UPDATED: CLOSING EARLY DUE TO ALGAE/HIGH CYA. DRAIN NOW OR IN SPRING?

[jlt19]

We got a new 24ft pool installed in June. Been battling something since. We do have a massive tree that covers most of it and we've also had a very stormy summer. At this point, I can vacuum daily and the next day the floor is covered in a layer of "dust". It's very easy to brush and move towards the middle. The pool isn't cloudy, just has this layer I can't get rid of. Prior to coming here, I've floc'd, I've clarified, I've vacuumed to waste, I've backwashed a million times. My numbers have also been good according to the test strips. I then got a chemical test (not a good one) and noticed that those numbers never matched the test strip. Hence my looking around for help and coming here.

I'm ready to move over to bleach and actually have 12 gallons of liquid chlorine (10%) waiting for me at HD right now to begin the SLAM process. BUT, my Taylor 2006 kit won't be here until Wednesday. What can I do this weekend to start or at least not make things worse?

FWIW, both tests I have been doing show FC and TC to be high. Over 5ppm. I *think* the test strip shows an "ideal" PH and the chemical one shows it at 7.6. Strip shows TA to be around 80, but chemical test is more like 180. CYA seems to be high, near 100. The chemical test doesn't test for CYA, unless that's the same as acid demand?

SOOO moral of the story is they are both inaccurate. I'm aware of that. I have the good stuff coming, but I don't want my pool to get worse before it gets here. Should I just add a gallon a day until I can test for real?

 

[jlt19]

Oh I totally lied. Got home today and the pool is a green, cloudy mess. Pump was on all day, no rain, and partly cloudy but not hot. No idea what happened.

 

[mknauss]

Add one gallon of the liquid chlorine to the pool each evening with the pump running.

When you get your test kit, run a full set of tests and post them here.

 

[jlt19]

Ok full set. Not pretty.
FC: 29
CC: 2.5
PH: 7.6
TA: 150 (orangeish, never red?)
CYA: 100+

I realize the CYA is a problem. I hate to refill when we're about done for the season though.

To complicate matters more, I'll be out of town Friday afternoon until Monday afternoon. My dad can come by and pour in chlorine, but testing won't be an option.

What should my plan be?
Pool is a dark teal, cannot see the bottom and there's definitely yellow dust on the steps.

Don't need to backwash, brush daily, vacuum 3+ times a week. I've been battling something nearly all season.
Brand new pool, shaded most of the day with a lot of leaves and acorns.

I plan on taking the ladder out tonight and hope to cut half the tree down for next year.

Should I start to SLAM? I won't finish by thhe weekend. Should I just keep chlorine as high as possible before I leave, set my pump timer and throw on the leaf cover (dad won't be cleaning out skimmer basket)?

 

[mknauss]

To be successful at the SLAM Process you need to get your CYA into the 50 ppm range.

100 is the limit of the CYA test, so you have to do a diluted test. Mix 50% pool water with 50% tap water. Use this mixed sample as your test water. Multiply the result by 2 for your CYA level.

 

[jlt19]

That's what I was afraid of. I was hoping 2+inches of rain over the past two nights would help, but no. I'll try brushing & vacuuming to waste tonight and retest after adding more water.

 

[mknauss]

If your CYA is testing at 100, do the extended test I posted. You most likely need to drain 3/4 of your pool water and refill. Vac to waste will not cut it.

 

[jlt19]

Drained a bit while vacuuming and got this about 30 min after adding a gallon of chlorine
FC: 32
CC: 1
CYA: 160

If I need to drain that much, I'm just closing it now. We'll have to rent a pump to drain and I'm not doing it twice, especially since there's no guarantee we'll be able to use the pool due to algae and weather.

I'm assuming I should still SLAM it prior to closing and look into that Algaecide 60?

 

[frogabog]

I'm not sure that if your pool is green right now that doing a close process with a SLAM and algaecide will make any difference next year when you drain and refill. Why waste the $?

 

[jlt19]

I'm not sure that if your pool is green right now that doing a close process with a SLAM and algaecide will make any difference next year when you drain and refill. Why waste the $?

