General Question about Salt and Chlorine Levels

[PoolStored]

Sorry, that I keep asking dumb questions

Ask away! Here to help!

 

[Deb04]

Put the stabilizer in a sock in front of the return and then add the Chlorine. You need both in there ASAP bc you're going to get algae any minute.

 

[DaddySquid]

Thank you Deb04. I appreciate it.

 

[DaddySquid]

Another issue now, though, it may be related. Our numbers look good, but the water is green. I figured out that the electrodes had to be replaced and we ran out of chlorine crystals. The problem is that it doesn't seem to be algae, but since I'm new to this, I could very well be wrong. Would new electrodes add color to the pool when first installed?

 

[mgtfp]

The electrodes itself not. What could have happened is that you already had dissolved metals in the pool, and once your chlorine levels got up again those metals got oxidised by chlorine, maybe supported by high pH, and turned green. But it could also be algae, hard to tell without more information.

Did you add copper containing algaecides to the pool? Are you using well water?

To start, you need to post a full set of water parameters, tested with your kit. A photo could also help.

 

[DaddySquid]

I'll have my wife take a picture and get a full set of water parameters and try to post it tomorrow. We're not using well water, city water. Don't believe that we added copper containing algaecides, but will ask the wife. Thank you.

 

[Deb04]

Is it as clear green or cloudy green?

 

[DaddySquid]

The electrodes itself not. What could have happened is that you already had dissolved metals in the pool, and once your chlorine levels got up again those metals got oxidised by chlorine, maybe supported by high pH, and turned green. But it could also be algae, hard to tell without more information.

Did you add copper containing algaecides to the pool? Are you using well water?

To start, you need to post a full set of water parameters, tested with your kit. A photo could also help.

Here's the numbers for today: Free Chlorine: 6.5, Combined Chlorine: 0, PH: 7.8, CYA: 60, ALK: 100, Salt: 2600, Calcium: 150. My wife did shock the pool last night. It may be algae. There appears to be green colored bubbles in the skimmer a lot the past few days. We have put clarifier in the pool recently as well.

 

[DaddySquid]

Is it as clear green or cloudy green?

Clear green

 

[mgtfp]

I'd suggest to do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test next to rule out or confirm algae. Make sure that you he SWG is turned off while doing that so it doesn't skew the result.

Do you have any stained pool surfaces that could indicate metals?

 

[DaddySquid]

I'd suggest to do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test next to rule out or confirm algae. Make sure that you he SWG is turned off while doing that so it doesn't skew the result.

Do you have any stained pool surfaces that could indicate metals?

No stains, but there is green 'stuff' settling on the bottom of the pool. The FC count last night was 6.5 while this afternoon (around 1700) it was 4.9. Would metal stick to the sides of the pool? It seems weird to me that algae could survive with the FC count as high as it is. It's been above 5 for the past few days.

 

[Mdragger88]

Fc of 6.5 is not high for a cya of 60 -
FC/CYA Levels
Many here generally shoot for maintaining 10% of their cya to make sure they are always covered.
Sounds like you have algae especially if you have ever fallen below minimum for your cya which I think you reported previously. It takes more than maintenance levels of fc to eradicate algae once it takes hold.
You will need to do the SLAM Process
& MAINTAIN 24ppm with liquid chlorine which is shock/slam level for your cya.

 

[mgtfp]

Once have algae, you need high levels of chlorine to kill algae faster than it reproduces. These levels are higher than what you need to keep an algae free pool algae free, where you just have to kill the odd spore that gets in. As already mentioned, you'll need to SLAM.