Algae? Water crystal clear

[Scoot]

I'm a new pool owner, thought everything was going great, water is crystal clear, but sides and bottom of pool are getting slick. Algae??? Tested levels, did the pool calculator.
FC-0
PH-8.4
TA-240
CYA-100

Pool calculator says add 31oz of 6% bleach, and 14oz of 31.45% 20 Muriatic acid
Is this correct?
Do I add the bleach first and test again, before adding acid?
Do I run SWG while doing this or pump only?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Butterfly]

Get the pH down around 7.4ish ASAP!

Then, do a dilution CYA test to confirm how close to 100 it really is.......we need to confirm CYA before we can recommend appropriate FC
levels.............scroll down to post # 8, item # 9 http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/24188-Extended-Test-Kit-Directions

Welcome to the forum

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Welcome to the forum Unfortunately it sounds like you are close to having a green pool.

Get the pH down and find out what your CYA is.

You need chlorine bad, really bad but if the CYA is at 100 or higher then before you toss in chlorine you need to replace some water. You want to be closer to 70-80 with the SWG.
100 is the limit of the CYA test so if you are reading 100 it might actually be much higher and that's why a dilution test is necessary. That way you know if it's 100 or 100+ and that will determine if you dump water first and also what level of chlorine you need to combat the algae.

If you are using bagged shock or chlorine tablets now would be a good time to stop (remove them from pool) until we get some numbers from you as they ADD CYA and you can't afford to add anymore.

Do you have your own test kit and if so is it a FAS-DPD ??

You will likely need to do a SLAM to get rid of the algae that's started and it's best to have the SWG off during that time. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl

 

[tim5055]

You got to 100+ CYA in a little over a week?? From your signature "Installed 07/02/14"

As Butterfly said, need to get that pH down now. Add the muriatac acid.

As kiss4afrog said, if you are using solid forms of chlorine you need to stop now. If you have tabs in a floater pull them out. At this point you should only be using liquid forms of chlorine (bleach or 10/12.5% chlorination liquid).

You don't list it in your signature, so I'm unsure of your testing methods. If you don't already have one, you will need to pick up one of the recommended test kits. To effectively practice the TFPC methods, the FAS/DPD chlorine test is essential. All the kits on the list contain that test while very few other kits do. The kits sold at the pool store generally won't won't cut it, but be careful pool store employees are known to say “it's the same thing”. Generally it's not!

 

[Scoot]

I'm using hth 6 way test strips (Walmart), it shows on the CYA max. strip to be a 300 and mine tested at 100. But who knows if accurate!! lesson learned! If I order the TF-100 test kit, is that the one I need for more accurate tests? In the meantime, should I consider draining 20% of water, add the liquid 10% bleach and retest with the cheap test strips to see if any change or just add the bleach without draining and see what happens? Bleach is cheap.. Thanks ya'll!

 

[jtaves85mcss]

Welcome to the TFP experience.

Thanks for the update on test methods. The strips of any type are generally hard to read and frequently not accurate. All is not lost if you can give us a good estimate on the type (dichlor - trichlor) and number of tablets and bags of shock you have added, we can get a general estimate of your CYA. Unless you have added 7 - 8 bags of shock and used a similar number of tabs over the past 10 days your CYA is probably not 100 (that would have your Chlorine readings through the roof). Interestingly those additions should be driving Ph down, not up to the level you report, so something is obviously up with your strips.

If it was me I would wait until I could test the CYA myself prior to draining water.

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

I would take care of the pH.

I would order the TF-100 and the stirrer. The stirrer is worth it once you've used it to help you with the tests.

I would go to a pool store and have the water tested for the CYA and if it's 100 have them do a dilution test. I know everyone hates pool stores and pool store CYA tests are unreliable but it's a few days till you have a kit and with the pool store results you have an idea of how much water to dump and how much chlorine to put in.

Or ... if water is cheap where you are just dump half and refill and then test.

You can always use the strips and a pool store and average the readings between the two so you have some idea where you are at. I know, not the best but better than GREEN !!

- - - Updated - - -

You are using bleach for chlorine as you mentioned 10%, how much stabilizer did you add to the pool ??
Have you been using chlorinating tablets ??

 

[Scoot]

Posted twice...The TF-100 is ordered. I have not put anything in the pool except salt. The guy at the store where pool was purchased said no extra chemicals needed since salt water system 'supposed' to generate enough chlorine for pool. Nothing in the manuals or DVDs either said about adding anything extra. Also, I run the SWG the suggested time (4 hours) during the day when sun is directly over pool, but maybe need to increase that time. I cannot get any muriactac acid until tomorrow and I will take the water sample to pool store for testing.

