My pool looks like a swamp

[AnnaK]

I have an above ground pool. It is 24' round and has 52" walls water level about 48". It holds around 18000 gallons of water if my calculations are correct.

I get 13,500 gallons. Not meaning to split hairs but when you get to the point of fine tuning the water balance, the difference in volume will make a difference in the amounts you add.

[Watermom]

You may have to get DE at a pool store. I'm not sure if places like Lowe's or Home Depot sell it in their pool supply section or not. It is added in the skimmer. Buy the smallest container of it that you can find which may be around 10 lbs. But, I wouldn't add the DE just yet. Since your water is still green, you've still got algae to kill and will most likely be backwashing frequently and will just end up throwing the DE out with the backwash. Kill the algae and then if your filter is having trouble filtering out everything, then that is the time to try adding a little DE.

[vanman2501]

I usually have trouble removing the white dead algae so I was going to give it a try when the time comes. I would guess it comes out of the filter when you backwash. I read somewhere here to add a handful. Wold hat be correct.

vanman2501

[Watermom]

Yes, it does come out of the filter when you backwash.

You want to add enough to raise the pressure on your filter by no more than 1psi. When I add it to my sand filter, I have found that the rise is not immediate like you would expect. The first few times I added it, since I didn't see the immediate rise, I assumed I hadn't added enough so I added more. And, then it was too much and my pressure went too high and I had to backwash it out and start again. I tell you that so you will know to go slow with the DE additions and then wait several minutes to see how it will affect your pressure before you add any more.

[aylad]

I saw small bags of DE at WalMart in the garden section when I was there last week.

Janet

[vanman2501]

Update
Well using my pool for memorial day is out. I am still shocking and vacuuming and my pool is still green. It has lighted a few shades. When I saw it stating to get lighter I thought I was on my way to a clear pool I am now hoping to have a pool full of dead algae in an other week or so. I am about worn out since we are now at about 8 weeks of shocking. I ramped up my chlorine even higher hoping to speed this up.

vanman2501

[Watermom]

This process should NEVER take 8 weeks. Have you been hitting it at least 2 and hopefully 3 times every day with bleach up to shock level? I think you were out of town for a few days? How long? And, did your pool have anything done to it in that time? Can you give current water testing results?