I'm not sure either! Guess I was just trying to not make it absolutely horrible upon opening, though I suppose what's the difference between SLAMMING now vs. then, especially if there's no guarantee it'll be perfect then even if I do it all right now.

Will the CYA lower over the winter, do you think? That way I won't have to drain as much as I would now?

I haven't really looked into the the winterization process yet, but I do know i lower the levels of the water-but I'm not comfortable lowering 3/4 for stability purposes.

So, if I'm not going to worry about SLAMing now and just close it up, would it be best to drain to the proper closing levels and then upon opening, if CYA is still high then drain more?

 

[jlt19]

Here were my test results yesterday after first receiving my kit:
FC: 32
CC: 1
PH:7.6
TA:150
CYA: 160

I had planned on SLAMing but was told by an expert here I'd need to drain 3/4 my pool to lower the CYA level. Our weather for fall doesn't look like good pool weather and we've got 4 trips in Sept/Oct so I'm just going to close early. I understand that closing before water temp is 60 is not recommended, but it's what is best if I have to drain water anyway as we'll have to rent a pump to drain to our street. FWIW, I am battling algae that has turned my pool a dark teal, cloudy, looks yellow when it's funneling into the skimmer basket, but also has tiny dark balls that float and are pretty green when smeared. Oh, and I put the hose up to little holes in my Confer Step 1 steps yesterday and a LOT of yellow cloudy dust came out, for quite some time. That's obviously getting removed asap.

That said, I have two options (unless there are more?):
1. Drain 3/4, refill now, SLAM, then when FC lowers, do Polyquad 60, and drain to 6" below return jet to close. Then pray it's all good come opening.
Con is having to rent/drain two times within weeks. A lot of money & work for chemicals/equip/water now which may or may not need to be done again spring.
2. Drain as low as possible now, close, and see what I'm working with in spring. CYA may have lowered, so draining may not be necessary at this point, but of course a huge round of SLAMing would be in order.
Con is I have no clue what leaving the algae in at this point will do to my pool. Ruin liner or frame by lowering too much?

Which is best for my sanity/wallet/pool? If I do #2, how low can you lower an ABG w/o fear of structurally damaging it over the winter? We could either have 0 storms/snowfall or 36" of thundersnow in a day. St. Louis is pretty unpredictable when it comes to weather.

 

[Newdude]

We could either have 0 storms/snowfall or 36" of thundersnow in a day. St. Louis is pretty unpredictable when it comes to weather.

The Farmers Almanac came out recently and its claiming most of the US is gonna be particularly harsh this year.

 

[frogabog]

I think you're going to have a green mess next year regardless of what you do now if you're closing now. If you SLAMmed now it would likely take a couple weeks to clear up. Then you'd have to maintain it till it gets below 60 degrees consistently. IDK about your fall weather, but we never know when it gets cold. It could be 65-70 degrees or better (high) till the day before Halloween, then drop to 45-50 overnight and stay there most the winter.

Ideally one would close late with clear water, and open early to clear water. You can try for that next year.

CYA may change over the winter, can't say for sure, though there is a chance of it.

 

[mknauss]

If closing with high CYA at this time, be aware of the potential for ammonia in the remaining water next spring when you open.

When you open, add enough liquid chlorine to reach 10 ppm FC. Circulate for 15 minutes and test FC and CC. Start a thread here on the forum with the results.

 

[jlt19]

So oddly enough, things are improving...

I decided to add a gallon of 12.5% a day and keep the pump running while we were oot for 3 days (dad added it). Pulling the ladder and putting on the leaf cover really helped because we came home to a blue, albeit cloudy, pool.

A few heavy rains and drains have lowered cya to 120, so better though not ideal.

Yesterday FC was 40, CC 1. Today FC was 39 CC 0. Not SLAM levels but again improving and I'll work on a SLAM this weekend when I'm home.

The circulation without my ladder is crazy good and there is no debris throughout the pool, only on the middle. Also no more visible brown dust/algae.
So I'm shocked (no pun intended) and now motivated to close the pool (and thereby open it) in good shape.

Not there yet, but it doesn't feel as helpless now.

Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekene.