starting up after winter

[PoolDoc]

Ok, if you're going for a clean up in place (no draining), do this:
KILL the ALGAE
1. Add plain 6% bleach each evening, as needed to keep your OTO kit in the DARK yellow / orange range.
2. Take the cartridge OUT of the filter. Order new cartridges, if you have none.
3. Test your pH BEFORE adding more chlorine, when OTO level is medium yellow to clear. If your pH is above 8.0, add ~1/4 gallon of muriatic acid at a time. (see link in my signature)
4. After the pool turns cloudy gray or blue, BRUSH the pool completely, to stir up any algae on the bottom. But, add bleach just BEFORE brushing. If the pool turns green after brushing, add another 2 gallons of bleach.
5. Continue till the pool is cloudy blue or gray even after brushing.

REMOVE the ALGAE
You have two options here: you can vacuum to waste, using a siphon. To do so, you'll need a vac head, pole, and hose that will reach from the center of the pool to the ground outside the pool. OR, you can filter it out. The Intex filter cartridges do NOT work well for this. I just spent an hour on the phone with Unicel's national product manager, and he assures me their cartridges should work much better than the OEM ones, AND that two cartridges should last all season. (Intex says to discard their cartridges every two weeks!) To use the filter method, you need (2) new Intex cartridges, a covered 5 gallon bucket or trash can, and some TSP.

Here's the process:
1. Install new cartridge
2. Remove when flow drops; install 2nd cartridge
3. Hose off the dirty cartridge
4. Mix 3 gallons of water with 2 cups of TSP. Add 1/8 cup of bleach.
5. Put the dirty cartridge in the mix, and cover.
6. When flow begins to drop, remove cartridge from soak, and hose off.
7. Place cartridge in bucket fill with fresh water for 15 minutes (you don't want TSP in your pool!)
8. Remove and rinse again. Install rinsed cartridge in filter.
9. Hose off dirty cartridge, and restart process.

Here are the products you need:

1lb Savogran 10621 Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) @ Amazon
Unicel C-4607 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Easy Set Size A or C) @ Amazon

You should be able to get TSP locally at Ace Hardware or Lowes, if you prefer. Often it will be in the paint section. However, if you try to buy the Unicel cartridges elsewhere, be very, very careful. Some imported cartridges are being sold as Unicel replacements, but the descriptions are being written very deceptively.

[costo]

Thanks for the prompt reply. I do have a few questions in regard to your post.
You mentioned to remove the cartridge. Do I leave it out for the algae killing process?
What is TSP and what does it do?
Do I need to use it each time I hose off my cartidges after the algae removal process or just for this process?

[PoolDoc]

+ Yes, leave it out while killing algae. It's not going to live algae well, and it will stop up and interfere with circulation.
+ TSP = tri-sodium phosphate, an industrial detergent (no suds) good at removing pool goo from filters.
+ Yes, rotate the filters. You can save the solution, and use it multiple times. So long as you only put a little bleach in the mix, you can leave the dirty filter in the mix, till you're ready to finish cleaning it and using it to replace the cartridge that in the filter. You might want to get something like a Rubbermaid Brute trash can and lid, and simply leave if filled with cleaning mix and cartridge all season. The link goes to Amazon, but it will probably be cheaper if you can find it locally, especially since you have to buy the lid separately.

[costo]

Thank you so much for your prompt replies. You have been very helpful. Hopefully this is my last question of the day. I have a hth 6 way kit from walmart but have run out of the cya testing. Do you know of a refill for that? Im assuming I dont need to test until I get this algae problem rid of but I thought I should get it ordered so I will have it on hand. Thanks again!

[PoolDoc]

Online only -- I've got links for a large bottle on the test kit info page link in my signature.

I need to post pictures but you can refill your CYA bottles by flipping the dropper tip off, filling the bottle, and then popping it back in.

[costo]

Ok.....one more question!!! Will the tsp/90 phosphate free, substitute work?

[PoolDoc]

It might; I don't know.

In general, the TSP / STPP substitutes are FAR less effective than the phosphate products. If you concerned about phosphates in the wastewater . . . fertilize your garden with it, when you're done. But if you get a good garbage can, and spray off your cartridge before soaking, and add 1/8 cup of bleach with each cartridge . . . I don't know a reason why you couldn't use the same solution all summer. You'll probably need to add another cup of TSP mid-season, though.

[PoolDoc]

What results did you get?

Your CYA level will only change if you add stabilizer, dichlor or trichlor (going up) or if you dump and refill (going down).

There's a pint refill bottle on the test kit info page in my signature. The little nozzle will pop out of the CYA reagent bottle, if you push it with your thumb to the side. You can refill and the pop the nozzle back in.

[costo]

FC: 14.5
CC: 0.5
Ph: 7.0
Cya: 50-60

[PoolDoc]

Darn. Posted the wrong answer to this thread, and now I have to go find the thread that answer belonged to!

Glad you posted your CYA level though: 14 ppm is a good algae clean up level with 50 ppm of CYA.

Anyhow. YOUR answer is . . . .

Intex OEM cartridges filter dead algae VERY poorly. I'd recommend you replace yours with the Unicel cartridge. Not only will it filter better, but if you get two, and clean them properly, they will last all season:

Unicel C-4607 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Easy Set Size A or C) @ Amazon

Be VERY careful -- most replacement cartridges are NOT higher quality, and some are labeled deceptively.

To clean them, you need a small garbage can with a lid and some TSP, like these:

Rubbermaid BRUTE Gray 10 Gal Container w/o Lid @ Amazon
Round Brute Lid For 10-Gallon Waste Containers, 16" Diameter, Gray
1lb Savogran 10621 Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) @ Amazon

You may be able to get all those items locally. Ace Hardware or Lowes may have TSP in the paint section.

Anyhow, fill the garbage can 3/4 with water, add the TSP, and mix. When a cartridge gets dirty, spray it off and set it aside. Add 1/8 cup of bleach to the garbage can, and mix. Then, put the dirty cartridge in and leave it.

When you are ready to use it, rinse it off CAREFULLY. You don't want detergent in your pool. Rinse at least 2x. Then, take the dirty cartridge out and put the clean one in, and restart the process.

Cleaning the cartridges in that manner, you should be able to go all summer with just those 2 cartridges.

(Just saw I told you this before. Did you do it? If you have the Unicel cartridges, put them back in. If you still have Intex cartridges, I'd try to vacuum to waste using a siphon. Do you know how to do that?)