Can't get pool looking good no matter what I try?

[poolnz]

Ok so it has been a couple of weeks my pool is green. But water is actually clear looking when backwashing etc.

I have tried everything logical to get it back clean looking.

I have a 16,000 liter vinyl liner Intex pool

My pool started going green so I tried to slam it over 3 days using stabilized chlorine granules, it was not getting better so I went to the pool place to get water tested.
Results Chlorine 20ppm PH 7.4 Alkalinity 133 Cyanuric 143 Copper .3 Phosphate 290

I was told problem was my Cyanuric to high and this might be causing issues. I arranged to come back a few days later and retest. In the meantime I had actually ordered stuff to upgrade the pool including a proper skimmer and new pump and filter.
I installed the skimmer and the new 3000 gallon an hour sand filter which I filled with course and fine glass and topped up the water with several thousand litres of new fresh water and got it retested water was still green
second test four days later Chlorine .42ppm PH 7.9 Alkalinity 90 Cyanuric 5ppm Copper.3 Phosphate 0
The pool shop recommended I try liquid chlorine instead of the Stabilised chlorine so I went home and added 3 litres of liquid chlorine and let the pump run for 24 hours but still no change next day I added another litre of liquid chlorine and still no change still light green.
Third water test Chlorine 24.97ppm PH 7.4 Alkalinity 121 Cyanuric 148ppm??? Copper .10ppm Phosphate 297ppm
I could not understand this test how had my cyanuric gone from 5ppm on the second test to 148ppm on third when I had only added liquid chlorine which has no stabilizer?

I am at a loss as to what to do. Its been slammed multiple times, Replaced a lot of fresh water and new pump and filter but it is still green looking.

If you got this far thanks for reading my rant and if you have any ideas let me know.

 

[PoolStored]

To SLAM properly, you need a proper test kit. In AU, here is what you need: Total Pool Water Testing Kit, Fresh Water – Clear Choice Labs

Pool store testing is notoriously wrong. You will be chasing your tail.

When your kit arrives, post results, we'll get you started with the SLAM. You need to follow the SLAM process. Print this out, read it 3 times and keep it with you. Link-->SLAM Process

 

[Dirk]

We actually know exactly what is wrong with your pool, and why you're not able to clear it. You're on the right track about what is wrong (high CYA), but not about how to fix it. And you can't fix it using pool store test results. You've already proved that. Get the kit recommended by @PoolStored, and he'll be able to guide you.

I realize this requires a leap of faith, trusting a couple strangers on the internet, but in reality, it's not just us two. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you'll see there are over 400,000 of us that know how to fix your pool, because just about all of us have done the same thing!

 

[poolnz]

Ok so i get that buying the kit will help me test my pool better than the pool shop. I am willing to do this. But if the problem is high Cyanuric acid like you say, won't the test kit just tell me that? How do you fix a pool with high cyanuric readings? I would have have thought replacing 40% of the pool water would have already lowered it?

 

[PoolStored]

Yes it will tell you, here are instructions: CYA - Cyanuric Acid Test
When we know the number, then we know how much to drain.
Yes, it would have lowered it. The testing is very wrong.
Get a good test kit, it will save you lots of $$$$ and time with accurate results!

 

[Newdude]

Hey PoolNZ and Welcome !!!

Is water cheap by you ? If so I'd dump and start over.

You'll still need the test kit to keep it nice and clear going forward, but you'll save a timely and costly fight.

Once you have reliable test results. You're likely going to have to drain a bunch anyway, might as well start fresh. But we need those reliable results first to know for sure.

 

[heikejohn]

"I am at a loss as to what to do. Its been slammed multiple times, Replaced a lot of fresh water and new pump and filter but it is still green looking."

You have not slammed your pool at all. That requires keeping the chlorine level high for a prolonged time, until all the algae is dead. It could take several days. Testing every few hours, adding more chlorine.... repeat, repeat
Thats why everybody is telling you to get your own test kit.
Plus, you will need a huge amount of liquid chlorine. Not 3 liters on one day and 1 on the next. More on the level of 15 - 20 GALLONS to get started.

Good luck.

 

[poolnz]

Hey PoolNZ and Welcome !!!

Is water cheap by you ? If so I'd dump and start over.

You'll still need the test kit to keep it nice and clear going forward, but you'll save a timely and costly fight.

Once you have reliable test results. You're likely going to have to drain a bunch anyway, might as well start fresh. But we need those reliable results first to know for sure.

Yep I think your right water is not the cheapest here but cheap enough that this is the best option cheers

"I am at a loss as to what to do. Its been slammed multiple times, Replaced a lot of fresh water and new pump and filter but it is still green looking."

You have not slammed your pool at all. That requires keeping the chlorine level high for a prolonged time, until all the algae is dead. It could take several days. Testing every few hours, adding more chlorine.... repeat, repeat
Thats why everybody is telling you to get your own test kit.
Plus, you will need a huge amount of liquid chlorine. Not 3 liters on one day and 1 on the next. More on the level of 15 - 20 GALLONS to get started.

Good luck.

Um you got to be kidding right 15-20 gallons of chlorine in a 16,000 litre pool? Think your math is a bit off here mate

 

[Newdude]

Think your math is a bit off here mate

They probably missed the 'liters' part. We suck at that conversion over here .

4k gallons won't be that bad, but again if you're already draining half or 2/3, you might as well just start over. Yesterday we had a member with a 137 CYA from the pool store which turned out to be well over 200 once tested reliably. It went from a half drain to a full drain just like that.

 

[sande005]

Um you got to be kidding right 15-20 gallons of chlorine in a 16,000 litre pool? Think your math is a bit off here mate

He may have confused gallons for liters (or is it "litres" there?), but may not be that far off.

A CYA level of 143 (if true at all) isn't in the realm of recommendations found here, for SLAMing. But, a rough estimate might be that you need to get the Cl level up to about 60 (don't do this for real!). If the initial level is 0, than you'd need 10 litres of liquid, just for the first dose. So 2.6 gallons. Depending, SLAM can use up CL very fast. So 20 gallons (75L) is in the realm of a 2-3 week SLAM, which we've seen some extremely bad pools need - or even longer.

The point being - one needs accurate CYA testing, as well as CL testing. And one needs a much lower CYA level than it appears to be now, so that not near the amount of CL will be needed.
A large water change will do that. BUT, you will still need to do some bit of a SLAM after, as one will never get all the algae out. It just won't take a huge amount of CL or take very long.

 

[Dirk]

you will still need to do some bit of a SLAM after, as one will never get all the algae out. It just won't take a huge amount of CL or take very long.

Great point, @sande005, as that might have been assumed by us, but not explained well enough to @poolnz. Replacing 100% of the water won't rid the pool from algae, only the water. The new water will likely get "reinfected" with algae virtually immediately, and without a SLAM, you'll be right back where you started in short order.

So you read through the SLAM Process thoroughly, at least twice. Get the testing kit and/or make sure you have plenty of reagents to test your FC level many times, stock up on chlorine, at least as much to cover a multi-day SLAM, and then change-out your water. You'll want to carefully clean all the places algae might lurk, especially that ladder, as some hidden patch of algae can really set things back.

Preparation is key. You don't want to run out of reagents or chlorine, or not fully understand how to SLAM, after you swap water. Otherwise, algae can take off and put you right back in the green.