green water

[mrszaff]

I added 2 gallons of 6percent bleach , should I add baking soda?

we had a lot of rain the past few days and it got cold the pool is now cloudy and turning green but I want to avoid metal...
also, I haven't added and borax or baking soda yet
fc 3.2
cc .5,
ph 7.1
alk 30
cya 100

[Watermom]

You need to add Borax and you can also add baking soda.

Remember, when it rains, your pool still needs chlorine. We see this many times each season where somebody posts that it was rainy and the pool turned green. Rain does not turn pools green. Rather, people don't check on their pools when it rains and then chlorine gets low and algae gets started.

[mrszaff]

how much baking soda and borax?

[Watermom]

I'd do a half a box of borax at a time. After a couple of hours, retest and redose until you get it where you want it. Probably between 7.4-7.6 although anywhere between 7.2-7.8 is ok.

Regarding alk, it is going to take quite a bit of baking soda (like probably 15 or 16 lbs.) but you certainly don't want to put in that much at once. You can actually buy a big bag of baking soda at Walmart and also at Sam's Club, I think. I'd probably do a couple lbs. at a time. Take a few days to get it all in there. You add Borax and baking soda slowly through the skimmer while the pump is running. It is ok to add a dose of one right after the other with no problem.

[mrszaff]

thank you I will keep you posted!!!

[mrszaff]

thanks watermom... I was away for the weekend when I read your posts so last night i got back after being away for 2 days, the pool looks like a swamp, can't see bottom.I feared that it would take a truckload of bleach so I added 2 lbs of Leslie's Power Powder Plus its a chlorinated shock,(active ingredient is 65-70% Calcium Hypochlorite) and borax and baking soda
my numbers are now(after 24 hours) ...
fc 22
cc 0
ph 7.2
alk 100
Pool is still green and cant see bottom but it looks a bit lighter green.
should i stick with powder or switch to bleach? filter has been on nonstp for days, tried vacuuming and backwashing too
shoulld i shut it off overnight?

[Watermom]

Remind me so I don't have to hunt through this long thread, what is your calcium hardness reading and CYA reading?