 

[tim5055]

The guy at the store where pool was purchased said no extra chemicals needed since salt water system 'supposed' to generate enough chlorine for pool. Nothing in the manuals or DVDs either said about adding anything extra. Also, I run the SWG the suggested time (4 hours) during the day when sun is directly over pool, but maybe need to increase that time.

He is ignorant of the relationship between CYA and FC. Ignore him. Get some chlorine in the pool. bleach or hi test chlorinating liquid. Same stuff, different % in the solution.

I cannot get any muriactac acid until tomorrow

MA is a Loews item. Look in the paint section. They sell two kinds, low fume (green label) and regular (blue label). You want the blue label regular. Less expensive than the pool store.

I will take the water sample to pool store for testing.

If you have read around here much you have probably seen that not much credence is given to pool store testing. While you would think that a "professional" would be the best, unfortunately in most cases it is quite the opposite. Between employees who blindly trust the word of chemical sales representatives and high school kids working in the pool store for the summer you end up with poor results from their testing. But, when compared to strips it may be better.

 

[Scoot]

Thanks, I went to Lowe's today, but looked in the pool section, didn't realize it was in paint section. Guess I'll be going back to Lowe's. I'm just seeing what the pool store test results may be until my TF-100 is received, then I can get some true numbers and go from there. Thanks

 

[jtaves85mcss]

With your response that you have not added anything to the pool except salt, your CYA reading of 100 is impossible. It will only get in your pool if you are using tabs, dichlor/trichlor powder or some form of powder/liquid stabilizer. That leads me to question every reading you are getting from those strips. I would not add anything but bleach and maybe half the MA estimate you got from poolmath. Don't do a drain either, waste of water until you get a good CYA reading.

 

[Donny]

How long are you running your pump???

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Thanks, I went to Lowe's today, but looked in the pool section, didn't realize it was in paint section. Guess I'll be going back to Lowe's. I'm just seeing what the pool store test results may be until my TF-100 is received, then I can get some true numbers and go from there. Thanks

Hardware store like ace, home depot, menards ...

 

[Scoot]

Okay, I'm finally back, I got my TF-100 test in and have tested for 2 days, after draining some water because of 6" of rain we received.
Readings yesterday:
PH 7.8
FC 2
CC .5
TC 2.5
CYA 0
Added 6.3 oz 10% Bleach

Tested this A.M. and added bleach and mur. acid according to PoolMath
PH 7.8
FC 2
CC .5
TC 2.5
TA 250
CYA 0
Added 12oz 31.45% Mur. acid
Added 6.3oz 10% bleach

3hrs later tested
PH 7.5
FC 3
CC .5
TC 3.5
TA 250
CYA 0

Was this too soon to test again? I Have pump filter and SWG going too. I got the PH down, but don't know what to do about TA or CYA. I redid the CYA test numerous times, making sure I'm doing it right, but can see the black dot clearly (with glasses and without). Also, the pool water is crystal clear, vacuum some brown "something" not a lot maybe 1 tablespoon that was on bottom of pool. Sides of pool are not slick, like before. I think the water looks good. PoolMath say add 32 oz stabilizer, what should I do next? Thanks for the help.

 

[Butterfly]

Add the stabilizer via sock method now. That will take CYA to about 50 and you will want to adjust it up to about 70ish for the SWG. You can test and adjust it next week.

What is the salt level?

I suggest you take the pool to SLAM FC level tonight (10 FC) and do an OCLT. This will determine if those nasty organics that made slick walls are all gone. link http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/136-perform-the-overnight-fc-chlorine-loss-test-oclt

Congrats on the TF100 test kit! You are now in control of your pool

 

[Butterfly]

Was this too soon to test again?

Nope, just fine. We suggest testing at least 30 minutes after adding chems, always with pump running.

Can you test your fill water for TA and CH and post those #'s for us?

Depending on what happens with your pH, you may or may not need to especially address the TA.

 

[Scoot]

This is strange results. I did the test on the fill water for TA and CH as stated above.

CH - water turned blue when I added the 3 drops of R-0011L and before I could add the R-0012. (repeated test twice incase I messed up with the instructions, same results)
TA - 290 (higher than the pool water)
Salt - 3230

????