green water or green liner?

[denanbob]

We opened our pool on Sunday and it was BLACK. Since then, have used 4 bags of shock and the water LOOKS clear (glassy and can see the bottom clearly) but it actually looks like the vinyl liner has turned completely green. We have vacuumed and brushed and the liner seems clean, but it looks green. When I put water into a bottle to have it tested, it is clear (not green). Had it tested and all numbers look great. Pool is still green and I was thinking the liner has turned green, but am wondering if it's still possible that it is the water? Any ideas? We have 15x30 above ground pool with about 11,000 gallons and a D.E. filter (brand new this year). I normally use bleach and occasional chlorine pucks for the CYA. Thanks for any ideas.

[denanbob]

Here were the numbers today (sorry don't have the fancy test kit):

Chlorine - 5
PH - 7.2
Alkalinity - 170
Calcium - 200 (I know this doesnt much matter for vinyl)
CYA - 0 (can't understand this because I used trichlor tabs all last summer)
No phosphates

I just added 1.42 gallons of 6% Clorox. I also tried the Vitamin C tabs and that did nothing against the liner.

[Watermom]

Does the liner feel slippery or slimy at all?

[aylad]

Have you added anything containing copper to the pool? ( Algaecide, pucks containing copper, etc).

Janet

[madwil]

the CYA deteriates over time, there is a bacteria that "eats" it, and produces tons of ammonia...
You really need a test for FC and CC; you probably have lots of CC which will go away with time (FC and UV get rid of it...)
with your chlorine at 5, we don't know from strips if it is 5 or 5+ and how much is CC and whether you lose any (if it is still 5+, we don't know how much +) so can't tell about algae and such.
take a water sample to pool store, if you can, and get a full test including metals- Cu can sometimes be green just like algae

[denanbob]

I did have it tested at the pool store and those are the numbers they gave me. They don't test for FC/CC's (eyeroll). I use a drop based test kit from WalMart, not strips. I have not added anything containing copper except Algaecide last year before we closed. The sides do feel a tad slippery/maybe considered slimy. I added 3 more gallons of bleach this morning. Here is a pic, hope it works:

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j115/denanbob/pool2.jpg

[denanbob]

As you can see, the first 6 inches or so are blue but from that point down, everything is green (which makes me think the liner turned green). I just can't tell if the liner is stained green or if the water is actually green (although like I said above, if I fill a water bottle with the water from the pool, it looks clear, not green).

[CarlD]

Usually, I'd say just go with more chlorine, but I dunno. If the liner feels slippery, you are probably fighting algae. But if it's not and "squeaks" against your fingers, that's not it.. I'd have the pool store test for copper and iron, if you don't have your own metals testing kit.

Update: You say it feels slimy. Shock the heck out of the pool and brush it every day. I think you still have algae.

Carl

[madwil]

the green tint is probably the water- small amounts don't show enough tint, but at 4 ft depth you have enough to give color...
I agree to shock it- definitely won't hurt it, reasonably priced, and if it fixes the color won't have to worry about metals testing!

[denanbob]

Thank you everyone! I put a TON of bleach in it (figured it couldn't hurt), and it is now a beautiful shade of teal so it is getting bluer! :) So I definitely think it was the water and not the liner. Thank goodness. We had SO much rain last night, I just have to hope it does not overflow and cause more problems...ha. We both had to work this morning so did not have time to drain it, but it is almost to the top...ugh. So I shut pump off, and will drain some tonight, add more bleach, and hopefully we will be back in business on our way to a clear pool just in time for the beautiful sunny/hot weather coming up for this weekend! Thanks again!