Do I have algae in my pool?

[greth32]

Hope anyone can help.
I am taking care (involuntarily) of my sisters pool.
As you can see on the pictures it has turned quit green lately. The chlorine values have been good all along. PH was a bit low all summer but seems to be good now. Alk is good too. Last week when I went to check on the pool it turned out the almond tree next to it had decided to shed allot of it's leafs into the pool. It looked very dirty but surely not green. It was all sitting on the pool bottom. I scooped out all the leaves and decided to leave the pool for a few days so that all the dust could settle. It did and I started to vacuum the pool. Half ways through I did a backwash which went good but then I forgot to rinse. When I turned the dial back to filtration a black cloud came out of the 2 jets. (Is this because I did not rinse?) I think that all the dust I had vacuumed up before went straight back in. Again I decided to leave the pool for the dust to settle.
Yesterday (4 days later) I went back up and it looked like in the pictures. My friend thought it felt slimy but I don't think it does really. It also seems to be just on the floor and it looks like an even layer of (greenish) dirtThe walls are clear of any green stuff. I also took a glass and filled it with pool water and it looks crystal clear. Al chemical levels seem to be good.
I went to the local pool store and the girl in the store sold me a pale of granular slow release chlorine. She was convinced that that would solve the issue. I did tell her I had algae in the pool. She said "NO" to shocking. If it really was only sitting on the floor of the pool then this was going solve my problem. I have trouble with this approach.
Should I just try to vacuum the pool (maybe on the waste setting) and see what happens or do you experts think it is indeed algae and treat with chlorine?
Thanks for taking the time to read my lengthy post.

 

[y_not]

Greth32,
Welcome to TFP!

I'll have to keep this a bit short, so I apologize in advance.
Yes, you do have algae and need to follow the SLAM process as detailed in Pool School. See link button in upper right corner of any page.

You will need one of our recommended test kits in order to perform this process.
See my Sig for a link explaining the different kits. They are nearly impossible to find locally and can only be purchased via mail order.

Do not use the chlorine granules you purchased at the pool store, you won't be needing them. Instead, you'll be using liquid chlorine (CL) to SLAM your pool.
Read the articles in Pool School: "Read This Before You Post" and "ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry" as a primer to get you familiar with how we do things here. It'll help when you read the articles on SLAMing your pool.

Post back test results as soon as you get them, we'll be glad to help you along.

 

[greth32]

Thank you very much for your reply.
The problem is is that the pool is located in Spain and I need a super quick solution before my sister comes home on Saturday. It would not be nice for her to come "home" to a green pool.
I use test strips here and they have never failed in my own pool which is very small en very easy to maintain. The water is also allot colder because I have to top it up from my 50 meter deep very cold well water every 3 days.
My sisters pool is 20 cubic meters. Allot bigger than mine. Also allot warmer. She also has trees close by and I have none. Which helps.
Otherwise I know virtually nothing about pools because this is my husbands thing. But...he is not around until next week so I'm on my own trying to figure this out.
Unfortunately I cannot find liquid chlorine here. I have looked for this before unsuccessfully.
Should I maybe just try to shock it like some (lots of) people are showing on YouTube? This is readily available in any pool store or supermarket.
Thanks again. I really feel like an idiot to let it have come this far. I am just not in the position to go to my sisters house everyday. I blame the almond tree!! LOL
O and can I let a pool pump run all night?

 

[Tanner M]

This liquid chlorine he speaks of is also known as BLEACH. It should be sold in just about any store where you live.

 

[greth32]

Yeah I know, and that's what you would think but the only ones I could find is for washing clothes and it also has detergent in them. Don't think I want to be putting that in the pool.
I've been living here for 3 years and can not even find simple white vinegar here. :lol:
I'll have another look.
Thanks.

 

[linen]

Unfortunately, for us to give you good advice, we need a full set of test results including FC, CC, TA, ph, CH, cya. The strips are likely not going to give good results, but if that is all you have, you can post them. Do you have a pool store nearby that does testing? The same pool store might carry liquid chlorine?

I am fairly certain it is expensive/difficult to get an appropriate test kit where you live, but that would be the best long term solution.