Pool Store "help" turned my clear pool into a swamp

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scmvlcek

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Jun 18, 2018
7
Maine
Hi All,
A couple of weeks ago we went to the pool store for a part for our pump and thought "Hey...let's take advantage of their free pool water testing". They said our ph and alkalinity were low. Bought a huge bag of the recommended BioGuard alkalinity increaser. Woke up to a green swamp of a pool and it was previously crystal clear and we had been swimming for weeks already. Also turned the white plastic on our return and filter to a gross yellow brown color. Horrified...Back to pool store. They said "that's weird". We paid for more chemicals...no help. Back to pool store. They said they needed to run a more extensive test which later they called to say revealed that we have phosphates and needed to super shock. Another $75 worth of super shock and and 5 days of running filter 24/7 the pool looks almost normal again.

I've been reading endlessly on this site and am ready to go full BBB. I have always used the Poolmaster 5 way test kit and have got along great until I handed the power over to the pool store. Don't worry - I ordered the recommended Taylor test kit and it will be here Friday. We've already missed two weeks of swimming. Right now my test kit says my ph is 7.2 and my alkalinity is 60. I know those need to be adjusted. But this is my main issue - when I do the free chlorine test it instantly goes to a bright blood orange color. Dark yellow is the highest on the kit so it appears I'm off the charts after my super shock?? I can't seem to get a reading on combined chlorine as the dye seems to bug out and glob up after being in the tube for the 1-2 minutes. Also when you put your hands in the water they come out smelling like you just dipped them in bleach.

So my thoughts are that my chlorine is off the charts? Yet I've read over and over that if you "smell" your pool it is actually the opposite and you are smelling chloramines and need to add yet more chlorine. I'm at a loss...we just want to swim. I don't know where to start. But I know I'm not going to the pool store ;o)

Sorry for the long wind...just wanted to explain...thanks all

Chris
 
If your ph and alkalinity are where they are after adding the baking powder (alkalinity increased) then your pool was very acidic. Nothing grows in acidic water, so once you added the alkalinity you essentially made the water perfect for algae bloom.

You haven’t mentioned if it’s clear green or cloudy green? The super shock caused th e metals to come out of suspension and that is why the iron staining. Let the chlorine come back to normal levels and begin treating the stains with vit c.
 
Welcome aboard, best thing to do is make sure fc doesn’t drop to zero, chlorine is probably off charts with all the shock you put in. Nothing can be done definitively until your test kit comes and you do a full set of tests. Meanwhile make sure you understand cya/fc relationship and the slam procedure, which you will need to do. Taylor test instructions are on inside lid. No hard at all. Post test results like;
fc
cc
ph
ta
ch
cya
 
scmvlcek said:
Hi All,
A couple of weeks ago we went to the pool store for a part for our pump and thought "Hey...let's take advantage of their free pool water testing". They said our ph and alkalinity were low. Bought a huge bag of the recommended BioGuard alkalinity increaser. Woke up to a green swamp of a pool and it was previously crystal clear and we had been swimming for weeks already. Also turned the white plastic on our return and filter to a gross yellow brown color. Horrified...Back to pool store. They said "that's weird". We paid for more chemicals...no help. Back to pool store. They said they needed to run a more extensive test which later they called to say revealed that we have phosphates and needed to super shock. Another $75 worth of super shock and and 5 days of running filter 24/7 the pool looks almost normal again.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you've had your first taste of the Pool Store Wheel of Misfortune. Hate you had that but hopefully now you see why we recommend you avoid the pool store at all costs. FYI, "BioGuard alkalinity increaser" is just overpriced baking soda. The same stuff you can get in bulk for cheap at Wal-Mart.

We won't be able to give you much more advice until you get your test kit and run a complete test (CYA, pH, FC, CC, TA, and CH) and let us know the numbers.

Until then we generally recommend adding (1) gallon of bleach (at least 6%, plain, unscented, with no additives) per day until your test kit arrives.
 
Welcome...

So please stop going to the pool store

You need to SLAM your pool because waking up to a green swamp of a pool means you have algae. Your pH needs to be 7.2 and you also need to know your current CYA. Once you get your test kit, please test for the below list. In the mean time, if you pool is still green now, add about a half a gallon of 10% liquid chlorine to your pool until you get your test kit. That will add close to 5 ppm FC per day. I don't know how your pool looks but you can also vacuum to waste to avoid clogging up your filter of any debris. Scoop out as much junk on the surface of your pool, as well as on the bottom. You can also blindly use your pool net to get as much as debris as possible. By doing all of this, you’re allowing your chlorine do to its job on the algae.

Now, when your test kit arrives, test for the following below and post your numbers here, and we'll take it from there. Anyone on this forum can help you.

FC - Free Chlorine
CC - Combined Chlorine
PH - Acidity/Basicity
TA - Total Alkalinity
CH - Calcium Hardness
CYA - Cyanuric Acid
ABC’s of Pool Water Chemistry

Also, here are some articles that can help you understand your pool:

Pool School - How to Chlorinate Your Pool
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis





scmvlcek said:
Hi All,
A couple of weeks ago we went to the pool store for a part for our pump and thought "Hey...let's take advantage of their free pool water testing". They said our ph and alkalinity were low. Bought a huge bag of the recommended BioGuard alkalinity increaser. Woke up to a green swamp of a pool and it was previously crystal clear and we had been swimming for weeks already. Also turned the white plastic on our return and filter to a gross yellow brown color. Horrified...Back to pool store. They said "that's weird". We paid for more chemicals...no help. Back to pool store. They said they needed to run a more extensive test which later they called to say revealed that we have phosphates and needed to super shock. Another $75 worth of super shock and and 5 days of running filter 24/7 the pool looks almost normal again.

I've been reading endlessly on this site and am ready to go full BBB. I have always used the Poolmaster 5 way test kit and have got along great until I handed the power over to the pool store. Don't worry - I ordered the recommended Taylor test kit and it will be here Friday. We've already missed two weeks of swimming. Right now my test kit says my ph is 7.2 and my alkalinity is 60. I know those need to be adjusted. But this is my main issue - when I do the free chlorine test it instantly goes to a bright blood orange color. Dark yellow is the highest on the kit so it appears I'm off the charts after my super shock?? I can't seem to get a reading on combined chlorine as the dye seems to bug out and glob up after being in the tube for the 1-2 minutes. Also when you put your hands in the water they come out smelling like you just dipped them in bleach.

So my thoughts are that my chlorine is off the charts? Yet I've read over and over that if you "smell" your pool it is actually the opposite and you are smelling chloramines and need to add yet more chlorine. I'm at a loss...we just want to swim. I don't know where to start. But I know I'm not going to the pool store ;o)

Sorry for the long wind...just wanted to explain...thanks all

Chris
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the initial feedback. I’ll just have to wait patiently until my kit comes Friday for full results. I’ll post them then. The pool is basically blue now. But was cloudy green for a few days after shock. Then milky blue for a few days. Today it seems so so close to looking normal but the chlorine smell and readings are freaking me out. I’ll repost Friday with results.
 
You’re in my neck of the woods. Ocean State Job lot in Newington, NH carries 12.5% liquid chlorine for $2:99/gal. You might want to stock up. They have a great pool supply section. I would just advise AGAINST the CYA they carry. I couldn’t get my CYA up until I switch to a different brand.
 
Hello Again,
Got my Taylor test kit today. I am already having a problem with the chlorine test. My tube doesn't stay pink with the two level scoops of R-0870. I have to add just a fraction more of another scoop. But then when I add the R-0871 - I can't get it back to colorless again. I've added up to 150 drops and it stays the same. I've repeated it three times now. Do I just keep going?? Eventually getting to clear even if it's hundreds of drops? I'm assuming I need that number regardless of how crazy high it is? Am I confirming my suspicion that my chlorine is off the charts and need to bring that down first to do the other tests? Sorry...learning in process. Standing by...I'll do as directed. Thank you!!
 
If you're doing the test at 10ml you just need one heaping scoop. If you're doing it at 25ml then two heaping scoops.

Are you mixing it well after every drop? Did you check the expiry dates on the reagents?

If you're doing the 25ml test then 150 drops would be 30ppm FC. How much chlorine have you been putting in?
 

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I'm doing the 25ml test. My kit is brand new. Expiration date of April 2019. We "super shocked" it per the pool store...as explained above. The pool is blue now but smells terrible. Your skin smells like you've dipped it in bleach. So maybe I just keep adding the drops then?
 
Pool_Medic said:
If your ph and alkalinity are where they are after adding the baking powder (alkalinity increased) then your pool was very acidic. Nothing grows in acidic water, so once you added the alkalinity you essentially made the water perfect for algae bloom.

You haven’t mentioned if it’s clear green or cloudy green? The super shock caused th e metals to come out of suspension and that is why the iron staining. Let the chlorine come back to normal levels and begin treating the stains with vit c.
Click to expand...

Sounds like she had a pool full of vinegar. & brought alk up quickly & shook the iron out of the water.
 
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