Can I give up now?

[RhondaF]

I have a 24' above ground swamp. I've been fighting green algae all summer and finally changed the sand in the filter (twice....too much sand under the octopus thingey the first time). I've had the pool for 8 years and am of average pool intelligence. I have the good Taylor kit and try to avoid the pool store at all costs. I had it clear and drained it below the return (from vacuuming dead algae) and was about to put the cover on (trying to do it right this year so I'm not fighting this battle in the spring). I tested the water and it was off so I reluctantly filled it back up. Then it rained for 3 days and turned greener than ever. I shocked it but no difference. Even the water in the skimmer looks bad. I tested the ph and it's off the charts flourescent pink which has never happened before..its normally low when its off. I've added 2 pints of muriatic acid over two days and its still off the charts. I'm out of the CYA testing reagant and can't buy it locally. I really don't want to go to the hardware store for testing with my tail between my legs after telling them I didn't need all those expensive chemicals. I bought Aluminum Sulfate from the garden dept but can't find directions on how much to use. Floc is the only thing that cleared it up before (after shocking). Can I use the stuff from the garden dept? Its made for hydrangeas but was only $5.

Anyway, after reading several threads on here I'm tempted to just throw the cover on it and fix it in the spring.....I'm a single mom with 3 boys and I'm seriously tired of dealing with it. Did I mention I had to install a new liner this past spring? I couldnt find anyone to pay to do it so my kids and I did it. I also had to flip half the boards on my deck this summer because everything is falling apart around me......I'm way overdue for a margarita by the pool. Maybe next year.

So....does it make any sense to do all this work in October or should I just cover it and wait till April? (I'm in Atlanta by the way)

Sincerely,
The grouchy swamp lady.

 

[pwrstrk]

Welcome to TFP !
If you want to fix this now we can help ya out. It's either now or in the spring when things could be worse. Your going to have to follow the SLAM Process to fix this. Read over it a number of times to understand it. You have to follow it to the T !
First, what model Taylor kit do you have ? You'll need it to have an FAS/DPD test so you can test high FC levels. If it doesn't you'll need to get one.
Second you need to get some more CYA reagent so we can see where the CYA level is. All the shock you've added has raised this level. That's important as that will set your FC shock level. What do you use for your chlorine source ? You can get the CYA reagent at TFTestkits.net along with the FAS/ DPD kit if you need it.
Your PH test could be wrong with the added shock. If your FC level was 10 or above the PH test reads a false high. We'll have to see what your FC levels is to get a good test on your PH and adjust it from there for slamming your pool. Again you need your FC level below 10 for the PH test.
Don't add any chem's to your pool until we can see some test results. We would like to see the FC level so we can get the PH level fixed and then when you get the CYA reagent your CYA level. Don't worry about the CH or the TA.
Here are some other good articles from pool school that you should read to get an understanding of your pool water chemistry.
ABC'S Of Pool Water Chemistry
How To Chlorinate Your Pool
Recommended Levels
Get yourself familiar with Pool Math as you will be using this to figure out how much bleach to add for the SLAM process.
If you could add all your pool and equipment info to your sig that will help us better help you. Water volume and what pump and filter you are using and anything else.
We can help ya fix this up and prevent this from happening again ! ?

 

[RhondaF]

Thank you for the advice. My FC is zero. The shock was added at least a week ago. I gave up and hired someone to close the pool. Unfortunately we had different ideas of what that involved. I got home to find my pool covered and all the hoses disconnected. I don't think he did anything to the water. I could have done that myself. He's billed me $125 and couldn't have been here an hour. He's a neighbor so I'll probably pay him but I'm furious. I told him about the high PH. Will that hurt my new liner?

 

[pwrstrk]

It should be ok. The PH should come down as the water temp drops. Since all the hoses are disconnected it sounds like it's too late to fix things. The pump would have to running to get good test results and fix the levels that need attention.
Hopefully it won't turn green on you over the winter. Make sure you open as early as you can, when the water temp is in the 50's and get your levels back to where they need to be. ?

 

[RhondaF]

It's already green....extremely green. He covered my swamp.

 

[pwrstrk]

Do you want to fix it or wait till spring ?

 

[RhondaF]

can I wait? Can it get much worse? and is $125 reasonable? I could have done that myself.

 

[pwrstrk]

It may or may not get worse. It's hard to say. With it covered that will keep the sun off it, algae likes sun and warm water, but with zero FC all bets are off. ?

 

[RhondaF]

So what should I do???

 

[pwrstrk]

Well if it were me I'd get it cleared up. Your going to have to hook everything up and take the cover off so you can brush it as best you can if it's too cold to get in.
I think you said you need CYA reagent. In a previous post I told you where to get it. What model number is your Taylor kit so we can see if you have the FAS/ DPD test for FC. It's the test that uses the powder to turn the sample pink.
In the end it's your call ?

 

[RhondaF]

I have the Complete kit (FAS-DPD chlorine) but I think I'm more likely to bulldoze it than fill it back up and reconnect the hoses at this point. It's been a horrible summer.....we got a late start because I had to replace the liner (thank God for Youtube) and then it stayed green more often than not. I think my kids actually swam in it three times. I have to do everything myself. Hiring the neighbor was a luxury that I will regret for a long time. I can't imagine getting in it....if I was Baptist I could almost walk on it though. It's greener than the split pea soup from the Exorcist prop room. In a few days I'll probably reconsider though...right now I hate my pool.

If you think it's going to hurt the pool to wait until spring then I'll reopen it and try again to clear it up. I had put 2 pints of muratic acid in though and the ph didnt budge....still fluorescent pink. I've had the muratic acid for 4 years though. I have to fix that before the shock will work right?

 

[JVTrain]

First things first. Simply shocking a pool won't clear it up. You might get lucky with a mild case of algae but a green monster is going to need more than that.

I'm not sure how much you've read on the documentation here on the site for the methods we teach but that knowledge is more essential than any chemical you can buy or your testing kit (although the testing kit is VERY important).

Check out the links pwrstrk posted first and see if you're up for hooking things up and dealing with them now or reading up over the winter and getting after it early in the spring.

What you risk by waiting is potential staining of the liner due to long term algae exposure over the winter. You'll be able to clear it in the spring, but it might just take longer and cost a little more. Many times algae stains will come out or lighten during an extended SLAM process but not always completely.

 

[BuckeyeChris]

if the whole pool is covered in algae, maybe the whole liner will stain evenly....