Aqua color

[Mickey383]

I have a 11,400 gallon above ground pool with a sand filter. I backwash and rinse 1x a day. I don't let it get to the point that it tells me it needs backwashed.

I opened the pool on May 30th. Last winter it got convered when it was green. Since I've opened the pool the first 2 weeks were a loss. Then I started your SLAM process and things cleared up very well but I had a slight tint to the water. Aqua like. Not green but aqua color. Readings from a pool store said we had 0.3ppm copper and 900ppb phosphorus. I ignored these as they were low. Then after another week I put in phosphate remove and the pool became even more of a blue aqua... somewhat clearer. I then used a metal out just 2 days ago. Back to the aqua.

My pool levels are holding constant maintaining Cc and pH. The pool doesn't feel like there's algae. I've vacuumed to filter and to waste. Brush 2x a day.

If it weren't for the aqua color. I'd say I was good.... but it's still there. Finally I tried the mustard algae algaecide. No visible change.

I don't understand this color!
I need help.

 

[aboykin2269]

Good morning. Do you have test results you can post? We need to know what's in your water in order to help. Remember, to follow SLAM properly, it is not over until your Combined Chlorine is less than .5ppm, your water is clear, and you can pass an overnight Chlorine loss test.
SLAM means to raise your water to shock level based on your CYA and maintain it until the 3 criteria listed above are met. Do you have a test kit?

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum
Stop the shotgun approach hoping something will work.!

You need good (not pool store) test results so we can advise. Can you post your own test results?

 

[Mickey383]

Welcome to the forum
Stop the shotgun approach hoping something will work.!

You need good (not pool store) test results so we can advise. Can you post your own test results?

I didn't do a shot gun approach. I did the SLAM approach for 2 .5 weeks .I had cc under 0.5 and maintained over night. It wasn't fully clear and I kept the chlorine maintained before I tried the phosphate and metal remover. Why? Because maybe the aqua was due to them and I could continue shocking forever without impact.

My current results are
Cya 30
Free chlorine 3
Total chlorine between a 3 and 4
Cc not tested today but can look at later (but given the above...)
Ph 7.4
Alkalinity 240

 

[Mickey383]

Good morning. Do you have test results you can post? We need to know what's in your water in order to help. Remember, to follow SLAM properly, it is not over until your Combined Chlorine is less than .5ppm, your water is clear, and you can pass an overnight Chlorine loss test.
SLAM means to raise your water to shock level based on your CYA and maintain it until the 3 criteria listed above are met. Do you have a test kit?

My current results are

Cya 30

Free chlorine 3

Total chlorine between a 3 and 4

Cc not tested today but can look at later (but given the above...)

Ph 7.4

Alkalinity 240

I stopped SLAM when 2 of 3 met because maybe the color was due to the copper that the pool store indicated was there. After 2.5 weeks I didn't want to keep using chemicals if it was due to copper.

 

[duraleigh]

A pic would help. What was the copper test result from the poolstore?

 

[Mickey383]

My current results are

Cya 30

Free chlorine 3

Total chlorine between a 3 and 4

Cc not tested today but can look at later (but given the above...)

Ph 7.4

Alkalinity 180

I stopped SLAM when 2 of 3 met because maybe the color was due to the copper that the pool store indicated was there. After 2.5 weeks I didn't want to keep using chemicals if it was due to copper.

 

[Mickey383]

A pic would help. What was the copper test result from the poolstore?

Sorry Alkalinity 180
Copper was 0.3. I haven't gotten a new test from pool store since I put in the metal out. Attaching pictur

 

[duraleigh]

I don't think that tint is anything but algae. I would restart the SLAM process.......I think your pool will clear up in short order.......maybe a few days.

