Hi, all! We're trying very hard to get our pool sanitized so our kids can enjoy it this summer. We need LOTS of help!!! Let me share as many details as I can remember. Here goes...
We bought the pool in the summer of 2010 and only that year, possibly the second, has it ever been crystal clear. Last summer, we had shades of green but seemed to bounce back after shocking/adding chlorine tablets to the floater but was always cloudy and we could never see bottom. We also started having problems with the pump and filter. In the fall, we failed to cover it (obviously a BAD mistake). In early May, we started brushing the walls and bottom. Sheets of algae were coming off and we were happy to see the movement along the bottom to see the surface. We used the net to scoop it all out (it was gross and took a few weeks). Then, the frogs took over and began producing offspring in the pool. The color changed to a nasty greenish brown and the water smelled horrendous. We ordered a new pump & filter and installed them on 6/6/15. We added chemicals (shock/chlorine) and the water started to look and smell more like a pool (not like a swamp!!!). We've since vacuumed (Polaris Vac-Sweep 65) a few times, added horrendous amount of shock and the water is still green. Took a water sample to our local pool store on 6/13/15, bought the products they said we needed, followed the steps exactly was prescribed and it's STILL green (pic taken 6/14/15)! I'm so frustrated!!!
Additionally, with the vacuum we have, are we doing it right? It's powered by the jet and we leave it multi-port valve set to Filter while using it. However, I'm reading that we should have it set to Waste when vacuuming. I don't think the style of our vacuum will operate in that position. Should we using the manual vacuum while still trying to get the algae out? I'm very confused and, as I've already stated, quite frustrated.
Also, I apologize for not posting our levels. We don't have our own testing kit and while I know the numbers can change daily, our most recent readings from the pool store are at home and I'm trapped at work.
Any tips or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
We bought the pool in the summer of 2010 and only that year, possibly the second, has it ever been crystal clear. Last summer, we had shades of green but seemed to bounce back after shocking/adding chlorine tablets to the floater but was always cloudy and we could never see bottom. We also started having problems with the pump and filter. In the fall, we failed to cover it (obviously a BAD mistake). In early May, we started brushing the walls and bottom. Sheets of algae were coming off and we were happy to see the movement along the bottom to see the surface. We used the net to scoop it all out (it was gross and took a few weeks). Then, the frogs took over and began producing offspring in the pool. The color changed to a nasty greenish brown and the water smelled horrendous. We ordered a new pump & filter and installed them on 6/6/15. We added chemicals (shock/chlorine) and the water started to look and smell more like a pool (not like a swamp!!!). We've since vacuumed (Polaris Vac-Sweep 65) a few times, added horrendous amount of shock and the water is still green. Took a water sample to our local pool store on 6/13/15, bought the products they said we needed, followed the steps exactly was prescribed and it's STILL green (pic taken 6/14/15)! I'm so frustrated!!!
Additionally, with the vacuum we have, are we doing it right? It's powered by the jet and we leave it multi-port valve set to Filter while using it. However, I'm reading that we should have it set to Waste when vacuuming. I don't think the style of our vacuum will operate in that position. Should we using the manual vacuum while still trying to get the algae out? I'm very confused and, as I've already stated, quite frustrated.
Also, I apologize for not posting our levels. We don't have our own testing kit and while I know the numbers can change daily, our most recent readings from the pool store are at home and I'm trapped at work.
Any tips or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!