Can Spring Sludge Ruin My Filter?

[duraleigh]

Step #1....Take out Ben's test kit and test your water. Post the results and you'll get lot's of good help.

[CoffeeBean]

After considering my post I realized that no one can really help with the chemistry without numbers so I dug out my PS233 and tested.

As I figured I have

FC - 0
CC - 0
TC - 0
pH - 7.2
Alk - 80
CAL - 120
Cya - 0

I'm still baffled about why the overgrowth of algae. I bumped up the CL levels and added a quart of Polyquat before closing the pool down thinking that I'd have a clearer opening this year than last. My numbers were solid at that time and the water sparkling clean.

I'll be heading off to get some Clorox tomorrow.

Thanks for any other suggestions, especially about the filter clogging up with sludge or not.

CoffeeBean

[duraleigh]

Well, thinking about it a little, I guess you could scoop out as much as you can....I would rather let the filter do the work.

Do you have a sand filter? If so, you'll just backwash pretty frequently during cleanup. I don't know about DE or cartridge.

You're gonna' need a ton of Clorox...probably double what you think. Since you have no CYA, I would put it in mostly at dusk....you'll get more use out of it rather than let the Sun burn it up.

You probably know the drill, bring the Cl up to shock level and keep it there. Run your pump 24/7. You'll get there.

[CoffeeBean]

Thanks Dave for your replys.

I have a sand filter. I was reading another person's post about cleaning up the algae mess and he was saying how his pump got clogged every 30 minutes or so. I, like him, can't stay up 24/7 to tend to it.

Do you think I've got irrepairable damage to the liner or will the staining disappear once I get some CL into it? I'd hate to think I'd have to buy a new liner since this one is only 2.5 years old.

CoffeeBean

[duraleigh]

I don't know about your liner.....time will tell but my money is on the Clorox.

Your Sand Filter is the most forgiving for taking in junk. I doubt you'll have to backwash very much.....but you'll have to backwash.....less and less as your water clears.

[CoffeeBean]

Thank you for your help. I dumped in 12 of the 3 quart jugs of Clorox tonight (that's all I had time to buy and dump - spent 9.5 hours on the road today). Tomorrow I'll start washing it out.

[waterbear]

If you CYA has dropped to 0 while the pool was closed expect to go through a LOT of bleach before the chlorine is holding!

[duraleigh]

Hmmm. Well, I have always been pretty aggressive with Cl but 9 gallons is a pretty big hit.....somewhere around 32-36ppm depending on how many gallons in your pool.

Did you calculate that prior to putting it in?

My bet is you'll still be fine because you've got so much junk in your pool. However, I think I'd back off that big of a dose next time....maybe cut that in half.....around 15ppm max.

On a positive note, that'll sure kill a lot of algae!! Don't be surprised if your filter pressure is waay up tomorrow. (and most of that Cl gone!) Just backwash it out and start again. As I posted earlier, the need to backwash will lessen as you clean out the goo.

Keep us posted as you progress. Add chlorine as often as you can....just don't add so much