New Pool Owner Algae Disaster

[Jessica1911]

Hi - I have been on this page everyday for nearly 7 days now trying to learn. I didn't close my pool this past fall and I am paying for it now!

It was a swamp. Have no idea where I started with my levels and have the Taylor K-2006c kit on the way. Just to get an idea of where I am I had the pool store test my water. The water is blue, has been blue, but it's cloudy now. We have no debris in the water and I have kept the chlorine levels up while I await the kit.
I know unreliable, but just an idea:

Alk - 87
PH 7.4
CH - 36
FC - 19.68
CC - .87
CYA - 79
Iron - .1
Copper - .3



We removed the pool steps 1.5 days ago as they had algae in them.

I added 2.5 gallons of 12% chlorine last night.

Any ideas? I will post updated levels once the kit arrives. It is out for delivery

The picture with the ladder is from 3 days ago. The other is today.

 

[crusemm]

FC/CYA Levels
Issues- that CYA can't be right. CYA is a log scale, and goes by 10's. you cannot interpolate between readings, so round up. You are most of the way to a SLAM at that FC if it's right. At elevated FC, pH is inaccurate., not sure where it starts having an effect, but i'd be willing to bet that is not an accurate pH. CC of .87 sounds off too, usually it's in steps of .5.
Continue adding chlorine, approx a gallon a day, spread out over the day if you can, until your test kit arrives. Also, check your filter pressure frequently as it will rise as you kill off algae.

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
Good job on ordering a quality test kit. When are you supposed to receive it?
The one number on the pool store test we will typically accept is the metals tests. Your copper level is very high. I suspect you have been using copper containing products.
It will be best if you start to plan a large water exchange. You can wait until you get your test kit as the CYA number would be nice to know. I see you have a SWCG. But you will want a lower CYA to do your SLAM Process
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[Jessica1911]

Thanks! I have been letting water out slowly. The water was trucked in initially, and we used a trap last year before adding water. The spicket also runs off from the softener, so I think the copper is from the Clorox shock I dumped in before finding this site. I have ordered a new trap. It should be here Thursday. The test kit is scheduled to arrive by end of day today - probably by 3 or so. I have read the pages and will continue. I am kicking myself for not finding this page sooner. I am starting to get it I downloaded the pool math app as well. Do you think the copper is the cause of the cloudiness?

I appreciate your time

 

[Jessica1911]

Thanks - the filter is the other thing. When I first started I was cleaning it every 2 hours for about a week. Then every 4-6 hours. It continued to become less and less. Once that stablized i replaced with new filters. My filter is clean - but still clean it once a day. It's clean, my psi isn't rising, and my bot comes up clean. Thanks again

 

[mknauss]

The copper is not causing the cloudiness. Just concerned if you raise your FC to SLAM levels, it may come out of solution and stain the pool surface. So the more water exchange you can do to get rid of it, the better.

Good you are not getting as much solids out any more. Keep cleaning the filter when your filter pressure rises by 25% over clean pressure. I suspect the cartridge you were using is fine. Just clean it and you will have two.

 

[Jessica1911]

Ok - so I am draining water from the pool. I tested CYA first since it seemed off and I know I dumped a lot of powder shock in it. It tested at 100. Any recommendations as to how much I should drain? Thanks again!

 

[crusemm]

Your going to have to drain at least 50%. . HOWEVER, if your CYA tests at 100, it may actually be higher. Try doing the test again with half pool water and half tap water. Whatever you get, double and that's your approximate CYA. Since you have a vinyl ABG Pool, you should be able to just pump down half way, then refill with fresh water.

 

[Jessica1911]

Thanks! I have to support this site as y'all have been so so helpful.

Here's my dilemma: I've drained about 25-30% of the volume over the past 3 days. I let most of that out today. I can't drain anymore until this dries up. My neighbors will frown upon me sending salt water into their yard. So - I was thinking I could get the CYA down to an acceptable level even if it is high end. Then, gradually drain and replace each week until I get it down to 50. It would be several weeks before I could drain it down to 50%. The temps are going to drop to 60's for the next 7-10 days so it will take longer to dry up. What are your thoughts on that?

 

[mknauss]

Do you have a sewer cleanout? That is the best place to pump your effluent from the pool.

 

[Jessica1911]

I don't - we are in septic and well.

 

[mknauss]

OK -- do as you state. Will take alot more water. But oh well.

 

[Jessica1911]

Thanks! I will come back to this thread once I get the level down. Should I brush over the next few days so the chlorine can hit any algae that's still in there or will that make it worse?

 

[mknauss]

Brushing is good. Algae forms a biofilm over it to protect it from attack. Brushing disrupts that.

 

[Jessica1911]

Thanks, mcnauss! I appreciate the help.

 

[crusemm]

My neighbors will frown upon me sending salt water into their yard.

One thing to note, the amount of salt in your pool water is really negligible, so it shouldn't have any effect on your neighbors yards, other than giving them some free water for their lawns.

If you are doing the drain and fill in stages, then you will need to recalculate for each stage.
After your first step, you should be at CYA of 70
A second 30% replacement should take you to CYA of 50

This Dilution Calculator will help you figure out how much water you need to exchange

• C1 is the current concentration of CYA
• V1 is the volume to be removed (i.e. how much to remove from the pool)this is what you are solving for
• C2 is the final concentration of the diluted solution. This is your goal CYA (50)
• V2 is the final volume of the diluted solution. This is the volume of your pool

I know the volume units are Liters not gallons, but it doesn't really matter.

 

[Jessica1911]

Thanks! I have more draining now. I have drained about 25% total. It had just rained when I started the drain and it was above the skimmer. I now have it below the skimmer close to the return jet.

 

[Jessica1911]

I ended up draining about half of the pool volume. After the initial 25% my reading was still 100. I tested again using the suggested half tap half pool water and the black dot disappered about half way between 40 and 50. So, we drained another 40% and refilled it. Now the dot is disappearing just below the 60.

So - I wanted to get started on chlorine, but I cannot figure it out. I have the taylor k2006c kit. I cant figure out if it is 1 drop equals .2ppm or 1 drop equals .5ppm. Do any of you know?

Thanks

Jessica

 

[mknauss]

I cant figure out if it is 1 drop equals .2ppm or 1 drop equals .5ppm.

What size water sample are you testing with? Each drop is 0.2 ppm FC if your water sample is 25ml. Each drop is 0.5 ppm FC if your water sample is 10 ml.

 

[Jessica1911]

Thanks - I was thinking that but something isn't making sense to me. Ibused the 25ml sample, and two droppers and the same turned a deep pink. After 100 drops it is still deep pink. I have to be doing something wrong. There is no way I have chlorine above 20ppm right now. I haven't added any since Sunday and I've drained almost half of the pool.