Can't clear algae upon opening

[Luric]

WE used a new PC to open this year, and they dumped a ton of shock (I believe he said 20 lbs) & algaecide then said to run pump 24/7 and backwash every 6ish hrs. THat was Tue morning, and it is now Saturday morning with a ton of improvement in the 1st 1-2 days and little since then. I can see the shallow end though it's cloudy, and I still can't see anything except the white drain plug (barely) in the deep end. I'm concerned the CYA is too high and locking up chlorine? I saw the dot at 100 and not at 90, so not sure if that's 100 or 90, but since we're not running our salt cell yet I'm assuming the level should be closer to 30 like a traditional pool. I did all my tests though I'm not concerned about addressing all teh levels until the pool clears up so 'm not just backwashing out everything I add and continuing to have to adjust for dilution when I refill with my hose.

I've attached a few photos, but keep in mind it's a black bottom pool which is super reflective esp with all the landscaping around it. Ignore all the tiles that popped off in the spa. What should I be doing now? Also worth mentioning we're leaving for spring break tomorrow morning or a well :/

THANKS!

FC: 8
CC: .5
pH: 6.8
TA: 30
CH: 225
CYA 90 or 100 (see above)

 

[Newdude]

Hey Luric !!!!

Do the dilution test for your CYA. Per pool school:

CYA > 90 dilution Test​

For CYA > 90ppm, repeat the test adjusting the procedure as follows:

1. Fill the mixing bottle to the lower mark with pool water.
2. Continue filling the mixing bottle to the upper mark with tap water.
3. Shake briefly to mix.
4. Pour off half of the contents of the mixing bottle, so it is again filled to the lower mark.
5. Continue the test normally from adding R-0013, but multiply the final result by two.

If you need to dilute the pool water further then apply these ratios:[5]

Pool water	Tap or distilled water	Multiply result by
1	1	2
1	2	3
1	4	5

'Chlorine lock' is a term made up by the pool store or service to explain their mismanagement. Once we have an accurate CYA level we can hatch a plan if you want to drain or not, or how much will be needed to drain.

Keep us posted

 

[Luric]

Hey Luric !!!!

Do the dilution test for your CYA. Per pool school:

CYA > 90 dilution Test​

For CYA > 90ppm, repeat the test adjusting the procedure as follows:

1. Fill the mixing bottle to the lower mark with pool water.
2. Continue filling the mixing bottle to the upper mark with tap water.
3. Shake briefly to mix.
4. Pour off half of the contents of the mixing bottle, so it is again filled to the lower mark.
5. Continue the test normally from adding R-0013, but multiply the final result by two.

If you need to dilute the pool water further then apply these ratios:[5]

Pool water	Tap or distilled water	Multiply result by
1	1	2
1	2	3
1	4	5

'Chlorine lock' is a term made up by the pool store or service to explain their mismanagement. Once we have an accurate CYA level we can hatch a plan if you want to drain or not, or how much will be needed to drain.

Keep us posted

At 50 I can just barely make out the dot, at 40 it's completely gone. Does that put me at a 45 if such a line existed so a 90? THanks for your help!

 

[Newdude]

The 10s are all you can read. The in between #s don't line up as it would suggest, so we always round up. But I think you got your #s mixed up or are staring too hard.

Try it again and only fast glance at it. I mean QUICK. If you stare you will see it no matter how high it is.

 

[Luric]

The 10s are all you can read. The in between #s don't line up as it would suggest, so we always round up. But I think you got your #s mixed up or are staring too hard.

Try it again and only fast glance at it. I mean QUICK. If you stare you will see it no matter how high it is.

I did it again and def see at 50 and not at 40. I attached a few photos in different lighting. I had my husband run also and he too said he could see at 50 and not at 40 when he was standing outside (very overcast day but the sunniest option we currently have)

 

[Newdude]

OK then close enough. It can be 10 off and be fine so let's average them at actual 90. I say actual 90 because the logarithmic scale can make #s above 100 look like a 90 or 100. So a 140 looks like 100 and that's a huge difference in the amount of draining you'd need. Almost none, or half.

With an actual 90 you can let it ride with a SWG in NJ under normal circumstances right now. The April showers will lower it closer to the 70 you want.

But. You need to clear the swamp and need to SLAM Process. It will need more FC to do so and be more difficult to keep it up, and also more expensive. Check out the FC/CYA Levels values to see the difference. Read the SLAM article and get a good understanding of the plan, then come ask any questions and we'll help.

 

[kimkats]

@Newdude is taking great care of you and you are doing a good job figuring this all out. I am going to ask if there are any water restrictions in your area. If not I suggest draining a bit of water. Use pool math to figure out how much water to take out to get your CYA down to 40 or so. That will make it easier and cheaper to finish the SLAM.

 

[Luric]

Since we're leaving for spring break this morning I opted not to start an official SLAM since I wouldn't be able to see it through. Instead we continued to filter, brush and vacuum. I did an OCLT - 11 drops last night, 11 drops this morning and the pool in noticeably clearer this as well ( photo below - still not perfect of course). I'm hopeful that our algae is dead and just needs to be filtered out, but again we'll be gone for a week so I can't do much more than keep my fingers crossed. And add some pucks since the SWG won't run yet here in NJ.

My question is - for 30k gal how many should I add and how long should I run the filter, to both turn over at least once and also continue removing the debris but while also not risking the pressure getting too high while we're gone and unable to backwash? And should I put directly in the 2 skimmers or use the 2 floats we have?

THanks so much for your help! Cautiously optimistic to see what were working wth next weekend and then start adjusting all the other levels!

 

[kimkats]

I would stuff as many as you can in and run your pump 24/7 IF you think it does not get "clogged" up and stop moving the water.

 

[ferretbone]

Three or four In the skimmers, or more if you want, and run the pump 24/7 like Kimkats said. You don't want those tabs sitting in the skimmers overnight without the water flowing. It's ok to do that once in awhile. I've never damaged anything doing so but I don't make a habit of doing it. There has got to be somebody to come by for you at least once to backwash for you. By day two your circulation will be so weak it may not be filtering anymore.