The Princess and the Algae!

[theonetruenewb]

Ok. I am not a princess, but I like to think... well yeah anyhow. HELP!

I am brand new to the world of pool care and it seems that my parents pool has become too much for them to deal with. We've now been through liner shrinkage to horrible algae. Horrible algae is what has me stuck. Here is what I've collected information wise thus far and intend to figure out exactly how many gallons this stupid pool is as well.

Chlorine on the dipstick registered at either 0 or .5. I *know* this is way too low, but I am unsure what my mom has done thus far and I'm unsure how I should up and what I should up it to.

ph is (now get this, I got 2 different readings off two different sticks.) either 6.8 or 7.8 depending on which stick I use.

alk is either 80 or 180, depending on which stick I trust there.

Yep, I tried two different tests to be sure I was getting the right results and 10 sticks later (5 of each type) the above is without a doubt the result. Although one stick was a baqua something or another and not meant to test chlorine level.. but I was thinking it should at least correctly measure ph and alk? Oi!

If you've kept up with me thus far, you are a true pool God or Goddess, whichever the case may be. I am right now going to go take a picture to post and attempt to determine the correct size of the pool so I can get the right help.

Thank you!

The One True Newb.

[theonetruenewb]

Ok, I'm back. You're excited right? Nah? It's ok.

Here is the photo



Now lol. My mom came home and filled me in on what's she's tried thus far. Yesterday at about 4pm she added about 4 lbs of stabilizer. This morning at 9 am she added 6 oz of algaecide and then at 10 am she shocked it.

The pool is 15,000 gallons and is 18'x33' oval.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Oh and she found another test kit where you mix liquids with the actual pool water in little vials, should I use that instead?

Thanks for your patience

[theonetruenewb]

Ok, no replies yet. Everyone must be out enjoying their crisp blue watered pools right now. Anyhow, as I was browsing I noticed that you don't like test strip tests so I'm going to go ahead and use the little vial liquid test thingy.

Here's what I got...

Chlorine .5
ph 8.2

Any help?

[mikemedic]

Hello princess
I am fighting the green pool and I thought I was a pro at this.
Family and wife keep ridiculing me over this but not a one will help.

Here is what you need.
You need to find out your
Free Chlorine level
Ph level
Alkalinity level
Cyanuric Acid level

If you can't test these ( and do not use the sticks) take your water to someone who can test, then buy the test kit they sell on here.

We need these values first

From the green water your going to need lots of chlorine

Use the three b's
bleach, baking soda and borax
Read the posting on this site

You need you free chlorine hi to kill off the algae
I have been fighting that green water for a few days

Let us know what your numbers are

[duraleigh]

The key ingredient to clearing the pool will be accurate test results. Stop by Lowe's/HD, Wal-mart, etc. and find one that will measure Chlorine, Alkalinity, pH, and, Importantly, CYA (stabilizer)

Chlorine will clear your pool. You're gonna' need lots of it but we can't tell you how much to put in safely and accurately without the test results for CYA.

The kit will probably be unavailable to you today, so if you want to get a jump on the clearing process, you can safely put in 4 gallons of 6% Clorox this evening. It'll be virtually gone by tomorrow AM or when you post test results....that's okay, it's doing it's job.

Essentially, this will be the routine....test and add Clorox...probably for the next few days.

If you try shortcuts by purchasing "miracle" products from the pool store, it will confuse all of us and probably slow down the clearing process. The pool can be cleared but it may clear more slowly than you like.

Post those test results as soon as you can and you'll get lot's of folks here to help you get the water sparkling.

PS.....Give the sticks to someone you don't like...they're worthless

[gregugadawg]

test stips are actually an approved commercial means of testing by many health departments now so I don't see why you guys give them such a bad name

[waterbear]

Gregugadawg,
Test strips don't have the precision and resolution needed to do any more than tell you if the water is within a range parameters. (just look at the jumps between color blocks on the CYA, Total Hardness, and pH tests, for example!) They really aren't useful for making adustments to pool chemisty. The errors in reading test strips can be much higher than using a liquid regent with a comparator block or a titration, which is the most accurate short of a properly calibarated meter.

Hope this answers your question.

BTW, questions like this are best started in their own thread in the approprate section.