Clear Water, Good Chemistry, But Slippery Liner

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elecsheep9

Member
May 20, 2021
18
Long Island, New York
This is my first year as a pool owner. I have a semi-inground 12x24 oval. The pool has been open for 3 weeks today.

My water is very clear and, after adding some shock today due to low free chlorine levels, the water now has good chemistry. Free Chlorine, PH, and alkalinity are all in the "ok" range, although Hardness is low.

However, the liner feels very slippery along the walls and floor.

Note that, since the weather warmed up about a weeks ago, the temperature has been in the 75-80 range, even without the heater.

Any idea how I can eliminate this slipperyness?

After 3 weeks, I'm already thinking it'd just be easier to convert to a salt water system. LOL.

Thanks.
 
Welcome to TFP! :wave: Slippery is an indication of algae. That would require the SLAM Process. But here's our big question:
Free Chlorine, PH, and alkalinity are all in the "ok" range, although Hardness is low.
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How can you be sure? Are you testing your own water? And if so, with what? That will be step #1 because anything less than using your own TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C test kit is a recipe for error. It would be ideal to see a full set of water test results from either one of those kits. From there, we can certainly help you.

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Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!
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Hey Elec and Welcome !!! Reliable testing and proper chemistry as listed above are most of the battle. But you need to be brushing the pool also. At least once a week. If you have a robot or manual vac with bristles you can kill 2 birds with one stone.

Algae grows a biofilm over itself to protect it from the chlorine. That’s what you are feeling. Brushing removes the biofilm and exposes the algae to be killed. Often times you will feel it long before you see it in the water. :)
 
Thanks for the advice. I am using some test strips that they gave me when the pool was installed. This morning Free Chlorine was reading 0-0.5 ppm, but 2 hours after adding about 14 ounces of shock, the free chlorine was reading 3 ppm.

But I am going to get the recommended so that I can have accurate results.

My little robot buddy cleaned the pool this morning, but it does not do walls. The slippery feeling was noticed last night, so maybe the floor will be better now.

Any recommendations on a brush for doing the sides?
 
elecsheep9 said:
Any recommendations on a brush for doing the sides
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Just a standard issue pool brush that attaches to the pole. I have found that BJs/Costco have much better quality ones than HomeDepot/Walmart. Also, search for ‘whale brush’. It has a big fin that helps push the brush down. It works very well.

That being said, I did not like mine. I found it clunky and it took a good amount of force to brush with. I’m a big dude so maybe I was just able to use enough of my own force with the regular brush and didn’t need the whale brush, I dunno. So I didn’t like it but many many folks do.
 
Pools are like teeth - gotta brush them fairly often, at least once a week. Algae can build up a film over it to protect it from the chlorine in your pool, even if you have the right amount.
 
Partial follow-up. I got the test kit. I haven't had a chance to do a full test yet, but the chlorine test shows very low free chlorine.

I have kept the floater with the chlorine tablet in it near constantly during the week when the pool was not really in use, yet the chlorine levels are still super low.

Any idea why?
 
elecsheep9 said:
Any idea why?
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Most likely organics in the pool. Probably algae. Do the full set of tests and post your numbers here. And please update your signature (add pool size/type, filter type, test kit type, etc..) That makes it easier for people to help trouble shoot without having to re-read the thread.
 
Shirker said:
Most likely organics in the pool. Probably algae. Do the full set of tests and post your numbers here. And please update your signature (add pool size/type, filter type, test kit type, etc..) That makes it easier for people to help trouble shoot without having to re-read the thread.
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There is definitely some algae bits on a few spots on the floor. The Dolphin picks them up. I put in shock/algaecide (which raised the Free Chlorine up to 5 ppm) and am Dolphining again.

I'll run the gamut of tests over the next few days and update my signature.
 

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elecsheep9 said:
Aha! Apparently, my CYA level is rather low (below 20ppm.) I really need to do a full test.
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Chances are, you are right at the beginning of an algae bloom. It will be easier (and cheaper) to get ahead of it before it turns totally green.

Read up on how to SLAM your pool.
SLAM Process
 
Slippery means biofilm of some sort or a combination of sorts but it’s the same thing you get built up in hot tub and jacuzzi water lines. Brush the liner and shock it. A microbe garden made up of everything and anything organic, including your chemicals. This is only an opinion based on pretty much nothing but my experience dealing with slime in pipes and pools. PS. Avoid hotel jacuzzies lol. Good luck.
 
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