Algae blooming nearly weekly. I can’t afford the chlorine anymore

[Poolsnotmygame]

C: 6.8
CC: 0.5
Ph: 7.4
TA: 8
CYA: 30
I’ve been at my wits end. I’ve been battling algae blooms all summer with the 110 degree heat and constant rains. I thought when the weather cooled my chlorine would last but I’m constantly slamming the pool this summer and to no avail. I’m ready to try clear out or an algae cide with a floc because it just won’t stop. The best I can get my pool is to a hazy cloudy deep end. Spending hundreds and hundreds of $$ just on liquid chlorine this summer and I have to go buy more again. I usually close the pool in late October but I’m thinking of just closing now and giving up.

 

[revitup]

It would be interesting to see your Poolmath logs to see your FC level day to day. I’m betting we’d see a lot of below min readings.

 

[Msch99]

Please add your pool info to your signature, helps the experts help you and saves time for both.
Check ladders, light niches, etc. for algae also.
Most generally if have continual problems either there are hidden spots and/or slams were not quite completed.

 

[Poolsnotmygame]

It would be interesting to see your Poolmath logs to see your FC level day to day. I’m betting we’d see a lot of below min readings.

I dont know how to keep up with the chlorine without using tabs. I’ve made the last 3 summers with just adding a gallon a week sometimes a bit more. This summer the pool is just eating through my wallet with chlorine and I just can’t keep up with it. I dk what’s really any different. Besides that with the chlorine tab shortage, Big Chlorine doubles their price.

 

[JohnT]

I dont know how to keep up with the chlorine without using tabs. I’ve made the last 3 summers with just adding a gallon a week sometimes a bit more. This summer the pool is just eating through my wallet with chlorine and I just can’t keep up with it. I dk what’s really any different. Besides that with the chlorine tab shortage, Big Chlorine doubles their price.

How are you testing chlorine to get 0.05ppm accuracy on CC?

 

[Poolsnotmygame]

Please add your pool info to your signature, helps the experts help you and saves time for both.
Check ladders, light niches, etc. for algae also.
Most generally if have continual problems either there are hidden spots and/or slams were not quite completed.

Actually removed the ladder completely hoping this would help it. I have the Polaris running daily helping to scrub down and churn the water a bit. Nothing seems to really help. I feel I just really needed pool tabs this summer. I can’t keep up with liquid chlorine.

 

[Poolsnotmygame]

How are you testing chlorine to get 0.05ppm accuracy on CC?

Sorry incorrectly written. I’ll edit it now but 0.5 was the measurement. Also, I’m being generous, with the Taylor kit it barely turned the water pink to show CC.

 

[Msch99]

If your having trouble keeping clear with liquid chlorine, the tabs will be worse due to rising CYA levels.

 

[V___25]

Is a saltwater generator an option for you?

 

[Donldson]

I’ve made the last 3 summers with just adding a gallon a week sometimes a bit more.

In a 38,000 gallon pool a gallon of 12.5% liquid chlorine (giving the best case scenario) would equate to 3.3 ppm of FC. There is no way your water is burning through that little chlorine over the course of a week. In that kind of heat with only 30 ppm CYA you'd be lucky to see 3 ppm FC loss per day. No wonder you've got algae.

Tabs aren't going to help you, if you're adding 3 ppm FC from tabs every day then you're also adding 2 ppm CYA (that's two tabs a day, every single day). Within a month your CYA would be out of control. Given that one of your first posts was about how insane trying to drain a pool that size would be, that sure doesn't seem like a smart plan. And floc doesn't kill algae, you might clear out the visible stuff but there will be plenty left. It will grow right back with as little chlorine as you're adding.

Large pools require large amounts of chemicals to make small changes.

 

[Bperry]

C: 6.8
CC: 0.5
Ph: 7.4
TA: 8
CYA: 30
I’ve been at my wits end. I’ve been battling algae blooms all summer with the 110 degree heat and constant rains. I thought when the weather cooled my chlorine would last but I’m constantly slamming the pool this summer and to no avail. I’m ready to try clear out or an algae cide with a floc because it just won’t stop. The best I can get my pool is to a hazy cloudy deep end. Spending hundreds and hundreds of $$ just on liquid chlorine this summer and I have to go buy more again. I usually close the pool in late October but I’m thinking of just closing now and giving up.

You’ll want to correct the TA as well. Not possible for it to be “8”. Assuming your CYA is accurate, why not increase it to 40ppm

You say you keep slamming the pool, but the best it does is turn hazy? The SLAM shouldn’t end until the water is clear. If you are ending the SLAM process before the water is clear, you’re not following the process. Just wanting to make sure you understand that is a possibility on why it won’t clear up.

