algae control with high stabilizer

[PoolDoc]

Do *NOT* use foamy algaecide; it's not really effective and it's not really chlorine compatible. Instead, do these things:

1. Purchase a cheap OTO / phenol red kit (yellow / red drops).

2. Purchase 10 gallons of PLAIN 8.25% household bleach for each 10,000 gallons of water in your pool. Purchase 1 gallon of plain *DISTILLED* water (not spring, not bottled, not artesian: "distilled"!).

3. Read the Best Guess page, linked in my signature.

4. Add 4 gallons of bleach per 10K gallons of water.

5. Brush the pool, and make sure the pump is running 24/7

6. Test the water with the OTO kit. If the result is not VERY dark yellow -- darker than the test block shows -- add 3 more gallons. KEEP the water in the DARK yellow range. KEEP the pump on. Test the pH by mixing 1 cup of pool water with 1 cup of distilled water, and testing that mix. (High chlorine messes up the pH test; adding distilled water dilutes the chlorine, but changes the pH by only a tiny bit.

7. Meanwhile, order a K2006 test kit -- link in my signature block.

8. Test the CYA level as soon as the K2006 arrives. (Test strips are ESPECIALLY bad at testing CYA!). Since the CYA is probably high, test a mix of 1 cup pool water + 1 cup of distilled water. This does affect the reading, so multiply your result x2.

9. Re-read the Best Guess page and determine your correct chlorine level, for your CYA level. Use the K2006 FAS-DPD to adjust your chlorine level. Then, test with the OTO -- if you can recognize the color, you can use OTO for 'quick' testing, to avoid using up your FAS reagent too quickly.

10. Oh, yeah. Do NOT add ANY more pool store stuff: not algaecide, not phosphate remover, not clarifier, not flocculant -- NOTHING. If you need to RAISE the pH, use borax. If you need to LOWER the pH, use muriatic acid. (See safe handling page linked in my signature.)

Good luck!