Need instructions on opening a pool

[waterbear]

if you have algae you need to bring you FC levels up to shock level. Try about 12-15 ppm (I noticed that your CYA was 9 when you posted your numbers. I find that suspect becuase most of the CYA tests on the market don't go below 20 ppm and test strips are not accurate!) and keep it there until the green is gone. You shouldn't need to add anything else at this point other than possibly bringing your pH down if it is still up at 8.2. It should be around 7.4 to 7.6 right now to help kill that algae. Use muriatic acid or pH decreaser (dry acid) to bring it down!
It would be very helpful if you would retest your water and post:
FC (Free Chlorine)
TC (Total Chlorine)
pH
ALK
CH (if applicable)
CYA (stabilizer, conditioner, cyanuric acid)
total gallons in your pool
type of pool (plaster, vinyl, fiberglass)
What type of testing is your pool store doing? From the numbers you posted it looks like they are using one of those computerized colormetric type of tests. (CYA reading of 9 is a bit suspect to me)
GET YOURSELF A DROP BASED TEST KIT AND DO YOUR OWN TESTING!
DON'T USE TEST STRIPS!
(Sorry for shouting but it's important!)
You really need to keep tabs on your water parameters and it's very easy to do. Ben's kit (ps234) is a good value for the money!. There are also good kits from Taylor and other companies, even walmart has a 15 dollar kit that I personally would trust over the numbers your pool store gave you although it will only measure Total chlorine and not Free chlorine. It certainly would be better than nothing until you can get a good test kit.

[littleHeidi]

I AM keep tabs on my water parameters. If you read my first post, you'll see that the only reason I went to the pool store was because I was out of agent for the Stabilizer (CYA) test. (I have some ordered and on the way.) It is the $15 Aqua CHem test from Wal-Mart. (We can't all afford to spend $80 on Ben's test kit, unfortunately.) I tested the pool this morning and added bleach as needed. I just tested it again and here are the results (with what little agent I had left for the CYA.)

pH 7.2
cl 3
alk 110
CYA LOW the dot never disappeared and the tube was full of water.

I'm guessing I'll have to go to the pool store and get something to raise the CYA before this algae will go away? Here's a picture of the shallow end: http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b5...t=IMG_0012.jpg
and of the stairs: http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b5...ent=Stairs.jpg and if you look at the very first picure posted (Hit next) you can see what it looked like last year.

[Watermom]

I AM keep tabs on my water parameters. If you read my first post, you'll see that the only reason I went to the pool store was because I was out of agent for the Stabilizer (CYA) test. (I have some ordered and on the way.) It is the $15 Aqua CHem test from Wal-Mart. (We can't all afford to spend $80 on Ben's test kit, unfortunately.) I tested the pool this morning and added bleach as needed. I just tested it again and here are the results (with what little agent I had left for the CYA.)

pH 7.2
cl 3
alk 110
CYA LOW the dot never disappeared and the tube was full of water.

I'm guessing I'll have to go to the pool store and get something to raise the CYA before this algae will go away? Here's a picture of the shallow end: http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b5...t=IMG_0012.jpg
and of the stairs: http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b5...ent=Stairs.jpg and if you look at the very first picure posted (Hit next) you can see what it looked like last year.

Heidi,
I took a look at your pics and yep - it's green alright! I wouldn't even worry about my cya reading right now. Just focus on killing the algae. I know it probably feels like you have added a ton of bleach already, but it's gonna take a whole lot more. Keeping your chlorine reading at 3 is never going to kill the algae. You need to test your water 3 times a day and each time, add enough bleach to raise your chlorine level back up to 10 -12. In a 22,000 gallon pool, each 3 quart bottle of 6% bleach that you add will raise your chlorine level by 2ppm. It is going to take a LOT of bleach, but if you will consistently keep the chlorine level up to 10-12 it will clear. (Remember, if your test kit won't test past 3 or 5, you can dilute your sample and get a higher reading. Take one part pool water and one part distilled water, mix them together and then test as usual. Multiply your result by 2. If that doesn't read high enough, take one part pool water and two parts distilled water and multiply the result by 3, etc.) As Janet said, if you let the chlorine level yo-yo up and down, you'll never kill the algae. Good luck. Keep us posted on how things are going and keep hammering away with bleach! Hope this helps.

Watermom

[JohnT]

I'm guessing I'll have to go to the pool store and get something to raise the CYA before this algae will go away?

No, you need to keep your chlorine higher.

[littleHeidi]

Thanks, Watermom!! I'll try doing that. Yes, it does feel like I've already added a ton of bleach. I think I've spent $25 so far on JUST that. (Hey, better than the $200 the pool store cost me the first year we opened!!) Okay, so back to HellMart for more bleach.

[nater]

LittleHiedi,

My pool looked exactly like yours about 50 days ago...have faith, you're almost there!

I can't tell you how many gallons of bleach I dumped into my pool for about 7 days straight until I could finally tell it was working. Here are some key learnings from this experience:

1). Buy a good Cl test kit, one with the powder method that allows you to test up to 50 ppm. I'd reaaaaaaaly find a way to afford Ben's kit (or a couple of seperate kits from Taylor).
2). Vacuum the dead algae to waste at least every other day. This really helps you see a difference in water clarity (gives you some faith).
3). Keep adding Chlorine to maintain the 12-15 ppm until there's no more green. I would hit Bi-Lo, Family dollar, and Costco all in one day and fill my truck with cases of bleach. (Now I've got my Salt water Chlorinator on line and life is gooooood.)
4). Repeat step 3
5). Print out and re-read the tips on Baking Soda, Borax, Alkalinity, etc until you could recite them from memory.

Once you see the algae war being won, get you pH stabilized. I've got about 50 ppm of Borax in the pool now (added over time) and my pH is very stable....7.2-7.4 day in, day out.

6). Remeber that pool care is easy if you add enough P.O.P. (Pool Owner Patience)

[littleHeidi]

Thanks for the advice. However, I'm afraid to vacuum to waste because I"ll have to add even more water and dump in twice the amount of bleach to keep the level up. I'm doing all I can now to keep it at 12. It looks a little better every day. How often do you think I should be testing the cl and pH?

[nater]

I'm not sure what kind of filter you have, but mine is a Hayward sand filter. My pool volume is a little less than yours too (18,000). I can spend 10-15 minutes vacuuming to waste and only drop the level down about 2-3 inches. That's probably 300 to 800 hundred gallons, but a small percentage of the total volume.

I'd check the Cl at least twice a day (morning/night) and add the bleach you need to maintain the 12 ppm. Once you get things under control, you can test less often.

[Poconos]

This thread is way too long so I'm locking it. Littleheidie, if you want to pursue other specific questions please start a new thread.
Thanks,
Al