Pools Opens Black Every Year

[Steve_in_C]

My water temps in NC will sometimes reach 60 ifor a few days n Feb and then go back down. I use a mesh cover. Typically the last week if Feb or in early March I will stake the pool to shock level FC and then check it about once every 2 weeks. I start the pump running 15 minutes a day. No daily chlorine additions. The cooler temps and the cover make the chlorine last a long time. In this case, almost 6 weeks. CYA of 40. Pool always has a lot of pollen when I open, but no algae. Started in the beginning with TFP methods and have never seen in algae in my pool. If you see algae growth every year with opening you need to start chlorine earlier. I keep a floating wireless thermometer in the pool and the base unit reads current temp all the time. That makes it easy to monitor.

 

[PoolGate]

Thanks all. I DO also test myself and the store test was done after all this conversation to see if I could get some help. I don't know why they offer testing if they are inaccurate....what good are they. I didn't think of it as randomly throwing stuff in though, I thought of it as I was being given some solution for correction. Lol. I've never done this SLAM process and didn't realize that liquid chlorine is different so I'll try that next. I'd like draining to be a last alternative. Very costly to do that kind of thing.
Also, based on the copper comment, I'm sure what they gave me was probably intended to reduce copper not add, trying to remember everything they said but they gave me three bags of a non chlorine powder and two days later add this copper liquid. Attached is what it looks like.

Pool stores' goal is to sell you stuff. All in all to boil it down in an overly simplistic way, they prefer to sell you chemicals and magical potions that are designed to mask your issues rather than have you solve your issues. The bottom line is you are not using enough chlorine. All of your problems will go away if you use more chlorine. We are not a fan of the pucks because as with your pool, your CYA is out of control due to each puck adding to your total CYA. Testing is important but you must use an accurate test. Taylor reagents are lab-grade and accurate. If you are using anything other than Taylor, your results may or may not be accurate. Pool store testing is notoriously inaccurate. It is a combination of old reagents (if they even use them), automatic testing machines that are not calibrated and poor training in proper testing techniques. Step #1 is to get a proper test kit. We strongly recommend the TF-100 test kit.

And, if your CYA is truly 100 plus, your only option is to drain water as it is the only effective way to reduce CYA levels to the point where chlorine will work again. If you want a pool to be proud of, a pool where you can't even tell you have water in it because it is so clean, follow the advice of this forum. We have no skin in the game, no magical potions to sell you, no one to get commissions off sales. We are simply fellow pool owners that have banded together to help other pool owners.

 

[Donldson]

Thanks all. I DO also test myself Post up your own numbers then. and the store test was done after all this conversation to see if I could get some help. Mixing advice from multiple sources never works. You can follow TFP or the pool store, but not both. I don't know why they offer testing if they are inaccurate....good are they. To get people in to the store, accuracy doesn't have anything to do with it. I didn't think of it as randomly throwing stuff in though, I thought of it as I was being given some solution for correction. Lol. I've never done this SLAM process and didn't realize that liquid chlorine is different so I'll try that next. I'd like draining to be a last alternative. Very costly to do that kind of thing. Trusting the pool store usually is very costly in one way or another.
Also, based on the copper comment, I'm sure what they gave me was probably intended to reduce copper not add What exactly did they have you add?, trying to remember everything they said but they gave me three bags of a non chlorine powder and two days later add this copper liquid. Attached is what it looks like.

 

[PoolGate]

Thanks all. I DO also test myself and the store test was done after all this conversation to see if I could get some help. I don't know why they offer testing if they are inaccurate....what good are they. I didn't think of it as randomly throwing stuff in though, I thought of it as I was being given some solution for correction. Lol. I've never done this SLAM process and didn't realize that liquid chlorine is different so I'll try that next. I'd like draining to be a last alternative. Very costly to do that kind of thing.
Also, based on the copper comment, I'm sure what they gave me was probably intended to reduce copper not add, trying to remember everything they said but they gave me three bags of a non chlorine powder and two days later add this copper liquid. Attached is what it looks like.

