New to everything

[atowell]

Hoping to find the solution to my green pool problem!
I've downloaded the app and purchased the recommended Taylor testing kit.

My current test results:
FC 4
CC 1
pH 8
TA 100
CYA 40

I added 12 oz Chlorox pH-down tonight.

The water was cloudy and/or green for several weeks. I drained about half the water and refilled, shocked, tested with strips for a few days, then used the "real" testing kit this afternoon to get the stats listed above. The water looks gross and there are water bugs in it, which doesn't make sense given the FC levels. I'm keeping the pump going 24/7 and backwashing/rinsing it every few days. I have a small floater with chlorine tabs in it all the time, plus broadcasting chlorine granules or liquid bleach (not on the same day). Shocking it seems to make no difference in the look of the water.

Is there any hope, or is my pump just not strong enough?

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
You need to follow the SLAM Process.
Discontinue using the chlorine tabs and the chlorine granules. They are both raising your CYA. The CYA of 40 ppm is as high as you want it to be.
Test your pH to be sure it is near 7.2. Then add liquid chlorine to raise your FC to 16 ppm. Test your FC and raise it back to 16 ppm as often as possible.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry and consider reviewing the entire Pool School eBook.

 

[Lemonred34]

We have the same equipment and pool I suspect given the gallons. I had a very green gross swamp. I don’t mean just a few weeks of neglect but several months of being uncovered and uncirculated and I’m under pine trees. You can imagine the debris that was sitting at the bottom.

This is where I am today. You can faintly make out the liner pattern at bottom of the pool. This is 5 weeks of SLAM, but don’t let that discourage you too much due to the fact I am STILL getting debris out of the pool. Every time I thought I was done I would stick my leaf eater in just to get more Hopefully everything is out as of today (I sent teens “diving” for organics. Got out several sticks that my vaccum and leaf eater can’t. Hopefully that speeds this clearing up)

 

[Lemonred34]

This was before. If you zoom in you can see a few tadpoles. I scooped out 50+ dead tadpoles.

 

[atowell]

Welcome to the forum!
You need to follow the SLAM Process.
Discontinue using the chlorine tabs and the chlorine granules. They are both raising your CYA. The CYA of 40 ppm is as high as you want it to be.
Test your pH to be sure it is near 7.2. Then add liquid chlorine to raise your FC to 16 ppm. Test your FC and raise it back to 16 ppm as often as possible.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry and consider reviewing the entire Pool School eBook.

Thank you! I had added CYA today around noon because it was not keeping any chlorine since I refilled the pool about a week ago. I just added 2 gallons of bleach and will test again tomorrow and get the FC up to 16 ppm. I'll read the two links you suggested as well, thanks!

 

[atowell]

We have the same equipment and pool I suspect given the gallons. I had a very green gross swamp. I don’t mean just a few weeks of neglect but several months of being uncovered and uncirculated and I’m under pine trees. You can imagine the debris that was sitting at the bottom.

This is where I am today. You can faintly make out the liner pattern at bottom of the pool. This is 5 weeks of SLAM, but don’t let that discourage you too much due to the fact I am STILL getting debris out of the pool. Every time I thought I was done I would stick my leaf eater in just to get more Hopefully everything is out as of today (I sent teens “diving” for organics. Got out several sticks that my vaccum and leaf eater can’t. Hopefully that speeds this clearing up)

Thanks for the encouragement! I had gotten it looking like that a couple of weeks ago - but was just never able to get it crystal clear. Then it rained several days and I was out of town. When I came back it was greener than ever. That's when I decided to drain half of it and try again. We'll see what it looks tomorrow after all the testing/fiddling I did today. Today is the first day I've really taken the time to use the more robust test kit instead of the strips. Now that I have that sort of figured out, I'm hoping it will get easier each day and the pool will look better!

