Pool Pump Settings(schedule) to Prevent Algae

[EriksPool]

I've recently gotten algae in my pool and I have a great pool guy that comes weekly. He told me to adjust my pool pump because it wasn't pumping enough water each day. Pool temp has been pretty warm (high 80's) with a pool cover on (now off) as we like it warm.

I have a 28,800 gallon pool in the Bay Area, California. I have an Intelliflo VF pump which has been discontinued.

Currently, I have it set up to run one turnover and one cycle from 8am to 7pm and using a Feature to get it to run 50 GPM from 2pm-4pm. Outside of the feature it's running around:

Watts
540

RPM
1945

GPM
42

Is this pretty normal? It seems like it's using a lot of watts. Any recommendations on settings or would it be worth it to buy a new pump?

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
You need to follow the SLAM Process. To do that, you need a proper test kit. I suggest the TF-100 or Taylor K2006C. A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.

While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running. This will replenish the FC lost each day to the sun and also inhibit any algae in the water from growing further.
Your pump only needs to be run long enough to distribute the chemical(s) you add each day and to skim the surface. How do you chlorinate the pool?
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[EriksPool]

Thanks for the quick response. My pool guy is likely following that process. My question was more around the flow of water through the pump (and normal settings of a pump). Should I have posted my question under a different topic to get more information around pump settings?

 

[mknauss]

We can address the pump question here. Though it has nothing to do with algae in your pool water. If you wish to allow the 'pool guy' to handle that, you will be disappointed. And have an expensive and less than enjoyable pool experience.

Your pump needs to run to distribute the chemicals you add each day and skim the surface. If you have the cover on, it only needs to run very few hours each day, depending on how you chlorinate your pool water. Also the flow rate (rpm) only needs to be high enough to skim the surface, or generate your chlorine, if you use a SWCG or tablet device.

Determine Pump Run Time

To figure out how many hours you need to run your pump, you need to know how fast your pump works. You can find this here.

www.troublefreepool.com

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[cowboycasey]

Welcome to TFP

Water turnover and pump times have nothing to do with Algae... The reason you have algae is your pool guy is not taking care of your pool and really when it comes down to it they have no way to do it right.. You probably have a high CYA and that is why you have algae..

I run my pump about 2 hours a day at 1300 rpm and 6 hours at 1500 rpm

 

[EriksPool]

Thanks. I was under the impression that algae can accumulate much faster when the pool is not pumping enough water. But it sounds like you're saying that's not the case.

In the article referenced, it does say: "However, much more run time may be necessary for significant events such as opening a pool, new pools, or when you are having any kind of algae problem so only reduce run time when the pool has stabilized."

The chlorine level is normal in the pool.

The article mentions that a turnover isn't necessarily needed. My pump would have to run pretty high for 10+ hours to get a full turnover. Right now I do have it set for a turnover.

Is 1945 RPM (540 Watts) 9 hours a day and 2180 RPM (740 Watts) 2 hours a day pretty high? It seems pretty high especially compared to cowboycasey. The article goes over pump times but I'm curious to know about pump speeds too.

The only way I could decrease that speed is to decrease the pool size in the Pool Data in the pump.

 

[mknauss]

True, when doing a SLAM Process, longer pump run times are needed to clear the pool of the dead algae.

The chlorine level is normal in the pool.

I bet not. FC/CYA Levels

Is 1945 RPM (540 Watts) 9 hours a day and 2180 RPM (740 Watts) 2 hours a day pretty high?

Very. My Intelliflo runs at 1500 rpm to generate the chlorine from the SWCG. Many run at 1200 rpm. If you do not have a heater or SWCG, I suspect your flow rate for skimming / dispersal of chemicals is fine at 1200 rpm or so.

The only way I could decrease that speed is to decrease the pool size in the Pool Data in the pump.

Not true. You can manage that pump schedule and flow rate many ways. See your manual.

How do you chlorinate your pool water?

 

[cowboycasey]

You should be able to set the exact RPM and how much time you want it to run... I am not familiar with setting the VF pump though..

