Frustrated!!

[jcobal]

Last season, our first season with our Intex 32x16 above ground SWG pool, we had no problems. Crystal clear, never an issue. This season has been miserable. We used SLAM to clear up some green water, FC was too low, took 10 days, passed the tests, all was well for a couple of weeks. Then water started to turn green again, FC too low again, did SLAM again, another 10 days, fixed. Now it's turning green again but this time all the numbers seem fine. I don't understand it. Testing with the Taylor FAS-DPD kit. Here are the numbers:
FC 6
CYA 70
TA 70
Ph 7.4

I test every day and those are the numbers.

It never loses more than .5ppm overnight. Water has been clear with a few tendrils of light green on bottom. Today there was light green on the walls, not slimy, so I brushed the walls and the bottom, ran the vacuum. Of course that stirred up all that light green stuff so now water is light green. All numbers from this morning holding steady.

How is this possible? We've only been able to swim in it ONCE and it's HOT here. Either we're doing SLAM and FC is too high for swimming or there's algae. Or maybe that light green is something else? Pollen? Help!

 

[Donldson]

You can swim up to SLAM FC levels.

Are you passing all 3 criteria completely when completing your SLAM? Specifically the clear water one means zero visible algae in the entire pool, you are passing that one before letting up?

 

[Fast7]

You stated you never loose more than .5ppm FC overnight but you also list SWG. Do you run SWG while you perform OCLT test?
You can actually have more FC loss but your SWG might be masking that.

 

[jcobal]

Not sure about swimming at SLAM FC levels. I swam in about 12 FC once and was sick for a week with a cough and itchy skin. Good point about the clear water test. Last year after SLAM the algae was dead, brown, easy to remove. This year after SLAM the green algae is never completely gone from the bottom even though the water is bright blue and crystal clear. That was probably my mistake, thinking I was done with SLAM when I wasn't really.

We run the SWG during the day so unlikely it's masking FC loss overnight.

Sorry to admit this but I give up. After 10 days of constant labor to maintain at 20+ FC levels and algae still hanging in there, hundreds of dollars spent on chemicals and testing materials, a pool service is coming out today to take a look. This is just too stressful and we're not able to use the pool in this awful heat. I'd rather throw money at them than at maintaining it myself. That being said, thank you for all the help. I have great respect for those of you who succeed at pool maintenance. Last year I thought I was one of you but this year I realize I'm a pool maintenance flunky.