I give up -24x12 above ground pool 52” - heated

[Dba1047]

I have SLAM ‘d the pool twice in past month
Last time took a week -
And I test daily with liquid reagents test kit
Today after more than a week chlorine is finally down to between 3-4 ppm /Alkalinity 100
Ph 7.6
Had water tested no phosphate issues
I swear it has never become 100 % clear
It s blue - I can see bottom clearly
I have backwashed my Hayward filter so many times I ve lost count
Daughter helps me vacuum to waste
I added 7 oz algaecide today as a prophylactic measure as I m headed out of town for 12 days to take care of my Mom who has broken her leg-
I swear it s now got a hint of green
Tested again and all numbers are as above
Do I shock with what I have left of liquid bleach before I leave and pray ?
And am out of any other test kits - so no way for me to know for sure if I m shocked to 20/30 or 3O ppm -
I can t run to local pool store - honestly I don t trust them - and only other option is a Leslie pool about 30 minutes away and they look at their computer and want to sell you hundreds of dollars of their products
Ok I m done whining
Going to get in the ??? Questionable pool and vacuum it -
Any advice greatly appreciated
Thanks ?????‍Deb

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
What test kit have you been using? Please fill out your signature and include what kit it is.
Follow the SLAM Process
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[Dba1047]

I have read the ABC s religiously
Fill out my signature ? Ok if I can figure out where !
Down to a 5 way poolmaster kit
I NEVER use algaecide but I m tired
And I put in about 7 oz thinking it would prevent any more algae developing
My free chlorine is above 3 but not at 5
I just backwashed and added water which is correcting my turquoise ?? Color
Retested - ph 7.6 and TA between 90 and 100
Note to self I ve never used algaecide -always just chlorine and adjust PH - think I ll just stick to
That ?

 

[Dba1047]

Signature complete ! I think !
Deb

 

[frogabog]

Trichlor is probably what you need before you leave. Some tablets in a dispenser and someone to replace them while you're gone. You don't say what your CYA is, but I can't see any way for you to not come back to a green swamp without someone to add chlorine while you're gone. You may end up with a swamp anyway.

Go take care of mom. TFP will be here when you get back. Maybe next SLAM post a thread and let the good folk help you through it.

 

[Dba1047]

Trichlor is probably what you need before you leave. Some tablets in a dispenser and someone to replace them while you're gone. You don't say what your CYA is, but I can't see any way for you to not come back to a green swamp without someone to add chlorine while you're gone. You may end up with a swamp anyway.

Go take care of mom. TFP will be here when you get back. Maybe next SLAM post a thread and let the good folk help you through it.

Thanks !!! I have trichlor tabs and walked a friend Thru testing and adding ( she ll call me every day )
And I think I figured out the algaecide interacted with chlorine - adding water and backwashing my sand filter is rapidly solving that problem .

 

[frogabog]

Do you know your CYA level?

If your friend is going to come by daily to test and add, you don't need the trichlor. It will raise your CYA rather fast in an above ground pool.

Also, make sure your friend doesn't add anything other than bleach. No more algaecide for you.

 

[PoolGate]

The solution to issues like your is always "more chlorine!". In order to maintain the correct chlorine level, you need to know your CYA level. In order to know your CYA level, you need an accurate test like the TF-100. Without that you don't have a fighting chance.

 

[Dba1047]

Do you know your CYA level?

If your friend is going to come by daily to test and add, you don't need the trichlor. It will raise your CYA rather fast in an above ground pool.

Also, make sure your friend doesn't add anything other than bleach. No more algaecide for you.

Yah - I figured that out?

 

[Dba1047]

Found aquachem test strips - in my box of pool stuff and tested again with strips and drops
Ph 7.6/Chlorine 4-5 ppm/ alkalinity 90 ppm/
Stabilizer on strips “ ideal”30-50
Do I see a hint of green on pool steps ? Maybe
Is water blue ? Yes
Is it perfectly clear ? Almost but not quite
I plug in the numbers into poolmath and
I think the answer 58oz of 6% liquid bleach
Or shock with 166 oz of 8.25% bleach
And I m still leaving tomorrow morning to go help out my mom- ??so yup 1.3-1.5 gallons of bleach it is - couldn t care less about bleaching the liner - and I ll check as often as possible between now and tomorrow at 10 am
Sigh 20 plus years with this pool and I have never needed more than test strips/ 5 way test kit and bleach / chlorine tablets and baking soda / soda ash -and then 2019 - the summer if the pool plagues ?thanks for any advice and listening to me rant !!