Overwhelmed

[The New Guy]

Hey all. I bought a home with a pool, and was keeping things clean & balanced successfully all season... Until we went on a 2-week vacation. I had my brother clear skimmers and add shock weekly, but I think low pump pressure (caused by a clogged impeller) led to mild algae growth.

I've got a 30,000 gallon pool, and despite cloudy teal water and a thin layer of visible gunk on the walls and floors, my chemicals were all pretty good (according to test strips).

Following the advice of Swim University, I vacuumed to waste, brushed the sides, and double-shocked last night. There is much less algae on the wall now. I was planning to use clarifier this morning. However, their guide says to balance chemicals first, and...

I woke up to high total chlorine (20+ppm), low alkalinity (60ppm), high CYA (150), and high pH (8.4). (test strip results) I figure the high chlorine may dissipate over the course of a sunny day (we're in a heat wave right now), but the other levels have me worried. I know I should invest in a test kit, which I plan to do after this experience. But I am panicking since I have a pool party scheduled for the 4th of July and I don't want to wait around for things from TFT to show up in the mail (I specifically want the TF-100, which would save me $40 over what's on Amazon).

There's a pool company/supply store 5 minutes from my house, and I was going to purchase a clarifier there. Now I'm wondering, given the 2-week time crunch and the fact that I'm a total newbie, should I just have them come out and fix the problem for me? I want to DIY, but I also have work to do and can't spend all my time researching/shopping/etc.

Questions:
- Can a pool company balance my water & fix my cloudiness?
- Have I been making mistakes? Was double-shocking the wrong move?
- Or, am I actually on the right track? Should I attempt to balance my chemicals DIY? Next logical step for me would be to add baking soda.

Overall, just feeling very overwhelming and lonely out here. Looking for reassurance & advice from folks who may have been there. Thanks for reading. <3

 

[ajw22]

Order the TF-100 NOW and get that moving.

Don’t add clarifier. Clarifier does not fix an algae problem.

Chlorine is what fixes algae.

Add 1 gallon of 10%-12% liquid chlorine daily to your pool until you get the TF-100.

Don’t add baking soda. Your alkalinity is fine.

Your pH may be fine also. PH tests are not valid when your FC is over 10 ppm.

Your pool should be fine for your pool party.

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[The New Guy]

Thanks for your reply. I ordered the Taylor K-2006 from Amazon and it should be here next week. Is there a reason I should have ordered the TF-100 instead? I opted for the Taylor since Amazon shipping is reliable.

I am using granular shock (dissolved in a bucket first). Normal dose for my pool is 3 pounds, I added 6 last night. Is there a way to convert that to the amounts you listed for liquid chlorine? Should I be only using liquid?

Regarding clarifier: Isn't the purpose to get dead algae to clump together and prevent it from cycling back into the pool? i.e. reduce cloudiness?
How do I know when the algae is dead?

 

[ajw22]

Thanks for your reply. I ordered the Taylor K-2006 from Amazon and it should be here next week. Is there a reason I should have ordered the TF-100 instead? I opted for the Taylor since Amazon shipping is reliable.

The K-2006 has a small amount of the chemicals you use the most. You will soon need to buy refills. In addition you don’t know how fresh the chemicals will be.

The TF-100 is a better value with more of the chemicals you frequently use. Especially with algae where you will be checking the chlorine often. TFT also sells a XL option for the chlorine test which you may need with your algae. TFT always ships fresh chemicals that have not been sitting in an Amazon warehouse for an unknown time.

It is up to you.

I am using granular shock (dissolved in a bucket first). Normal dose for my pool is 3 pounds, I added 6 last night. Is there a way to convert that to the amounts you listed for liquid chlorine? Should I be only using liquid?

You are making more work for yourself. What is the ingredients on the shock package?

Regarding clarifier: Isn't the purpose to get dead algae to clump together and prevent it from cycling back into the pool? i.e. reduce cloudiness?

Your filter or pool cleaner will clear the dead algae. Clarifier is not needed.

How do I know when the algae is dead?

When you meet the three exit criteria of our SLAM Process

 

[Newdude]

I ordered the Taylor K-2006 from Amazon and it should be here next week. Is there a reason I should have ordered the TF-100 instead

Check your intro thread. I laid them all out there. If possible, cancel the order and buy the TFpro.

 

[V___25]

Hello there fellow Pennsylvanian!
Definitely skip the clarifier - you have live algae and the clarifier won't help (neither will algaecide don't waste your money on that either). A pool company cannot and will not fix it for you any quicker (if at all) and you will waste a lot of money.

