algae problem for months

[my_youngminds]

Update to my update: Sorry if I am too pesky. I did test the chlorine, pH and CYA of my water using the Taylor kit. Here are the results (I can't believe the difference in the drops vs. the strips.):
FC: 20.5
CC: 1.5
pH: 8
CYA: 0 (My mixture wasn't cloudy at all...is that a problem.)

[my_youngminds]

My pool is at the cloudy, blue stage and has been there since yesterday. What would be my next step in getting it clear?

[BigDave]

Congrats on figuring out the tests in the K-2006! - it's intimidating when you see the kit for the first time but it's really easy once you work through each test once or twice. Your experience is yet another example of why we don't trust test strips - they are unreliable and usually inaccurate.

I'd like to draw your attention to two links in aylads signature above (note: you'll need to log out to follow them) the first is the Best Guess Chlorine Chart and the other is Using muriatic acid to lower your pH. Don't try to lower your pH now as it is probably reading falsely high because of your high chlorine.

Your FC of 20.5 is a bit high for a CYA of 0 but you are killing / cleaning algae. I'd let it drop a little and keep it between 10 and 15 'til your water is cleared. Follow Janet's advice about maintaining chlorine level, running and cleaning the filter, and brushing the pool.

When the pool is clear and CC is < 0.5ppm, you can perform an overnight chlorine test to verify that the algae is beaten. Test chlorine in the evening near sunset and again early in the in the morning near dawn. If you lose less than 1ppm FC overnight, you're done with the algae. If you lose more than 1ppm overnight, keep up the cleanup process (Bleach, Brush, Backflush as necessary) until you can pass the overnight test.

When the algae's beaten, add CYA, let the FC drift down to normal, and adjust the pH. Then close a clean pool.

[my_youngminds]

Well, I thought I might have gotten all of the algae, but from my readings today maybe not? Can someone tell me what they think and what my next step should be?

9am reading:
FC: 18.5
CC: 0
pH: 8.0

Did a backwash and ran the Rover pool vac continuously throughout the day.

3pm did another backwash.

6pm reading:
FC: 7.5! (Isn't that quite a drop? Especially since the weather is cloudy and rainy?)
CC: 0 (which kind of had me confused. Doesn't CC mean something is growing?)
pH: 7.4
Added 2 (182 oz. jugs) of 6% bleach, per the pool calculator's calculations to raise FC back up to 15.

8pm
FC: 16.5
CC: .5
pH: 8.2

Guess I'll see how much it drops overnight, correct? As that will tell me if I'm losing chlorine to something growing or the UV from the sun? Is that correct thinking? The water is a very "pretty" (as opposed to primordial soup green) milky, bluish color. I cannot see the bottom yet. At some point should I stop the filter to let the suspended stuff settle so it can be vacuumed to waste? Sorry for all of the posts. I feel like I am so close, but if I don't keep on top of it or do what needs to be done next, then I will lose control of it again. And I really don't want all of my $$ and time going to waste again. Thank you for any replies.

[Watermom]

You are thinking correctly in regards to the chlorine loss. The reason you are losing so much chlorine during the day is because of your CYA reading of 0. So, that can't tell us if you are still fighting something in the water. Only a chlorine loss overnight can give us that information.

It takes awhile to filter out dead algae especially when you have a larger than needed pump on an AG pool. In the case of pool pumps, bigger is NOT better. A too powerful pump forces debris through the sand bed instead of filtering it out very well.

[BigDave]

Filtration is what's going to remove the cloudy. Is your filter pressure rising?

With 0 CYA, you are going to lose alot of chlorine to sunlight - cloudy or not.

[my_youngminds]

Well, I think I have the algae beaten. It only dropped 1ppm for 2 nights. However, now we have Hurricane Sandy and I had to turn the pump off during this storm. I foresee it being off for at least 3 days. Last I checked (yesterday morning) the FC was at 17 and pH was at 7.7. Any suggestions on what I should expect or will probably need to do after the rain? Also, while it's raining I was reading up on increasing CYA and getting what I needed to do that and was a little overwhelmed with what I was reading here. Do I need to wait for my pool to be clear or just the algae beaten (but water still cloudy) to increase the CYA? Also, the small jar at the pool store was $$$$. It was $20 for 5 lbs! Is there a source/brand that you recommend? Thank you for your advice. It's been a tremendous help!

[PoolDoc]

membership updated.

Maintaining adequate chlorine (> 2.0 ppm where CYA = 0) should prevent the algae from regrowing. You can do this with 6% plain household bleach. Note that chlorine levels will drop RAPIDLY, once post-storm clear skies arrive, so add daily bleach doses late in the evening to allow them to work all night before being destroyed by sunlight.

[my_youngminds]

well, not sure what to do. We are currently without power and isn't anticipated to be back on until Monday. I checked the chlorine level this morning and the FC was 1, CC was .4 and pH was 7.3. Is it ok to walk along the edge of the pool and dump some bleach in, if it's not being circulated? On a positive not, the dead algae settled and I can see the bottom and the water is clear. So when we get power back I can give it a good vacuum to waste. Just trying to figure out what to do until we can get our pump running again. Thank you again for the suggestions.

[Charlie_R]

If you haven't already figured it out, yes, you can pour bleach in around the edges, and stir the water with your brush/broom.