Cleaning up algae and water mold in a Intex AG pool after vacation

[PoolDoc]

1. Next time you go on vacation, buy polyquat, lower your chlorine to 3 ppm or below, remove your cartridge filters (or put the filter on recirculate), and add a double dose of polyquat (www.poolsolutions.com/polyquat.html)
a) This is Intex specific advice.
b) Polyquat is removed, gradually, by the filter. Taking the cartridge out prevents that.
c) High chlorine breaks polyquat down.

3. But, this time, turn the SWCG off for now, AND

4. Start adding 1/2 gallon of PLAIN Walmart (or other 8.25% bleach) EACH evening.

5. Skip a dose, if the OTO chlorine level is orange or orange-ish yellow. (Yellow / red test drops, bought locally)

6. Remove the cartridges and carefully follow the cartridge cleaning guide: Cleaning-your-Cartridge-Filter-wiithout-Damaging-It!

7. After you are done, soak the cartridge in 1/2 gallon bleach + 2 1/2 gallons of water.

8. Keep treating the water with bleach for ONE WEEK after all traces of the water mold are gone.

9. Get some stabilizer in there (use dichlor?) and do NOT let your chlorine drop below Best Guess minimums for the rest of the summer (See Best Guess page link in my signature.)

10. Do NOT worry about CC levels, etc. until you've completed steps above. Most likely, CCs will no longer be an issue once you have finished.

[strat]

Thanks for the advice. Curious: why turn off the SWCG?

[PoolDoc]

SWCGs typically only produce enough chlorine for *normal* water with no problems; running them when you have problems just shortens their life. Since you STILL will have to add chlorine by hand, it's better to add ALL the chlorine you need, and save the SWCG for when things are normal.

As it is, most people find that their SWCG cells have to be replaced much sooner than they expected.

[strat]

Ah -- OK. I already replaced one, but it was the control board, not the cell. It's a project in my garage. ;-)

[PoolDoc]

Oh, yes. Those projects you're gonna get done when you get around to it. I've got some of those. But I still haven't gotten the projects done.

However, I do have a nice round tuit:

[strat]

PoolDoc, thanks for the tip -- after three days the Cl snapped back and the water's crystal clear again.

New numbers:

Free Cl = 5.8
Combined Cl = 0.2
Total Cl (OTO) = 3.0
pH = 7.4
Alkalinity = 120
Cya = 70 +
NaCl = 3000

(The pH dropped to 7.0 when I added cyanuric acid and I bumped it back up with borax)

I'll keep adding bleach for a week like you suggested so I don't have a recurrence (just added an extra pint this morning because I expect a heavy swimmer load for the 4th).

[Watermom]

Strat,
Use a 10mL sample when you test instead of a 25mL one. It will make your testing reagents last longer.