Constant Battle

[LisaM]

I have never had this problem before and am getting frustrated! It has been pretty hot here and no rain at all this summer. I test the water every other day. The numbers look fine then all the sudden I will be in the pool like happened on sunday and a hunk of algae floats by me. The water is crystal clear and sparkling. This happened twice before. Shocked the pool got the numbers perfect again and a week later I was laying in the pool and another hunk of algae floated by.... What is going on?? Its never dropping in chlorine. I have an automatic chlorinator running just to be sure because Im getting so frustrated.

My last numbers I had were wacky because I was shocking but I can tell you that the CYA is sitting about 15-20 right now. I used a power shock this time because it was actually only at 13 so I wanted to bring it up a bit and figured that was a good way to do it. Any suggestions? Not sure if this is enough info.

[Watermom]

Can you post some current water testing results and tell us what kind of kit was used to get them? Also, list what all you have added to the pool ---- meaning ingredients and not just 'shock.' Make sure you also give the ingredients in your tabs. How long have you been using trichlor tabs?

[LisaM]

I dont have my test results with me at work but I will post them when I get home. Like I said I shocked the pool yesterday so they were kind of wacky. I used powdered Turbo Shock which is just a cal hypo shock product that has a high concentration of chlorine. I use tabs in the heat of summer when I am busy with work and dont want to let the pool get neglected and have done this for years. This go round its been about 2 weeks. They are just a regular 3" dichlor tab. I use borax to raise PH as they are acidic and tend to drop my PH. I dont use bleach but rather liquid 12% chlorine from the pool store as its actually cheaper around here than bleach. Thats it. I dont use anything else in the pool.

[Watermom]

The tabs are trichlor instead of dichlor. Look at the ingredient label on the tabs. Tell us what all it says. Some pool companies are making their pucks a blend of things, some of which you don't want in your pool ----- like copper! (Contrary to popular belief, it is copper and not chlorine that turns blonde hair green!)

[LisaM]

I buy the pucks at different places depending on where I am. There are 2 stores I buy from. 1 by home and 1 by work. I actually dont have any containers right now. I dont really have a green hair problem though and I have some blonde nieces. I have black hair so for me its not a concern. I will check next time I buy a container though. I just filled the chlorinator so that will be in about 2 weeks or so.

[Watermom]

How did you get that CYA reading you posted above and how long ago was that reading taken?