My 6-year old is dying to swim and I've got green water even with high FC levels

[rox29160]

29 May 2014

The dry form of the green stuff is very close to the color of the statue of liberty. I don't remember ever adding anything other than Bleach, Salt, Borax, Baking soda, and PH Minus.

My SWCG does have the 2 little copper bars sticking down into the flow, which I am assuming is the ionizer unit you are talking about. It also has about 4 or 5 thin silver plates that I think is what produces the chlorine. I have been reading about disconnecting the cord that goes to the copper bars to prevent it from releasing copper into the pool, but have not done that yet.

With exception of a couple of days when I first started this process, I have not been using the SWCG this year.

Like I said, the hoses have been gradually getting darker and darker the last couple of years though so this may be an old issue just now rearing its ugly green head. I have tried cleaning them on several occasions over this time, but have never found a way to clean them effectively. I have never had problems getting clear water until now so the "dirty" hoses have just been eye sores up to this point. As I stated previously, I took the SWCG out of the loop completely last night. I pulled the ladder out of storage last night as well. It also had a thin film of this same chaulky green stuff all over it. When you brush it, the green stuff comes off like powdery green sawdust.

If this is copper in the water, would my FC levels be dropping so much overnight or does this still indicate algae?

[BigDave]

Is the hose downstream from the ionizer darker than the one upstream? Do they get swapped around?

I'm guessing that the overnight chlorine demand may be from the dead algae stained green from copper.

Did the ladder have the green chalky on it from last year?

[rox29160]

I don't think they get darker downstream of the ionizer. The hose that I notice the most is actually the one from the bottom of the skimmer basket to the pool outlet since it is visible from inside the pool. It is also a "clear" pipe that you can see through. The others are pretty and white on the outside, but when you look into the end of one, it is pretty disturbing. I had at least one end of all 3 exterior hoses disconnected last night while taking the SWCG offline and I think they all looked equally bad inside. The hoses on the outside of the pool usually don't get swapped around during the season. They may get put in a different location when hooking everything up at the beginning of the season though.

Dead algae still uses chlorine? I must have misunderstood. I thought you only had overnight chlorine demand with live algae and once it was dead, it stopped eating up the FC b/c you aren't fighting it anymore. Then you just had to wait on the filter to get all the dead algae out.

Yes the ladder's green chalky stuff was leftover from last year. It has been in my shop all winter to keep it out of the weather so it hasn't even been in the pool this year.

Again, I appreciate all your help.

[BigDave]

Once the algae is dead, it can usually be filtered. I think in this case, the dead algae just passes through the filter. Chlorine will oxidise any organic material in the pool and will be consumed in the process. The dead algae is plenty of organic material. Hopefully the new filter carts will help clear the dead algae.

Is the pool water the same color green as the hose deposits?

What's the CH level?

[rox29160]

29 May 2014

The pool water is a light green and the dried green film on everything when I took it out of storage was about the same color, just light green I guess. The green gunk inside the wet hoses is a lot darker.

I just looked at the hose that has been soaking in the bleach solution this afternoon and there is not much change at all. I stuck my finger in there to what I could reach and it does not wipe off. I can scratch it off with a fingernail. It is not slimy at all. It actually feels a little rough.

I never have been able to get the CH test to work right. The test starts off a light pink (not red) and turns a light violet (not blue). I just tested the CH at 50 ppm, using these colors. I have always had trouble with the CH test even when the kit was brand new. Reading over one of my previous posts about this, it used to start out blue though.

These are the original reagents since I never test for it. I was told by somebody that it doesn't really matter for vinyl pools. I just installed my new UNICEL cartridges. My daughter and I sure hope they work. I think she has given up on the pool.

Not seeing any difference in the pool in close to 2 weeks and after buying about 40 gallons of bleach, I am pretty close to that point myself.

[PoolDoc]

I'm so sorry you've had those problems. For future reference, with a 5,000 gallon pool, it's often better to dump and refill, once the pool gets away from you.

1. Maybe I'm missing it, but I didn't see your CYA results. Do you know what your CURRENT stabilizer level is?

2. If you have an Intex SWCG unit . . . DISCONNECT the wires to the copper part.

3. Don't worry about pH, TA, or CH right now. Just CYA.

4. Another question: do your pool walls feel slimy? Vinyl pools almost ALWAYS feel slimy when algae starts growing, and during an algae outbreak.

[rox29160]

I haven't added stabilizer at all this year. In the past 3 seasons, I never got the CYA to register on the test so it has to be less than 30 ppm. I also seem to remember reading that algae "eats" stabilizer. Based on these 2 things, I have been assuming the CYA is close to zero. I was trying to get the algae under control before adding any stabilizer. Stabilizer allows the chlorine to last longer, but doesn't it slow down the chlorine's effectiveness on algae? I will wait to hear back from you before adding the stabilizer so as not to slow down this process even further.

I do have the SWCG. I will disconnect the copper ionizer before hooking it back up. It is not hooked up at all right now. I am running the pump 24/7.

I can not find anywhere in my pool that is slimy. I know this is one of the telltale signs of algae so I go around rubbing my hands over everything. Everything squeaks when you rub your fingers over it, if that makes sense.

I decided to test my CYA this morning just to make sure. It is definitely below 30. I can clearly see the dot on the bottom when the tube is full. The solution is not even cloudy at all.

[PoolDoc]

+ Read the SS Recipe -- it doesn't apply directly, but it has info you can use: http://pool9.net/ssr/

+ Turn off the SWCG, for now. Completely off.

+ Use dichlor to chlorinate: http://pool9.net/dichlor24/ If you can't find the Sams dichlor in that link, I believe there are Amazon links to dichlor in the SS Recipe. Or you can shop Lowes, Home Depot or Ace. All of them *sometimes* carry undiluted dichlor. Look for dichlor products that have 56% available chlorine. Do NOT get anything that shows "trichlo-.....", "copper", or a non-chlorine oxidizer on the label.

+ For every 10 ppm of chlorine you add with dichlor you will also add 9 ppm CYA. Right now, that's a good thing for you.

[BigDave]

Thanks PoolDoc I'd missed that there was no CYA.
Do you have an guess regarding the flaky green material in the pipes and other surfaces?

@rox29160: did you get the new carts yet?

[PoolDoc]

Do you have an guess regarding the flaky green material in the pipes and other surfaces?

I'm afraid it's copper -- the color (= Statue of Liberty) she described is one of the copper salts.