pink algae and other problems

[PoolDoc]

Don't panic; do all the following instead:

1. Get a cheap OTO testkit (or a Walmart HTH 6-way if available)
2. Raise your chlorine to the orangish-yellow range (~20 ppm)
3. Compete the PF Pool Chart, to allow us easy access to your pool info:

Pool Chart Entry Form
Pool Chart Results

4. Look at the test kit info page in my signature, and order a K-2006
5. Brush your pool thoroughly.
6. Check into the cost of having your pool professionally drained. (It's tricky to drain a liner pool without ruining the liner.)

Do not panic; a few bromine tabs are not going to make or break things. (How few was it?)

[matthew64]

Thanks for the replies! I do have the Taylor complete kit, i sometimes use the test strips for quick reference, but I have the Taylor kit.

"Raise the chlorine to 20ppm" - how long should I keep it at that level? Is that 20ppm FC or TC?
my Ph is better than I thought it was - its 7.2 when I checked this morning (with the Taylor), not that does a lot for me.

It was 3 bottles of the walmart type (http://www.walmart.com/ip/HTH-Spa-No...blets/17043664) over the course of 2 weeks.

[PoolDoc]

It was 3 bottles of the walmart type (http://www.walmart.com/ip/HTH-Spa-No...blets/17043664) over the course of 2 weeks.

No wonder. You ended up with a false chlorine reading. If you have any left, use them in the toilet tank -- they're not bad for that. (And, it will get rid of them safely!)

Read the Best Guess chart; with a CYA>100, 20 ppm will be the level to hold till we've determined what your actual CYA level is. By the way, it's perfectly safe for swimming -- after you've cleaned up the 'algae' (which is actually bacteria!).

[matthew64]

what do you mean until Ive determined the actual CYA level? My Taylor kit only measures CYA to 100 (but it was much higher). How long would I need to keep my chlorine level that high vs draining the pool?

[BigDave]

Draining the pool is a very tricky business on liner pools. One best left to pros.

You can use dilution to measure CYA higher than 100: Mix 1 part pool water and 1 part tap water (tap water has no CYA), measure the mix for CYA and multiple by 2. If that's still too high to read (mix measures over 100) mix 1 part pool water to 2 parts tap, measure and multiply by 3.

[matthew64]

alright so tonight:

FC-21.5
CC- 3
pH - 7.2
CYA - 300 (at least, using the dilution method (x3) it still wasn't quite to the 100)

So what are my options? continue to run the chlorine at high levels for the foreseeable future or drain the pool? Did that much bromine seal my fate? My wife and I were talking, I think if we have it drained (professionally), we probably would just go ahead and replace the liner as its a year or two from that anyway. I don't really don't want to do this if I don't have to, but that CYA level is not going to be fixed anytime soon with "splashout" and the bromine is in there.

An unrelated question, when I am logged in to the website I can't seem to browse the site other than my post here, when I log out I can access the whole site. Is this a setting I should be changing or do I not have the privileges? Thanks for all the help!

[PoolDoc]

I've upgraded your membership, so some of the problems should be resolved. We've just been hammered with new traffic since just before Memorial day.

You have two options:
1. Drain now, and lose the use of your pool for a month or so.
2. Try to run the pool as is till fall. It may not work, but I'm guessing it will.

If you want to try to run it, you need to
1. Brush the pool completely.
2. Tell me what your water LOOKS and SMELLS like, and what the status of the pink 'algae' is.
3. Do a 24 hour chlorine test, testing at 7pm, 7am, and again at 7pm. Tell me the results AND whether the day was sunny. Make sure the chlorine level is at least 20 ppm when you start.
4. Tell me -- as best you can -- the weight of the bromine tabs consumed in the pool.

Using bromine in an over-stabilized pool is a potentially effective alternative to running FC levels between 15 and 40 ppm. If you add borax to 60 ppm, you can possible go somewhat lower, and can run the pool successfully over the summer.