HELP! Pool store only costing me $$$

[Bwilden]

Thanks for any assist guys and girls! So I have a 7 year old vinyl pool 23,000 gallons with a T-15 Salt cell. So far this season I cannot get chlorine to measure. I had similar issue last year too. What appears to be dead algae is present at the bottom of the

pool, as it disappears when I brush it and has no feel when I step on it.

Pool store first told me I had phosphates. Two treatments with phosfree and I returned to check and I was told I have yellow algae, based on pics I presented them. Treated with Yellow Treat and zap it and brushed pool 3 times but algae still reappeared. Went to different store and they said I need conditioner to improve chlorine levels. In process of adding that now, and I cleaned my salt cell yesterday.

Anyone have any ideas? Salt level is good and my PH is around 8. Water is crystal clear but algae at bottom. See pics.

 

[tim5055]

Welcome to TFP!!

My first suggestion is to stop going to the pool store. Their only response it to sell you something.

I will tell you, it didn't get this way overnight and it will take a little time to clear. But, we can teach you how to get it sparkling and keep it that way for a lot less money than the pool store.

Not much credence is given to pool store testing around here. While you would think that a "professional" would be the best, unfortunately in most cases it is quite the opposite. Between employees who blindly trust the word of chemical sales representatives and high school kids working in the pool store for the summer you end up with poor results from their testing. Plus, the results of their "testing" is used to convince you that you need to buy things. Why do you think that testing is free? As you found, when their first "diagnosis" and magic potion doesn't work they move on to another one.

But, what can you do?? We base our pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. To do that you need your own accurate test kit. Order a TF100 test kit and at least include the XL option. That will give you what you need while you are clearing the pool, and probably enough reagents for a couple of years normal use.

While you wait for it to get delivered, you have a homework reading assignment. Start with these: ABCs of Water Chemistry
Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Please don't go back to the pool store for a test kit. To effectively practice the TFPC methods, the FAS/DPD chlorine test is essential. The TF100 test kit has this test while very few other kits do. The kits sold at the pool store generally won't won't cut it, but be careful pool store employees are known to say “it's the same thing”. Generally it's not!

Until you get your kit, each day I want you to put one bottle of bleach (yes, the same stuff you use for laundry) in the pool with the filter running. Be careful, it needs to be plain bleach, no scents, no EZ-Pour and none of the new Cloramax or laundry enhancing formulas.

Continue brushing and running the filter, cleaning the filter as necessary.

 

[Bwilden]

Thank you! Lots of reading this lazy Sunday! So it appears this site provides less expensive alternatives to pool store chemicals! Glad to read that because one of my first thoughts upon reading your response was that I was being asked to spend $70-90 for a water testing kit that doesn't even include any chemicals for the pool! I bought the kit.

So, couple things. Liquid chlorine is available at my pool store at the rate of 5 gallons for about $15. You asked me to add bleach, one bottle per day. Would you still recommend that or should I go with 5 gallons? I think 1-2 gallon containers are also available. But I am willing to buy a handful of bleach if I'm more likely to use it on a weekly or monthly basis.

I currently have 8 lbs of conditioner in a pillow case floating in my pool to stabilize the chlorine, which is nonexistent. Should I put that back into its container?

As as for my SWG. How concerned should I be that it is no longer functioning? I swear I've never seen any scale on the plates inside, which are tan plastic in my case, not metallic as I've read they should be. It's a gold line T-15 which I think is pretty standard. But it is 7 years old this summer.

 

[Pool_Medic]

7 year old cell is more than likely dead. You can run diagnostics on.

 

[tim5055]

Thank you! Lots of reading this lazy Sunday! So it appears this site provides less expensive alternatives to pool store chemicals! Glad to read that because one of my first thoughts upon reading your response was that I was being asked to spend $70-90 for a water testing kit that doesn't even include any chemicals for the pool! I bought the kit.

So, couple things. Liquid chlorine is available at my pool store at the rate of 5 gallons for about $15. You asked me to add bleach, one bottle per day. Would you still recommend that or should I go with 5 gallons? I think 1-2 gallon containers are also available. But I am willing to buy a handful of bleach if I'm more likely to use it on a weekly or monthly basis.

I currently have 8 lbs of conditioner in a pillow case floating in my pool to stabilize the chlorine, which is nonexistent. Should I put that back into its container?

As as for my SWG. How concerned should I be that it is no longer functioning? I swear I've never seen any scale on the plates inside, which are tan plastic in my case, not metallic as I've read they should be. It's a gold line T-15 which I think is pretty standard. But it is 7 years old this summer.

Chlorine is chlorine is chlorine.....

The differences between the stuff sold in the grocery store (bleach) and what many pool stores sell is the concentration of chlorine in the mixture.

Store bleach is 6% OR LOWER
"Concentrated" bleach is usually 8.5%
Pool store chlorine (sometimes called liquid "shock") comes in both 10% and 12.5%

So yes, if the cost works out better per ounce of chlorine use the higher concentrations.

How did you determine that you have no stabilizer (also called CYA) in the water?
How did you determine that 8 pounds was the right amount to get to your target CYA?
What was your target CYA?

You want to use acid to get that pH into at least the mid 7's until you start your SLAM Process


*********On Edit ********

Oh yea, Pool_Medic is probably right. After 7 years the SWCG is probably dead