HELP with Green/Brown Water

[PoolDoc]

Good luck!

I didn't realize it was usable now. If it is, focus on nightly doses of bleach to maintain a sanitized pool, even if there's no chlorine during the day.

[poolrookie]

Oh it is usable, just ugly green! with heat index its going to be over a 100 the rest of the week!!! i did add the 3 gallons of bleach and a bottle of algaecide from walmart, 3% copper in it tonight.... i will have a bottle of "metal free" is its exact name tomorrow from "in the swim" 32 oz bottle...

the ph has been staying perfect and the chlorine has been from 4 to 7, it's never been 0, except for when we put all the iron out in it at first 3 wks ago..but since then it's been over 4..... copper and iron are still .4 are you sure it's "Algae"??? i know copper causes green water too... we have shocked every couple days after the iron out incident, and the chlorine has always been in and filter has never been shut off, except for the one night dad tried the green to blue stuff that supposed to of soaked to the bottom then vacuumed up.. since then it's been running 24/7 with trichlor in floater and in skimmer... Just wondering is their just to many metals that haven't be sequestored very well yet... the first metal stuff i used was from walmart, then a metal out from ebay, but i think the one i have coming tomorrow is pretty good brand...from "in the swim" what do you think???

[poolrookie]

I was looking for polyquat on amazon to, and it brought up "algaecide 60 plus" from INTHESWIM, says good for well water and it doesn't effect the ph, is that good stuff? i like buying from them, free shipping and usually one day delivery. Man those Taylor kits are expensive, but sure they will pay for theirselves since it tells what all is going on with the chemicals...

[CarlD]

The amount of chemicals and aggravation the Taylor K-2006 saves you in one season easily pays for it. Polyquat's good stuff, but what it WILL do is lower your chlorine level. Adding 1/4 bottle will send your FC level to 0 within 48 hours, but don't panic! It's OK. It also helps clear out fine particles that otherwise pass through the filter.

But the more stuff you throw in the harder it is to help you clear it up. Now you have copper in there on top of the iron, and whatever the "green to blue stuff" is. And unless your metal removers are all HEDP, regardless of brand, who knows what will work? It's not the brand that matters, it's what in it.

Frankly, it doesn't look to me like you are paying attention to Ben's advice, just buying stuff by brand rather than ingredients and throwing it in. Your best hope to keep it swimmable is keep the chlorine up and the pH in 7.2-7.9 so it's sanitary, even if ugly.

Carl

[PoolDoc]

@CarlD: Carl, poolrookie had already gotten a bunch of that stuff before he began asking questions here. I suggested a drain and refill, if the pool wasn't usable. But it is usable, and it's hot. So, he's doing pretty much what I would in his shoes.

I was looking for polyquat on amazon to, and it brought up "algaecide 60 plus" from INTHESWIM, says good for well water and it doesn't effect the ph, is that good stuff? i like buying from them, free shipping and usually one day delivery.

I checked -- as of right now (summer 2011) that product is still polyquat.

[poolrookie]

After putting in 12 lbs of alk incr. yesterday at 6pm, and then before bed at 11 i put in the 3 gal of clorox bleach and a dose of algaecide.... my readings this morning at 11 am are:
chlorine is dark red, so probably close to 10 if not over....didn't lose any over night...
ph is about 8.2+ prob because of alk incr right?

pool is a lighter green this morning and can now see the bottom step on ladder and kinda make out the white lines on the bottom barely when the sun is shining.. LOL

so chlorine level is way up and staying... i need to reduce ph with some ph down so it's swimmable...i have some on hand already, but will start going the BBB route when i run out of the expensive stuff!

Since it's lighter green does that mean the bleach was what i needed?? someone recommended 6 gallons and i only put in 3, would 3 more do better???? just hate to get that chlorine level that high, but as long as it's safe i would do it to get clearer water..

[poolrookie]

Results of water test at 3pm:
Chlorine still way over 10
Ph came down to 7.6, will wait little while longer and test before bed to see if it comes down a little more before i add a little more ph down..

supposed to be over 100 tomorrow, have to be able to swim!!!!

[poolrookie]

11pm update:
chlorine still over 10
ph down to 7.4

Pool looks a little lighter green today after the 3 gallons of bleach last night...haven't added anything today, just vacuumed this morning, backwashed, brushed to mix water up!

Just want to make sure that a high chlorine level as long as ph is fine is okay for my 5 year old to swim in?? really supposed to be hot the next 3 days and will definitely need it...
Anyone got any more guesses about what is needed other than maybe more bleach and filtering to get my light green water clear water, closer to pretty blue clear water??

[PoolDoc]

11pm update:
chlorine still over 10

Just want to make sure that a high chlorine level as long as ph is fine is okay for my 5 year old to swim in??

Safe, yes.

Comfortable and non-irritating?

I'm not sure. You haven't ever reported your stabilizer level. If the CYA=0ppm, 10ppm FC could be pretty irritating to skin and eyes. If CYA>30ppm it should be fine. Read the "Best Guess" page linked in my signature.

Anyone got any more guesses about what is needed other than maybe more bleach and filtering to get my light green water clear water, closer to pretty blue clear water??

You need to stop asking this question. In the pool biz, that question is heard as, "Sell me something more!" If you ask it at the pool store, they will LOAD YOU UP with expensive and mostly useless chemicals.

The product you need is one we've called P.O.P., but you already have it available and won't have to go buy it. You just have to decide to use it.

(P.O.P. = Pool Owner Patience)

[poolrookie]

Thanks for all the info Poodoc, CYA level is 10, so chlorine might be irratating! Will check it this morning, as hot as it supposed to be it should start coming down, that will help! I understand about what what else should i do question. Patience is definitely not one of my strong suits! But will try... Will get some stabilizer though and hang it in skimmer.