Hi all,
I wish I found this site sooner. It's AWESOME and I learned so much, even just last night reading all sorts of posts/threads. Just wanted to say hi and tell my story since it's still going on.
Have a 15'x42" Summer Waves metal frame above ground pool. It has the skimmer on the side. I upgraded all hoses to 1.5" with shutoff valves, and am using an upgraded Intex 1500gph cartridge filter/pump. I removed the original baby pump that was built-in to the skimmer box so the flow is as good as it gets for 1.5" without moving to PVC.
First year owning a pool (of course) and everything was great for almost 2 months until it got very green and cloudy. I've been taking my water samples to a local pool store and they analyze them and print out the results and recommendations. Even with green and cloudy, they said the numbers looked fine and give it 24-48 hours. I waited, it didn't get better. Bought algicide, applied it, waited another 24-48 hours, it didn't get better. Have been vacuuming up the algae on the floor, it would come back by the time I finished the whole pool. Finally had enough and drained it a couple days ago to start from scratch.
Drained down to 1' via an external 1hp pump draining into my slop sink in the basement (our nearest gutters in the street flow to waterways so no dumping), then hooked up the vacuum in order to get all of the algae on the floor out. But again, after vacuuming the entire pool and turning around, there is still more. I've done this multiple times. it looks like a mustard color and is very fine. if you move disturb the water, it seems to dissolve...then settle later.
I did discover that if I try to vacuum the algae using the Intex 1500gph cartridge filter/pump, the algae goes THROUGH the filter and back into the pool. Does that sound possible/legit? Filters are either very clean, or brand new. I just ordered a backwash hose and have the following plan for future vacuuming: 1) connect the backwash hose to the outbound side of the pump/filter, 2) remove the filter, 3) vacuum the pool with the waste water leaving the pool, 4) top off the pool with fresh water.
Anyway, the last numbers from the water analysis before I drained were:
pH: 7.8
Alkalinity: 92
FC: 2.5
TC: 2.7
CYA: 65
Phosphate: 2480
Plan to shock the pool once it's filled. I know you guys like to SLAM it . I just want to get a solid level of chlorine in it immediately, then get the water analyzed and add the necessary CYA, pH reducer, etc... Unless you have other recommendations. Looking at buying a TF-100 kit. Had been using 7-item test strips from Amazon. They weren't "expired" but frequently when things on the strip looked OK, computer water analysis said chlorine was low like .3 (WTH!?). Bought 3-item strips from the pool place and the chlorine test seems much more accurate.
I had been using "CLC 3" chlorine powder which is what the local store sold me. They're out of that now of course. I got a bunch of chlorine pucks from my brother-in-law. I don't have one of those floating chlorine buoys so planned to put the pucks into the skimmer. That's my story. Pool is slowly filling back up and I can STILL see little algae spots on the floor...
Thanks for this site and all of your experience and info.
Steve
I wish I found this site sooner. It's AWESOME and I learned so much, even just last night reading all sorts of posts/threads. Just wanted to say hi and tell my story since it's still going on.
Have a 15'x42" Summer Waves metal frame above ground pool. It has the skimmer on the side. I upgraded all hoses to 1.5" with shutoff valves, and am using an upgraded Intex 1500gph cartridge filter/pump. I removed the original baby pump that was built-in to the skimmer box so the flow is as good as it gets for 1.5" without moving to PVC.
First year owning a pool (of course) and everything was great for almost 2 months until it got very green and cloudy. I've been taking my water samples to a local pool store and they analyze them and print out the results and recommendations. Even with green and cloudy, they said the numbers looked fine and give it 24-48 hours. I waited, it didn't get better. Bought algicide, applied it, waited another 24-48 hours, it didn't get better. Have been vacuuming up the algae on the floor, it would come back by the time I finished the whole pool. Finally had enough and drained it a couple days ago to start from scratch.
Drained down to 1' via an external 1hp pump draining into my slop sink in the basement (our nearest gutters in the street flow to waterways so no dumping), then hooked up the vacuum in order to get all of the algae on the floor out. But again, after vacuuming the entire pool and turning around, there is still more. I've done this multiple times. it looks like a mustard color and is very fine. if you move disturb the water, it seems to dissolve...then settle later.
I did discover that if I try to vacuum the algae using the Intex 1500gph cartridge filter/pump, the algae goes THROUGH the filter and back into the pool. Does that sound possible/legit? Filters are either very clean, or brand new. I just ordered a backwash hose and have the following plan for future vacuuming: 1) connect the backwash hose to the outbound side of the pump/filter, 2) remove the filter, 3) vacuum the pool with the waste water leaving the pool, 4) top off the pool with fresh water.
Anyway, the last numbers from the water analysis before I drained were:
pH: 7.8
Alkalinity: 92
FC: 2.5
TC: 2.7
CYA: 65
Phosphate: 2480
Plan to shock the pool once it's filled. I know you guys like to SLAM it . I just want to get a solid level of chlorine in it immediately, then get the water analyzed and add the necessary CYA, pH reducer, etc... Unless you have other recommendations. Looking at buying a TF-100 kit. Had been using 7-item test strips from Amazon. They weren't "expired" but frequently when things on the strip looked OK, computer water analysis said chlorine was low like .3 (WTH!?). Bought 3-item strips from the pool place and the chlorine test seems much more accurate.
I had been using "CLC 3" chlorine powder which is what the local store sold me. They're out of that now of course. I got a bunch of chlorine pucks from my brother-in-law. I don't have one of those floating chlorine buoys so planned to put the pucks into the skimmer. That's my story. Pool is slowly filling back up and I can STILL see little algae spots on the floor...
Thanks for this site and all of your experience and info.
Steve