Did an Elephant Wash in My Pool?

[grandpa-is-a-fish]

Topics merged. Please don't double post. Bama

DO the HTH strips work okay at all ?? I mean I know the numbers aren't to the exact digit but my color codes seem to be right where they need to be. Had our above ground up all summer and it's been great I've shocked I algaecide used it the last two day's alot all good last night left cover off SMELLS LIKE AN ELEPHANT WASHED IN IT any clues guys? waters clear no algae numbers according to my color codes im good sooo overnight a smell ?? whats up please advise.

Ranges for our Pool.
TH 200
FC between the 1/2 and 2/4 color range
PH 7.2
TA 200
CYA 30 to 50 range

 

[grandpa-is-a-fish]

DO the HTH strips work okay at all ?? I mean I know the numbers aren't to the exact digits but my color code ranges seem to be right where they need to be. Had our above ground pool up all summer and it's been great I've shocked I algaecide. We used it heavy the last two day's and it was all good changed filter after but I had to work last night and we forgot and left the cover off though we have done that before just not often. Today went to swim SMELLS LIKE AN ELEPHANT WASHED IN IT !! any clues guys? waters is clear no algae and numbers according to my color codes im good sooo in just overnight a smell ?? whats up please advise.

Ranges for our Pool. Above Ground Intek Vinyl 1250 Gallon no shade access
TH 200
FC between the 1/2 and 2/4 color range
PH 7.2
TA 200
CYA 30 to 50 range

 

[hyperionguy]

I have had this situation before, long before coming to this site. 1st of all, you need a real test kit. Strips are severely misleading.

In my experience, folks seem to think that anything bad is going to be green. That isn't the case. I am certain you are lacking proper chlorine levels and now you need to read pool school to learn how to shock yourself back to normalcy.

I had a similar situation years ago. The water was clear. I didn't realize how bad my chlorine situation was, because like you I was relying on test strips... and not even doing those often enough... a double-whammy. So the water was clear but when we got in we noticed it smelled like sour gym socks. So we got out and I did nothing because we were buzzed and I thought it could wait.

I was wrong. The next day I found what you see in the picture below. You can see some of the strands against the step of the ladder (not the dark colored tree things but the wispy strands), but they were floating throughout the pool... everywhere. Literally, no kidding, as I put it to my peeps, it looked like 500 guys... well... you know... Sorry, but it's the only valid analogy there is. Everyone agreed when they saw it in person. :?

So a proper shock procedure and constant pump running and a few filter cleanings... and it was gone. It wasn't as awful to clear out as I thought it would be. I was lucky.

 

[Isaac-1]

Test strips are about as reliable as the gas gauge on my son's nearly 20 year old Toyata Camry, the the tank is full it reads full, when the tank gets down to about 1/3 it reads empty, and in between it randomly reads somewhere in the middle.

Ike

 

[grandpa-is-a-fish]

Okay point taken get a real test kit first.