green pool

[ChuckD]

I say to stop and just take a breath.

I have a 17x33 ig vinyl liner and when I need to, I add water from my highly ironized (ferric?) well water. And I've learned an important lesson about this that I think doesn't get enough 'airtime' on these forums.

What kind of filter do you have? You don't say and that's important information. Because if you have a DE, or sand filter, there's a good chance the iron will filter out. And right now I'm sensing a need to throw chemicals at this which may only compound your problem. My DE filter will filter it out. If you have a sand filter, you need to add a little DE to it to get the same benefits (see other posts on how this is done).

If you have a cartridge-type filter, this advice doesn't pertain (but I'd strongly suggest getting a sand or DE). Cartidges are second-best. In either case, know this:

One important lesson I learned about iron, is that adding a lot of chlorine to it, and a healthy dose of sunshine, will turn your water a beautiful pond green and you'll be thinking it's algae. There are other posts around here that actually document this in pictures, and let me say that I've seen it with my own eyes...a lot, in fact, until I understood what was happening. My pool used to have a couple small leaks. I'd return from being away and put the hose in before going to bed to add water. Next morning I'd add some Chlorine and pull back the solar blanket, and in ten minutes the pool would go from crystal clear to that stagnant pond yuck. TEN MINUTES! Kinda sucked when you only had the weekend to enjoy the pool before heading out again. But I also found that if I left the filter running, it'd be clear again in 24 hours.

So, now if I need to add water, I put the hose right into the skimmer so the water first passes through the DE. A lot of water added turns the DE reddish and a backwash is called for. No big deal. But the important concept here is that a DE based filter medium will filter it out.

Anyway, I suggest stopping any of the pool magnet plus, or algecides, or anything else for a day and just let it circulate.

Chuck