 

[mkolb]

I dont know how to keep up with the chlorine without using tabs. I’ve made the last 3 summers with just adding a gallon a week sometimes a bit more. This summer the pool is just eating through my wallet with chlorine and I just can’t keep up with it. I dk what’s really any different. Besides that with the chlorine tab shortage, Big Chlorine doubles their price.

That's not clearly enough liquid chlorine.. I have to use 1/2 gallon of 12.5% (My pool is 27K Gallons) daily to maintain my FC at 7-9 PPM... You should probably raise your CYA to 50; that way it will give your FC more protection... Cost me about $2/Day in FC and my pool has been absolutely perfect all Summer.

 

[azpoolgu]

Did you actually mean a TA of 8? Or 80?

 

[tstex]

PoolsNMGame

First, can you pls go back and more clearly define your current chemistries...

Next, you need to redo your CYA, FC/CC=TC and your pH for starters. You have a very large pool and I suspect you got tired of adding the bleach, and while you went to tabs, the algae bloom started and you have been behind the 8-ball ever since...you need to post an accurate CYA [if too low, add some tabs to bring to 45-50, make sure pH is 7.2 and once both CYA is 40-50 range, pH of 7.2, bring on the bleach in large batches....then scrub the liner, run pool cleaner and keep pump running 7x24...make sure your filtering system is cleaned and ready for dead algae.

Finally, if all of this is too much $, then drain it down to 1/2 and do all your chemistries and your costs will be cut in half. then winterize and "FORGETABOUTIT"** ** is with an Italian NY Accent ;-)

 

[Amyb9111]

C: 6.8
CC: 0.5
Ph: 7.4
TA: 8
CYA: 30
I’ve been at my wits end. I’ve been battling algae blooms all summer with the 110 degree heat and constant rains. I thought when the weather cooled my chlorine would last but I’m constantly slamming the pool this summer and to no avail. I’m ready to try clear out or an algae cide with a floc because it just won’t stop. The best I can get my pool is to a hazy cloudy deep end. Spending hundreds and hundreds of $$ just on liquid chlorine this summer and I have to go buy more again. I usually close the pool in late October but I’m thinking of just closing now and giving up.

I empathize with you. I’ve used over 20 containers of bleach during this one slam and pool is still hazy. I’m tired of buying bleach! Especially when it never clears up. I’m so ready to just close it down. Not sure what to do.

 

[V___25]

I empathize with you. I’ve used over 20 containers of bleach during this one slam and pool is still hazy. I’m tired of buying bleach! Especially when it never clears up. I’m so ready to just close it down. Not sure what to do.

What are your numbers? Are you still failing an OCLT? You can try adding some DE to your sand filter since sand filters are the slowest of any media to clear. I would strongly advise not to close with a cloudy pool, especially if the water is above 60* still. It won't get better over the winter and will be waiting for you in the spring, most likely worse than when you left it.

 

[tstex]

One of the biggest problems w Algae blooms is bad chemistries of ineffective sanitation of CL w too high CYA levels. Using CL Tablets way too long will kill CL efficacy, thus algae, even if you use 5-7 bottles of bkeach. High pH’s also are an issue and promote algae growth over 8.4

i helped a nbor by telling them to drain 50-60% of their water to lower CYA when adding new water. The SLAM afterwards cleared up the pool w less bleach than prior w more bleach & higher CYA.

 

[Amyb9111]

What are your numbers? Are you still failing an OCLT? You can try adding some DE to your sand filter since sand filters are the slowest of any media to clear. I would strongly advise not to close with a cloudy pool, especially if the water is above 60* still. It won't get better over the winter and will be waiting for you in the spring, most likely worse than when you left it.

Is the OCLT the overnight test? I was thinking it needed to be clear first. I’m keeping my FC at 10-12. Haven’t worried about other numbers as I’m in a SLAM. I’m new so tell me if that’s not right. I am getting new liner in spring so wondering just how bad it would be if I close it cloudy.

 

[Msch99]

If your going to drain and change liner I wouldn’t bother clearing up water your going to dump anyway.

 

[V___25]

Is the OCLT the overnight test? I was thinking it needed to be clear first. I’m keeping my FC at 10-12. Haven’t worried about other numbers as I’m in a SLAM. I’m new so tell me if that’s not right. I am getting new liner in spring so wondering just how bad it would be if I close it cloudy.

If there's a new liner in the picture then maybe it's not worth the fight. Do they need to measure still or do they have all the measurements? I think the water has to be clear enough for them to get all sorts of measurements from inside the pool