Pump broke and I now have horrible brown/green algae

[bodnice]

Hello All,
I have been debating on replacing my 1.5hp Pentair for the Circupool 1.5 for a month now. I was waiting on deciding which SWG to buy and install. I did let my pool go this winter knowing my chlorine would soon be generated...then my pump suddenly died. It's been about 5 days and my pool is horrific. The green algae spread so quickly and it's almost brown from the density. My SWG and pump arrive on Monday but I need to know if I'm damaging my pool. I just swept it tonight and it's very bad.
I thought about draining it last month to help with lowering my CYA from an 8 to a 5 anyway so should I do that today?
Does having exposed algae stop it from spreading?
Should I add chemicals even though the pump isn't not circulating?
I notice most of the algae brushed off easily but the thin area above the water line and in the corners are harder to get off.
Any advice would be helpful.

Note: if you know of a link online here about draining the pool without a pump please advise.

Ed

 

[Jimrahbe]

Ed,

I would take this opportunity to just drain and start over... Most likely your CH as well as your CYA are both high and now is the time of year to drain in Arizona.

You would not use your pool pump to drain anyway, so not having one is not an issue. I suggest your rent or buy a sump pump and drain away.

I would get the new pump and SWCG installed and then drain it. Then fill it back up and go through our SLAM process to make sure you get rid of all the algae...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[bodnice]

Hi Jim,
Ok, so having this pool look like this isn't damaging anything? Should I add acid to bring down my PH and then chlorinate it or is that a waste of money with no circulation? Sorry for these type of questions - but I have no one else to ask except my Aunt Leslie and she always wants to sell me stuff by the $100's.

 

[mknauss]

What is your test results? You will need a proper test kit to solve this.

 

[ajw22]

No reason to waste chemicals in your swamp. Follow Jim’s plan above. Repair equipment, drain, refill, SLAM Process, balance water.

You have a test kit? Test your fill water for pH, TA & CH and you can plan for what chemicals to have on hand. You will definitely need Stabilizer, pool salt, MA, some liquid chlorine to get water up to initial FC level. Use PoolMath to figure out quantity.

 

[bodnice]

Good Morning,
I do have the full test kit that someone recommended 2 years ago. I will test my water this afternoon and post the results. I did have a strange issue which is why my pool was battling algae in December just before my pump broke. My PH was 8.something - it was hot hot pink and so I bought the Acid. I used the pool math and it said to add nearly a whole gallon. When I tested it in the morning my PH was still off the charts. I added the the remaining part of the gallon and another 1/2 gallon and it never went down to a normal 7.5 after 2 gallons in 24 hours.
Can you explain why my PH would be so bad?

Do you recommend me emptying my pool totally or halfway since my CYA was at an 8?
Should I rid my pool of all algae with a slam prior to emptying it? It would seem odd to empty the pool and have allot of algae on the walls.

as always - thank you for your support.

 

[Texas Splash]

Can you explain why my PH would be so bad?

No way for us to know Ed. But if you are testing correctly wiht reliable reagents, you should see a change when acid is added. The amount you used previoulsy should've made some impact.

Do you recommend me emptying my pool totally or halfway since my CYA was at an 8?

Ed, with the TF-100 or Taylor K-2006 test kit, there is no way to have a CYA of 8. The lowest reliable reading would be 30. Are you sure of that reading? If you have any doubts about testing procedures, make sure to see the Extended Test Kit Directions.

Should I rid my pool of all algae with a slam prior to emptying it? It would seem odd to empty the pool and have allot of algae on the walls.

As Jim noted, if your CYA and CH are high (easy to assume in AZ), then the water exchange helps to remove those high levels and a good amount of the algae with cleaner water. You'll still need to do a SLAM Process, but it shold go much more efficiently.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Ed,

A gallon of 31% MA will reduce your pH by about 1.5.. So even if your pH was 8.5, it should have knocked it down to 7.0..

Did you use the weaker 15% MA ?? It is not a problem with your pool or your pH, it is a problem with your testing, old reagents, or other chemicals that you added to your pool...

If you are going to go to all the trouble to install a new pump and SWCG, and drain and refill your pool, you owe it to yourself to get a refill on your reagents so that you can take care of your pool properly.. Otherwise it would make more sense to just fill the hole with dirt..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

My PH was 8.something - it was hot hot pink and so I bought the Acid. I used the pool math and it said to add nearly a whole gallon. When I tested it in the morning my PH was still off the charts. I added the the remaining part of the gallon and another 1/2 gallon and it never went down to a normal 7.5 after 2 gallons in 24 hours.

What was your FC level when your pH tested off the charts? PH tests are not reliable when FC is over 10.

 

[Rollercoastr]

Good Morning,
I do have the full test kit that someone recommended 2 years ago.

Are the reagents 2 years old? That might explain some of the odd results, particularly if the kit has been exposed to extreme temps.