Algae collection worse after algaecide

[Bethany1983]

please help me get where my numbers need to be. I had algae collecting all on my tanning ledge steps and The pool store gave me a bottle of Bioguard Back Up 2, and now the algae looks worse on sides of pool and the floor and around the return jets.
These kits are still so confusing to me. I will be going to ACE hardware today because I need this cleared up by this weekend. I will not buy straight muriatic acid because I’m afraid of it. What can I do? All I can tell is that I need chlorine!! I just need to know exactly what to buy and how much to put in

 

[Bethany1983]

.

please help me get where my numbers need to be. I had algae collecting all on my tanning ledge steps and The pool store gave me a bottle of Bioguard Back Up 2, and now the algae looks worse on sides of pool and the floor and around the return jets.
These kits are still so confusing to me. I will be going to ACE hardware today because I need this cleared up by this weekend. I will not buy straight muriatic acid because I’m afraid of it. What can I do? All I can tell is that I need chlorine!! I just need to know exactly what to buy and how much to put in

 

[mknauss]

You need to follow the SLAM Process

 

[Texas Splash]

Good morning. You've been with us for a year now, so you've probably heard us say the same thing over & over a few times. Stay out of the pool store. Blah blah. Their products won't help. You have a good test kit, so you should be in an ideal position to get your water fixed. It's no secret, the kill algae you need to follow the SLAM Process. If you follow that page carefully you will get rid of the green and cloudy water.

 

[Bethany1983]

Good morning. You've been with us for a year now, so you've probably heard us say the same thing over & over a few times. Stay out of the pool store. Blah blah. Their products won't help. You have a good test kit, so you should be in an ideal position to get your water fixed. It's no secret, the kill algae you need to follow the SLAM Process. If you follow that page carefully you will get rid of the green and cloudy water.

Ok. I do not understand the test kit. I know that the numbers aren’t in the right range but there’s nothing that tells me what to add and how much. That’s the main problem I have! I also have one of those PH readers and can’t even figure out how to use it. Let me go to the slam page and see what it says.

 

[Texas Splash]

You mentioned you are not comfortable with muriatic acid, however that is the most ideal way to lower pH. There is low-fume muriatic acid available if that helps.

As for the chlorine level, you posted above a CYA of 50, so if that CYA test is correct your SLAM FC level needs to be "20". We get that SLAM FC of 20 from the FC/CYA Levels. Once you increase the FC to 20, you maintain it as best as you can while doing everything on the SLAM Process page.

 

[mknauss]

but there’s nothing that tells me what to add and how much.

It appears you have Poolmath. You are sharing your Test Logs but it has not been used for a year.
To use Poolmath, view

 

[gingrbredman]

I know that the numbers aren’t in the right range but there’s nothing that tells me what to add and how much.

Make sure you are using the PoolMath app when you are doing your testing. The app will show you what to add and how much.

After you complete the round of tests, the app will tell you where you are out of range. Select each test, and the app will give you the suggested amounts of chemicals to add to get you in range.

Also, even if you haven't done testing yet, but want to see what a certain chemical will do to the water, there is a section there called "effects of adding". If your app is setup for your pool, the volume is in there, so it will calculate the change. For example, if you wanted to lower your PH by 1, you would select "31.45 Muratic Acid" and then the ounces to add. According to the calculation, adding 100 ounces will lower your PH by 1.

 

[gingrbredman]

@mknauss beat me to it, but that is a great video on how to use the app. Much better than me trying to explain it, but worth a watch.

