Help! Husband gone, need help!

[bob57]

Hello - Algae took over the pool! I have been brushing the pool every couple days and it just keeps coming back. The water is cloudy and has been for a week and a half. I have shocked it twice and and after both times ran the pump for 24 hours. The pump runs now for 6 hours a day.

We have a 16 X 32 oval above ground pool with vinyl liner - 10,573 gallons
The test numbers were:
FC 5.0 - for the past 3 days
PH 7.2

What do I do? Help me fix the pool before my husband comes back from camp! Thanking you in advance!!!!

[Watermom]

We need more numbers to be able to help. Specifically, we need your cya reading. If your test kit won't test for it, go to a pool store and ask them to test it but don't let them talk you into buying anything while you are there. For now, shock your pool up to about 10 and try and hold it there without letting your chlorine level yo-yo up and down. In a pool this size, each quart of plain, unscented laundry bleach will raise your chlorine level by approximately 1.5. Try and test at least twice a day and three times a day is better, and each time add enough bleach to raise the cl level up to 10. Run your pump 24/7 while you are trying to clear the pool. Post your cya number when you get it. When we know that, we may need to suggest that you raise your chlorine level even higher to kill the algae, but for now, just aim for 10. Don't worry. We can help you get it clear.

If your test kit won't test chlorine readings higher than 5, you can dilute the sample and make it read higher. Take one part pool water and mix it with one part distilled water, test as usual and then multiply the results by 2. If you need to go higher yet, mix one part pool water and two parts distilled and multiply by 3, etc.

[aylad]

Did you get your pool cleared up?

Janet

[CarlD]

Did you hand him the chlorine and test kit and say "here! Your problem!"?