Help with algae in above ground pool

[LISAISAACS]

Okay, I have my numbers from pool water readings. I have a 24 ft round above ground pool, vinyl liner, sand filter. It is about 13,500 gallons. These are the numbers:

Free chlorine 0
total chlorine 0.2
pH 7.4
total alkalinity 120
calcium hardness 180
stabilizer 40

They also told me that phosphates are back in the pool. Please tell me what I need to put in, how much, and where to put it.

Thanks so much.

[Watermom]

With a cya of 40, you need to shock your pool up to 15. Test it at least 3x a day and each time add enough bleach to bring the cl level back up to 15. In a pool this size, (same that I have), each quart of 6% bleach will raise your cl between 1 and 1.5 ppm. Add it slowly to the skimmer while the pump is running. Everything else looks OK. Run your pump 24/7 while you are trying to clear your pool. Hope this helps.

EDIT - after you get your pool cleared up, you'll need to maintain your cl level between 3-6 all the time or you will again, have an algae bloom.

[aylad]

In addition to what Watermom said, forget the phosphates...they don't really matter at this point, and you're just wasting time and money by trying to treat them. They're not the problem....not keeping your Cl high enough is the problem.

Janet

[LISAISAACS]

I have already been down that road of treating phosphates. Right after July 4, I had extremely cloudy water and took it to the pool store. They said my phosphate level was off the chart and gave me Sea Klear phosphate remover and five bags of shock and told to "come back with sample in 48 hrs". I did what they said and nothing happened. Took the sample back and they said "oh, you still have a high level of phosphates". They gave me PhosFree this time which did cause all the stuff to go to the bottom and were able to vacuum to waste. The water began to clear somewhat but then started to get a green hue to it. Well, I double shocked with the stuff from the store and it caused the "phosphates" to drop to the bottom of the pool again and we vacuumed to waste again. After that, things just went down hill. We found algae under the steps and brushed it up and then I found this website. I have already added 10 quarts to the water and it is beginning to clear. You can just barely see the bottom and things are settling to the bottom. According to my five way test from Wal-Mart my chlorine level is 3 right now. I am not quite sure how to read it and see if it comes to 15. My stabilizer is now at 30 instead of 40 (from the pool store reading). If anyone could tell me how to read the test to the shock level I would appreciate it. I have learned more on this site since Sunday evening than I have in two years of owning my pool.

Thanks again

[aylad]

If your chlorine reads 3, then you need to add more chlorine til it gets back up to 15.

In order to read higher than 5 with your kit, use one part pool water to one part distilled water, mix well, test from that sample, read results, then multiply by 2. If it's still reading higher than your highest, then use 1:2 and multiply by 3. You'll lose a little accuracy with each dilution, but it's still better than estimating, and maintaining shock level is the only way you're going to get your pool cleared up.

Janet

[LISAISAACS]

I tested with the 2:1 method and it was a pretty yellow orange like the 5 is on the test kit, so multiplying x 3 would make it 15. I had just added a 3 quart bottle of chlorine after I wrote the last reply. I will test again in the morning to make sure it is still there. Do I need to keep up with the stabilizer or pH right now or just worry about the shock until it is clear, which should possibly take how long? I would like to be able to enjoy the pool this weekend. It is 100 degrees here in lovely SC.

[justgrapejuice]

I am having very similar problems. Is it okay to shock the pool to levels this high on the chlorine side, having an above ground pool?

[CarlD]

The maximum shock level is in the Best Guess table. If you follow the table it's perfectly safe in A/G pools. Going higher can be risky, though.