 

[Mdragger88]

Here are the videos showing how to do each test.

https://youtube.com/user/TF100TestKit
Do all the tests then log the results in PoolMath
Each card will show u what to add.
Begin SLAM Process
For fc be sure to toggle on SLAM

 

[Bethany1983]

Here are the videos showing how to do each test.

https://youtube.com/user/TF100TestKit
Do all the tests then log the results in PoolMath
Each card will show u what to add.
Begin SLAM Process
For fc be sure to toggle on SLAM

Ok I just used the pool math and didn’t realize when I logged the numbers it shows me what to add! I have 3 questions now:
-It says to use 10 lbs of baking soda. Is there something I can use from Ace hardware instead of baking soda??
-Also why does it say my SLAM target is 20?? Why is it so high?
-Lastly, I’m understanding I need to put the stabilizer and the baking soda in and check it later before I begin to put all the bleach in. Is that correct?

**One more thing! People are telling me to vacuum to waste. I have a side suction vacuum cleaner and the vacuum sits in the pool 24/7. What do I do about that as far as the algae getting out of the pool? Is the slam process supposed to make the algae disappear without manual intervention and without having to vacuum the algae out to waste??

 

[Bethany1983]

Ok I just used the pool math and didn’t realize when I logged the numbers it shows me what to add! I have 3 questions now:
-It says to use 10 lbs of baking soda. Is there something I can use from Ace hardware instead of baking soda??
-Also why does it say my SLAM target is 20?? Why is it so high?
-Lastly, I’m understanding I need to put the stabilizer and the baking soda in and check it later before I begin to put all the bleach in. Is that correct?

**One more thing! People are telling me to vacuum to waste. I have a side suction vacuum cleaner and the vacuum sits in the pool 24/7. What do I do about that as far as the algae getting out of the pool? Is the slam process supposed to make the algae disappear without manual intervention and without having to vacuum the algae out to waste??

Forgot the pics..

 

[mknauss]

No need for baking soda. TA of 70 ppm is fine. That target does not make sense. Check your pool settings.

Your SLAM level FC is 20 ppm with a CYA of 50.

Be sure to lower the pH to 7.2 using muriatic acid prior to adding chlorine.

Show us a picture of your pool equipment pad so we can see if you can vac to waste. Though it is really not all that necessary. Your filter will trap the dead algae.

 

[Bethany1983]

You mentioned you are not comfortable with muriatic acid, however that is the most ideal way to lower pH. There is low-fume muriatic acid available if that helps.

As for the chlorine level, you posted above a CYA of 50, so if that CYA test is correct your SLAM FC level needs to be "20". We get that SLAM FC of 20 from the FC/CYA Levels. Once you increase the FC to 20, you maintain it as best as you can while doing everything on the SLAM Process page.

Oh ok. But eventually the FC will go down to a target range of say.. 3??

 

[mknauss]

See FC/CYA Levels for Target levels. Normal FC levels should be around 5 ppm.

Your SWCG is very undersized. During swim season, it should be run for 24 hours per day at close to 100%.

 

[Bethany1983]

No need for baking soda. TA of 70 ppm is fine. That target does not make sense. Check your pool settings.

Your SLAM level FC is 20 ppm with a CYA of 50.

Be sure to lower the pH to 7.2 using muriatic acid prior to adding chlorine.

Show us a picture of your pool equipment pad so we can see if you can vac to waste. Though it is really not all that necessary. Your filter will trap the dead algae.

Yeah idk why alkalinity says target is 100. I’ll check settings. Ok so all I really need is to lower the PH with some acid, wait, filter, and then do 4 gallons of 10.0 strength bleach????

 

[mknauss]

That is a start. Then 3 or 4 times per day, test your FC, and add bleach to get back to 20 ppm FC.
Brush and vacuum the pool each day.

 

[Bethany1983]

See FC/CYA Levels for Target levels. Normal FC levels should be around 5 ppm.

Your SWCG is very undersized. During swim season, it should be run for 24 hours per day at close to 100%.

I need to clean the salt cell but it really hasn’t been that long. Maybe 6 months. And the pool is a year old.

 

[mknauss]

Be wary cleaning a salt cell. Each time you use acid to clean it you remove some of its generating life. Properly managed pool water chemistry will allow you to never 'clean' the SWCG.

 

[Bethany1983]

Thanks guys! I think I can do this!