Algae problem

[piggulet]

We've tested the water and the free and combined chlorine is at 0.6; pH is 7.2

[PoolDoc]

Add 2 gallons of PLAIN 6% household bleach ASAP, and 3 more gallons tonight. If you have the SLIGHTEST green left, add 6 gallons rather than 3. Brush the pool AFTER adding the bleach

Test the chlorine in the AM; it SHOULD be very high. If it is not, add 2 more gallons, and then repeat the 6 gallon dose the following night.

Add 1 box of borax, slowly to the skimmer. Repeat this dose daily till your pH is above 7.4



To do more, we need to know your CYA (stabilizer) level -- 'guess-strips' are especially inaccurate at measuring CYA.
+ Here are links to the kits we recommend:

HTH 6-Way Test Kit @ Walmart
Taylor K2006A (3/4 oz bottles) @ Amazon
Taylor K2006C (2 oz bottles) @ Amazon

[piggulet]

Thanks for this info. We went to 5 area Wal-marts to get the 6-way Drops test kit, and none of them had it. We even went into a couple of pool supply stores. All we could find was the 3-way. We have ordered the Taylor kit and it should be on its way.

After the first round of bleach / borax dosing our readings are:

Free chlorine 1.5
Combined chlorine 3.0
pH 7.6

We still have green color. We are going to add another 2 gallons of bleach this morning and another 6 tonight. Please advise if this is incorrect.

Until we get our Taylor kit is there another way to test the CYA level?

Thanks,
Kimberly

EDIT by moderator: 2 posts waiting in the queue were combined.

[Watermom]

You may be able to find a reputable pool store who can test the CYA for you. Make sure they use the 'disappearing black dot' test and not strips, though.

While you are waiting for your kit to arrive, you can use a dilution method to force your kit to read higher. It isn't super accurate, but better than nothing. Info about it here:

Testing Without a Good Kit

Keep adding bleach. And, your pH is fine at 7.6.

[bri3180]

How does the disappearing black dot test work? Do I wait till it begins to disappear or till I can no longer see it(as far as knowing when to stop counting drops)?

[Watermom]

You do not count drops on the CYA test. You simply read the side of the test block at the point when you can no longer see the black dot at all.

[PoolDoc]

Might help to watch the CYA (stabilzer) video on this page:
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?17157