King Technology Pool Frog system AND green pool

[Winicott]

Hello All. I am a three year pool owner and I am still struggling to get my pool where it needs to be. I joined this site to see what I could learn to do reduce the frustration caused by my green cloudy pool.

I have a Pool Frog Mineral System and I hate it. I assumed it was some kind of user error, so I am in search of the resident pool frog master who can lead me out of the cloudy green haze my UG 27' round is experiencing.

I clearly need to buy the recommended test kit to start.

I am also open to throwing the Pool Frog into the nearest space time rift and make it the problem of some other part of the multiverse and move on to the BBB method (but not until next season since I spent like $200 on mineral pack and algicide)

Thanks for any assistance.

[BigDave]

Hey, It just occurred to me, Frogs love green ponds.

When you're ready, we'll be here to help.

[Winicott]

Thanks Dave.

Update: Water tested on low end of pH at 6.8 Put in 2/3 box of borax and pH is up to 7.2. I will add some more to see if I can tweak it up another .3.

The only thing I could find on the site regarding Borax as it relates to pH was one guy posted he was getting .1 increase per box of borax in a 20k gal pool. Mine clearly increased faster. Why is this?

Shocking tonight with 12% liquid chlorine.

I found the info on the sister site. Based on that I took out the Back Pac since the chlorine there is stabilized. I want to keep the CYA levels low until I am done burning off all the amonia and the like from the pool being closed for so long.

[PoolDoc]

I am also open to throwing the Pool Frog into the nearest space time rift and make it the problem of some other part of the multiverse and move on to the BBB method (but not until next season since I spent like $200 on mineral pack and algicide)

If you have a conveniently located space-time rift, we definitely would recommend taking advantage of it, but we normally suggest just using the trash can for non-chemical debris . . . and "mineral cartridges".

Go ahead and use up your chlorine cartridges, however. You can't throw them away safely. However if you remove all the copper stuff, you can switch to BBB and simply allow the chlorine side of the Frog to feed whatever it can, while you treat the pool normally otherwise.

I'm sorry you've already spent $200 on mineral packs, but unless you can get a refund, that money is gone. Actually using the mineral packs will only make things worse.

Right now you need to get a copper test result . . . if your copper is high, dumping a bunch of chlorine in can leave stains all over the place.

Here's what's probably safest:

1. Get a copper test result from your local Frog dealer. If it's over 0.3 ppm, you definitely have the potential for stains. (Since the tests aren't accurate, you are STILL at risk even with a low result, but what can you do?)

2. Meanwhile, get a cheap local OTO/phenol red test kit. (yellow / red drops)

3. Start running your pump 24/7 if you aren't already doing so.

4. Adjust your pH, as needed to the LOW end of the scale (7.0 - 7.2)

5. Begin chlorinating with plain 8.25% household bleach, using multiple small (1/4 gallon) doses added via the skimmer. (NO tablets in the skimmer!!) Gradually raise your chlorine over 48 hours to the medium yellow range (2- 3 ppm) and hold there, with chlorine added 2x daily.

6. And (a) order a K2006, (b) read the Best Guess page, (c) read the muriatic acid page (all linked in my signature block) and the polyquat page (www.poolsolutions.com/polyquat.html). Polyquat is a way to control algae and clarify a pool, without raising chlorine very high, even if your stabilizer is high. Whether it will help you a lot depends on your stabilizer level.

8. Report K2006 results when you have them.

[Winicott]

Awesome! Thanks for the detailed reply. Once I have completed some of the tasks assigned I will let you know how it is turning out.

pH has already been raised to 7.5 per the instructions in the PoolSolutions Guides. Do I drop it back down to your recommended levels? Pool is just being opened now (long story that has nothing to do with water chemistry. Yes I know it is late in the season ).

I have already dumped 4lbs of 85% powder shock in and the FC was at 0 in less than 24 hours. I also added one bottle of the Pool Frog Algicide.

I am going under the assumption that the CYA has all biodegraded since the FC disappeared in less than 24 hours and Pool Frog Bac Pacs use stabilized cholorine. So I am in the process of stabilizing per what I read in the PoolSolution Guides.

TL;DR I just opened the thing. Does that change your advice?

Thanks a ton and rock on.

[PoolDoc]

I wouldn't use the mineral pack, no matter what. Use the chlorine.

When dealing with algae, anywhere between 7.0 and 8.0 is fine, unless you are using ammonia sulfate (Yellow Out, etc) which we do NOT recommend.

[Winicott]

Took water to pool store. Did not get full results since I dropped sample off and just really wanted Copper and CYA levels so I got them over phone quick.

CYA is 11
Copper is 1
Iron .1
This morning FC was 1.5, down .5 from last night (Yes, I brought it up faster than you suggested). I added more this morning to bring it back up to the 2-3 level.
pH is still holding steady at 7.5 this morning.

No staining that I can tell thus far, but I am concerned that copper number is high.
Water still cloudy. Can't see bottom. Filter pressure is continuing to rise, so I assume things are dying and being filtered out.
Pump running 24/7 for three days now.

What next? I am thinking (which could be the first problem) that I should shock THEN raise CYA since the shock threshold is lower when the CYA is low (Thank You Best Guess resource). Or are we looking at Polyquat (Are you sure 'Polyquat' is not really a swear word?) at this point?

Again thanks for the support.

[Winicott]

POP is dropping fast. I am treating this chemical issues with Mojitos.
.5oz lime juice
1tsp sugar
1.25 oz Rum
10 mint leaves
Muddle
Add crushed ice and 2 oz of soda water.

The nice thing is this works no matter the pool chemistry, unlike increasing and maintaining your pH. Also it is a partially green body of water that you can do something about fast, unlike your green pool which takes a few days...

[PoolDoc]

Copper is 1

I am thinking that I should shock THEN raise CYA since the shock threshold is lower when the CYA is low Or are we looking at Polyquat (Are you sure 'Polyquat' is not really a swear word?

Do *NOT* shock (raise the chlorine level suddenly). You NEVER want to do that when you have metals in the water, unless you have a specific case, and are trying to drop all the metals to the bottom --you can do that with iron, but not copper.

Polyquat is a good backup. It not only will help filter the metals out, as they precipitate, but it will reduce the need to 'shock' to control algae.