algae ?

[Barry J]

Got back from a weeks vaca, and the pool is green, had rain cont. for the week before we went on vaca and while we were on vaca. Before I left slight green around the edges. I shocked the pool with half gallon of liquid shock and some algaecide. Put a chorine tab in the skimmer, and my Dad put one in three days latter. Now, came back to total green on bottom..vacuumed botton of pool, backwashed then brushed the sides down, as I vacuumed the pool slowly became cloudy..then of course when I sweep the sides , total cloudiness. Went got some more shock and algaecide, put that in and put some solution to clear cloudy pools from the dealer. Ran the filter overnight and woke up to still a cloudy pool...now what...more shock???

[Watermom]

We need you to post your current water testing results taken with a drops-based kit and not test strips. We need FC, CC, TC (or at least two of the three of those), PH, alk, cya. Then somebody here can better advise you.

But, to answer you quesion, yes, you are gonna need lots of chlorine. The key to killing algae is a sustained high chlorine level. Also run the pump 24/7 while you are trying to clear the pool. Repost with your numbers.

[Barry J]

I've had the pool for 10 years and only used the water test once, I tested my water, brought my sample to a pool dealer, they sold me $150.00 worth of chemicals for my pool. All that chemicals did not do anything...I basically use Algaecide, shock and chorine granules, and sometimes "quick clear" for clarity, and for nine years have had a beautiful blue watered pool. But, this year, We've had two weeks of continuous rain, and plus with me leaving for a week in the middle of it...boom!! have algae problem. So, I plan on going with the algaecide and shock, but just wanted to know how much to use of the shock and if you could ever use too much shock???
Thanks
Barry

[Watermom]

We can't really suggest how much shock to use without knowing numbers and also what size your pool is and its volume. Also, what type of shock is it and what are the chlorine granules? Dichlor or Cal-Hypo or ???

[aylad]

To add to what Watermom advised, if you have a vinyl pool, you CAN use too much shock--so that's why we need the chem levels that she asked for so that you don't ruin your pool. Also, what kind of algaecide are you using?

If we know the info that Watermom asked for, we can help you get it cleared up in a hurry....but without that info, you're going to be wasting a lot of time and money--I guarantee the answer to your problem won't cost $150. THat's what we refer to as getting "pool-stored".



Janet

[Barry J]

Ok, above ground 33x15 (12,000gal) Algaecide used: Accu 50 (n-alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride 49.8%,,,,n-Dialkyl methyl benzyl ammonium chloride 0.2%,,,,inert 50%
Clarifier used..Quick Clear by "Capo industries", no ingredients listed
shock used.."Super Shock"...Sodium hypochlorite 12.5%,,,inert 87.5%
Granules used: just finished HTH,,calcium hypochlorite 47.6%,,other 52.4%
just started "Blue Cross Granules" with same ingredients as the HTH brand.
I'll have to buy another water testing kit, since mine is about 8-9 years old.
Any suggestions on which to buy??
Thanks
Barry

[Barry J]

I just vaccumed again and put in a gallon of shock, I don't think I'll have any problems with "over chlorinating" since so far in the past three days I've only put in a little under 2 gallons of shock in....but some advise was "do not add algaecide"...isn't that what it's used for, or just for maintanence??

[waterbear]

algaecife and clarifiers are not needed in properly maintained (read that as water is tested and the PROPER amount of the NEEDED chemicals added) pool.

[aylad]

The problem with the chlorination issue is that the amount of chlorine it takes to clear the pool is dependent on the stabilizer level of your water. You could very well be putting in chlorine but not enough to do any good, in which case you're wasting money and time.

Drop-based test kits are very much preferred over strips--drop-based testing is much more reliable and, even though more expensive at the beginning, will more than pay for themselves in chem savings. Taylor makes a K-2006 that can be purchased online at the Taylor site or at http://www.spspools-spas.com, or there is a similar test kit sold at http://www.tftestkits.net.

As Waterbear pointed out, the algaecides and clarifiers are not needed in properly maintained pools and can actually cause problems. Algaecides can often be useful when dealing with metal problems or prior to closing the pool, but in general are much better at preventing algae from growing than they are at killing a bloom.

Janet

[Watermom]

Jan gave you some suggestions for good test kits that you should consider buying. But, you need something now so you will probably need to buy something cheap to use until you can get a better one. Walmart used to sell some "5-Way"kits that would do but honestly, I haven't looked at what types of pool supplies they are carrying these days. You need something that can measure the cya level. Maybe your pool store has a kit that will. You also need to be able to measure two of the following three: free chlorine, combined chlorine and total chlorine. Since FC + CC = TC, if you have two of the readings, you can calculate the third. If you cannot find any kits locally that can measure cya, your last opinion would be to take a water sample to a reliable pool store and ask them to measure: FC, CC, TC, ph, alk, and cya. JUST DON'T LET THEM SELL YOU ANY CHEMICALS! Unless your cya reading is 30 or below. If it is, then buy a container of cya (cyanuric acid, also called stabilizer). You're going to also need a lot of chlorine. Just buy plain household, unscented bleach. Generic is fine and it is what most of us use. A lot of us buy the generic stuff at Walmart.

Get your numbers and then we can help you get this cleared up. By the way, if you do buy cya, do not broadcast it around the pool like the label directions may tell you to do. Get back to us with more info and somebody here will advise you on how to add the cya and also how to tackle the algae.

[Barry J]

actually running the filter 24 hrs for the past 4 days, and adding shock 1/2 gallon each day, and vacuuming the bottom, my pool is about back to normal, me and the kids went in today, only very small amounts of algae in the bottom corner, I brushed it off with my foot, the floor was not slimy or slippery and the walls were not either, thanks for all the help
Barry

[Watermom]

For assurance, keep the chlorine level high for a couple extra days just to make sure it is totally gone and won't come back. Good luck. Glad we could help.