 

[Lemonred34]

Thanks for the encouragement! I had gotten it looking like that a couple of weeks ago - but was just never able to get it crystal clear. Then it rained several days and I was out of town. When I came back it was greener than ever. That's when I decided to drain half of it and try again. We'll see what it looks tomorrow after all the testing/fiddling I did today. Today is the first day I've really taken the time to use the more robust test kit instead of the strips. Now that I have that sort of figured out, I'm hoping it will get easier each day and the pool will look better!

It’s too dang hot and humid down here in the south! With any luck we will both have sparkling pools in no time ?

 

[atowell]

The pool doesn't look any better after my attempts to raise the FC today. Decided to do the Calcium Hardness test tonight since it is the one thing I didn't test yesterday. The bad news is that the CH for the pool water is 320. The Pool Math app recommends draining the water by 52%. Problem is, I also tested the water from my hose and its CH is 125, so even if I drain 50% and refill from that hose, it won't get it down to the correct level. I also have a hose with softened water which I tested and it has zero CH. So I think my options are, drain by 50% and refill using the softened water, or just drain the whole thing and start from stratch with the regular 125 CH water. Advice?

 

[Lemonred34]

I don’t know much about CH etc but I will say that my pool took DAYS of keeping FC at shock level before it would Change colors. Then I’d get to that color and it would take DAYS again to get to the next level and so forth. If draining your pool completely and refilling is an option you’d def see results quicker. But note that it’s jot as simple as just draining it and refilling it. You will still need to scrub liner etc. I’ll let the experts chime in on what you would need to do to clean/scrub before refilling. And then after refilling you will still need to follow SLAM process to kill whatever may be left over. I’ve gathered that strictly from reading and reading on this forum. I’ve never actually had to experience it. Lol so take that advice as you will.

 

[mknauss]

CH is not a concern with your pool. It is below 400 ppm and you have a vinyl pool.

 

[atowell]

CH is not a concern with your pool. It is below 400 ppm and you have a vinyl pool.

thank you! I will continue slamming it.

 

[atowell]

I don’t know much about CH etc but I will say that my pool took DAYS of keeping FC at shock level before it would Change colors. Then I’d get to that color and it would take DAYS again to get to the next level and so forth. If draining your pool completely and refilling is an option you’d def see results quicker. But note that it’s jot as simple as just draining it and refilling it. You will still need to scrub liner etc. I’ll let the experts chime in on what you would need to do to clean/scrub before refilling. And then after refilling you will still need to follow SLAM process to kill whatever may be left over. I’ve gathered that strictly from reading and reading on this forum. I’ve never actually had to experience it. Lol so take that advice as you will.

Thank you, I will keep on with the FC maintenance for now.

 

[atowell]

New test results:
FC 19
CC 1.2
pH 7.4
TA 80
CYA 70
CH 320

I will add softened water in the morning to get the CYA back down, and retest everything again.

 

[aussieta]

please dont add anymore cya. you are already way over
adding softened water will not reduce cya unless you are talking about draining 30 percent and refilling
for a cya of 70 your new fc slam level is now 28
i think at this stage drain and refill 30 percent is your best option

 

[atowell]

Draining by 30%. There is so much visible particle suspension in the water that I'm afraid the sand filter will never be able to clear it all out even when refilling with fresh water. Lots of dirt and algae flakes.

 

[atowell]

The water is now a cloudy blue. Current test results are as follows:

FC 35
CC 1.5
pH 7.0
TA 125
CYA 80

 

[CarolineM]

Are you brushing and vacuuming daily? That helps a lot and needs to be done. How often are you testing your chlorine and making adjustments each day? If you have a ladder/stairs in the pool remove it and give it a good cleaning with bleach, looking into every nook and crannie.

 

[mknauss]

If you drained 30%, how did your CYA go up by 10 ppm?

 

[Fast7]

Did you add anything to your pool besides bleach since Friday?
How much CYA you added on Thursday?
What CYA number you were aiming for?
Did you added it using sock method?