Going crazy trying to kill what I think is Algae. Nightmare..

[jack0623]

I have been going crazy trying to kill what I think is algae. I have a 21000 gallon fiberglass pool salt system. According to the pool store my numbers are all good. Unfortunately I don't have the numbers. I'll post them tomorrow after testing again. When I was running my Dolphin Deluxe 4 robot it seemed as if the pool water would go cloudy. Yesterday I decided to change the sand in the filter because it just was not cleaning. Right after that the robot broke (The bearings went) and I shocked the pool (with powdered shock) and the stuff keeps settling on walls and looks green. This settling seemed to happen last week after shocking the pool. If I go to even touch the stuff it just blows away. Should I re-shock with liquid shock? I was reading on here that people just use clorox. Should I do that?

Also a different question. I noticed that some of the newer robots have finer filters to help pick up algae. Any recommendations on that? This has been going on for 2 weeks since I opened the pool. When the pool opened it looked like a swamp.

I am in NJ and have lots of trees around my yard so I get lots of junk in the pool this time of year.

Edit.. I forgot to add. Every time I backwash, even after changing the sand yesterday, the water shooting out of the jets is cloudy. I always wait until clear, and then rinse until cleared as well. I never noticed this in the past and think it might have something to do with the possible algae.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

To be blunt, we do not care what the pool store thinks the numbers are. We do not trust them and I highly recommend you invest in one of the Recommended Test Kits if you want to take control of your pool.

After you have a test kit and can give us real numbers, we can advise on a path forward. If you have algae, you will likely have to follow the ShockLevelAndMAINTAIN Process ... not your typical "pool store shock" method.

Algae is a chemical problem, not a filter or robot problem.

Have you discovered Pool School yet? Start with these:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

 

[jack0623]

Understood. Not sure if it matters, but the store I go to has the computer testing. They inject the water in to a disk like thing and the results come out about a couple minutes later after the thing is spinning inside. I don't know the model or make.

What do you recommend I buy to test with?

 

[jack0623]

Sorry I didn't realize that was a link...

 

[jack0623]

The reason I always liked to bring the water to the store is because I am VERY color blind. The test kits will do me no good.

 

[jblizzle]

Well, only the pH is a color matching test. The rest you count drops until the color changes. And the CYA you watch for a black dot to disappear.

The computerized testing is even worse than if the pool store used a good drop based test kit. How do you know if the operator knows how to use it or if it was correctly calibrated?

 

[jack0623]

OK, I will buy one. One of them you recommend mentioned a leslie number so I will go there tomorrow to get it. BTW I just tried vacuuming from the deep end and watched as the cloudy water came right back to the returns. So whatever it is, it's going right through the filter. Do you think it will help if I shock again tonight with regular bleach from the store just to get it started? I can go pick up a couple bottles of clorox unless you think I should wait. I appreciate your help.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[jblizzle]

Leslies hardly EVER has the FAS-DPD kit ... be careful as they will try to tell you the DPD kit is the same and it is most certainly not.

We do not blindly shock ... you can add a some bleach, but trying blind you are kind of wasting money.

Please add your pool details to your signature as described HERE as it will help us help you.

 

[Isaac-1]

It sounds as if your pool store uses the Lamotte Spin Lab test system, this is probably one of the better automated systems out there, but is still prone to several potential operator errors (cross contamination, etc.), and a drop based titration kit like the K-2006 or the TF-100 will likely result in far more consistent results with just a little care on the part of the person running the test. As a side note sand almost never needs to be changed in typical residential pool even after 25-30 years, although the occasional deep cleaning is required. Once you get some good numbers for us to go by we can get you headed on the path to much easier and likely cheaper pool ownership.

Ike

 

[jblizzle]

BTW, there are videos of most of the tests in the TF-100 on YouTube. Check them out and verify that you can discern the color changes: https://www.youtube.com/user/tf100testkit?feature=results_main