Second year doing this myself and am battling algae!

[mightyputty]

Thanks in advance for your help!!

I came home from vacation and my SWG had crapped out on me and the pool was looking awful.

I’ve replaced it with an IC-40 (up from a 20). I’ve shocked and added all kinds of things before reading some of the forums on here.

Below are my test results that I just did. Pool is looking so close but I can’t get the cloudiness gone.

According to the results I need to up my CYA a bit and will do that today. Just wanted to see what else I could be doing or if going from 60 CYA to 75 will make that big of a difference in the water.

I also replaced all the sand in my filter last week.

I have an 18k gallon fiberglass pool. With a new IC-40 running at 20%. (Did have it running at 100% briefly to try and get the cloudiness gone but I’ve reduced it back to 20%). There is an RX+ in the pump basket which is new as of last week. My pump is a Pentair VS super Flo that I have running at 3250 for the bulk of the day. Then down to 2500 at night. (All by the recommendation of my former pool guy.) I live just outside ST. Louis Missouri if that helps.

 

[kul]

Which test kit are you using?
Test Kits Compared
You need to do a slam.
SLAM Process

Some additional reading to get you going
Pool Care Basics
PoolMath

 

[mknauss]

Do not raise your CYA until you pass the SLAM.

Remove and dispose of the Rx item. It is copper. You do not want that. Might be part of the color you are seeing. Hopefully not.

 

[mightyputty]

Which test kit are you using?
Test Kits Compared
You need to do a slam.
SLAM Process

Some additional reading to get you going
Pool Care Basics
PoolMath

I have an HTH 1275. Apparently that’s not one of the recommended kits. What can I do in the mean time?

Is it swimable?

 

[mightyputty]

Do not raise your CYA until you pass the SLAM.

Remove and dispose of the Rx item. It is copper. You do not want that. Might be part of the color you are seeing. Hopefully not.

Interesting! Appreciate the tip! Are those things useful for anything or is it just a huge gimmick? I’ve read dozens of posts on forums about how awesome they are.

 

[mknauss]

is it just a huge gimmick?

Correct

 

[kul]

I have an HTH 1275. Apparently that’s not one of the recommended kits. What can I do in the mean time?

Is it swimable?

I’m not familiar with that test. @mknauss may know about it

 

[mknauss]

Never heard of it. HTH are basic kits not designed for managing your own pool water chemistry.

 

[mightyputty]

Really appreciate all your help on this! Is it swimmable as it is right now? Got people coming over on Friday and hoping we can still do that.

 

[mknauss]

You must be able to clearly see the bottom of the pool in the deep end for it to be safe to swim. The FC also must be above minimum and below SLAM level based on your CYA.

 

[mightyputty]

This makes sense. Am I correct in thinking I can’t do much until I have one of the recommended test kits?

This is the kit that I have.

 

[mknauss]

Add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine each day with the pump running. When you get your kit, post a full set of water chemistry test results here.