What next? My pool is still green....

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I hold off until the pool is milky looking before adding DE. Seems to work for me.

That's good you have the OTO test, if you had the DPD test you'd have no idea if your FC levels were anywhere over 5!
 
It all depends on which algae you have floating in the pool. Some go white (mine do) while others stay green. It sounds like you are at the point where you are filtering, not killing algae. This doesn't mean to let the FC come down.

It needs to stay up until you pass all three requirements of the OCLT and clear water is step #1. Pool Owner Patience (POP) is what you need, in the big jug, and they do not sell it in the store. Sand filters can be slower to clear the water on their own.

Keep filtering and read PoolSchool about adding DE to a sand filter.
 
I guess I am getting a bit ahead of myself, you are only a day or two in. Sand filters can take a week to get the green out. They can do a great job but can be a little slow when patience is thin.
 
Ok...I just tested it again and the color isn't as deep orange but it's still orange. Is it normal for the chlorine to stay up that high, from what I've read on here I was expecting to be adding bleach all day. Should I put a few more gallons in when it gets dark out and see where I am in the morning? I ordered the test kit that I need so I'm not really sure how to tell if I hold steady overnight or not until that gets here. Also I sent my son to Lowe's to pick up some DE, do I go ahead and add that tomorrow? I hate that I don't know more about all of this but in the 3 years that I've had it I've never had to do more than add some chlorine tabs and baking soda and shock it every now and then (guess that's why I'm in the predicament I am now). I am reading everything though and vow to learn all I need to in order to get and maintain a crystal clear pool. I really appreciate the advice you all are giving me!
 
i am going to back down on my DE recommendation until after you get your full test kits. I know it stinks to wait but right now, we are flying a little blind not really knowing your numbers.

Orange is usually in the 10-20 range on the FC so you pretty actively solving your algae issue. Some of you loss has been to sunlight but there is no real way to tell how much. You cannot do an overnight test accurately as you cannot accurately read your FC numbers.
 
It rained a good bit last night and when I tested this morning the color was a dark yellow so I added bleach and will test again shortly. Unless my eyes deceive me I think the green might be a little lighter, I can see the 3rd step on the ladder now. Test kit has been shipped :)

My children are asking if they can swim???
 
Ready to give up....I'm seeing little to no change in my water. I know that it's a struggle because I don't have the test kit that I need but I'm keeping my chlorine level pretty high (orange color) so I was hoping to see some improvement. Is a sand filter really this slow in filtering or do I still have living algae or is it impossible to know without the proper test? Just a little venting on this sunny morning in Mississippi!!
 
Ok, one last ? until my test kit arrives. Sometime since yesterday my pressure gauge stopped working but we have a replacement. Do I go ahead and backwash now and put it on or put it on see what it reads and determine if I need to backwash or not (usual pressure reads around 10)?

**Husband had to go to the pool store for the replacement and they got into a conversation about my pool...they of course tried to tell him what was wrong and what he needed to buy to fix it. He told them we listened to them last week, to the tune of $180, and that I had found an online site to help me through it. She doesn't think I will succeed so I will let her know when I do, with the great help from this site!!
 

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Got my test and these are the results as of this morning:

FC: 3.5
PH: 8.2
TA:120
CYA: 55
CC:0

So if I understand I am going to add 642 oz. of bleach to get to a shock level of 22 and keep testing and doing this process until my shock level holds at that for an hour or more? Also do I need to bring my PH down before I start the SLAM process? Thanks in advance for any help/advice.
 
Someone please tell me if I'm doing this right. I added the 642 oz. of bleach about an hour and a half ago. I just went and retested the FC and got a reading of 21.5 (if I'm doing it right) I used a 10ml sample and had to add 43 drops for it to turn clear which gives me a 21.5 and when I plug that in I get the result to add 17 oz. of bleach. I just want to make sure that I am doing this the right way. Thanks!
 
I'm new here, too, and I'm battling my own green cement pond. If you're at 21.5 and your target is 22, your FC held well in that hour and a half. I would treat 21.5 using the 10ml sample as within margin of error for a 22 target, but hopefully someone more experienced will chime in on it. It wouldn't hurt to add the 17 oz. of bleach now and test again in a few hours.
 
Yes, 43 drops with a 10 mL sample is a FC of 21.5 ppm. If pool calculator says use 17 oz to get back up to 22 ppm, that is what you should add. Keep testing and dosing as often as possible (ever hour, if you can) and don't let the chlorine get below shock level.
 
I haven't seen anyone ask, have you checked to see if there is a lot of leaves/debris on the bottom? You won't be able to see it while its green but run a leaf rake across the bottom and see what comes up. You'll be fighting a long time if there is a bunch of stuff on the bottom. my .02.
 
There is nothing on the bottom, it was clean before it turned green and we have no trees. I am brushing and sweeping some although the husband was in it yesterday and said he didn't feel any slime or anything. I will start vacuuming once it starts clearing enough to see the bottom. Someone mentioned DE and I did read about it but do I wait to add until the water clears some?
 

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