Algae Algae Algae

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dawnmb8

New member
Apr 27, 2025
2
SC
Pool Size
11000
Surface
Fiberglass
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
Hi all! Need some guidance here. I’m a pool newbie. We got our pool a year ago. We live in SC and never close the pool. It’s an 11k gal fiberglass I ground pool.

In Feb I started noticing dark spots on the walls and would scrub it off and then it’d come back. Every weekend I’d clean out the pool and scrub the walls. And now I’m at the point where every other day it comes back worse than before. So I’m aware (now) I have an algae problem and I’m trying to get the pool healthy. Be gentle as I’m a newbie here and know that I’ve not done anything right. But I want to learn so I can keep it nice going forward.

4/22
pH: 7.7
FC: 0.62
(never occurred to me to check CYA) until I started admitting I had a problem and started researching and realized this is a key component of a healthy pool.

4/26 12pm
pH:7.17
FC:0.62
TA:108
CYA:14
Added 2 lbs stabilizer

4/26 8pm
CYA: 24

4/27 8am
FC: 3.9
CYA: 27
Added 1.25 gal liquid chlorine

4/27 12pm
FC: 3.8
CYA: 23
Added 1.25 gal liquid chlorine

4/27 145pm
FC: 2.91
CYA: 24

I’m not sure what to focus on. CYA or FC. And why do they keep dropping even though I’m adding chemicals.

I watched the TFP videos and read the forums and documents.

I just want to make sure I dont send myself into a counteractive spiral where I’m fighting myself and spending tons of money on chemicals because of my lack of knowledge.

The SLAM process makes sense to me but my pool is t reacting in a way that makes sense (to me).

What am I doing wrong?
Thank you in advance!
Dawn
 
Welcome to TFP!
Looks like your results are from the pool store. You need a good test kit…link—>Test Kits Compared

Why? Pool store testing is notoriously wrong. Giving advice on wrong test results, we can do more harm than good.

Add enough CYA to get to 30. No more.

Add 5ppm of liquid chlorine per day until the kit arrives.

Post results from your kit, and start the slam process after you get your kit. Link—>SLAM Process
 
The fancy testers like to give very precise results, but as you are finding out, precise does not mean accurate and repeatable.

Get a more accurate test kit, then your focus should be on FC and SLAM. If your CYA results are remotely accurate, ~30 CYA is perfect for a SLAM so dont add any CYA just yet.
 
dawnmb8 said:
I just want to make sure I dont send myself into a counteractive spiral where I’m fighting myself and spending tons of money on chemicals because of my lack of knowledge.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, The photometer is going to do that to you. If the FC isn’t staying up, then it’s being used up fighting algae even though you can’t see it yet. You can’t do the SLAM process without the more reliable kit.
 
dawnmb8 said:
Hi all! Need some guidance here. I’m a pool newbie. We got our pool a year ago. We live in SC and never close the pool. It’s an 11k gal fiberglass I ground pool.

In Feb I started noticing dark spots on the walls and would scrub it off and then it’d come back. Every weekend I’d clean out the pool and scrub the walls. And now I’m at the point where every other day it comes back worse than before. So I’m aware (now) I have an algae problem and I’m trying to get the pool healthy. Be gentle as I’m a newbie here and know that I’ve not done anything right. But I want to learn so I can keep it nice going forward.

4/22
pH: 7.7
FC: 0.62
(never occurred to me to check CYA) until I started admitting I had a problem and started researching and realized this is a key component of a healthy pool.

4/26 12pm
pH:7.17
FC:0.62
TA:108
CYA:14
Added 2 lbs stabilizer

4/26 8pm
CYA: 24

4/27 8am
FC: 3.9
CYA: 27
Added 1.25 gal liquid chlorine

4/27 12pm
FC: 3.8
CYA: 23
Added 1.25 gal liquid chlorine

4/27 145pm
FC: 2.91
CYA: 24

I’m not sure what to focus on. CYA or FC. And why do they keep dropping even though I’m adding chemicals.

I watched the TFP videos and read the forums and documents.

I just want to make sure I dont send myself into a counteractive spiral where I’m fighting myself and spending tons of money on chemicals because of my lack of knowledge.

The SLAM process makes sense to me but my pool is t reacting in a way that makes sense (to me).

What am I doing wrong?
Thank you in advance!
Dawn
Click to expand...
Hi Dawn, welcome to TFP! (I got here end of last summer and still spend time reading things (or reading things). Lots of great folks here to help you out! No one here is out to get you, so no worries about being new! It's a great place to learn. Sounds like folks have steered you onto the right track with the appropriate test kit. Unsure where you prefer to grab your LC, but if there's a Walmart nearby and you haven't been there yet, they'll likely have Pool Essentials 10% sodium hypochlorite for around $5-6 a gallon. Once you get that kit, and you have a good stock of LC, you'll be ready to SLAM - it will work! Just don't give up and try to stay on top of keeping your FC at SLAM level, or like you've probably already read, you'll end up doing exactly what you don't want - wasting time and money...even on LC. Got to stay ahead of it as best as you can.
 
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Hi Dawn and welcome! The proper test kit is your compass and the great people here can guide you
once your accurate results are posted. It seems like a bigger investment than you expect, but you'll
end up paying more by adding $tuff to your pool that you don’t need. Not to mention the frustration
of not getting the pool water gorgeous….and be able to maintain it yourself….easily! We all came here
with pool problems and many are still here helping newcomers. 🙂

Not sure how to do something? Any questions, ask away! You’ll get answers quickly.
 
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