On page 9 and 10 it shows how to set the rpm you want

https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/nam/product-related/product-manuals/pool-and-spa-equipment/intelliflo-vf/IntelliFlo_VF_OM.pdf

 

[reggiehammond]

You've gotten more good information in this short thread than your pool guy has ever given you... you can bet on that!
The algae outbreak is symptomatic of poor pool care; but you've found the right place!

 

[EriksPool]

I didn't post here to have people bash the pool guy. Sorry if I came across that way. I just wanted to get help here and thought it would be a friendly environment.

The chlorine level is between 3ppm and 3.5ppm and has been for a while. I thought that was normal.

I know how to set the RPM for manual, but there's no way to set it for the scheduled filter mode. I've read through the manual.

1200 to 1500 is a good guide and I will try that.

On the Filter (schedule) mode, there is no way to directly set the flow rate. The only ways that flow rate is affected is by either:
- changing the pool size in the data
- increasing the length of the scheduled times
- changing the turnovers

You can't set anything less than one turnover. The only way to have it run slower in Filter mode(without drastically increasing the amount of hours...it's at 11 already) is to lower the gallons of the pool in the Pool Data. I couldn't find any other way, but if you know of anything, let me know.

My pool gets most (not sure what else the pool guy does) chlorine from tablets in a floater.

Thanks for the help.

 

[HermanTX]

TFP is a methodology that is different from general pool store and pool service processes. The goal is to ensure your water is chlorinated to the proper level using proven methodology which is the relationship of CYA to FC. This is highlighted in the FC/CYA Levels
To go back to your original question - your effectiveness of your chlorine at the proper level is key to prevent algae. Not flow rate, turnover or number of hours your pump runs.
The use of pucks in your floater is providing chlorine but also driving up CYA. The higher the CYA rises, the higher the chlorine level needs to be to be effective in preventing algae.
Only the pool owner has the most interest in ensuring the pool water is properly sanitized. There are thousands of pool owners who believe and follow this TFP methodology and have crystal clear pools through the application of this methodology.
I hope you can review the information and enjoy a clear pool with minimal costs like many of us do.

 

[Donldson]

TFP is a very friendly place. We have people who will work very hard to help someone fix any problem in their pool and get on the right track to an actual Trouble Free Pool. What we don't do, however, is help propagate false information or bad advice.

So when someone asks for help implementing some not-so-great information they got from a pool person, we don't just play along. That's a disservice to the person asking for help. We will try to educate the person on why the advice isn't in their best interest. We don't defer to service industry members based solely on their job title, their advice and actions are judged on their own merits. And I'm sorry to say that their allowing your pool to get algae and then blaming it on your pump runtime is not the actions of a good pool professional. I also wonder why it is your duty to make this adjustment and not part of their job. Aren't they familiar with the equipment?

Regardless of where you go from here, I still want to welcome you to TFP. There is a ton of information available, I hope you find some of it helpful.

 

[Newdude]

Hey Erik and Welocme !!!

I didn't post here to have people bash the pool guy

Lemme take a stab at this one.

*cracks knuckles and stretches*.

Nobody is bashing your pool guy. He may be a terrific person, but he simply can’t do what you need. That beautiful Californian sun will burn off 2-4 ppm of chlorine a day and he comes weekly.

To compensate for part time care, he has to spike/shock the FC at his visit with the *hopes* of having enough FC left next week. If some storms happen, or a lot of swimming, it just won’t last. Many times the pool guy will use tabs which are stabilized and release slowly, again, hoping to keep the FC up all week. But the tabs are stabilized with CYA so that rises with each tab The CYA buffers/stabilizes the chlorine and protects it from the UV from the sun. The higher your CYA, the more chlorine you need to perform the same sanitizing. See FC/CYA Levels. With each visit you need more shock and more tabs.

It becomes unmanageable very quickly and then all kinds of expensive emergency potions are thrown at the pool in a dump-and-pray way. When nothing works, the owner gets told they need to drain and start over.

