NEW user here. Need Suggestions

[djede]

I have an Intex ProSeries 14x42 AGP that came with the SFS1000 skimmer and pool pump. I bought in May and everything was working great until a week ago. The pump stopped working and that is when my pool took a turn for the worst. I've ordered a new pump (Krystal Clear 1500 GPH) and also decided to switch to SWG (Krystal Clear Salt Water System). While the pool pump has been down the pool has now turned green. It is only a 3,300 gallon pool. Should I try to fight the algae or should I just drain, clean and refill.

I still have not tested the water as I still have not received my new pump and I am not ready to start the cleaning/draining process.

Thanks for your help and information.

[Watermom]

Since it is such a low volume pool, honestly, I would just drain, clean and refill. UNLESS you fill from a metals-contaminated well. If that is the case, you might want to just work to clear it up.

In the future if there is ever a time when you have no pump or no power due to a storm or something, you can keep it from turning green by adding some bleach to the water each day. Two years ago, we had a huge storm that came through my area and knocked out power to almost the entire state. I had no power for a solid week and we had daytime temps in the 100s all week. I kept my pool from turning green by doing just what I suggested above ---- adding bleach every day. The water was still clear a week later when the power was finally restored.

Welcome to the Pool Forum!

[djede]

Thanks for the information. I get city water not from a well. So I think I am going to take your recommendation and drain and refill. Also, thanks for the tip for future if I am out of power or pump dies again.

After draining, should I do anything special to the pool to clean it? When should I start running the SWG?

[Watermom]

You need to get your water balanced before you start up the SWCG. Check your manual. SWCG units have specific requirements for how high the CYA level needs to be. You can either follow our Super Simple Start-up Recipe (it uses dichlor which adds chlorine and CYA at the same time) until your CYA level builds up to the needed level and then turn on the unit OR just add the needed amount of CYA separately and use bleach for a few days and then turn on your SWCG. Read about the recipe here:> http://pool9.net/ssr/

When you decide which route you want to go, let us know. If you decide NOT to use the recipe, we can talk you through the other way.

EDIT: Forgot to add this ---
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[djede]

Watermom, Since my pump still hasn't arrived, I took your advice and I added a gallon on bleach yesterday to the pool and stirred it up with my net. When I woke up this morning, most of the green algae was gone. Now it is like a cloudy white. So I went to my supermarket and bought more bleach. Today I just added another gallon of bleach. Let's see what I wake up to tomorrow morning. My pump should hopefully arrive on Monday. In the meantime I am going to add a bottle of bleach per day and maybe I wont have to drain the pool after all.

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

[Watermom]

Gee, that Watermom is so smart! :p (Just kidding.)

Seriously, glad I was able to give you the suggestion. What you are seeing is dying (or dead) algae. It is amazing what bleach can do in a pool, isn't it?

Let us know if you have further questions. We'll be happy to try and help!

[djede]

Got the new pump on Monday. I added another gallon of bleach and some floc. I ran the pump for 24 hours and the water started to clear out. I went to the pool store on Tues and tested water.

TC=5.0ppm
FC=5.0ppm
PH=8.0
Alkalinity = 120ppm
Stabilizer=0

Added another bottle of bleach and added stabilizer through a sock in skimmer basket, waited 24 hours. I went to pool store today and tested water.
TC=5.0ppm
FC=5.0ppm
PH=7.4
Alkalinity=120ppm
Stabilizer=20ppm

The water is clear with very little cloudiness. The pool store (Pinch A Penny) told me I was good to go swimming already.

Thanks for your help watermom.

[Watermom]

Do you have your own drops-based test kit? We find that many pool stores do not test accurately and we always advise people to do their own testing instead.

The kit that we recommend is the Taylor K2006 or 2006C (better buy). You won't find it locally but can get it through this link:> http://pool9.net/tk/