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yabbyfarm

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Nov 24, 2014
42
Barossa/ South Australia
Hi all,

I am currently waiting for my test kit to arrive from the US (I live in South Australia).
I have been using the local pool shop to keep my pool clean and I am forever having to buy expensive chemicals and I am starting to wonder if they are just taking me for a ride or they don't know what they are doing.

I have had a problem for a while now where as soon as I cover the pool for a few days in Summer, the pool gets a green algal bloom.
I turn the heater off while the cover is on as the cover is mainly to stop tree leaves from getting in and help with evaporation. Even with the heater off the temperature is around 34 degree C. (almost a spa).

My question is regarding how much extra chlorine is being eaten up due to the higher temperature? does it mean that when I cover the pool I have to run the SWG for over 12 hours just to keep up?
 
:wave: Welcome to TFP!!!

If you are trusting a pool store, you are likely being taken for a ride. ;)

Once algae starts in the water, even if you can not see it yet, it will raise the FC consumption up a good bit. The warmer water in itself will not increase the consumption very much.

How much Pool School have you read? Start with these:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Sounds like you will need to follow the ShockLevelAndMAINTAIN Process once your test kit arrives (hope you ordered one of the Recommended Test Kits)
 
yabbyfarm said:
I have been using the local pool shop to keep my pool clean and I am forever having to buy expensive chemicals and I am starting to wonder if they are just taking me for a ride or they don't know what they are doing.
Click to expand...

Welcome to TFP! :handwave:

Sounds like both (They took you for a ride AND they don't know what they are doing)

Once you learn the ins and outs of the pool chemistry, start testing your own water and putting in your own chemicals the rest will come naturally. The only thing you need to keep algae away is chlorine (which is what regular concentrated bleach is AKA Clorox). You just have to make sure you maintain the proper level of it. Take our advice and your pool will be algae free in no time and then stay that way permanently.
 
Thank you for the fast reply.

Yes I have ordered the Taylor FAS DPD Test Kit K-2006C.
I will be real interested to see what is causing the algal bloom as its a brand new chlorinator and the filter has just been replaced.
Using my old test kit the Chlorine level was always a little on the high side and I kept the PH at around 7.6, however I don't realy trust the results I was getting.

I tend to run the filter for about 8 hours a day so I would have thought the FC would have been high enough.

Yes I have read all of the pool school and the chemicals previous to posting, but like most things until I put it into practice it doesn't really sink in. I'm sure I'll pick it up once I run a few tests and ad some chemicals.
 
Is your "chlorinator" a canister that you put trichlor tablets into? Or do you mean a SWG?

If your CYA is too low, then your SWG will not be able to generate FC fast enough as the sun will burn it off.

Things do become more clear once you start the hand-on testing.

BTW, the filter has nothing to do with whether you get algae starting or now. Chlorine kills and prevents algae. The filter just removes it once it is dead.
 
jblizzle said:
Is your "chlorinator" a canister that you put trichlor tablets into? Or do you mean a SWG?

If your CYA is too low, then your SWG will not be able to generate FC fast enough as the sun will burn it off.

Things do become more clear once you start the hand-on testing.

BTW, the filter has nothing to do with whether you get algae starting or now. Chlorine kills and prevents algae. The filter just removes it once it is dead.
Click to expand...

Yes I referred to the SWG as a "chlorinator" not familiar with the lingo yet.

CYA is one of the things I haven't been able to test and I'm suspecting is where my problem may reside.
 
Higher temps mean more chlorine consumption.....Far too many variables to say how much.

I would suggest you leave the cover off for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is evaporation will help cool your water significantly and may help with reducing your algae growth.
 
duraleigh said:
Higher temps mean more chlorine consumption.....Far too many variables to say how much.

I would suggest you leave the cover off for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is evaporation will help cool your water significantly and may help with reducing your algae growth.
Click to expand...

thanks for the advice.
Until my test kit arrives my plan is to run the SWG 24/7 with the cover off. Hopefully this brings up the FC and the pool stays reasonably clear. It hasn't gone fully green yet.
 
