Desperate Algae Defeat

[tndinnc]

First year pool owner. I’ve been following the pool stores directions on how to care for my pool. The pool store is also the same company that put the pool in for full disclosure. My pool is now completely green. They keep selling me I’ll decide to pour into it and telling me to turn my chlorinator up. So now I sit here with a green mess. To make matters worse my CYA is through the roof And other than trucking water in the only option I have to fill my pool is through our well which cannot handle a massive amount of water going into the pool at one time. So I’m here to look for help suggestions. I honestly thought I could just drain the thing but it’s a vinyl lined poor and I’m told that’s not an option. At this point I’ve turned off the pump and chlorinator. I’ve started adding water 20 mins at a time over several hours. We have a dolphin vacuum but I’m not sure if I should vacuum with that or the manual one that came with the pool ..

I’m completely disappointed in the pool store. I have a closing kit but assume it can’t be closed and hope the algae/CYA fixes itself.

so just posting here as recommended by a Facebook group I’m in for help getting this right

 

[PoolStored]

WELCOME TO TFP!!!

First, thing...get a good test kit. Order it TODAY. Test Kits Compared To take control of your pool, you need to be able to test. Pool store testing can be inaccurate and unreliable. Order it today.

Go get some Liquid Chlorine. Usually, HD, Lowes, Ace all have it.

Download Pool Math to your smartphone. PoolMath Setup your pool (type, size), and be sure to login with your login from here, and share your logs with us. Use Pool Math to figure out how to much Liquid Chlorine to add 5ppm Liquid Chlorine per day until you get your test kit back.

We need good test results to help. CYA, particularly at high levels is notoriously inaccurate at the pool store. Would be a waste to tell you to drain more than you need. You likely will be REPLACING some of the water to reduce your CYA. In Prep, read this --> Draining We generally don't advise it until you get good test results.

Also start reading here --> ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

You got this, we can help. Proof -->TFP Clear - Let's see PICs!

You got this, we can help.

 

[PoolStored]

You could close, but it will be harder to fix in the spring.

As to the next steps, here's what will likely happen. You add 5ppm of Liq Chlorine (LC) daily until test kit gets here. AFTER we get a good CYA test result, we will likely help you do a water exchange from the "Drain" link above. Then we will help you adjust chemistry, likely just pH for the moment, then help you to SLAM the pool. Read here -->SLAM Process This will rid your pool of the Algae. After you past SLAM criteria, we'll help adjust everything.

Can you fill out your signature (like mine below this line) with your equipment? Will help us help you.

 

[BowserB]

Again, get your own proper test kit. The top of the line TF100 would be my choice, but whichever you get, you want a SpeedStir for mixing. Re chlorine, all liquid chlorine is not the same. In particular, supermarket bleach may be a bad choice. Percent of chlorine is important and how you tell the real cost of the chlorine you're getting. Supermarket chlorine may be 8% or even as low as 6%. Some will be labeled "Concentrated" with no percent of chlorine listed! To be sure, that will be 6% if you're lucky. Laundry bleach may also have undesirable additives. I used to buy Leslie's 12.5%, as when I did the math, it was actually about the same price as Walmart--but without having to go to Walmart. However, the Leslie's stores in our area got really greedy during the early pandemic days, and $15 for 4 gallons of 12.5% when to $17, then $20, then $21. I've not been back. Walmart 10% was my standard until I finally gave up and got a SWCG.

Draining. You may be able to drain and fill at the same time. If you determine the temp of your fill vs the pool temp, you may be able to drain from the bottom and fill at the top, or vice versa. Also, I don't know weather where you are, but here in southeast Texas, we don't "close" our pools, and over the winter, I've found CYA to drop quite a bit on its own. As others here will warn, avoid pool store products with names that imply some function. Liquid chlorine, muriatic acid, baking soda (btw supermarket is a good place for this, as you can buy a 13.5 lb bag for a decent price, especially if they have a generic or store brand), and calcium chloride (with this you do want a pool product, not windshield stuff.)

Welcome to TFP.

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome! Ask all the question you like. Lots of folks here to help.

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