Need Pool Help!!!

[Ktbear311]

Hi all!!
I am new to TFP, but any help fellow member could give me would be greatly appreciated. I am unsure of my demensions, but know that I have a 25,000-30,000 gallon above ground pool with a Hayward sand filter (new 2 years ago). The cover collapsed over the winter, leaving it open to the elements for about 7 months. When we began working on the pool it was extremely swamp like!! Blackish/greenish with LOTS of debris on the top as well as the bottom. We tried raking whats on the bottom and got copious amounts of leaves/dirt. We began shocking it with granules.....did 2 algeacide treatments with a product called "swamp treat". The water turned from black to a light greenish color. We kept shocking, raking, and running the filter to where we now have a bluish tinted water, but it appears very milky/cloudy. We took the water to be tested and the pool store results were that we were holding no FC, our phosphates were at 300, and our pH was at 6.4. So, on that note, we added 12lbs of baking soda to bump the pH up.....did 3 phosphorous treatments, flocked and shocked some more. Newest water reading.....still no FC, phosphates are at 100, pH is 7.8 and water is STILL cloudy!! I have a test kit at home that I use also, and my readings NEVER match what the pool store has. We have continued with raking and vacuuming blindly!! Switched to liquid chlorine and have added 4.5 gallons. NOTHING!!!:grrrr: This pool is making me VERY angry!! I am beginning to lose hope! Please Help!!!!!

 

[JohnT]

Welcome to TFP!

The very simple answer to your problem is that you just aren't adding enough chlorine.

4.5 gallons is a drop in the bucket to a dirty pool, and will be used up inside an hour. You need to get the pool to an appropriate shock level, then test again an hour later and add more chlorine. Keep doing that until the chlorine stops dropping. Check out SLAMing Your Pool for details.

 

[tim5055]

Welcome to TFP!!

John is right, a SLAM is what is going to clear your pool. But, you have to stop going to that pool store - they are giving you advice that is bad for you , but good for them because it sells more.

What test kit do you have?? If it is not a FAS/DPD test kit (you use a powder to obtain your FC reading) you need one. Order a TF100 and at least include the XL option. That will give you what you need while you are clearing the pool, and probably enough reagents for a couple of years normal use.

You test reading don't match theirs because theirs are probably wrong, they usually are. Not much credence is given to pool store testing around here. 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.

 

[Ktbear311]

Thanks so much for you advice!! I chlorinated the heck out of it and now have clear water! However, i now have brownish clumps of what im assuming is algae..What is going to be my best defense to clear that up. Ive tried vaccuming on filter AND vaccuming to waste but i feel all I am accomplishing is draining my pool water and moving this gunk around.

 

[Texas Splash]

That's positive movement. However, I don't see I your thread any update about getting the TF-100 test kit. Did you get one? We need those readins right away to give some specific advice on what to do next. Remember these two things:
1 - The proper test kit is everything. Why? Because we've all learned (from personal experience) you cannot reply on pool store tests, test strips, or simple over-the-counter kits. They don't read Free Chlorine (FC) or Cyanuric Acid (CYA) levels accurately or to the high levels we need.
2 - SLAM is the term used when we “Shock” our pool to a higher “Level” of Free Chlorine (FC) and “Maintain” it that way until 3 objectives are met:
1. Water is clear
2. You do not lose any more than 1ppm of FC overnight (that's the OCLT)
3. CC (Combined Chlorine) is <.5
** You MUST meet ALL 3 items above to properly do a SLAM. Simply “spiking" the FC higher than normal isn't SLAMming, therefore there’s a good chance your algae will return.

Use the Chlorine/CYA chart (link in my sig) to bring your FC up to the proper SLAM level rating based on your current CYA and make sure it stays there (MAINTAIN) until you meet ALL 3 criteria listed above! That may take just a few days or even a week or two! That is absolutely critical for success.

At the same time, continue to run your pump 24/7. Remove any “muck” and debris, scrub all parts of your pool to expose any algae, and vacuum/clean (or backwash) filter as necessary. You may have to do this several times. It's a lot of babysitting, but with patience and consistency, you will succeed.

Please advise on your current test results and we'll be able to assist you.

 

[kimkats]

As you kill all of the algae you will see dead algae on the bottom of your pool. You have to get it out or it will cause more problems.

The only real way to beat the algae and have a clear pool is to get a good test kit. You say you have a kit. What kind is it?

Your pool CAN be clear with just bleach and a couple of other things you can buy outside the pool store! You just need to have the good test kit to make it happen!

Let us know what test kit you have and we can go from there.

Kim