit (the pool store recommended some cheap 6 way test strips) and I noticed that TF Test Kits seem to have a good following on this site, so I am thinking I should go with them?

The bad news is that the pool has now some green algae in the shallow parts, my free test strips are telling me the chlorine is very low, I would say it looks like its none exsistant, all the other parameters on the test strip are fine. I have added some chlorinating granules and added shock over the weekend but its looking bad.

So my thoughts are to purchase the TF Test Kit today and while I am waiting on that to arrive what should I be adding to stop my pool turning into a swamp? I have heard that off the shelf products in the local supermarket might also work??

Thanks again in advance!

 

[whoozer]

First off welcome to TFP!

Second post all of your pool info in your sig with your profile.

Third read the stickys on BBB and abcs of chemistry and turning your green swamp into a sparkling oasis. ( Loads of helpful info there) Once you've read them most of your questions will be answered

Fourth do you have another store you can go to and get a water test without buying anything. Then you can post the numbers so we can help

 

[JasonLion]

If the algae is just getting started it is worth trying to get it under control even without a test kit. Once the algae has really gotten hold then it is better to buy a test kit first and then fight the algae.

If you have any test results at all please post them and ignore the rest of what I say. Second, you can try adding 15 ppm of chlorine and then brushing every surface of the entire pool, especially the green spots but also the rest.