My wife sent me here!

[aylad]

What did you use to chlorinate with prior to the switch to bleach? If you were using trichlor, then it's a pretty good bet that your CYA is way high. There are several kits out there that test for CYA (aka stabilizer). You can pick up a Taylor kit at most pool stores. Or, if your local WalMart still has pool stuff out, they have a 5-way drop-based kit for around $15 that will test for CYA.

And yes, the extra leaves in the pool can add to the algae problem....indirectly. The available chlorine is being used up "sanitizing" the leaves, and not the live algae that it needs to fight.

Watermom's given you good advice. Try to get the Chlorine level up to 12 and hold it there, and in the meantime get a kit and test the CYa yourself. With a test result, we should be able to help you get it cleared up.

Janet

[Poconos]

You want the Taylor K-2006 kit. CarlD has others to recommend but they are all similar. This place
http://www.spspools-spas.com/
has the K-2006 for $49 and looks like the most shipping you'll pay is $10 for an order. While at it get extra CYA reagent and DPD powder, and reagent. Since you probably have a CYA problem you'll use what's in the kit up pretty quickly.
I'd recommend the following additions to the kit:
R-0871C reagent
R-0870i powder
R-0013E CYA reagent
The last letter is just a quantity designator.

These are all listed on page-3 in the Test Kit section.
When I ordered bulk reagents a couple years ago they came directly from Taylor and delivery was less than a week.

Al (ajs-1)

BTW: Check this thread too
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=6340