Lime green water in Illinois in-ground pool

[Ronell]

My pool water is lime green, it is a inground and is 26' x 36' approximately 20,000 pounds of water.

My pool guys said is from algea that is being fertilized by yard fertilizers that become air born? I have a sand colored soot at the bottom. I am the only pool in the neighborhood with this problem. Not sure what to do. I have been to pool stores with no help, just keep dumping chemicals at no avail.

Is my pool company correct or should I be looking for something else?

[PoolDoc]

Your pool guys are full of . . . fertilizer.

Yard fertilizer doesn't get 'airborne' unless someone is spraying it. It IS possible that you have 'fertilizer' in your pool water, since virtually ALL swimming pool stain or scale products are phosphate based . . . and phosphates ARE algae fertilizer.

But there are some other possibilities. At this point, we know a couple of things:

1. Your pool guys are either dumb or dishonest or both. (Dumb is most likely; pool service is not well paid, and most pool service guys are not well-educated.)

2. Your area pool stores are acting like most pool stores do: algae is just an opportunity for them to sell MORE $TUFF!

3. You have no one local you can trust to give you reliable pool chemical information.

4. You NEED someone local you can trust.

5. And that leaves just one candidate: YOU!

The brutal fact is, most pool owners are better educated and better equipped to learn to manage their pool chemistry than most pool people!

Here's what you need to do:

1. Go the Elgin Walmart and get:
=> an HTH 6-way Test kit (https://www.walmart.com/ip/101959375)
=> 6 gallons of "Pool Essentials Chlorinating Liquid" (https://www.walmart.com/ip/48938023)
Both items are in-stock currently.

( You may want to pick up some "Scotch Mounting Putty" (school teacher putty!) . A little dab makes using the K1106 test kit (below) easier; the test cylinder is narrow and the putty gives you something to stick it to, so it doesn't flop over. )

2. Go home and test your pool. If your chlorine level is LESS than DARK YELLOW, add 2 gallons of the 10% bleach. (This is strong bleach and will eat holes in cotton almost instantly! Skin is fairly resistant though. Wear old swimwear or clothes, and sunglasses or other eye protection.)

3. Make sure your pump is running 24/7. If it is not, set it to run continuously.

4. Go inside and order a Taylor K2006 from Amazon. This is the master test kit. Also, order a Taylor K-1106. This is the kit that will tell you if you ACTUALLY have high phosphates . . . which can be a real problem.

5. Then, while you are still at your computer, post the test results from earlier, here

.

Once you post, I'll get back to you.

[PoolDoc]

[ Upgraded membership; moved thread to " Algage " section <= you may need to log out and back in, before you can see everything. ]

Also, updated my reply and corrected links.

And . . . if you would . . . when you post test results, include list of all the chemicals you've added in the last 10 days. Quite a few pool-store chemicals CAUSE problems, and require corrections all their own.

[Ronell]

Thank you so very much, I am so frustrated. I tested the chlorine an it is over 5 on my test kit, and my chlorinator is wide open.

The dumb pool guy tested it for phosphates and he said it wasn't that high? He feels it is the fertilizers the neighbors are using OMG He wants to put a chemical in the pool that will "catch" all the algae but it has to be turned off for 2 days, then a vac to clear the pool. I fear the test kits will take a couple days, but I am going to order them now so I have them.

Is there anything I can do immediately so we can swim? Or begin to clean this mess up?

--------------------------------

I forgot to tell you what I have added. 6 bags of Leslie Pool Power Powder Plus Shock, and 5 lbs of Soda Ash?

[PoolDoc]

Is there anything I can do immediately so we can swim? Or begin to clean this mess up?

Yes! #1 above. Go to the Elgin Walmart and get the bleach and the quick kit. Read the instructions carefully . . . 2x . . . then test the pool and report the results.

Do NOT let your 'guy' floc the pool: floccing is uncertain at best, and NEVER works on live (= green) algae!

PS. You will STILL need the kits from Amazon. You can NOT trust your pool guy's testing!

[robbym70]

So glad to see you back on again Pool Doc. Thanks so much for the time, effort and energy. I'm grateful you for all your work here. I found this site when I moved to a new house with an above ground pool and the info I learned has kept my pool in great shape for nine years now. I even replaced my own liner following many posts on here ( and some you tube vids)...

Anyhow...a phrase I remember well is POP...pool owner patience. Practice it and you will be rewarded eventually. Add the Chlorine as instructed and run the pump continuously. It may take a week or longer but eventually your pool will be clear.