battling green algae while cya = 0

opened up our pool this year and it was much greener than ever before. In fact, we couldn't see the pool bottom. I have a good testkit, initial test showed cya=0. I've been dumping a ton of bleach in the pool and it's getting better but obviously I'm backwashing 2-3 times per day.

is the idea to bite the bullet on bleach consumption and get the pool clear before adding cya so I won't have to backwash? I also have to add a whole lot of calcium and borax. So what's the right order of operations on the chems?

tia!

Tell us about your pool. Above ground or in ground. Concrete or vinyl? What is the make and model of your pump and filter.

You are right about the bleach, add it after the sun is off your pool, so doesn't get burned up by uv. Pool Doc usually recommends you get the pool clear of algae before adjusting anything else. If your pH is below 7 or above 8, go ahead and correct that.

thanks, should be in my signature now

Welcome back!

Any idea what your CYA reading was when you closed? Since it is now 0 and you have a big chlorine demand, it's a good bet that your CYA biodegraded over the winter and you are now dealing with the results of that. It may take a lot of bleach to clear the pool of the byproducts, but hang in there and keep hammering it with bleach!

Does your filter have a bypass or recirculate setting? That'll save some backwashing.

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Originally Posted by Pappy

Does your filter have a bypass or recirculate setting? That'll save some backwashing.

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it does, is that a good idea? I assumed I'd want to get the dead algae out of the pool...or is the idea.

watermom, my cya was about 40 before we closed the pool.

If the pool still has ANY green, that stops the filter VERY quickly, and you wind up backwashing very little stuff out. Just let it recirculate till it's all the way dead, then start filtering.