CYA/crystal clear green water

[purplegirl]

Hello all, I am new to this forum; this is my first post.

I have been having A LOT of issues with my brand new 16' intex SWG pool. I just put it up two weeks ago and from the moment I finished filling it I've had green water. Since the water was brand new I didn't think it was algae (it didn't have any of the algae characteristics, plus it was BRAND new water)

First I used 2 different products to treat metals. The first did nothing the second turned the water from a dark greenish-brown to a light crystal clear green. I've tried shocking but later had no chlorine reading. I tried an algaecide and that didn't work either.

My PH is 7.6, Alk is 80

I was also told I had high phosphates, which now I know (from reading on this forum) doesn't matter. So I tried using a phosphate remover (which still has my water cloudy).

I then learned I have a CYA reading of 0 which no one bothered testing (I've had the water tested by 3 pool stores). This is the reason I have a chlorine reading of 0 (not the phosphates, which is what the pool store told me).

I put dry stabilizer into the pool but of course had a problem there too. The instructions said to mix the granules with warm water and then pour into the skimmer. I did this but immediately had a clog (intex pool!!) So instead I dumped the granules into the pool. I am now afraid the stabilizer granules will be stuck at the bottom of the pool and will not disolve. I was hoping to shock the pool tonight after I was able to raise the CYA level, but if the granules don't disolve I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

Do you think I have a problem with the stabilizers and does anyone have a clue to why my pool is a CRYSTAL CLEAR green? I am so frustrated and so are my kids!

Sorry about the long post. Thanks in advance!

[Watermom]

Did you by any chance fill from a well? Your description of your water sounds like a metals issue.

Re: CYA -- it is an acid and you don't really want it laying on your liner floor. If you vacuum it up and send it the filter it will clog the filter up? If that is the case, can you vacuum to waste meaning throw the vacuumed water out of the pool? If so, then it would probably be better to put the cya granules in an old sock and tie it in front of a return jet. It does take awhile to dissolve. Actually, you should probably test your cya level before adding the sock to see how much actually has already dissolved. You do NOT want too much cya in there.

Can you list exactly what all you have put in this pool --- meaning ingredients?

BTW -- welcome to the forum!

[purplegirl]

The manufacturers instrustions said to split the recommended amount by 4 hours. The first half, for the most part, has surprisingly disolved; so I put the other half in. The application should raise CYA to 30ppm, and since I'm at 0 I figured I should be good at that. I am hoping to take a sample to the pool store tonight to make sure the pool is ready for a shock.

I do not have well water, just really bad tap water. Sometimes when I fill my bathtub with water it comes out a brownish orange color.

What really surprises me, in-retrospect, is that the water was greenish-brown without any chlorine present. From my readings the water doesn't change color until chlorine is introduced to the metals.

I used Metalfree by Natural Chemistry, (I'm sorry I can't find the bottle) which did not help. I emailed the manufacturer and they said that Metalfree would not work with trace metals or copper, but that I should use their Stainfree to get out heavy metals and iron. Before I got that response I purchased Liquid Magnet, manufactured by a local pool chain, they do not list their ingredients. This turned the water from dark green (but still translucent) to a light green. I did a second application of the liquid magnet about 4 days later but the color did not change at all. Metal testing resulted in a 0.10ppm reading.

The algeacide I used was black algaecide treatment, which I clearly do not have but since I knew even less than I do now I purchased it, according to the pool stores recommendation. (I hate those places!) I don't know what was in that because I gave it away, disgusted.

I have no idea what is causing this green color. The walls are not slimy and I don't see any algae. Please help!

[Watermom]

A few questions:
-- What is your chlorine level?
-- What is the volume of your pool?
-- Who tested for metals and how recently? If not recent, ask the pool store to test it for you.
-- What source are using for your chlorine?

Get a complete set of water testing results and post them. (You need to get a good test kit like the Taylor K-2006 so you can do your own testing daily.)

Do NOT add a bunch of stuff from the pool store unless you ask about it here. Do NOT shock the pool yet.

[purplegirl]

My chlorine level is 0 and has been since I started running my SWG, which I was running for 12 hours a day for over a week. My salt levels are normal (I don't know the number)

My metals were tested yesterday when they read 0.10ppm.

Most of the CYA has disolved and I hope to get to the pool store soon to have them test the CYA level. (I plan on buying a kit soon)

I was really hoping to shock tonight since I will be away for the weekend. I haven't run my SWG since I found out I had no CYA in the water (a couple of days).

Thanks again for all your help

[purplegirl]

I forgot to include the volume, which is 5000 gallons

[mbar]

I am not really sure of what is going on in your pool. It does sound like there may be a metal problem. I would not do anything else to the water now except get chlorine and cya in it. Once the water is sanitized, then we can treat the metals. Just work on getting the water ready to swim in first. You can swim in a pool that is stained, but not in water that is not sanitized. If you can get your water tested and post some numbers again we can help. Remember the stabilizer will not show up for a while, so you will have to keep up with the chlorine demand. One way to test if your water is holding chlorine is to test the water after the sun has gone down, and again in the morning before the sun hits the pool. Once the chlorine holds with 1 ppms, then you are good to go. It means that it isn't fighting anything in your water. Sometimes the metal out you put in will use up chlorine too. Once the water is sanitized, then we can work on the metals.

[purplegirl]

I was unable to get to the pool store so I don't know what the CYA reading is. When I get back I will try to get all of my levels and then I will post. Thanks again and have a good weekend!