You will need liquid chlorine and plenty of it. Download the PoolMath app if you haven't already, enter your pool details, and it will tell you how much chlorine you need if you want the specifics but a gallon is safe bet.
Stock up at WalMart or if you are close enough to Lancaster or Mechanicsburg, go to Ocean State Job Lot and get the 12.5% they sell (Walmart's is 10%).

don't worry about anything else at this point, just chlorine, brushing, and vacuuming.

When you get your test kit, IF your CYA is truly that high, you will need to lower that by draining/exchanging water but we'll cross that bridge when you get your test kit.

 

[The New Guy]

You guys rock. Thanks for all the support here. I decided to cancel the Amazon order and go with the TF-100.

You are making more work for yourself. What is the ingredients on the shock package?

68% Calcium Hypchlorite
32% Other
65% minimum available chlorine

It's DryTec brand. Purchased because that's what the previous pool owner recommended as most affordable on Amazon.

Hello there fellow Pennsylvanian!

You will need liquid chlorine and plenty of it. Download the PoolMath app if you haven't already, enter your pool details, and it will tell you how much chlorine you need if you want the specifics but a gallon is safe bet.
Stock up at WalMart or if you are close enough to Lancaster or Mechanicsburg, go to Ocean State Job Lot and get the 12.5% they sell (Walmart's is 10%).

don't worry about anything else at this point, just chlorine, brushing, and vacuuming.

When you get your test kit, IF your CYA is truly that high, you will need to lower that by draining/exchanging water but we'll cross that bridge when you get your test kit.

Hello! I downloaded the app and it's telling me I need 6 gallons! Does that seem high? I'll head to Walmart later today.

You make it sound so simple, otherwise! How often should I be brushing/vacuuming? When should I be adding chlorine? Night only or throughout the day?

 

[V___25]

Ideally you want to add 5PPM per day until you get your test kit. 1 gallon raises your FC by 4.2

If you are using a CYA of 150 in PoolMath, yes it will tell you that you need 6 gallons but we don't know if that CYA number is right. So for now, go with a gallon a day until we get more accurate numbers.

I personally add mine in the evening when the sun is off the pool. Add it slowly in front of the deep end return and add the whole gallon at once. Let the pump run for at least 30 minutes after adding

 

[The New Guy]

Ideally you want to add 5PPM per day until you get your test kit. 1 gallon raises your FC by 4.2

If you are using a CYA of 150 in PoolMath, yes it will tell you that you need 6 gallons but we don't know if that CYA number is right. So for now, go with a gallon a day until we get more accurate numbers.

I personally add mine in the evening when the sun is off the pool. Add it slowly in front of the deep end return and add the whole gallon at once. Let the pump run for at least 30 minutes after adding

Roger that. I've been letting my pump run 24/7 while I work through this. Any advice on brushing/vacuuming technique/frequency?

Thanks for all the help, you and the others in this thread have really talked me off a ledge.

 

[ajw22]

68% Calcium Hypchlorite
32% Other
65% minimum available chlorine

Every pound of the cal-hyps...

• Raise Free Chlorine by 2.9 ppm
• Raise Calcium Hardness by 2 ppm
• Raise Salt by 3 ppm

Hello! I downloaded the app and it's telling me I need 6 gallons! Does that seem high? I'll head to Walmart later today.

6 gallons to do what?

Don't follow a robot blindly.

You make it sound so simple, otherwise!

Look at our name - Trouble Free Pool! Not sell you stuff pool. Not get clicks for my blog or video pool.

How often should I be brushing/vacuuming?

With algae it helps to brush your pool daily. Brushing breaks the biofilm that protects algae from chlorine and lets the chlorine attack the algae.

Vacuum when it looks like the pool needs it.

When should I be adding chlorine?

Please read the SLAM Process

Test frequently and add chlorine to raise your FC back up to SLAM level.

Night only or throughout the day?

Whenever. Time of day does not matter.

 

[The New Guy]

Every pound of the cal-hyps...

• Raise Free Chlorine by 2.9 ppm
• Raise Calcium Hardness by 2 ppm
• Raise Salt by 3 ppm

6 gallons to do what? Don't follow a robot blindly.

App is saying 6 gal to raise FC to 14ppm per SLAM. However, given that I'm using test strips (and following V__25's advice) I'm going to ignore the app for now.

Look at our name - Trouble Free Pool! Not sell you stuff pool. Not get clicks for my blog or video pool.

