Will Draining Water Help With Algae?

[magiteck]

Wow! I don’t think I’ve ever looked at it that way. I’ve been thinking about getting a SWG for the past 2 years, so maybe now is the time to go for it. My pool also gets blasted by sunlight in the summer - almost full sun from 9:30 am until 7:30 pm give or take. Economically, I think the SWG will pay for itself rather quickly.

Previously, I’ve just been adding chlorine weekly and more often during heavy use. Every year I usually have a battle with algae, green water, hazy/cloudy water, etc. about 3 or 4 times. I must admit, it’s been very difficult and frustrating to find a consistent process that continually works. Hopefully this SLAM process will help. And I honestly might look into a SWG tomorrow ha.

Following through with the SLAM will kill the algae that’s currently in the water. That’s the first step of course.

After that, it’s important you never let your FC fall below the minimum on the
FC/CYA Levels chart. Any time spent below that minimum level is inviting a new algae bloom.

That of course requires adding chlorine pretty much daily, since it’s constantly losing that battle with the sun. If you don’t want to have to commit to doing that manually, a SWG is definitely the way to go!

 

[ugadawgs311]

Following through with the SLAM will kill the algae that’s currently in the water. That’s the first step of course.

After that, it’s important you never let your FC fall below the minimum on the
FC/CYA Levels chart. Any time spent below that minimum level is inviting a new algae bloom.

That of course requires adding chlorine pretty much daily, since it’s constantly losing that battle with the sun. If you don’t want to have to commit to doing that manually, a SWG is definitely the way to go!

I never thought I’d need to add chlorine daily. Most of the time I was adding granular chlorine on a weekly basis. Usually about 3-4 pounds, sometimes more if there was recent or upcoming heavy use. I never thought I’d need to add a gallon of LC each day.

Makes a little more sense now why I was constantly having the algae battles. I didn’t realize how much damage the sun was causing. Given the setup I have, I think SWG is pretty much a must if I want a clean pool.

 

[Newdude]

I’ve been thinking about getting a SWG for the past 2 years, so maybe now is the time to go for it.

I did some math for 20k gallons which is close enough to yours for comparison.

IceShadow’s pool thread 2023

Hmm - looking like opening time? Let’s get some chlorine on the way home and get the cover off, see what we’re dealing with. :D

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[ugadawgs311]

I did some math for 20k gallons which is close enough to yours for comparison.

IceShadow’s pool thread 2023

Hmm - looking like opening time? Let’s get some chlorine on the way home and get the cover off, see what we’re dealing with. :D

www.troublefreepool.com

If I'm reading that post correctly, you calculated about $0.40-$0.46 per FC for the SWG, and roughly $1.00-$1.20 per FC with regular LC added? Seems like the SWG is clearly the better option a more than 50% cheaper. And it works on its own for the most part. Sign me up.

 

[Mdragger88]

To recap - the 5ppm of liquid chlorine you’re adding daily is only intended to keep things from getting worse until you can test properly & do the
SLAM Process not fully solve the problem.
How long is the work going to take? If its more than a day you may want to wait to start the slam until it’s completed & just continue the holding pattern.
As mentioned previously- when the water is down in the pool it’s a great time to inspect & scrub all the nooks & crannies where algae hides like - light niches, ladder rails, drain covers etc. If water can get there algae can grow there.
Glad you found the Walmart liquid chlorine. You may also want to call around to different pool stores in your area & inquire about buying it in bulk. Some places do 2.5 gallon jugs that are refillable & charge a deposit on the jugs. This often beats big box store pricing & is fresher. If a pool store has service routes they may have this option available. That’s how I buy mine.
Here’s some more reading while you wait for your kit.

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.google.com

 

[Newdude]

Seems like the SWG is clearly the better option a more than 50% cheaper.

Bleach would have to fall back into the $2 to $3 range to break even for 20k- 25k pools. Even THEN, as an equal swap financially, the SWG is king with the pool on easy mode.
It's beyond a no brainer, either way.

That doesn't always make the funds available though, so there is that, and sometimes a few dollars a day wins.

 

[ugadawgs311]

Bleach would have to fall back into the $2 to $3 range to break even for 20k- 25k pools. Even THEN, as an equal swap financially, the SWG is king with the pool on easy mode.
It's beyond a no brainer, either way.

That doesn't always make the funds available though, so there is that, and sometimes a few dollars a day wins.

When you think about it that way, you're right, the SWG is an absolute no-brainer. I scheduled an install for next month ha.

 

[ugadawgs311]

To recap - the 5ppm of liquid chlorine you’re adding daily is only intended to keep things from getting worse until you can test properly & do the
SLAM Process not fully solve the problem.
How long is the work going to take? If its more than a day you may want to wait to start the slam until it’s completed & just continue the holding pattern.
As mentioned previously- when the water is down in the pool it’s a great time to inspect & scrub all the nooks & crannies where algae hides like - light niches, ladder rails, drain covers etc. If water can get there algae can grow there.
Glad you found the Walmart liquid chlorine. You may also want to call around to different pool stores in your area & inquire about buying it in bulk. Some places do 2.5 gallon jugs that are refillable & charge a deposit on the jugs. This often beats big box store pricing & is fresher. If a pool store has service routes they may have this option available. That’s how I buy mine.
Here’s some more reading while you wait for your kit.

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.google.com

The step repair should only take one day. So, I think I will likely drain the pool the day before, and fill it back up the next afternoon or evening. Should I try to keep the main drain running so that the pump continues to run? With water coming back through the returns, that may interfere with the step repair, but if not, I'll try to keep it running just to circulate the water.

