slimy pool bottom and sides...high chlorine

[Melbal]

this is my first post
i have a climbing FC and CC and slimy pool bottom and sides. i have spent a fortune in chemicals and really need to pair down and get simple.
the last test was 6/20 and these were the numbers
FC 8.77 PH 8.5 iron .2
TC 11.87 AK 88 Borate 5
CC 3.1 CYA 140
Last week the numbers were
FC 8.47 PH 7.9 iron .1
TC 8.52 AK 90 Borate none
CC .05 CYA 140

SWG 40,000 gallon vinyl pool multi speed pump that runs 8am to 1pm then 4pm to 11pm
salt is at 3100 (salt generator always reads "add" at 2700 on remote read so I use the pool store salt test)
last week they told me to reduce the SWG to 60% output
yesterday they gave me muratic acid and told me to put a gallon in over an 8hour period. reduce my SWG to 40% and gave me a natural chemistry product to clear the water(which is crystal clear and gorgeous anyway)
she thought the sliminess was from dead algae since the chlorine is so high
i think there is algae(mustard because of the yellow on the steps sometimes and i have brownish yellow stains on the bottom deep end that i cannot get out)
yesterday i bought a pool test kit(that only reads up to 5 FC which is useless to me right now)
poured 1/4 gallon muratic acid into pool and the pool clarifier.
tested last night and PH was down to 7.5(according to my new"kit")
ALK was 80 ....FC off the chart
I put in four 1lb bags of HTC shock and swim and three 1lb bags of dichlor from the pool store along with two chlorine tablets in the skimmer. these are all i had on hand and i wanted to try to get as much chlorine in the pool as possible because I think the pool is trying to fight off something which is why the cc is climbing.
please help
no one is swimming in the pool this weekend so I thought i would try to shock the heck out of it.
i will be gone for a week before i can get back to it.
i need to know what to do next.
I am having the water tested today before i leave and the pump will be running continuously for the next two days.(it has been running all night so far)

[PoolDoc]

The explanation for your problem is found here, on the Best Guess Chlorine page:
http://poolsolutions.com/gd/best-gue...ine-chart.html

[PoolDoc]

Here's what you need to do:

1. Purchase a cheap local OTO/phenol red test kit (yellow/red drops)
2. Start dosing with bleach, at the rate of 8 gallons of PLAIN household bleach each evening (~15 - 20 ppm on your pool)
3. Skip doses if test with OTO shows dark ORANGE color; dose if dark yellow / light orange result.
4. Read the muriatic acid page, linked in my signature, and use hardware store 31% muriatic acid to lower your pH to 7.2 - 7.6.
5. If you want to use borax -- and it will help some -- you need to alternate dosing 20# of borax (or 4 boxes) with acid. You'll need a total of 30 boxes of borax, and about 8 gallons of muriatic acid (PLUS what you need to get pH down first) to fully treat your pool.
6. After the first bleach dose, BRUSH your pool completely. Brush every other day after, but ONLY on days when you add bleach.
7. Order a Taylor K2006 testkit (link in my signature) so you can find out what's actually in your water.
8. Do not by any more stabilized chlorine -- no trichlor, dichlor, 4-in-1, etc. Use ONLY bleach, for now.
9. You can leave your SWCG running, but you can NOT count on it to get you where you need to be. Use bleach!

10. If you are going to be gone for a week, try very hard to get to the ORANGE range (not dark orange) and BRUSH before you go.

[Melbal]

So I understand the idea that I need to correlate the chlorine with my stabilizer and not industry standards. I am just concerned about the cc and slimy pool. I thought that chlorine levels of 30 for two days would do it. Is that wrong? I need to make sure that over night the chlorine stays high and then do I just let it naturally lower? That could be a while.
Does the low chlorine and high stabilizer make for algae growth?
Because at the last testing the fc was in line with stabilizer but the cc was so high

[Charlie_R]

So I understand the idea that I need to correlate the chlorine with my stabilizer and not industry standards.

True. "industry standards" have been proven to be not so good here and at so many other BBB focused forums

I am just concerned about the cc and slimy pool. I thought that chlorine levels of 30 for two days would do it. Is that wrong?

You need to keep the shock level -- as outlined in the best guess chart -- for as long as it takes to clear the pool.

I need to make sure that over night the chlorine stays high and then do I just let it naturally lower? That could be a while.

Three things to know when your shock is done: overnight FC loss =<1ppm; CC =<.5ppm; water clear. Keep FC high 1 additional day, then let drift down naturally. It will due to sunlight (UV) breaking down the chlorine.

Does the low chlorine and high stabilizer make for algae growth?
Because at the last testing the fc was in line with stabilizer but the cc was so high

Yes. With a high CYA, most of your chlorine is bound and is quite a bit less effective for both sanitation and algae prevention.

High CC means that the unbound chlorine is combining with stuff you don't want in your pool. CC = Combined Chlorine. Means it's killing the bad goop.

One more thing. As long as you are at shock levels, you need to be brushing every surface in your pool, including under removable steps if you have them, and inside the light holder if present. Algae loves to hide in places like that.

[Melbal]

I am already gone for vaca so I will have to do this when I get home. I think I understand it now. Do I need to clean the cartridge filter also? With what? I have never done that. I can't vacuum to waste.... I can drain the filter to waste but cannot by pass the filter. Also.....I will
Keep the FC up until I don't feel the slime right? (Cause the water is clear as can be Sony cant judge by that).
One more thing.....the last test the PH was in normal range. So do I skip the muratic acid step and just do bleach or is the borax and muratic acid regimen Ben recommended to be done after the PH is in range or for something different?

Your help is so appreciated.

[Melbal]

I have ordered the test kit. I plan to begin this regimen on Sunday. I still don't understand the muratic acid instructions . Sorry the pH is currently in range along wih alkalinity. The chlorine is really high but I am still on vaca and can't test with the new drop kit. If the PH is in range when I get started on Sunday do I still add the borax and muratic acid? Or do I just do the bleach? Am I trying to lower the CYA at all?
I will purchase the borax and muratic acid as needed I am just not sure why I am doing that.

[BigDave]

The Borax + Muriatic Acid is intended to establish an effective Borate level in the poolwater. Borates at 50 ppm or so are effective at supressing algae. Borax contributes the Borates. Borax raises pH. The Muriatic is added to compensate for the pH rise caused by the Borax.

[PoolDoc]

Do I need to clean the cartridge filter also? With what?

Yes.
Cleaning-your-Cartridge-Filter-wiithout-Damaging-It!

Keep the FC up until I don't feel the slime right?

Yes.

I still don't understand the muriatic acid instructions

Read the muriatic acid page that is linked in my signature. You only need to add acid to (a) lower pH, (b) lower alkalinity, or (c) adjust for borax additions. If your pH & alk is OK, and you don't want to add borax, you don't need acid.

Am I trying to lower the CYA at all?

It's up to you. You have two choices:
-1. You lower your CYA, and operate with 'normal' chlorine levels.
-2. You don't lower your CYA, and instead operate with Best Guess adjusted levels.

I'd recommend #2, but you can't really do that till you have the K2006