Low ph and algae

[Watermom]

Good deal.

[cdingess]

My kit is in. A few green spots yesterday. I brushed and vacuumed yesterday. Chlorine look 6 with old kit. I'm ready to rid this algae forever. Please help.

[PoolDoc]

Watch the videos, run the tests, and report the results . . . and we'll see how we can help.

[cdingess]

I didn't get videos. I followed the box instructions. These are what I have:
Chlorine. 4.8ppm
No com chlorine it stayed clear
Ph 7.2
Alk. 350
Cya 75 ppm

I hope these results help.
Christina

[Watermom]

Here is a link to the videos:> http://pool9.net/K2006-vid/

[PoolDoc]

CH level?

With algae, and a CYA level of 70+, you need to maintain FC levels of 15 - 20 ppm. If you have mustard algae, even higher levels are required.

Watch the videos, and redo any tests you overlooked or might have done incorrectly: FC, CC, pH, TA, CH & CYA.

[cdingess]

I watched the videos. Thanks that was help. I redid test.
Cl 5.6 ppm
Com cl 0 stayed clear
Ph 7.3
Alk 100
Hardness ca. 125
Cya 75

I have 3 gallons of bleach here and 2 boxes borax and 1 box baking soda

[PoolDoc]

Good!

Then you just need to adjust your chlorine upward, hold it there, and brush regularly.

Normally, your chlorine level should be 10% of your CYA level (7 ppm). When you are dealing with algae, you'll need to go to 20% (15 ppm) or higher and HOLD it there, till the algae is gone.

Physically brushing the pool surfaces, to break up the self-protective layer of slime that algae colonies produce, is VERY important. Chlorine does NOT penetrate slime well. Some other algaecides (monochloramine, copper) penetrate much better, but at the cost of some serious side-effects.

A gallon of 8% bleach contains the equivalent of about 0.7 lbs of chlorine gas (100% available chlorine). Your PF is 8, so each gallon will add a little less than 6 ppm of chlorine (0.7 x 8 = 5.6) to your pool.

Most dichlor is 61% available chlorine, so a pound of dichlor would add about 5 ppm (0.61 x 8 = 4.9) of chlorine and about 4.5 ppm of CYA to your pool.

[cdingess]

How much bleach would you suggest? How long do I keep it that high? Just till it's dead or much longer? Should I stay with bleach after this or go back to my unopened tab? Sorry for the questions never had this before and don't want it again.

[cdingess]

Which works quicker in killing this the 6 gallons of bleach or 5.5 tabs? Of course with me brushing and cleaning