Pool still green

[boy named sue]

OK after adding 6 gallons of 6% bleach last night my new numbers are:

Cl 5 (tester only goes to 5, proably a little darker than a 5)
pH 7.5
ALK 100
TH 0 (tested this twice, zip nothing, is that normal?, it was 70 yesterday)
CYA 0

Based on prior advise from prior post, my plan is to add 6 more gallons tonight, and add 7 lbs of CYA to the skimmer tomorrow morning...

[boy named sue]

I've been trying to get the green color out of my pool. No visable aglae, just green. Based on a prior post I added big dose of Clorox (6 gls Sunday night, 6 gls Monday night, backwash this AM and 7 lbs of CYA). Numbers as of last night, before the additional 6 gls:
Cl 5
pH 7.5
ALK 100
TH 0 (tested at 70 on Sunday?)
CYA 0 (s/b higher tonight)

As of this AM the green color has not diminished at all. When can I expect improvement? I'm ready to flush and start over.

[duraleigh]

What were your Cl test results this AM? That would be VERY helpful.

Flushing and starting over is certainly an option. What would you do differently to keep from repeating the condition your pool is in?

[boy named sue]

No time in the AM for testing with kids, pets and work... will test tonight and post. I guess you can tell I'm a little frustrated. My thinking with starting over is whatever nasty stuff from past years (pucks, algae, algaesides, clairifiers, etc) will be gone. No?

[boy named sue]

OK here are my numbers as of this evening:
Cl 10 -12
pH 7.2 (will add more Borax tonight)
ALK 140 (up from 100 last night)
TH 0
CYA 80 (added 7 lbs this AM)

I'm still scrubing and vac'ing daily. Now that I have my CYA up can I still backwash?

[duraleigh]

Your test results are amazingly inconsistent. 7lbs of CYA will raise a 24k pool to 35...normally in a few days. You went from 0 to 80 in 12 hours.

Your pH went down and your Alk went up......one of those is incorrect.

Are you testing with strips?

[waterbear]

I agree with Dave. Your test results just don't make sense! There is NO WAY your CYA would go from 0 to 80 PPM in one day! You said you added it before in a sock...How much did you add then?
The pH and TA readings should rise and fall together. TA should NOT go down as pH goes up unless there is interferance from high clorine levels and you are getting bogus test results.

You need to slow down, take a breath, tell us exactly what you are using for testing and then let's take it from there.
IF you are testing with strips you need to stop and get a drop based kit or have the pool store test your water. You might also want to check your water for metals (iron and copper) at the pool store. just a hunch. Also tell us if you have added anything else to your pool such as algecides, and if you did what the ingredients are (or the product's name).

[boy named sue]

Adressing Waterbear's questions:
- for the past two weeks i've used a 5 test drop tester from hth, no strips
- using the sock method i added 2 lbs of CYA but never got my sample to turn cloudy while testing
- i've been keeping my Cl very high to kill the green color, no visable signs of algae just a clear green
- i didn't open the pool last year, two years ago i used pucks and algecides but don't recall names. This year i only have used Borax, clorine and CYA.
- visited my pool store this AM. they only test with strips, no metel test. they confirmed my TH was low but everything else was "fine". Suggested I try Yellow shock from nu-do. The called it the nuclear shock.
- i won't use this unless you OK
- i need to find a better pool store with metel tester
- i'm totally in your hands, please advise

[duraleigh]

First of all, this forum wants to help clear your pool....that's the goal. That said, every single piece of advice we give is based on your test results.

The problem is the test results are not consistent or accurate. This has been the biggest problem we've had. note my earlier post:

Your pool has had some puzzling issues. My best guess is innaccurate testing methods.

I have no idea how to help you test accurately and, if we recommend a regimen, that regimen is not very helpful if the test results don't make sense.

The next time you test, post those results and we will all ASSUME those are accurate and base our suggestions on those results only....not anything previous....that's the only thing I can think of.

PS - skip the "nuclear shock"...in fact, you would do well to skip the pool store's advice