Still green (ish)

Still waiting for water to clear. I went on a 10 day vacation and returned 8/1 to a green pool. Being a newbie I went to several pool stores and added many different products. Well after about 10 days of pool store advice and only minor improvements I became increasingly frustrated and decided to convert to the BBB method. Based on advise on this forum with my test results I have been keeping my FC at 20-25 since converting to BBB last week my #’s
PH-7.8
FC-20
TA-160
CYA-80

My pool has gone from a pea soup green to a greenish/blue, but it has looked like this for 2 weeks with no significant improvements (even after converting to BBB). I have been brushing the walls and cleaning the cartridge filter regularly. Is there anything else I should be adding or doing? Do I need to drain some water out to get my water to clear?

Also FYI- I had a Nature 2 system (probably lead to my original problem) that I just pulled out and will toss. I have an 16X 32 AG with 15K gallons.

Thanks in Advance

How long did you have the Nature 2? And did any of the pool store products contain copper? That almost sounds like a metal reaction.

If you are keeping your pool at shock level, and metals are not an issue, it should clear up to a cloudy blue, which will become clear blue when your filter rids the pool of the dead algae.

Is your water clear? If so, it really does sound like metals from the Nature 2. Take your ph down to 7.2 add a metal out product which sequesters the metal. Such as sequasol, metal free, jacks magic or any other that says it sequesters metals. You can find it at a pool store, or anywhere that sells pool chemicals. Use at least as much as it says on the bottle for the amount of water that is in the pool. Let us know if the water changes color.

Is there any CC (combined chlorine) in the pool?

The last time I had my pool tested for metals was about a week ago and there was none indicated. I have been using the N2 sytem all season (finally took it out last Saturday). The water is definetely not clear and there in no CC in the water.

Thanks Again

If it's not metals - then you are not getting the chlorine up to a level where it will kill the algae. You need to get it to 20ppm - test 3X a day and every time raise it to 20ppm - the more you are able to keep the chlorine level high and steady - the shorter amount of time it will take to kill the algae.

I would still recommend that you have your water tested again for copper. When you shock your pool it will cause the metals to come out and stain your pool - which would not be good.

We just had the metals tested and they're fine. I have been consistent with keeping at shock level (since converting to BBB last week), but I'm getting discouraged because i'm not seeing any improvement.

Then take it to 25ppm and keep it there. When you are testing through-out the day - where are your chlorine levels?

Today my FC is 20 and has been consistently at least that high for the last week. I even had it up to the 25+ level for a few days.

When you are testing throughout the day - is your chlorine dropping a lot? If so the algae can be re-growing while the chlorine level is lower than 20ppm.

I know that it can be frustrating - there was a person who had algae for about 3 weeks until she finally kept her chlorine levels consistently above 20ppm for a few days- then the pool finally cleared.

What's the saying around here - the answer is simple, but implementing the answer takes persistence and patients?

Still have to kill the algae first. If your pool is green the algae isn't dead yet. Once your pool is a cloudy blue - then your filter will need to filter out the dead algae. Most people's filters can do this without the added expense of "floc" or a clarifier.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RjBeals

If you want a crystal clear pool again, Shock & Flock it. This forum probably will not condone it, but its a sure way to get clear water in about 1-2 days.

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It's not that it is not "condoned" - its that it is usually an unnecessary expense and usually is a temporary fix. The forum is about managing your pool with only the necessary chemicals, not adding anything you don't need, understanding your chemicals in your pool, and having a great pool without hundreds of $$ in crap from the pool store that leaves you worse off then before.

I agree with Simmon99 - you neet to take your chlorine higher, you may not be getting to breakpoint yet - so I would take it to 25ppms and be very consistant - everytime it goes below 25 hit it again with more chorine to get it back. This way it will kill all of the algae, you need to have all the algae dead before you use floc - then if the dead algae isn't clearing fast enough you can use floc, let it stand overnight then vacuum to waste. Be sure to brush the sides and backwash the filter while you are killing the algae, leaving the filter running 24/7.