I like Jason's suggestion. Use bleach to get your FC up. SWG's are great at maintaining FC, but when you need a boost in FC, bleach is the way to go. It will be an instant boost in FC as where the SWG will take its good ole time.
It's also hard to give good accurate advice until you get the test kit and have some good test results to go by. We need to know where all your parameter's are at. Until then do your best to keep the ship afloat.
 

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Thanks guy's.
I haven't been able to get any chemicals so i found some bleach in the laundry and used that ;) . it is lemon scented and I put in about 1 liter.

I pick up the test kit this afternoon so i will get some chemicals on the way home as well.

What is the best gear to have on hand assuming I'll be needing to possibly raise or lower CYA or PH?
I'm obviously going to need Bleach or liquid chlorine for the slamming.
 
Yikes. Do NOT use any scented bleach or thicker "easy pour" stuff. You should only use plain old bleach.

Also realize that you may not be able to find the Recommended Test Kits down there very easily. The KEY test is the FAS-DPD chlorine test. Likely the pool store will have no idea what you are talking about.
 
Ok test kit arrived and results are as follows.
FC=14
CC=0 (slightest hint of a pink shade during test so i'm taking that as a zero)
PH= 7.9
3 drops to get to 7.5 for acid demand test
CH=375ppm
CYA = 90ppm

I'll punch in the numbers into pool maths and see what I get.

What would be the best course of action from here?
The algae looks to be dead and I'm in the process of sweeping and using the in floor cleaner to disperse and catch in the filter cartridge.

- - - Updated - - -

okay.. looks like I have to get rid of 50% of my water in order to get my CH and CYA back to a reasonable level. Is this correct?

Just for future reference, what on earth would have caused these numbers to be so high?
Also tested my tap and rain water. Tap water CH=120ppm rain water CH=30ppm
 
Back in post #4 you said your chlorine was always a little high but didn't say what that was. What level were you keeping the FC at ??

With a CYA level of 80 (yours 90) you'd want to target 6ppm FC daily and make sure you don't drop below 4. If you were routinely around 4ppm or below it that would explain why you are in a repeating cycle of algae.
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/128-chlorine-cya-chart-slam-shock


Either way you'll need to SLAM.
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl

The thing about bleach is we have found through experience the scented and "easy pour" types of bleach have additives that can cause problems like foaming. That will go away in time but can be a pain for a few days or a week depending on how much is added.
 
I was trying to keep the FC at the normal level of around 3 at the recommendation of the pool shop.
Looking at my old test results CYA was not even tested so it's no wonder that I was having algae problems.

My old test kit would not read a chlorine level above 7.8 so it was always off the scale, as soon as I let it fall into the range where i could see it, I would get an algal bloom, hence the reason I started to question things and consequently found this site :D

I was previously using a product called "Burnout Extreem" to slam the pool, I'm guessing it was a double edged sword as the more of that I put in the higher my CYA would be.
 
Burnout Extreme appears to be Cal-Hypo. So it was adding CH and not CYA.

The key to a clear pool is actually understanding the chemistry through accurate testing ... not trusting the guy looking to sell you something.
 
If you were keeping the FC around 3 for daily maintenance while using the burnout occasionally to shock you were pretty much shooting yourself in the foot as you shocked and the algae temporarily disappeared but added to the CYA level and next time you shocked it took more and more each time.

Once you SLAM the pool and then with the new test kit try to stay around 80ppm CYA and 6ppm FC you should be able to maintain a nice clean pool and not need to shock it again. Just maintain the 6 ppm with the SWGs run time and %. If you have a big pool party or event there is nothing wrong with adding a little bleach to help out either before everyone jumps in and or after to keep in "the zone" so to speak.

Like Jblizzle said, understanding the chemistry is key to being able to have nice sparkling blue water that not only looks inviting but is also sanitary. Just keep posting questions as they come up and it will start to fall into place.
 

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