Honestly thought I'd struck gold with the Swim University YT channel until I realized that there was no one to answer questions when I hit a roadblock. The amount of support I've gotten in the couple hours since joining TFP is really incredible. I'll be spending a lot of time on here moving forward.

With algae it helps to brush your pool daily. Brushing breaks the biofilm that protects algae from chlorine and lets the chlorine attack the algae. Vacuum when it looks like the pool needs it.

Got it... to me, the cloudy water makes it seem like my pool constantly needs vacuuming, but I'm sure that's not correct. Perhaps I'll stick to just in the mornings.

Please read the SLAM Process

Test frequently and add chlorine to raise your FC back up to SLAM level.


Whenever. Time of day does not matter.

I tried reading the SLAM section, but it really seems geared towards the use of a proper test kit, which I won't have for at least a week I'm guessing. Do you think it's still worth following even when I'm relying on test strips?

 

[ajw22]

You cannot begin the SLAM process until you have the TF-100 kit.

If you backup that is why I said to add 1 gallon of liquid chlorine a day until you get the test kit. That will keep the algae at bay.

I know you want to do something but without good test data you are flailing in the dark and are more likley to make things worse. Slow down and be patient. We will walk you through this step by step.

 

[ajw22]

App is saying 6 gal to raise FC to 14ppm per SLAM. However, given that I'm using test strips (and following V__25's advice) I'm going to ignore the app for now.

You have something setup wrong.

Your pool is 30,000 gallons?

1 gallon of 10% will raise your pool 3.3PPM. 6 gallons will be 20 ppm.

 

[The New Guy]

I realized that "Chlorine %" was not set to 10. Now it's recommending 4 gallons.

 

[ajw22]

I realized that "Chlorine %" was not set to 10. Now it's recommending 4 gallons.

For what CYA level?

 

[The New Guy]

125ppm CYA.

I thought of a few more questions in the time since I posted this:

• How do I know that my cloudy water is an algae problem and not something else? Does it matter? I've read that there are other reasons my pool may be cloudy and I just want to make sure I'm on the right track.
• When I'm vacuuming, is it worthwhile to vacuum to waste, or should I just use the normal filter setting?

 

[ajw22]

125ppm CYA.

What is the source of that CYA test?

If testing with your TF-100 proves your CYA to be over 100 then your first action should be to drain the pool and lower the CYA to 40-50. That will drain a bunch of algae out and make the SLAM Process quicker and use less chlorine.

When the time comes we can discuss Draining - Further Reading

And most CYA tests cannot test over 100 so if your CYA is that high then you need to do a diluted CYA test....

For CYA > 90ppm, repeat the test adjusting the procedure as follows:

1. Fill the mixing bottle to the lower mark (15 ml line) with pool water.
2. Continue filling the mixing bottle to the upper mark (30 ml line) with tap water.
3. Shake briefly to mix.
4. Pour off half of the contents of the mixing bottle, so it is again filled to the lower mark (15 ml line).
5. Continue the test normally from adding R-0013, but multiply the final result by two.

If you need to dilute the pool water further then apply these ratios:

Pool water	Tap or distilled water	Multiply result by
1	1	2
1	2	3
1	4	5

Note that when doing a diluted test not only do you multiply the range of the test you multiply the error rate of the test, so results are a ballpark - not an absolute.

See CYA Testing for tips in how to read the test results.

How do I know that my cloudy water is an algae problem and not something else? Does it matter? I've read that there are other reasons my pool may be cloudy and I just want to make sure I'm on the right track.

When you get the TF-100 do the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to confirm algae although from your description it sure sounds like it.

• When I'm vacuuming, is it worthwhile to vacuum to waste, or should I just use the normal filter setting?

With your high CYA vacuuming to waste will drain water which you need to do anyway.

Vacuuming to waste dumps water and chemicals while vacuuming to your filter clogs the filter and you need to watch your filter PSI and clean it frequently.

What model filter do you have?

 

[The New Guy]

Like I said, my only tests so far have been test strips. Even when my pool was clear my CYA always registered high, which had me suspicious that my strips were inaccurate. I'm very curious to see my readings once my TF-100 arrives. Order has shipped!

I'll continue vacuuming to waste daily and adding fresh water to my pool in the meantime.

My filter is a Triton II sand filter. Sand was last replaced in 2022.

 

[ajw22]

Your test strips are worthless. Once your TF-100 arrive throw the strip[s in the trash and forget about them.

 

[The New Guy]

Will do. I'll be glad to be rid of them.

By the way, is the pool unsafe to swim in while I'm doing all of this?