You have 2 choices for pool pros. The ones who know exactly what they are doing and how badly they are milking you, or the honestly innocent who just don’t know squat about water chemistry and follow the pool store / industry / government guidelines that ……. Get THIS….. haven’t been updated since the 80s.

Full stop here.

Imagine going to the DR like it was 1985. Yeah, no. The Muppets were going to Mars, not Elon Musk. We’ve come a long way since then and TFP has evolved with the times based on science and tweaked by 280k+ real world members experiences.

We are glad you found us and will happily guide you to being your own legit pro.

 

[EriksPool]

I appreciate all the advice.

The pool guy has been doing what I need for years now. This is the first time there has been algae.

It was odd that he asked to turn up the pump to 3000 RPM during the hottest hours which seems really fast.

I initially just wanted to understand what a good speed was for a pool pump to keep the pool from developing algae (I know that people have said not to blame the pump). From what I heard and read through links here is that there needs to be a reasonable amount being pumped so it can help with the chlorine and therefore stop/reduce algae.

I really just wanted to know what speed to have my pool pump and wanted recommendations on that. Instead I got so many people telling me to basically fire my pool guy.

I've also had people tell me I'm wrong without adequately checking or helping me.

I've set up a cycle to run on Filter mode at around 1200 RPM and increase to around 1500 RPM during the hotter times of the day (total cycle is 11 hours). That sounds like a reasonable speed. If anybody has any other tips on the speed, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Newdude]

I initially just wanted to understand what a good speed was for a pool pump to keep the pool from developing algae

You are reading but you aren’t understanding. Apologies and we will keep trying. We are a patient and kind bunch, I promise. Ask until it clicks.

No pump speed will inhibit algae. That’s the chlorine’s job. The pump needs 20-30 mins to mix the pool well Pretty much any speed will accomplish the mixing. At high speed you need 10 mins. Slower needs 30.

The pump only creates water movement to push any floating debris to the skimmer. It also pushes water through the filter to remove any suspended particles/ debris. But like leaves and dust amd whatnot. By comparison, Algae will overrun and clog a filter in a matter of hours instead of the weeks or months of normal filter operation before it needs cleaning.

If you have a SWG that produces chlorine for you, instead of dosing with liquid bleach, again, the pump speed does not affect the SWG. The SWG is either on or off and increasing the RPMs does not make more FC.

 

[reggiehammond]

You are reading but you aren’t understanding. Apologies and we will keep trying. We are a patient and kind bunch, I promise. Ask until it clicks.

No pump speed will inhibit algae. That’s the chlorine’s job. The pump needs 20-30 mins to mix the pool well Pretty much any speed will accomplish the mixing. At high speed you need 10 mins. Slower needs 30.

The pump only creates water movement to push any floating debris to the skimmer. It also pushes water through the filter to remove any suspended particles/ debris. But like leaves and dust amd whatnot. By comparison, Algae will overrun and clog a filter in a matter of hours instead of the weeks or months of normal filter operation before it needs cleaning.

If you have a SWG that produces chlorine for you, instead of dosing with liquid bleach, again, the pump speed does not affect the SWG. The SWG is either on or off and increasing the RPMs does not make more FC.

Great explanation; EriksPool, I didn’t mean to sound like I was bashing your pool guy. It’s just that any talk about pump speed while dealing with an algae bloom is completely laughable. It’s like your car being on fire, and the service tech talking about how you need 3 more PSI in your right front. Now - there are times where pumps can matter in terms of chemical dispersion; ie you have a really weird shape pool and the pool builder put all the returns in the wrong places. But that’s likely not the case here…

You mention FC is between 3 and 3.5ppm. Do you know how your pool tech tests? If your CYA is high, which it would be with the use of tabs, you don’t have enough FC to maintain sanitation and safety.

I hope you’ll take in what‘s been shared. A proper test kit, a few minutes of your day and I can guarantee that you’ll have a trouble free pool and more bucks in your wallet, along with the satisfaction and confidence of understanding exactly what is happening in your pool.