New home pool chemicals off!

[Godsgirl001]

We just bought in January and hired a pool guy with 55 5 star reviews. The girls noticed our hair turned green so on my own I had pool water checked by Leslie’s. Everything of off!
Free chlorine 0.09
Total alkalinity 14
Copper 2.5. (Green hair!!!!)
Phosphates 7,142

I showed the pool guy and he brought a copper treatment and something for phosphates. Told me to take more pool water the next week to retest. I did and numbers barely improved. I texted him and he raised our monthly rate from 125 to 150 a month. He put chlorine tabs in skimmer. I asked him why not use the feeder and he said there’s not enough water flowing through the chlorinater???

I’m trying to communicate and work it out with him before my knee jerk reaction to hire someone new.
Does any of this sound normal???

The pool looks blue and clear and the only other problems are in the beginning it smelt kind of fishy?? And the steps still get slimy, slippery. I’ve told him before.
Thanks

 

[Richard320]

Sounds normal.

Right? No. But very normal behavior. If you want it done right, you're going to have to do it yourself. Leslies won't be any better than the pool guy.

Let me ask you: Would you accept this from the guy who works on your car? He could mess up your car, then charge extra to fix it? Or would be you screaming mad? Then don't take it from him.

Hard to believe, but in California, pool guys aren't licensed by the state. Barbers are. Auto Repair shops are. Acupuncturists, pharmacists, architects, accountants, funeral homes, just about everyone is regulated by the Department of Consumer Repairs. Not pool guys. That's county-by-county and mostly all they need is to attend a weekend course and get certified as a CPO. No regulations about shady practices. No mandatory testing to ensure competency.

Do some reading here, order a proper test kit (I'd wager long odds that Leslie's won't stock the one you want but will try to sell you a K2005 and tell you it's the same as a K2006) and take over.

 

[Godsgirl001]

Sounds normal.

Right? No. But very normal behavior. If you want it done right, you're going to have to do it yourself. Leslies won't be any better than the pool guy.

Let me ask you: Would you accept this from the guy who works on your car? He could mess up your car, then charge extra to fix it? Or would be you screaming mad? Then don't take it from him.

Hard to believe, but in California, pool guys aren't licensed by the state. Barbers are. Auto Repair shops are. Acupuncturists, pharmacists, architects, accountants, funeral homes, just about everyone is regulated by the Department of Consumer Repairs. Not pool guys. That's county-by-county and mostly all they need is to attend a weekend course and get certified as a CPO. No regulations about shady practices. No mandatory testing to ensure competency.

Do some reading here, order a proper test kit (I'd wager long odds that Leslie's won't stock the one you want but will try to sell you a K2005 and tell you it's the same as a K2006) and take over.

I’m not sure he’s the one who messed it up as we bought the home 4 1/2 months ago and the previous owners took care of the pool themselves so I don’t know if he tried. But is it common for pool guy to tell you to go test the water yourself?

 

[BadDogPSD]

I’m not sure he’s the one who messed it up as we bought the home 4 1/2 months ago and the previous owners took care of the pool themselves so I don’t know if he tried. But is it common for pool guy to tell you to go test the water yourself?

Welcome!
At this point you just need to decide if you want to keeping using a pool service or do your own testing and maintenance. This site is mainly to help diy types take care of their own pools & spa.
Learning and following the TFP methods is really very easy, kinda fun, way less expensive than a pool service, and you'll know things a getting done correctly.
This is a great site with plenty of members and moderators willing to help.
We are new pool owners too and hired a service to open & maintain our pool & spa. We were paying $95 per week plus chemicals! One week they'd put in PH increase, the next PH decrease, stainout, clarifier... all stuff you really don't need to use. A test kit (TF100 or Taylor K2006C), Liquid chlorine, muriatic acid, a willingness to learn, and a can-do attitude is all you need most of the time!

 

[Flying Tivo]

If copper is that high, which is the only test we kind of believe at poolstors(metals), you will probably need to start fresh, so a drain and refill is in your near future. Start by getting yourself a Test Kits Compared and read up on ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry so you know exactly what to expect.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Someone has been using either copper containing pucks in that pool (Clorox XteaBlue, for example) or copper containing algaecides (those are the cheap ones)....... or...
If you have a heater with a messed up heating coil leaching copper in to the water. Low pH is often the culprit there.

You want to get RID of the copper, right? Drain and refill....sorry. Fire the pool boy. Its too easy to take care of the pool yourself and do it right.

Maddie