First time pool owner struggling through third summer in Raleigh, NC

[TooBlueStu]

Hi all! I bought a house with an existing vinyl-lined pool in 2022 and I'm now on my third summer of DIY maintenance. I've had the pool professionally opened and closed so far, and that part of the process has seemed fine. The pool guys come once to remove the cover, clean, and add chemicals - then once more to balance, and I take it from there.

In 2022 and 2023, on the advice of my pool company, I simply used 3" tablets (85% available chlorine) combined with cal-hypo powder as needed. Occasionally I would add up to 8lbs of cal=hypo to really beat back the ever-growing green algae but it always comes back. I travel somewhat frequently and every time I wasn't there to add more tablets every few days, I'd come home to a very green pool.

This summer it has been much more challenging to fight the algae. I had a Hayward heat pump installed last year, and this year we opened the pool abnormally early. I kept the temperature set at 85f starting in late April and that seems to have created a perfect breeding ground for algae.

Anyway, I've been absorbing information about pool chemistry over the past three seasons and I've just now reviewed the process for SLAMing the pool. Looking forward to trying it out, maybe this year or maybe at the start of next pool season.

Wish me luck!

 

[PoolStored]

Because you are using pucks, your CYA is likely very high.
When CYA is very high, you cannot properly sanitize the pool. We don't recommend swimming in a pool with algae, or insufficient sanitization due to high CYA. It is easy to get sick.

You are getting algae, because you are not maintaining enough FC for your CYA...Link-->FC/CYA Levels
To clear algae, you need to follow the SLAM process. Link-->SLAM Process
To perform the SLAM process, and to maintain your FC properly, you need a recommended kit. Link-->Test Kits Compared

If it were my pool and family, I would get the test kit now, and take over proper maintenance of your pool water.