The pool in the pic does not match your sigline listed pool. What pool do you have?

 

[kirkeric]

The pool in the pic does not match your sigline listed pool. What pool do you have?

What sigline listed pool? The pool in my pic is my pool so not exactly sure what you are referring to. The pool shown in the picture is an in ground, line pool in Grecian shape.

 

[PoolGate]

What sigline listed pool? The pool in my pic is my pool so not exactly sure what you are referring to. The pool shown in the picture is an in ground, line pool in Grecian shape.

Your sigline says:

AG, 18k gallons (+/-)
Hayward sand filter w/ pump
8 yr old pool, brand new filter & pump

 

[kirkeric]

Pool stores' goal is to sell you stuff. All in all to boil it down in an overly simplistic way, they prefer to sell you chemicals and magical potions that are designed to mask your issues rather than have you solve your issues. The bottom line is you are not using enough chlorine. All of your problems will go away if you use more chlorine. We are not a fan of the pucks because as with your pool, your CYA is out of control due to each puck adding to your total CYA. Testing is important but you must use an accurate test. Taylor reagents are lab-grade and accurate. If you are using anything other than Taylor, your results may or may not be accurate. Pool store testing is notoriously inaccurate. It is a combination of old reagents (if they even use them), automatic testing machines that are not calibrated and poor training in proper testing techniques. Step #1 is to get a proper test kit. We strongly recommend the TF-100 test kit.

And, if your CYA is truly 100 plus, your only option is to drain water as it is the only effective way to reduce CYA levels to the point where chlorine will work again. If you want a pool to be proud of, a pool where you can't even tell you have water in it because it is so clean, follow the advice of this forum. We have no skin in the game, no magical potions to sell you, no one to get commissions off sales. We are simply fellow pool owners that have banded together to help other pool owners.

I'm beginning to feel like all my responses are the wrong responses here. Taking a beating more than anything. Lol I realize I'm not the pool expert here so just trying to figure out this problem. I had it perfectly clear last year.
I hope there is a work around solution to draining. That is a huge and costly solution. Is that the consensus of all the experts here?
Eric

 

[kirkeric]

Your sigline says:

AG, 18k gallons (+/-)
Hayward sand filter w/ pump
8 yr old pool, brand new filter & pump

There must be some default info or something because I didn't add that. But, part of it is right and dated. It's a Hayward but DE not sand and at the time it was probably 8 yrs. Now pool is close to 14-15.

 

[PoolGate]

I'm beginning to feel like all my responses are the wrong responses here. Taking a beating more than anything. Lol I realize I'm not the pool expert here so just trying to figure out this problem. I had it perfectly clear last year.
I hope there is a work around solution to draining. That is a huge and costly solution. Is that the consensus of all the experts here?
Eric

We are against pool stores for one reason, they want to sell you stuff and that stuff is not necessary and in many cases counter-productive to a clean, safe pool with crystal clear water.

We are against pool store testing because it is usually inaccurate and again, they use their inaccurate results to sell you stuff. The methods we used are based on science and proper testing on your own using a proper test kit with quality Taylor reagents.

Everyone opens perfect (or close to it) until using the pucks causes their CYA to skyrocket out of control and then they get algae. A good portion of forum members came here for this exact reason. CYA degrades very slowly over time so water changes are the only effective method to reduce CYA levels. The good news is if you follow the advice of this forum, you will save WAY more than the water change is going to cost in the long run.

The first thing is to get your own test kit and test for yourself. Pool stores are inaccurate on most tests but especially on CYA and especially at higher levels. Until you test your own water, you are guessing.

Here is the link to update your sigline -> https://www.troublefreepool.com/account/signature

 

[getreal720]

People are quick to take up arms and pitchforks when they hear you are using the pool store. Pool stores aren't known for giving great, reliable, accurate results. The TF-100 kit is. Having said that, it's a little unfair to paint every pool store owner as ignorant, deceitful and unreliable....

