Help a CANUCK

Hello,

Came home yesterday to find a few yellow lines at the bottom of the pool, i suspect it is algae. Had my water tested yesterday and the following is what they provided:

Free Chlorine: 3 ppm
Total Alkalinity: 80 ppm
pH: 7.3
Calcium Hardness: 220 ppm
Stabilizer: 60 ppm

I vacuumed the pool and scrub all the algae, removed my cartridges and sprayed them and used cartridge cleaner overnight. I shocked the pool with bleach last night (3 liters) and ran the pump all night but no cartridges in the filter. My pool is 16 x 28 kidney shaped and I suspect that it is 65,000 l or 17,000 g.

Today, another yellow line. Pool water was tested at another pool store and results as follows:

Free Chlorine: 5.3 ppm
Total Chlorine: 5.3
Combine Chlorine: 0.0 ppm
pH: 7.7 ppm
Hardness: 170 ppm
Alkalinity (w/ stabilizer correction): 0 ppm
Cyanuric Acid: 85 ppm


Where do i go now? I put the cartridges back in the filter. Should I get algaecide? What concentration.


Thank is advance from the great white north.

Canuck

#1 - Get a cheap OTO / phenol red test kit that you can use yourself.
#2 - Add 3 gallons or 12L of plain 6% household bleach in the late evening; then brush the yellow areas.
#3 - Test the following evening with the OTO kit; if the chlorine level is not DARK yellow, repeat dose and brushing.
#4 - Continue this for 3 days AFTER all trace of the yellow algae disappears.
#4 - Then read the Best Guess page, and use it to determine correct chlorine levels for YOUR pool.

Thank you for the response Ben.

I bought the bleach and the OTO test as you suggested. Did a test with the OTO and it is dark yellow at this time. Should I proceed with the bleach? Concern that my levels will go through the roof.

Thanks again,

Christian

No, if it's very dark yellow, just hold off till you know what your CYA level is.

Where are you located Christian?

Hi Ben - Well after posting my question i thought to myself, I’ve come here for help and now i am questioning the PoolDoc. I made the mistake of not waiting for a response (in a panic as we have a pool party this weekend) and added the bleach. I guess we can all wait to see what happens over the next 24 hrs.

Glen – We’re in Oakville. Where in Durham are you located.

Well, chlorine that's too high is great for eliminating algae. And, it won't hurt your liner (or concrete, if that's your pool). It might bleach the color on your liner a bit, but that depends on the liner.

Can you believe that after the 12 liters of 6% bleach, OTO being as dark as a pale ale, I woke up this am to a yellow line at the bottom of the pool?
Ben – do I release the hounds and add another batch of bleach. My PH seems to be in the right area.
Suggestions?
Thank you,
Christian

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CANUCK

Glen – We’re in Oakville. Where in Durham are you located.

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We are in Pickering now... I grew up in Mississauga (Erin Mills).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DurhamHouses

We are in Pickering now... I grew up in Mississauga (Erin Mills).

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Same here. We lived by Credit Valley Hospital and went to Mt. Carmel!

Can you believe that after the 12 liters of 6% bleach, OTO being as dark as a pale ale, I woke up this am to a yellow line at the bottom of the pool?
Ben – do I release the hounds and add another batch of bleach. My PH seems to be in the right area.
Suggestions?
Thank you,
Christian

Are you sure it isn't pollen? Raise the chlorine level back up this evening when the sun is off the pool. An hour later, test the chlorine. You can force your kit to go higher with a dilution method explained here: Testing Without a Good Kit

Test again in the morning within two hours of sunrise. If you lose no more than 1ppm of chlorine overnight, then it most likely is not algae.

Good question on the pollen versus algea.

Pool looks better but still not great. Chlorine is high. I will get water tested again and report back. You guys aren't kidding about pool stores, they have no clue. I am fortunate to have 6 pool stores within a 10 km radius and the'ry all trying to sell me the entire inventory.

Latest numbers:

Free Chlorine: =>10 ppm - They cant measure > 10 ppm
Total Chlorine: 10 ppm - They cant measure > 10 ppm
Combine Chlorine: 0.0 ppm
pH: 7.8 ppm
Hardness: 170 ppm
Alkalinity (w/ stabilizer correction): 60 ppm
Cyanuric Acid: 35 ppm

Pool looking better but still needs help.

Use your OTO kit and test it yourself using the dilution method from post#12. That way you'll be able to go higher than 10ppm with the testing.

See what happens overnight like I explained above. I have a feeling it may not be algae, especially with a CC reading of 0.

7.8 is the outside of the recommended pH range. You test it with your kit and see what you get. (BTW -- What is the highest that your pH tester will read?)

If you lose no more than 1ppm of chlorine from sundown tonight until within 2 hours of sunrise tomorrow, it is unlikely that it is algae.

Run the pump 24/7 while you are trying to clear the pool.

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/pollenfx/poyyz

Water looking much better. Tried dilution method with a three-to-one but it's still high. i'm thinking about 12 ppm.

The pool is looking amazing though. My highest PH measurement goes to 8.4.

Thanks everyone,

Christian

Ok. The reason I asked how high your pH tester will read is that some testers only read to 7.8 so on those kits, a reading of 7.8 could actually mean higher than that with no way to differentiate. Since yours reads up to 8.4, then we know you reading actually is 7.8 which is fine.