GREEN ALGAE--I think I'm on right track 2 correct this?? :) ALL INFO POSTED!!

Vinyl pool
approx 7000 gallons water
cartridge filter
chlorinate with floating tablets up to now (purchased salt water system to use, starting this year)
I test water with cheap 2-bottle kit from walmart, but have ordered the 7 way test kit recommended on this site, as of yesterday


Pool chemistry (via pool store using BioGuard strip method)

FC: 9.4
CC: hmm.... this isn't listed
TC: 10
pH: 7.2
TA: 54
CYA:0
CH: (listed as total hardness) 214

Green Algae: Extensive (lol. yeah, i knew that)

These readings were taken at noon today; we added 9 gallons of chlorine bleach at 6:00 pm last nite.

Based on the chart and info I've flooded my pea-brain with, I need to:

1) slightly raise my PH level using 20 Mule Team Borax (which I have on hand),
2) add more bleach to get my FC level between 10-15,
3) brush sides, walls, bottom, stairs til I wish I didn't have a pool;
4) Test 3x a day minimum to keep FC level between 10-15.

yes,/no, maybe??? Reassurances needed....LOL I want to do this right the first time; last year I spent over 2 weeks trying to clean green crap from the pool and I do NOT want to go through that ever again..... MAINTENANCE really is the key. Any suggestions more than welcome, or lemme know I'm on the right track. :)

Uhhhhh............. I think 9 gallons of bleach in a 7000 gallon pool might have been a little overkill. That would add 77ppm of chlorine! Any color left in your liner?

To respond to your items numbered above:

1) Leave the pH alone for now. A pH of 7.2 is ok. As long as it doesn't drop below 7.0 you're fine. Also, with your chlorine level SO HIGH, you won't accurately be able to test the pH for awhile anyways.

2) Add more bleach? Nah, I think you've got that covered.
3) Yes to brushing your pool.
4) You're not going to be able to test with the chlorine so high.

I'm going to add another one.
5) Run your pump 24/7 while you are trying to clear the pool and clean your filter as needed.

BTW -- for future reference, in a 7000 gallon pool, each quart of 6% bleach will add about 2ppm of chlorine.

Welcome to the Pool Forum and good decision to buy the good test kit. You'll be glad you did.

ok, well, correct me if I'm wrong and I guess I must be, but I'm reading this chart: http://poolsolutions.com/gd/best-gue...e-chart.html#a

am I reading it wrong?? to me it says if my CYA is 0, my free chlorine needs to be 10.....

and the liner, I don't care what color it is, or if it *is* colored. :)

Yes, with a CYA of 0, your FC needs to be 10-15 for shock level. But, 9 gallons of bleach in a small pool of 7000 gallons would take the chlorine level WAY past that up to 77 ppm of chlorine.

Let's make it a little simpler. You've got the OTO drops (turn yellow when chlorine is present), right?

Keep the pool in the dark yellow range, so long as your CYA is low, and your pool is green. Add chlorine in the late evening. Most likely you'll need to add a gallon to a 1 1/2 gallons of bleach each evening, till your pool is cleaned up, and you can add some stabilizer. With your stabilizer low, what the algae doesn't consume, the sun will destroy.

Brush. Vacuum if stuff is on the bottom. Run your pump and filter. Backwash or clean as needed.

Relax. It's still March -- it's not likely you'll be able to start swimming before mid April.