Noticed a few small green spots

[aztony]

Hi, I noticed a few small green spots on the walls of the pool. Here are the current measurements:
pH 7.8
TA 8
CYA 50
FC 6
Calcium 250
Salt 2400

Just wondering what I need to do to get rid of the green spots before it gets worse. Thanks.

 

[cdadams1223]

Hi, I noticed a few small green spots on the walls of the pool. Here are the current measurements:
pH 7.8
TA 8
CYA 50
FC 6
Calcium 250
Salt 2400

Just wondering what I need to do to get rid of the green spots before it gets worse. Thanks.

Good evening! I see just about everything in your signature line except for your testing kit. Which one are you using?

Your TA is awfully low at 8ppm and should be a minimum of 50ppm. Your FC is within range based on your CYA of 50. Calcium appears okay but your salt is close to 1000ppm too low. The green spots could be algae but you'll need to run an OCLT to be sure. Link: Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)

 

[aztony]

Good evening! I see just about everything in your signature line except for your testing kit. Which one are you using?

Your TA is awfully low at 8ppm and should be a minimum of 50ppm. Your FC is within range based on your CYA of 50. Calcium appears okay but your salt is close to 1000ppm too low. The green spots could be algae but you'll need to run an OCLT to be sure. Link: Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)

Thanks for responding. The kit is the TF-100. Sorry about the TA I forgot to x's it by 10, so that would be 80. I did add a 50 lb bag of salt. Should I turn up the chlorinator or use the super chlorinate function on the SWG? I'll check out the OCLT.

Question: How often should the water be changed? I seem to remember that only emptying half the water is fine. It's been a few years since I've changed the water.

 

[cdadams1223]

Thanks for responding. The kit is the TF-100. Sorry about the TA I forgot to x's it by 10, so that would be 80. I did add a 50 lb bag of salt. Should I turn up the chlorinator or use the super chlorinate function on the SWG? I'll check out the OCLT.

Question: How often should the water be changed? I seem to remember that only emptying half the water is fine. It's been a few years since I've changed the water.

The TF-100 is a great kit! I almost wondered if you left out the "0" on the TA...glad that's the case. A 50 lb bag, per PoolMath, increased your salt by 460ppm which gets you closer to 3000ppm. I have the same size pool as you and try to keep my salt between 3200-3400. Restest your salt tomorrow and see what you get. Do you happen to know which Aqua Rite SWG you have? There's multiple and they each produce different quantities of chlorine gas in lbs per day. With that info you can dial in how much you want to distribute per day. It's all in your PoolMath app. Before you go cranking up the SWG hook us up with that info first. Make sure you do an OCLT soon to see how things test out.

You have no need to change out your water...none whatsoever. All your numbers are okay and it's not like you have too much CYA which is a typical reason for having to drain some water. Just keep your chemistry in line and you'll be fine.

 

[Dirk]

If your green spots are algae, then your pool is telling you it's not getting the FC it needs. It could be testing error, or bad testing reagents. It could be poor circulation. It could be an overload of organic materials (pets, kids, etc).

And remember, TFP's numbers are guidelines. And an excellent place to start. But if they are not working, then adjust them.

Start with an OCLT. That will help determine if you truly have an algae problem.

Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)

The Overnight Chlorine Loss Test tells if the SLAM is finished or if you need to start a SLAM. This article says how to do the OCLT.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[aztony]

The TF-100 is a great kit! I almost wondered if you left out the "0" on the TA...glad that's the case. A 50 lb bag, per PoolMath, increased your salt by 460ppm which gets you closer to 3000ppm. I have the same size pool as you and try to keep my salt between 3200-3400. Restest your salt tomorrow and see what you get. Do you happen to know which Aqua Rite SWG you have? There's multiple and they each produce different quantities of chlorine gas in lbs per day. With that info you can dial in how much you want to distribute per day. It's all in your PoolMath app. Before you go cranking up the SWG hook us up with that info first. Make sure you do an OCLT soon to see how things test out.

You have no need to change out your water...none whatsoever. All your numbers are okay and it's not like you have too much CYA which is a typical reason for having to drain some water. Just keep your chemistry in line and you'll be fine.

I have the Aqua Rite T-15. I didn't have a chance to check the salt level or do anything else as I was out all day. I did notice the SWG was reading HOT. I've never seen that before. Is it telling me the water is hot? I'm close to Phoenix AZ and we've had over 19 straight days above 110F, the last 2 days 119F.

 

[mknauss]

From Hayward Aquarite Wiki

HOT Water Temperature​

LCD display will read “HOT” when the water temperature is above 140 oF.

If the water temperature reads greater than 140F, the cell temperature sensor is shorted and the cell needs to be replaced. It may be a problem with the temperature sensor in the cell or a problem with the circuit board reading the temperature sensor.

If you have a multimeter, you can check the resistance of the thermistor in the cell (pin 6 against pin 10 on the plug).

 

[aztony]

The SWG is no longer reading HOT, at least not at this moment. The salt level is at 2600. I tested it twice to make sure. I'll have to add another bag.

I did a chlorine test and FC is 3.5. I did get in the pool today and noticed green on the vacuum wings and underneath and some on the hose. I cleaned it all off with a bleach and water solution. I'm guessing it is algae and I'm going to need to do a slam. Question on doing the OCLT, the SWG has to be off but it's okay to have the pump run overnight?

Update: FC @3.5 AM no loss overnight Any suggestions on what I should do next? Should I add liquid chlorine?

 

[mmcwhorter]

Every year I SLAM at the opening and pass OCLT....from that day on all the way to closing in fall I have a Trouble Free Pool.

 

[aztony]

Every year I SLAM at the opening and pass OCLT....from that day on all the way to closing in fall I have a Trouble Free Pool. a

That actually sounds like it might be a good idea. I don't know if that would work here in Arizona. I don't close my pool, even though I don't use it when the water gets colder. With the sun beating down on the pool and temperatures being over 110 for the last 20 days or so and close to 120 for a few days it's no surprise if chlorine gets low.

 

[aztony]

Since the pool passed the OLCT test, it didn't lose any chlorine, what should the next step be? Should I try adding liquid chlorine? What is a good number for the chlorine level be at?

 

[Dirk]

Since the pool passed the OLCT test, it didn't lose any chlorine, what should the next step be? Should I try adding liquid chlorine? What is a good number for the chlorine level be at?

I could just tell you, or I could lead you to where you can learn to answer that question yourself:

What Are My Ideal Pool Levels?

Use our tool to find ideal chemical levels for any swimming pool. Check TFP recommended levels on pH, free chlorine, cyanuric acid, and more.

www.troublefreepool.com