27K gallon pool with slippery sides

[southjerseypool]

First I'm a new pool owner. I had the same slipperiness problem now I have spots of darker algae I guess. Can I do the same? I have a 27,000 IGL pool.

[PoolDoc]

We often recommend bleach, because it tends not to mess other things up, regardless of pool chemistry. One exception: if your pool has copper in it, from algaecides, an ionizer, or a corroding heater, you have to avoid high levels of chlorine, regardless of type.

Later, when we know more about a user's pool, we may recommend other forms of chlorine.

On your pool, you can safely add 2 gallons of PLAIN 8.25% household bleach each evening. Get an OTO / phenol red kit (yellow / red drops) and report results. But keep on with the bleach, till you know more.

Order a Taylor K2006 test kit from Amazon (link in my blue signature block); you WILL need it. But get the OTO kit locally; you need it now. Read the Best Guess page in my signature too.

But . . . add the 2 gallons each evening -- that will keep you out of trouble, till you know more.

[southjerseypool]

I received the taylor kit got it from amazon from your link. I tested the FC was 6 ppm PH was 7.8. I have a SWCG the pool is a little cloudy not to bad but still slippery

[PoolDoc]

But, what as the CYA level?

That is critical -- read the Best Guess page, linked above in my blue signature block. It explains why it's so important to know your CYA level, AND what to do, when you know it.

Meanwhile, use bleach to raise your chlorine level to 10 ppm or a little higher. (Once you know your CYA level, we'll have a better idea.) And, use either muriatic acid or pH Minus (granular sodium bisulfate) to lower your pH to 7.4 - 7.6.

BRUSH your pool, once you get the chlorine up, and the pH down.

[southjerseypool]

CYA is 10

[PoolDoc]

Really? Are you 'guesstimating' that? (There's no marking for "10" on the K2006).

If that is so, you need to be using dichlor to chlorinate. The fact that there WAS 6 ppm FC when you tested, doesn't mean that it won't be ZERO an hour later, if the sun comes out!

The SS recipe page (link in my blue signature block) will cover much of the info you need.

[southjerseypool]

No I took a trip to my local pool guy. Fc is now 4.8 ph is 8.0 cya is 10.

[PoolDoc]

Ok. Then we can toss those results right out. We've encountered too many cases of completely bogus results to have any trust in those results.

Please test with the K2006 -- FC, CC, pH, & CYA at a minimum -- and report THOSE results.

[southjerseypool]

Fc 4
ph 7.4
cya 40

[PoolDoc]

. . . local pool guy. Fc is now 4.8 ph is 8.0 cya is 10.


Fc 4 ph 7.4 cya 40

And . . . that is why we NEVER trust pool store (or pool guy) results! Getting the CYA wrong by 400% is not 'close'!

OK. 5K gallon pool (15' x 3.8' water depth); PF=24. 1 gallon of PLAIN 8.25% bleach adds about 17 ppm of chlorine to your pool. (24*0.7 lbs /gal = ~17)

1. Start dosing each EVENING with 1 full gallon of plain bleach.
2. The following evening, test with OTO. If the result is clear to light yellow, add 1 more gallon. If DARK yellow, 1/2 gallon. If ORANGE, skip that dose.
3. Continue dosing in this manner for 2 days AFTER there's no trace of slipperiness or algae remaining.
4. Starting the 2nd night, BRUSH the pool completely every 2 days.
5. When you reach your final bleach dose (per #3 above), test 1 hour after dosing using the FAS DPD test. Test for BOTH FC and CC. Test AGAIN the following AM, before full sun hits the pool. Report those results here.

[southjerseypool]

Sorry my pool is 40x23 27k gallons IG with a liner....so do I do 5 gallons of bleach? Thanks for the help I hope this takes care of it..

I also have a SWCG.
.

[PoolDoc]

Ah, yes. That's why we try to keep threads to one original poster. I just jumped to the start for your gallons, and found the OPs gallons rather than yours. I should have moved your posts to their own thread, but have done so, now.

1. As you thought, instead of dosing for 5K with a PF of 20, you're dosing for 27K with a PF = ~4. Instead of 1 gallon per dose, you need 5.

2. Turn off your SWCG till this is resolved. You're just burning it out, since it can't keep up. SWCGs work best when used ONLY when the pool is functioning well. Turn them off when you're cleaning a mess.

3. Otherwise, the advice is unchanged.

[southjerseypool]

Sorry about that... I added the 5 gallons of bleach tonight I'm looking forward to a crystal clear pool again soon. Thanks again for the help.

[southjerseypool]

Hi PoolDoc,

I never Thanked you for your help. My pool is crystal clear!! Thanks again for the help, counseling & guidance. I'm so happy I never had to add algaecide!!!!

[PoolDoc]

Thanks for the thanks!

It's always nice to be able to verify that we're giving advice that works.