This can't be right

[LostboyinVA]

I read this on the old forums.

Can you get in the pool yet? If you can reach down and feel the "lines of stuff". If it is gritty it is sand or dirt. If it is slimy it is algae.

If it is algea you need to shock the pool. Depending on you Stabalizer level raise the Chlorine to the appropriate shock level. Keep it at that level for several days and the algae should go away.

Can you post your current readings? In particular a Free Chlorine and a Combined Chlorine Level and a Stabalizer Level. PH and Alkalinity would also be helpful.

[rdietman]

like watermom says , if you vac to fast it will get stirred up and not totally vacuumed . do you have any new subdivisions going up near you , or farm fields nearby?.my pool does this in the spring when the farmers are workin the fields. dust clouds are a risin and that blows a long ways . you dont see it but it happens . also a new subdivision went up last year with a lot of excavating in the spring and the pool had lots of what you describe. i go in with goggles on and dive with the vac hose in hand , its therapy for me, i look forward to it after work on a hot day. kids and wife think im some kind of nut but it works for me.

[PhantomAndy]

I have and 18x36 IG Vinyl

I have seen this both last year, and the year before. I usually don't get it until mid season (in Kentucky).

I believe you may be seeing Algae of some type. The 'slime or gritty' test will tell you which one for sure.

If shocking and (very very slow) vacuuming won't work - and it's slimy then you may need some algaecide (60% Poly-Oxy-Ethyl-whatever it is - nothing else will do).

Both years that I have had this problem, it was algae, and I was very careful to vacuum very very slowly over all areas that had it, and then shocked the crap out of the pool (several times the first year I had this problem) and it would just come right back.

With my pool (22,000 gallons or so) it takes a whole quart bottle of the Poly-Oxy Algaecide to treat the pool properly (about $20-23 a quart). The slime is gone for the rest of the year.

I always add one quart of the 60% stuff when I close as well - which really helps over the winter.

That's been my experience - and I think $20 or so on the 60% Poly Oxy may very well solve your problem.