Another Green Pool Battle

[Compstuff]

First I am super glad I found this site and feel I now have some hope of getting this under control and actually learning how to properly maintain my pool. I took over my pool maintenance two months ago and was following the local pool store advice on maintenance... I now have a beautiful florescent green pool and it has been getting worse everyday. I found your site and ordered the TF-100 and the SpeedStir which will be delivered Monday. In the meantime out of desperation, yesterday I went to another pool store here in Miami and the guy took a look at my pictures and said I have no chlorine in the pool and I should have been adding a full bottle of chlorine every week, especially now in rainy season, and I should be using 2 tabs in my chlorinator. He suggested I add a full 2# bottle of SunCoast SpotOut (99% TRICHLORO-S-TRIAZINETRIONE) and at least 1 jug or possibly 2 of liquid chlorine.

I would share my water test results but he said they were completely inaccurate because I took the sample near the running jet which was loaded with chlorine from the chlorinator.

I got home yesterday afternoon and completely brushed the pool and cleaned my 1 week old cartridge filter to make sure it was good. I then added the SpotOut and thirty minutes later added a full jug of chlorine, a few hours later I added the 2nd jug and ran the filter all night. This morning the pool looks better but just a lighter shade of green. I brushed the whole pool again and was going to bring a fresh sample to the store and report the results here but I had car trouble so I can't get to the store.

The pump is still running and its raining heavily here but I can see that the color is changing and it looks a lot better... I will report back the test results as soon as I can but I want to follow your guidance and properly get rid of the algae.

The pic below is from a few days ago so it actually got MUCH worse... in fact I couldn't see the bottom of the pool or the drains at all

 

[jblizzle]

Stop adding chemicals that the pool store is selling you.

The TFPC method is really just about understanding your pool’s chemistry and through accurate testing, adding only what the pool NEEDS and not what someone wants to sell you.

If your CYA is too high, all that trichlor just made your problems worse. You will know what to do when you kit arrives.

Until then, you can add up to 1 bottle of liquid chlorine (bleach) every day in the evening.

Once you can test, you will need to follow the ShockLevelAndMAINTAIN Process to clear up the pool.

 

[tucsontico]

Welcome to TFP! You've come to the right place. I'm not a TFP expert but they will chime in soon. In the meantime, read, re-read and read again these PoolSchool articles:

1. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/123-abc-of-pool-water-chemistry
2. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/126-defeating-algae
3. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl
4. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/142-how-to-chlorinate-your-pool

Next, stop wasting money by blindly adding chemicals to your pool. Adding liquid chlorine (bleach) is OK, but adding anything else may hinder quickly clearing your pool. Without accurate test results you won't know how much to add or if you need to replace some of the water because your CYA is too high. Good Luck!

 

[kimkats]

You are on the right track with the test kit!

Now it is up to you if you want to add bleach/chlorine at this point. It cannot hurt anything other than your wallet if you do. If your CYA is way up you will be replacing water soooooooooooooooo.................

Let us know when you get your kit in and what the results of the tests are. Take a current picture so you can see before and after pics!

Kim

 

[Compstuff]

Thank you all for responding... OK OK I will not add anything else except bleach until my kit comes (I was feeling desperate) ...then I can really know exactly where I am ... but I can tell you that my CYA has been between 40 and 50 on all my previous water tests and keep in mind that now that its rainy season in Miami we get HEAVY rain practically every afternoon and today I got about 4 inches in the pool and had to drain some off. This is probably the 4th time the pool needed some draining in just a couple of weeks so I guess in one respect I am probably lucky and that should help with keeping the CYA being from being too high.

Quick question are you referring to a regular bottle of household bleach or the "jug" that the pool store sells? Here is a pic I took tonight as I was draining the pool. Thanks Again!!!

 

[Casey]

Regular house hold unscented bleach. That's all you need. Go to Wally World and stock up on at least 10 jugs for now. You're going to go through them and possibly need more before you're finished. Any extra jugs of bleach should be kept in a cool dark place until used.

Good for you that you ordered a test kit!

It's a good thing it's been raining. If it weren't, your CYA would be through the roof. Let's see what the TF100 says!

 

[kimkats]

Bleach/chlorine = the SAME thing!

Store bleach (walmarts great value) is about 8.25%. MY pool store has bleach/chlorine that is about 11%. Be careful with the "cheap" stuff as it can be as low as 3%! If it is not listed on the bottle.........back away!

Once I got my own jugs (yellow 2.5 gals) I found that the pool store has the best price per oz. There is a page on here somewhere that compares the price to help find cost per oz.

If you feel like it go ahead and enter in your last known CYA value and SLAM to that. It will not hurt anything other than your wallet if your CYA is higher than you think.

I SO hear you about the rain. I am up here in Tallahassee and we are getting hit with our normal afternoon rain every day. I am having a hard time holding my CYA level.

It should not take you long to clear your pool!

