mess after vacation

[Fiveattripp]

I just have the generic test kit from home depot. I guess I need to order the other. We have a sand filter...triton II. I'm good as long as it's pretty, but when it isn't it drives me CRAZY! I didn't know that about the algae treatment...how do you get rid of it if you have it?

[Watermom]

Nothing you can really do about the algaecide.

What all can your kit test? Is it an OTO/Phenol Red kit (yellow and red drops)?

[Fiveattripp]

Chlorine, yellow; PH, red; blue for alkalinity, clear for counting drops acid demand; and a bottle for chlorine neutralizer

[Watermom]

We really need to know your CYA level. How much chlorine is needed in a pool is based on that reading. (More about the CYA/Chlorine relationship can be found here:> http://pool9.net/cl-cya/ )If you can order the kit I mentioned above, it will help you clear it up much more easily and also make normal routine maintenance easier as well.

In the meantime, try and keep your chlorine at around 15ppm. (In reality, 15ppm may not actually be high enough to kill the algae and clear it up but without knowing your CYA, it is as high as I can recommend for now.) Your OTO kit won't read chlorine levels that high but you can use the chart at this link to get approximate readings of off the scale colors:> http://pool9.net/oto-chart/

In a pool this size, each of the 121-oz jugs of Walmart's generic 8.25% bleach will add about 3 ppm of chlorine. Each evening when you test, add enough bleach to get the chlorine back up to around 15ppm.

Run the pump while you are trying to clear this up and backwash the filter as needed.

[Fiveattripp]

Taylor k2006 kit is on the way. In the mean time I will try to get the chlorine up to the level you suggested. Will be back in touch ....thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[Watermom]

You are welcome. Keep us posted how things are going. Good decision to order the kit. Here are some testing demo videos that may be helpful:> http://pool9.net/K2006-vid/

[Fiveattripp]

Got my kit....now I have to read and make sure I test correctly. I did test the CYA and I believe it is 30 ppm, the Alkalinity is 140, the PH is 7.6, Not sure I did the chlorine correctly. Free Chlorine .24 and combined .48 . Does that sound correct? I might need to redo that tomorrow. The pool is 23,000 gal. Sand filter. 3 ft. to 8 ft. The water looks much better, but is still a little yellowish. Not pretty blue like it should be.