Green Water - Pollen?

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D

Deadaim

0
May 31, 2018
15
Philadelphia/PA
Hi all!

New pool owner here. I have an above ground pool. I just purchased a house with a pool a couple of months ago and I opened it with ease.

Got the pool water to crystal clear. Chemistry was right and still seems OK. I am at work now but can post results when I get home later.

In less than a week, my pool went from perfectly clear to green. At first I suspected Algae. I went for the Green to Clean method (raised the PH and then threw in the Green to Clean) and that didn't do a thing. No improvement or difference whatsoever.

Second step - I figured I would just super shock it and threw in 5 gallons of liquid chlorine to get rid of everything : no change at ALL.

My suspicion is that it might be pollen, I have a ton of trees around my pools and a lot of stuff fell to the bottom of the pool. I did vacuum before all this started and a lot of stuff got stirred up so I'm sure that didn't help.

IMG_20180527_153302.jpg

Any ideas on next steps? I was thinking I should use a flocculant to see if maybe the pollen would just drop down but any advice would be helpful.

Thanks and let me know!

Ben
 
Hi and welcome! You found the right place!

You need to buy a good test kit. We recommend the TF100 from TFTestKits.net or the Taylor K-2006C.

Until we get some accurate test results, keep adding a gallon of liquid chlorine a day and run the pump/filter non-stop.

Also, read through Pool School and SLAM Process.

And, yes, that is algae!
 
Deadaim said:
Hi! Thanks for the warm welcome!

I actually think that the previous owner left me one of these kits. I've been using the regular old strip tests (6 way results).

I'll check on if I have a kit laying in the shack when I get home!
Click to expand...

If you have old reagents the tests may not be reliable.

They recommend replacing reagents every year. Definitely should every 2 years.
 
"DA", welcome to the forum. I agree with everyone else's notes above, except I do have one concern based on that photo. While I've seen many green, algae-filled pools, that is one "bright" green pool that has me concerned about iron or copper. It came with the house you recently purchased, so there's no telling what the people before you used. Do you see any old chemicals laying around? Any copper based items or anything labeled "Blue" something? The previous owners may have used copious amounts of algaecides for all you know. Are you out in the burbs where there may be wells or iron in your water? Any of these things could be clues as we move forward. Especially since it really went green after you increased the pH and added chlorine in larger amounts - both items that will "anger" metal. So just keep that in mind. While we generally refrain from having people go to the pool store for testing, but you might consider taking a sample just to see if their tester picks-up on any iron/copper. I'd be very curious. Also, no floc please. It won't help anything right now.

What will help are two big things:
1 - Proper test results from a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C test kit
2 - Updating your signature with all of your pool and equipment info.

Keep in touch and let us know if you have anymore details about those questions. Make sure to read the ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry and save those Vital Links below in my signature.
 
Hi! Thanks for the detailed response.

There are a couple of products laying around:

1. Leslie's Algaecide
2. Metal Free
3. Leslie's Ultra Bright

I haven't tried those as of yet. I'll update my signature asap with my pool equipment! It is definitely a "brighter" green. What shocked me the most is that I saw no improvement with the Green to Clean or with adding a copious amount of liquid chlorine. That's what made me think it was something other than algae.

Maybe worth testing that Metal free?
 
Maybe worth testing that Metal free?
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Perhaps, but not just yet because "if" you do have some algae (which is very possible based on the history), you will need to kill/remove algae before treating for metals anyways. Any sequestrant would just get oxidized by the chlorine and be a waste. I have a gut feeling you may need to do a healthy water exchange just to save yourself a lot of time and $$$, but I'd be very curious to know if the pool store picks-up on any trace amounts of iron or copper. If so, which one and what level? If there is, based on the potential metals and anything else added before your time, a water exchange could really save you a lot of time and effort. No well correct? Maybe take two samples to the store - one from the pool and one from the hose (chlorine-free). It can make a difference. That could help us a lot in the next best course of action.
 
Sounds good - I will get both samples to a pool store this weekend and have them test for iron and copper.

There is no well. By healthy water exchange you mean just removing half of the water and then re-adding?

I'll post pool store copper/iron results by Sunday evening!

Thanks for all the help - much appreciated! :D
 
Ok - so actually I had done a couple of pool store tests as I was opening the pool and the last one was on 5/26.

Noticed I could actually go online in my account and the results are all there. Posting a screenshot of all the results. No trace of iron or copper.

Tests.JPG

Let me know your thoughts!
 

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Well, I'm a bit surprised really. There are times when a pool store, with their world-renown testing, manages to get the metals tests wrong and folks are proven to have iron or copper anyways. But for now, I think we'll simply give you these recommendations:
- We know a SLAM Process is needed. Metals or not, you have to clear the algae anyways.
- You need a good test kit. Either a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C, but you need one of those to test accurately and to perform a "SLAM".
- You have two choices:
1 - Get the test kit and initiate a SLAM with the existing water. Monitor and see if that bright green goes away.
2 - Exchange some of the water. The amount you exchange is up to you, but a partial change (perhaps 1/2) can help to lighten that dark green and help the SLAM go quicker once you refill.

I want to point out one more thing about those store tests. Look under the CYA column. CYA is one of the most important tests for controlling algae, and CYA doesn't just go away or increase on its own. Unless you added a lot of stabilizer, those numbers show why pool store testing is so unreliable. So I hope you'll be able to get one of those test kits soon. I highly recommend the TF-100. Either way though, you need one to perform the SLAM.
 
Perfect - thanks. I will go with that method and let you all know how it goes. I might swap out some water first.

Regarding CYA, I did add stabilizer per their recommendation, hence the spike.

Since I was an absolute newbie I went with their recommendations, slowly now figuring out after a month that I should just figure it out on my own and with online help :)
 
Since I was an absolute newbie I went with their recommendations, slowly now figuring out after a month that I should just figure it out on my own and with online help.
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Totally understand. Once you get things in order, receive one of those kits, and/or exchange some water, post a new set of numbers and it will help tremendously. We'll look for your updates.
 
You have a vinyl liner pool. Be sure you do not drain further than the top of the bottom step in the shallow end or more than 18" or 2 ft below normal water level. The liner can shift if too much water is removed. Also, do you have a high water table in your area?
 
Hi there!

Yes there is a high water table in the area. The neighborhood was originally built on springs and I run sub pumps in my basement. My garden does get saturated with water if there is a ton of rain.

I was planning on leaving 1 foot of water. I'll make sure to leave 2.

Also, I currently don't have a pump to drain the pool. What model would you recommend?

Thanks!
 

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