Good luck! Kim

 

[Compstuff]

Followed everyone's advice... bought 9 gallons 8.25% bleach (sold in 3 packs) and added one last night and I let the pump run all night again. I completely brushed the pool again this morning and cleaned the cartridge filter and housing. It was slightly dirty but nothing crazy and the pressure gauge is reading a solid 11 which was 10-11 when I replaced it new. I have to get my car running and once I do I will take some samples to the 2 different stores by me and report back. Man I wish I ordered the darn kit a few days earlier... Below are pics I just took... color looks much better but the water is really cloudy and not clear at all. I can't even see the brush or drain on the bottom of the pool.

Jason do you consider the images below "hotlinked"? if so I apologize and you or another mod can delete them since the bottom URL is a ling to the photo gallery









http://postimg.org/gallery/1b6slxu8y/

 

[jblizzle]

Honestly, I have no idea what "hotlinked" even means
Personally I prefer the pictures to be shown directly in the post.

- - - Updated - - -

Since you have the pictures posted to an image sharing site ... I do not think that is the hotlinking anyone is worried about.

 

[Compstuff]

I was having trouble uploading more than 1 image... let me try again... I also prefer the actual images

Honestly, I have no idea what "hotlinked" even means
Personally I prefer the pictures to be shown directly in the post.

- - - Updated - - -

Since you have the pictures posted to an image sharing site ... I do not think that is the hotlinking anyone is worried about.

 

[jblizzle]

You have very limited space on this forum without being a supporter, so it is best to use some image hosting site like you did in your previous post.

 

[Compstuff]

I just became a supporter... certainly not due to the attachment size issue but because I appreciate the help.

You have very limited space on this forum without being a supporter, so it is best to use some image hosting list like you did in your previous post.

 

[jblizzle]

Thanks for the support

Are you aware that when you become a supporter you get a discount on the TF-100? When you get your code from Jason, send an email to tftestkits and they will take care of you.

 

[Compstuff]

Finally got a chance to go to the pool stores for some test results.

I had added another Gallon of bleach last night and after about 3 hrs I turned the pump off for the evening. This morning after the pump ran for about 2 hrs I completely brushed the pool again and then ran the pump for another 2 hrs. I then turned the pump off for 30 minutes and took 2 water samples in the deep end at arms length (submerged the bottles upside down the at depth filled them).

Big difference in CYA so not sure what I should do today

RESULTS:

STORE 1
FC=5.0
TC=5.0
CC=0.0
pH=8.0
Acid Demand=1
Base Demand
TA=125
Calcium Hardness=275
Stabilizer=90
TDS=600

STORE 2
FC=5.0
TC=
CC=0.0
pH=8.0
Acid Demand=1
Base Demand=
TA=120
Calcium Hardness=200
Stabilizer (CYA)=50
TDS=
Copper=0
Iron=0
Phosphates=300

 

[jblizzle]

You should wait for your TF-100

And the pump needs to be running when you take water samples.

 

[Compstuff]

The guy at the pool store said that my jets would be shooting out chlorinated water due to the inline chlorinator and suggested that method... was that incorrect?

You should wait for your TF-100

And the pump needs to be running when you take water samples.

 

[bridgman]

You wouldn't want to take the water sample right in front of the return jet for sure, but if you're somewhere else in the pool it shouldn't make much difference.

I guess strictly speaking the pump needs to be running "for a suitably long period before you take the water sample" to make sure the levels are consistent around the pool, ie you could run it for an hour then switch it off while you take the sample, but I don't think anyone here would bother.

It's all academic because at some point soon you're going to have to stop using tabs and switch to bleach (liquid) so your CYA levels don't get too high. Seems that pool store test results tend to read low on CYA, so that point was probably a couple of months ago.

Once you stop putting tabs in you won't be getting chlorinated liquid from the return jet anyways

 

[Compstuff]

Man oh man this sure has been one heck of a learning experience ...thankfully my kit comes tomorrow and I have lots of chlorine on hand to SLAM the pool with so I think I'm ready

Today I got up and did my typical full brushing and noticed for the first time in ages I can see the bottom of the pool and the drain... so its getting better daily. After the brushing I decided to put my 3 week old Kreepy Krawly in to let it run around and vacuum the the entire pool ( I'm having problems with that too but that's a different post ) I will let in run for a few hrs and then go back to the regular water flow.

 

[Compstuff]

My kit is out for delivery and I am hoping to get it mid after noon which will give me time to start my SLAM. In the meantime been doing the same routine, added 1 G of chlorine last night about an hr before turning the pump off, this morning with the pump running I completely brushed the pool & Spa and then after 2 hrs I cleaned the filter and housing again. I will probably drop the Kreepy Krauly in again and run it for a few hrs as well while I wait for the kit. I will also re-read everything and watch the videos on the Kit so I can be sure to hit the ground running.

Almost forgot to mention; the pool looks great and the water has gotten even clearer, its a beautiful blue now ... I almost had to jump in and take a quick swim but I figured I could be patient a little longer.

 

[Beens]

WOOHOO! Out for delivery!

Just a reminder (or in case it hasn't already been mentioned) Once you start your SLAM the pump should be running 24/7 until you're done.