 

[Mdragger88]

The step repair should only take one day. So, I think I will likely drain the pool the day before, and fill it back up the next afternoon or evening. Should I try to keep the main drain running so that the pump continues to run? With water coming back through the returns, that may interfere with the step repair, but if not, I'll try to keep it running just to circulate the water.

If its just a day or two it will be fine to leave the pump off you can always throw a submersible pump in there to mix things up if you need to. No need to risk running your expensive equipment dry. You can add a dab of liquid chlorine while mixing with a pool brush as well to keep things from getting funky.

 

[HermanTX]

Should I try to keep the main drain running so that the pump continues to run?

+1 on @Mdragger88 Once you drain the level that they are able to repair the steps, then just add a 1/2 gal or so of LC in that smaller volume, brush and it will be fine. You already have algae so we are just trying to keep it at bay until you refill.
Once you start to refill - not sure how much water you are draining, but I would add another gallon of LC because the there will be little to no FC in the the water as you fill.
Then once it is full - start the pumps - let it circulate an hour or so - then take a sample to perform you test.
Remember, we want to see FC, CC, pH and CYA as a minimum.
If you have gotten your test kit - go ahead and practice with the water now so you see how it all works out. You can even test the fill water now (assuming it is a tap from the house) that you then know what is going in and will give you an idea. Now tap water has no CYA or FC (or very little FC) but your current pool water may have both.

 

[ugadawgs311]

+1 on @Mdragger88 Once you drain the level that they are able to repair the steps, then just add a 1/2 gal or so of LC in that smaller volume, brush and it will be fine. You already have algae so we are just trying to keep it at bay until you refill.
Once you start to refill - not sure how much water you are draining, but I would add another gallon of LC because the there will be little to no FC in the the water as you fill.
Then once it is full - start the pumps - let it circulate an hour or so - then take a sample to perform you test.
Remember, we want to see FC, CC, pH and CYA as a minimum.
If you have gotten your test kit - go ahead and practice with the water now so you see how it all works out. You can even test the fill water now (assuming it is a tap from the house) that you then know what is going in and will give you an idea. Now tap water has no CYA or FC (or very little FC) but your current pool water may have both.

Ok thanks. The test kit should arrive tomorrow. We had lots of rain today, so I imagine the chemicals are out of whack right now.

 

[HermanTX]

Ok thanks. The test kit should arrive tomorrow. We had lots of rain today, so I imagine the chemicals are out of whack right now.

In your situation there is a fine line of trying to keep the algae from getting worse vs wasting $6 per gallon LC. Do what you can to maintain it and let us know the day before you drain so we can answer any questions that may arise with the contractor

 

[ugadawgs311]

In your situation there is a fine line of trying to keep the algae from getting worse vs wasting $6 per gallon LC. Do what you can to maintain it and let us know the day before you drain so we can answer any questions that may arise with the contractor

I'm glad to hear this, because I've been thinking the same thing. With draining so much water, it almost seems inevitable that I'll have to do some major work to get the pool balanced again, so why waste anything right now? I'll keep an eye on it. Fortunately, I haven't seen any crazy flare ups of algae in the past few days. Hopefully it'll stay that way for another 10 days or so.

 

[ugadawgs311]

Yep.

Well shoot… looks like the LC I got is around 6 months old. Is it still usable?

 

[Mdragger88]

Well shoot… looks like the LC I got is around 6 months old. Is it still usable?

Yes just likely less potent.

 

[Mdragger88]

Use this 10 days to go on the hunt for a solid source of fresh liquid chlorine. Always check the date codes before buying

Chlorine Date Code Decoder - Further Reading

www.google.com

 

[ugadawgs311]

Yes just likely less potent.

Ok. I noticed it didn’t have a strong scent when I opened the container. However I checked chlorine levels before adding and about 24 hours after adding, and FC definitely increased. So hopefully it’s still doing something to help.

 

[PoolStored]

Ok. I noticed it didn’t have a strong scent when I opened the container. However I checked chlorine levels before adding and about 24 hours after adding, and FC definitely increased. So hopefully it’s still doing something to help.

Liquid Chlorine additions are ok to be horseshoes and hand grenade accuracy. As long as your FC is consistently middle to top range of your target FC for your CYA...good to go!

FC/CYA Levels

 

[HermanTX]

Ok. I noticed it didn’t have a strong scent when I opened the container. However I checked chlorine levels before adding and about 24 hours after adding, and FC definitely increased. So hopefully it’s still doing something to help.

You will need to have many gallons when you start the SLAM after refilling. Just keep them out of the sun and preferably in a cool place. As long as you are seeing an increase in FC after additions then it is helping.
When I was using only LC, I would spend 20 mins or more at Walmart searching through all the jugs to find the most recent date. Then I ordered it online 1 time for pickup and lo and behold I got the most recent date. I think they pull online orders from their inventory in the back which had the most recent shipment received whereas the jugs on the store shelf may have been put out weeks ago and they are waiting for it to deplete before restocking the shelf.

 

[ugadawgs311]

You will need to have many gallons when you start the SLAM after refilling. Just keep them out of the sun and preferably in a cool place. As long as you are seeing an increase in FC after additions then it is helping.
When I was using only LC, I would spend 20 mins or more at Walmart searching through all the jugs to find the most recent date. Then I ordered it online 1 time for pickup and lo and behold I got the most recent date. I think they pull online orders from their inventory in the back which had the most recent shipment received whereas the jugs on the store shelf may have been put out weeks ago and they are waiting for it to deplete before restocking the shelf.

Good to know. Mine was an online order, and all 12 jugs had the same 9/1/22 date. So, they're all about 7+ months old by now. Hopefully they'll still help. I think next time I'll try going into the store to search the shelves and see if I can find a more recent date.