Using a kit like the TF-100 and testing yourself and only testing yourself eliminates a variable. Once you get comfortable with the test kit, you can be confident in the tests accuracy. That's a part of keeping a pool nice and clean.

Shocking a pool is a process. Shock is something you do to a pool, not a product you buy. You "shock" the pool with chlorine. Chlorine comes in many forms. The best part about bleach or "liquid chlorine" or "liquid shock" is that it's chlorine only and usually contains nothing else... just plain ole sodium hypochlorite. Other products like Cal-Hypo powder, di-chlor pucks and tri-chlor pucks contain other things (like CYA) that will additively build up in your pool with each dose. The chlorine in the tri-chlor pucks goes away after a day or two, the CYA stays behind. Soon your left with a pool that has really high CYA levels. If you had used liquid chlorine (which has no CYA) you wouldn't have that issue. This isn't to paint CYA as evil, you do need it. So you can always use the pucks until you get your CYA gets within range and then switch over to a product with no CYA in it.

Most pool stores aren't evil, and some people are a bit quick to get hasty and shout when they hear people using the pool stores. Truth is, most of them aren't "great" but aren't deceitful either. You are just better off doing your own testing and relying on that though.

Look into the BBB method of keeping a pool clean. Beach, Borax and Baking soda. So you use the bleach for chlorine, you use the baking soda to bring up alkalinity and you use the borax to bring up the PH. It's more about the process, and not so much the products. A lot of what the pool stores sell aren't necessary, and most of the time they don't even know it. For example, algacide isn't really necessary.... if chlorine levels are properly maintained... it's not a very necessary product. Algae can't grow in properly chlorinated water. So algacide isn't necessary for preventing algae. And since chlorine kills algae (and any other organic) there's no reason to use algacide to "clean up" a pool that bloomed alage either.

There's a wealth of good information here. Try to keep an open mind and possibly thick skin while you are learning. The wisdom here is worth the bit of initial beating you might take! Although it seems the forums are trying to curb that issue

 

[bmoreswim]

Lots of good advice here but there is an awful lot going on in this thread. Two main issues. How did it get green? And how to fix it?

Let’s focus on “how to fix it” and worry about the “how it got green” question later (or in a separate thread). I think that will leave the OP with a sense of purpose here and a clear pool.

You need to:

Trust your own testing and follow one approach.
Get a recommend test kit if you don’t have one already.
SLAM your pool.

Then enjoy the clear water.

 

[kirkeric]

Thanks all. I DO also test myself and the store test was done after all this conversation to see if I could get some help. I don't know why they offer testing if they are inaccurate....what good are they. I didn't think of it as randomly throwing stuff in though, I thought of it as I was being given some solution for correction. Lol. I've never done this SLAM process and didn't realize that liquid chlorine is different so I'll try that next. I'd like draining to be a last alternative. Very costly to do that kind of thing.
Also, based on the copper comment, I'm sure what they gave me was probably intended to reduce copper not add, trying to remember everything they said but they gave me three bags of a non chlorine powder and two days later add this copper liquid. Attached is what it looks like.

For those who care to know, I've gotten my pool clear. Still working on increasing pH but looks great. My high copper was attributed to algaecide and shock that both had high copper.
I know nobody here seems to have much confidence in local stores but it was a combination of my local store and the company who installed my pool who gave me recommendations to resolve and both provided the same answers.
Eric

 

[bmoreswim]

For those who care to know, I've gotten my pool clear. Still working on increasing pH but looks great. My high copper was attributed to algaecide and shock that both had high copper.
I know nobody here seems to have much confidence in local stores but it was a combination of my local store and the company who installed my pool who gave me recommendations to resolve and both provided the same answers.
Eric

I am thrilled for you that you now have a clear pool!! Honestly. Advice from anyone can be effective if the basis is correct. Long term success based on advice is a great indicator of the advice quality.

Agreed on the pool store advice not getting a lot of love here. They love to recommend both algaecide and shock, as examples, that you mention above.