Somebody help..algae want go away

[Watermom]

Hi galan and welcome!
We really need more information to be able to advise you very well. Can you give us a complete set of current water testing results taken with a drops-based kit (not test strips.) We will need pH, alk, cya, calcium hardness and at least two of the following: FC (free chlorine), CC (combined chlorine), TC (total chlorine.)

Also, tell us exactly what all you have put in your pool -- meaning ingredients, not just "shock." Then somebody here can take a look and help you get started to clear your pool.

[galan]

Ok, just had water tested and the results are as follows....

CYA: 133
TC: 0
FC: 0
PH: 8
TA: 218
TOTAL HARDNESS: 51

I have used bleach, arm & hammer baking soda, and I have also used the stuff sold at Walmart..I think HTH super shock. Does this help? I hope, thanks.

[galan]

I also added polyquat to pool.

[aylad]

Okay, you have a decision to make, because your CYA is SO high--and what route you take depends on how available/feasible partial draining is. Your plan of attack to clear up the pool with the CYA that high would be to
1) Drop the pH to 7.0-7.2 using muriatic or dry acid. This will also lower your alk, which is too high (no more baking soda for you! ). Then you'll aerate the pool by turning your return eyeballs up to create rippling on the water. YOu could also add a fountain or other way to aerate the water. THis will bring your pH back up without raising your TA again. Do NOT drop the pH lower than 7.0, because that can damage your liner. Go slowly when adding chems, because it's always MUCH easier to add more than to overshoot and have to correct.

2) IN the meantime, you'll need to get your chlorine up to 25 ppm and KEEP IT THERE by testing and adding more chlorine 2-3 times daily, or as often as possible. The more consistent you are about keeping that 25 ppm, the quicker your pool will clear.

3)While this is going on, keep your filter running 24/7, brushing daily, and backwashing it as needed depending on your pressure. Once the pool turns blue/cloudy and the algae is dead (you'll know because there will be no overnight chlorine loss), then you can let your Cl drift back down, but never to less than 8 ppm. Because the CYA is so high, you're going to have to maintain 8-15 ppm chlorine all summer to keep the algae away.

Alternative #2--
1. Drain/refill about 1/2 of your water to get that CYA down to a more manageable level. This might also put your other readings closer to where you want them when you refill with tap water. Then post a new set of numbers and we can go from there. If you get the CYA down to, say, 50, then we're only talking about maintaining a shock of 15 ppm and a minimum Cl of 3, which is much easier and cheaper in the long run.

Either way, do not add any more stabilized chlorine--no trichlor pucks, no dichlor shock. You can use Cal-hypo in granular form, or better yet, switch to liquid chlorine or bleach.

Janet

[Watermom]

I vote for option #2.

[galan]

Thanks! My pool looks gorgeous. I ended up empty my pool using the waste cycle while vacuuming always down to almost where the water was below the skimmer basket then re-filling pool putting hose on full blast and in the deep in so that it wiggled in water. I repeated this cycle while vacuuming and brushing sides for about week. (Happen to find a 6 ft wooden board in pool that was so soaked almost could not lift out). and of course added only bleach several times. Everything chemical wise is balanced. Thank you once again!

[aylad]

Glad it worked out for you. Now that your CYA is lower, it will be much easier to keep your pool algae free. Just adjust your minimum Cl levels based on your new CYA levels by using the Best Guess table http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=365 and you shouldn't have any more problems.

Happy swimming!!

Janet