Pink Algae and White Water Mold in Pool

[pclstuff]

When we opened out automatic cover this year, we saw pink algae and white slime everywhere which I learned online is white water mold. The pool is also very milky. My pool store person has directed me to add phosphate remover, clean daily and shock after the 3rd day. I've done this twice now. Also, the 1st time she had me put in a bottle of copper algaecide. The water is still very milky and the walls are still covered in white mold and the pool won't hold the chlorine I have put in. The chlorinator s filled as well. And of course, after each cleaning, I do backwash and rinse. When I originally asked about the while "goo", my pool person didn't know what it was. Now I'm concerned that I've just dumped several hundred dollars into the pool without addressing the real problem. I've read on several posts that I need a polymer or silver algeacide to kill the bacteria. Can someone help me and advise what I really should be doing to clear my pool? It's 92 degrees here today and we want to swim! :) Thank you!

[PoolDoc]

Well, the first question is, "How have you been treating your pool, in the past?"

'Watermold' is more common in pools with Baquacil, etc than in chlorinated pools.

Ben

PS. If it *is* a chlorinated pool, all you need is chlorine . . . and a good testkit. But I don't want to give you advice, assuming you have a chlorinated pool, and then end up staining the heck out of things because you've been using 'minerals' or else starting a Baquacil conversion without meaning to do so

[pclstuff]

We treat strictly with chlorine. We use an algaecide 60 once a week and a few ounces of metal hold weekly as we do keep the water level up with well water. Two years ago we put a new liner in and the pool was filled with pool water. Since then, most of the pool water is still in and as I stated earlier, we just increase the water level with well water. Our well water has been tested and is free of any phosphates although I haven't got a full water check yet this year. But this mold was present before we even put any additional water in this year. When we closed last October the water was crystal clear and tested perfect with all the chemicals at the proper levels.

[PoolDoc]

OK, as long as you have no PHMB (Baquacil, etc.) or copper, you can clean it up with bleach.

Since you don't know your stabilizer level, you can start with 2 gallons of *plain* 6% bleach (somebody posted yesterday, having made a huge mess with the new gel Clorox!), added each evening, within 2 hours of sunset

Get a cheap OTO (turns yellow) / phenol red testkit, and test 1 hour after adding bleach and AGAIN in the morning within 2 hours of sunrise. If your chlorine is low, add another gallon. Repeat continuously till the problem is resolved.

Run your pump 24/7 till the pool has been clean and clear for 2 days.

Please get a better testkit.

Really what's needed is the Taylor K2006 or 2006C. You can use the link below to Amazon, if you like. But, only purchase if the seller is "Amato Ind" -- some sellers on Amazon and elsewhere confuse the K2005 and the K2006. Only the K2006 allows you to test high levels of chlorine.

If you can find out what your stabilizer level is, it would help a lot. If it's high, 2 gallon doses will not be enough. If it's low, higher doses could bleach your cover (or liner?). Also, comparing levels from last fall with now can tell us a lot about what sort of problem you are facing. If it was high before and 0 now, it may take a HUGE amount of chlorine to clean up.

Do NOT cover more than 2/3 of the pool while cleaning up. Byproducts of the chlorine cleaning things up can damage covers, if it doesn't escape.

Ben