Very Green Cloudy Pool

[Robin N]

I checked my Cl level again and it's low again - around 6. We had a lot of heavy rain today, maybe that affected it? Should I add more bleach and then later add acid or add the acid now and bleach later?

[CarlD]

Add them both, but wait an hour or two to let the first circulate.

[Robin N]

Just wanted to post an update to see if I'm doing everything I can be.

Tested 2 hours ago and here are my #'s:

Cl 24
pH 8
Acid called for 2 1/2 pints
T/A 170

I've been brushing the pool, vacuuming to waste, running the robot, adding Muriatic Acid (I've added 1 gallon + 2 quarts all in 1 quart increments over the past 3 days) I also stopped aerating - I had been aerating continuously up until yesterday afternoon. I read on this site to wait on that until the pH is lowered.

The pool is still the same green. I did think it was clearing up a bit, but after running the robot it was very cloudy again and I couldn't see the 3rd step at all, and it had been visible. After you stare at that green for so long it starts to make your judgement hazy on whether you see change or not.

I also read the trick about the hose on the skimmers - I'm trying that too, but it's not making the slimey mess I was warned about on here. It looks normal.

I am seeing stuff on the steps now - like dirt or something.

When I backwash I don't see much dirt - and I'm not vacumming a trail or anything on the pool. The robot recovered a couple of leaves - all the green is just in the water. I had a bottled sample of the water left from my trip to the pool store (I took 2 that 2nd trip for good measure) and I did see algae settled on the bottom of the bottle.

I just added 1 quart of the Muriatic Acid to the pool again tonight. Hopefully that will bump that pH down. It seems to be getting closer to matching the 8 now. (My test only goes to an 8) I think my kit from Ben is close to being shipped...crossing my fingers...=)

[Robin N]

Water still looks the same today, BUT I might be getting somewhere. This morning my #'s were as follows:

Cl 12 (will add more bleach)
pH 7.6
Acid (did the test to tract my progress on the Muriatic Acid - now calls for 1 1/4 pints, which I added)
T/A 160

I'll add more bleach in a couple of hours, and wait to recheck the pH. Very excited it's coming down now. I can't imagine the thrill of seeing blue!

[Simmons99]

Robin - be careful on all the acid you are adding. Many testing kits for PH will give you a falsly high reading when there are high chlorine levels. If you see that your PH tests lower when the chlorine level is lower, it may just be the high chlorine levels interfering with the test.

Also - have you put copper products in the pool? Have you had the water tested for iron or copper? These metals will come out of the water at high chlorine levels and give the water a green color. Copper is usually in algecides. You can have your pool store test for the metals.

[Robin N]

I have had it tested for metals, and it was negative. Water still hasn't changed any though.

I'll slow down on the acid now. Is it just a waiting game now, and keeping the Chlorine level at around 12?

[bgray]

The most recent test results do not include CYA, which kinda dictates how high CL ppm needs to be to reach breakpoint. The last I saw, your CYA was 130, which would require Cl to be higher than 12...

The only thing I'm not sure about is maintaining a level that won't bleach your liner (since mine is a gunite pool).

The key is reaching and maintaining high enough CL levels to get on top of the growing algae. By the sound of things, you may not have yet gotten there???

[Robin N]

Quick update on my pool - the green started getting lighter yesterday, I'm running my filter 24/7, continuing to brush and vacuum to waste daily, running the Polaris each day, backwashing 3X a day, testing every 2 hours and pouring the chlorine, keeping the levels high. I also installed a new pressure meter and it runs at about 1/2 power (15) when the pump is running and on backwash too. My water looks kind of greenish/grey right now. I am so happy to see progress. I can see the Polaris running on the shallow end now. Thanks for the continued support, especially from Carl S!

[bgray]

Home stretch! Keep it up! It will pay off!!!