Perfect! Desire, at this point you do have the option to exchange some water. I don't think you don’t have to at this point. It might help remove some of the questionable pool store products added before which could help to make the clearing process a bit quicker, but not a must. If you do decide to exchange water, be careful to not go too low. Keep at least 2 feet in the pool so the liner and walls remain stable.
Whether you change some water or not, you should stock-up on several gallons of regular bleach (No Clorox, splashless or scented products). Then I recommend the following with pump continuously running:
1 - Use baking soda to increase your TA to about 60-70. The Poolmath tool tells me that’s about 8-10 lbs for your 17K pool (2ea 4lb boxes). Broadcast spread across the pool and sweep around. Yes the bright Barbie pink is what you are looking for.
2 – Add enough “regular” bleach using the
PoolMath Tool to increase FC to 10. Add nothing else yet other than bleach. Wait only 10 minutes and check the FC again. If it dropped drastically below 5 ppm (which is expected), increase the FC back to 10 immediately and re-test again in 10 minutes. Do this 10-min drill until the FC begins to hold somewhere between 5-10. Closer to 10 the better.
3 – Only after the FC shows signs of holding do you add stabilizer for a CYA goal of 30. At that point, increase the FC to “12” which is your actual SLAM level.
Maintain that FC of 12 and follow all of the instructions on the SLAM page for best results. Good luck!
In the future, do not add any algaecides accept for possibly at winter closing time. When/if you do, make sure it’s a Polyquat 60 product. Do not use the regular algaecides commonly found at pool store as most will contain copper. For free chlorine during the year, stick to regular bleach since it has no side effects.
** FC Testing; continue to use a 10ML water sample size and use a heaping scoop of power then mix. Count the drops until clear and divide in half. Example: 14 drops = FC of 7. If the solution is allowed to sit, it will revert back to light pink. Just ignore that.
Adding CYA:
To increase CYA via granular stabilizer, place the required amount as calculated by the
Poolmath calculator into a white sock and place in the poolside skimmer basket. For those concerned about suction flow to the pump, suspending the sock near a return jet or from a floating device will also suffice. Best never to allow undissolved granules to rest directly against the pool surface. Squeeze the sock periodically to help it dissipate. Once dissolved, consider your CYA adjusted to that programmed (target) level. CYA test readings should show a rise in 24-48 hours, however some pools may experience a longer delay to fully register. Best to confirm final CYA in about 5-7 days before adding any more stabilizer/conditioner.
I'll check back in on you shortly. Good luck!
