Salutations

[MrFrugal]

I know u said to add 3 gallons of 6% bleach I didn't have any yet but did have a case of s gallons of 10% liquid chlorine. So I added 2 bottles waited an hour tested and the chlorine level was at 3ppm. I then added 2 more bottles waited another hour tested and the test read between 3 & 5 so I guess I'm going to say 4. On my way to the store to grab some old fashioned bleach. Any ideas why my levels aren't going as high as they should.

[Watermom]

How green is your pool? If it is really swampy and green with lots of debris, you may just be going through the chlorine that fast. Another question --- how old were the bottles of 10% liquid chlorine? That stuff loses its potency over time. Keep hammering it with bleach. As many times a day as you can test, add more bleach.

[MrFrugal]

Its not a swampy green, its more along the lines of a heavily diluted green tea. When standing on the deck looking down you can see the bottom but is cloudy. I've added more bleach but still having difficulty keeping it over 5ppm. I've had the 10% for maybe a month at most.

[Watermom]

Keep hitting it with bleach or liquid chlorine. The only way to kill the algae is to take the chlorine level up to shock level.

[PoolDoc]

I've had the 10% for maybe a month at most.

A month at this summer's temps can change 10% into 2%. And, you don't know how long it sat before you got it. Except in areas like S. Florida, where bleach is delivered to some stores daily, commercial bleach can often be a bad deal. Boxed bleach is almost ALWAYS stored a long time.

By contrast, Walmart has a legendarily fast inventory turnover system, plus household bleach is low iron (to avoid laundry problems), so it lasts longer.

Another reason for fast chlorine loss is the chlorine demand (or 'using-up-ness') of algae. With your pool volume, a gallon of plain 6% household bleach will add about 4 ppm of chlorine. With a dark green pool, I'd recommend buying 25 gallons of bleach.

Then, this evening (Sunday) start adding bleach 5 gallons at a time, every 30 minutes. Pump must be running. Test chlorine levels and if you have not achieved DARK yellow readings, add 5 more. Continue till you do. Then add 5 gallons tomorrow AM (Monday), and start again tomorrow PM. After you get a dark yellow Monday, brush and vacuum and clean your filter . . . and then retest and redose if needed.

One thing to keep in mind: when fighting algae, if you aren't getting ahead, you are getting behind. Once you start this, you need to keep going till it's done. Otherwise, you'll lose any ground you've gained, and TOTALLY wasted the chemicals and $$'s spent.

[MrFrugal]

Will do that, however it is supposed to rain here for the next 3 days, does anyone know how that would affect the effect of the bleach on the algae

[Watermom]

Rain will have no effect on the bleach or the algae except to make it more of a pain to tend to the pool! Many people end up with algae after it rains but it isn't because of the rain. Rather it is because people often ignore their pools when it rains and their chlorine levels drop too low resulting in algae.

[MrFrugal]

I've hit it with a steady dose of bleach starting at 7:00 Pm sunday night. After adding 18 gallons of 6% bleach the chlorine level has risen from below .5 up to above 20. I'm using a hth 6-way tester & the dilution method to test the levels as my K-2006 has yet to arrive. If I understand correctly this evening I need to test the levels again, brush and then vacuum the pool. Am I to assume that it is best to vacuum to wasted at this point. Once again thanks for all the information.

[MrFrugal]

Well I think my fight may have come to an abrupt and depressing end. After I back washing I cut the pump off to switch it back to filter flipped the switch & nothing happened. I am thinking my pump may have just died however I can't replace it right now. So thanks for all the help & once it is replaced I will fight another day.

[Watermom]

Sorry you are having pump issues. You might want to start a new thread in the 'Pool Equipment and Operations' section of the forum to see if anybody can give you any advice about your pump. Good luck.