- Nov 15, 2018
- 188
- Pool Size
- 19000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Monarch ESC24 / ESC7000
We had to "go elsewhere" for "a few" months and in a hurry. Last time I looked at the pool water was in February. Balance was good with plenty of salt. Pool was uncovered and maintenance consisted of my mother clearing the skimmer basket once a month.
Come November and it's time to head home, the pool water was clear but a thick green blanket of decomposing organics on the bottom. I got mum to tip in the remains of a bottle of chlorine (some 33ppm worth). Had her pop to the pool store for a cya and salt test, and brought home enough of both to hit 50ppm cya and 3500ppm salt and turned the filter on manual, then got her to sweep the bottom. So the clear water turned into green soup, then blue soup and that's how it remained. When the cya had dissolved I had her put the filter back on auto (1 hour in the morning, 4 at night).
We got home last week to a blue soup and filter pressure through the roof, so backwashed the filter, put the suction cleaner in and got it to pull most of the stuff off the bottom and into the skimmer & filter (yeah, yeah, I know). Backwash filter again and we're back in business. Less than a week later and after an extra 10ppm cya, 110ppm calcium, 1000ppm salt and 46ppm boates we're back to crystal clear water. pH remained bang on the entire time.
A quick recovery from nearly a year of neglect. Lost a heap of chemicals over winter with rain overflow, but it was all good. There was just enough salt to keep the green peril at bay. No algae on the sides, just in the organic matter on the bottom.
The fibreglass is shagged and there's now some persistent black flecks in the bits where the gelcoat has gone, but it's 50 years old next year and probably due for a re-coat. I might give it a rub with a sock full of cal-hypo just to see what happens. After 50 years another couple isn't going to hurt.
No questions, just needed to vent and nobody else around my place wants to talk about the pool. They just want to swim in it.
Come November and it's time to head home, the pool water was clear but a thick green blanket of decomposing organics on the bottom. I got mum to tip in the remains of a bottle of chlorine (some 33ppm worth). Had her pop to the pool store for a cya and salt test, and brought home enough of both to hit 50ppm cya and 3500ppm salt and turned the filter on manual, then got her to sweep the bottom. So the clear water turned into green soup, then blue soup and that's how it remained. When the cya had dissolved I had her put the filter back on auto (1 hour in the morning, 4 at night).
We got home last week to a blue soup and filter pressure through the roof, so backwashed the filter, put the suction cleaner in and got it to pull most of the stuff off the bottom and into the skimmer & filter (yeah, yeah, I know). Backwash filter again and we're back in business. Less than a week later and after an extra 10ppm cya, 110ppm calcium, 1000ppm salt and 46ppm boates we're back to crystal clear water. pH remained bang on the entire time.
A quick recovery from nearly a year of neglect. Lost a heap of chemicals over winter with rain overflow, but it was all good. There was just enough salt to keep the green peril at bay. No algae on the sides, just in the organic matter on the bottom.
The fibreglass is shagged and there's now some persistent black flecks in the bits where the gelcoat has gone, but it's 50 years old next year and probably due for a re-coat. I might give it a rub with a sock full of cal-hypo just to see what happens. After 50 years another couple isn't going to hurt.
No questions, just needed to vent and nobody else around my place wants to talk about the pool. They just want to swim in it.