Don't add anything else to the pool until your SLAM is complete. Keep the chlorine at SLAM value

There is a REMOTE chance that could be iron but please do not treat for it until you re-try the SLAM

 

[wireform]

Mickey,
There's no mention of the testing kit you're using. Pool store testing is not to be relied on or advised on from members of this forum. You need your own test kit where you can seek advice for the results you've achieved.
Test Kits Compared one of these two kits are the TFP favorites of which I use the TF-100. I'd order it asap and just put 5ppm FC daily until the kit arrives.

 

[newdude]

+1 with Dave.

Metals won't make you cloudy, It'll be crystal clear but tinted. You may have an algae cloud *and* iron tint, but the algae cloud is job #1.

 

[Mickey383]

Mickey,
There's no mention of the testing kit you're using. Pool store testing is not to be relied on or advised on from members of this forum. You need your own test kit where you can seek advice for the results you've achieved.
Test Kits Compared one of these two kits are the TFP favorites of which I use the TF-100. I'd order it asap and just put 5ppm FC daily until the kit arrives.

I'm doing my own testing with the exception of two pool store tests for metals. I don't have my test kit name handy but I do have one that measures cc

 

[Mickey383]

I don't think that tint is anything but algae. I would restart the SLAM process.......I think your pool will clear up in short order.......maybe a few days.

Don't add anything else to the pool until your SLAM is complete. Keep the chlorine at SLAM value

There is a REMOTE chance that could be iron but please do not treat for it until you re-try the SLAM

Ok, I will give it a try.

 

[newdude]

with the exception of two pool store tests for metals

It's the only way to test without spending a chunk on a one time test.

Unfortunately, nothing says it's anymore reliable than any of their other tests. With reason to suspect issues, I'd visit 3 stores and throw out the one that didn't match.

 

[Mickey383]

I don't think that tint is anything but algae. I would restart the SLAM process.......I think your pool will clear up in short order.......maybe a few days.

Don't add anything else to the pool until your SLAM is complete. Keep the chlorine at SLAM value

There is a REMOTE chance that could be iron but please do not treat for it until you re-try the SLAM

Ok, last night around 6pm I added shock to meet SLAM level. My filter is running 24 hours now and has been. This morning 8am, my results are as follows. Please let me know if I should maintain the SLAM or make any changes before.

Cya 40
Alkalinity 180
Ph 7.8
Fc 10
Total chlorine 10
Hardness 250
Cc 0

 

[duraleigh]

The SLAM is a process and has a definite end. Please read the SLAM article in pool school to determine when you have finished. At 10 ppm FC, you are not SLAMing

 

[newdude]

Ok, last night around 6pm I added shock to meet SLAM

If you dosed to 16ppm (SLAM for 40 CYA) and lost 6 ppm mostly overnight, we got our algae conformation.

if I should maintain the SLAM or make any changes before.

By now the FC is under 10 so the PH test will be valid. Test the PH and lower it to 7.2, verifying it worked after 15 mins. Repeat test/dose/verify if necessary.

Then SLAM away.

 

[Mickey383]

The SLAM is a process and has a definite end. Please read the SLAM article in pool school to determine when you have finished. At 10 ppm FC, you are not SLAMing

It was 10 this am, that we have 10 ppm. Unfortunately I didn't test it after I added the SLAM level shock last night. We had a fireworks show last night and I wasn't around after.

 

[Mickey383]

If you dosed to 16ppm (SLAM for 40 CYA) and lost 6 ppm mostly overnight, we got our algae conformation.



By now the FC is under 10 so the PH test will be valid. Test the PH and lower it to 7.2, verifying it worked after 15 mins. Repeat test/dose/verify if necessary.

Then SLAM away.

I will test at 9am and provide results. I'll see where pH stands then.

 

[newdude]

Unfortunately I didn't test it after I added the SLAM level shock last night.

Chances are, you didn't undershoot by 6 ppm. We like confirmation and all, but that's a huge drop.

Cloudy water is a fail and a one way ticket to SLAM anyway. We don't need multiple fails such as cloudy water and a properly executed and failed OCLT.

Stay the course. Keep us posted.