Recovering green above ground pool...

[BCroasmun]

This year I uncovered the pool early but realized the solar cover needed replaced and life got busy... 2.5 months later I had a very green pool with tad poles swimming all over the place.

Didn't have a good test kit (small liquid kit) but what I could tell was this:

CC = 0
pH = 7.8
TA = 90
CYA = 25ish (guessing from cheap test strips)

In the process of getting the chemicals right I got these readings before stating to slam with liquid bleach (Great Value 8.25%):

CC = 5
pH = 7.2
TA = 90
CYA = 40 (guessing from cheap test strips)

Using Pool Math while waiting for the Taylor K-2006 kit to come in I started running the filter 24/7 and put enough bleach in to hit 30. Then added chlorine about 1 or twice a day whenever it showed up at a readable range on my cheap kit to put it back around 25.

Taylor kit shows
CC = 24 (shock level)
FC = 1.5
pH = 7.2
TA = 90
CYA = 60

Last night (10 PM) I took CC to 24 then couldn't check till about Noon today and it dropped to 19.5.

Using a skimmer sock to help cleanup in two places (sock and cartridge filter)... water currently looks blue but very cloudy. Can only see maybe 18 inches from top before it is too cloudy.
This forum has been great! I have two cartridges, both pretty worn but I figured I'd keep using them before ruining a new one with how bad it was in the beginning. Now I am at the point where cleaning isn't very bad (no more thick stuff) but at the same time water clearing has reached a slow crawl... probably should put a new filter in and try to rinse it off as frequently as possible.

Any other thoughts or am I just in the "have patience" phase? My daughter wants to get into it at least one time this year so I am thinking even though it's cloudy she can probably walk around in it (not a deep diving pool anyways) this holiday weekend... and maybe help brush a little better from the inside. Concerns?

Thanks so much,
B

 

[kellyfair]

I think you have your initials mixed up - FC stands for Free Chlorine. CC is combined chlorine. It's the FC you are raising to SLAM levels, and SLAM level depends on your CYA. Are you brushing and vacuuming frequently? And I'm not sure how effective your old filter cartridges are. Your water won't clear if your filter isn't working properly.

By the way, you are running filter 24/7, correct?

 

[pabeader]

We usually say that it is safe to swim if you can see bottom (for swimmer safety), the FC is in the proper range and the FC is at or below the SLaM for your CYA.

You really aren't passing the 'see the bottom' part of this, but I would leave that decision up to you...

 

[kcindc]

FYI, the PH test is unreliable when your FC is 10 or higher, so don't bother testing it while SLAMing. Generally we recommended you get your PH to 7.2 prior to the SLAM because it can't be monitored during the SLAM. If your FC ever gets lower, you should check PH and adjust it if necessary.

Swimming during a slam is okay and it will prolong the SLAM, but you have such a short time remaining of the swim season. You can swim as long as the following are true:
FC is above the minimum and equal to or below SLAM level for your CYA
PH is between 7.2 and 7.8
You can see a person if they are laying on the bottom of the pool.

 

[BCroasmun]

I think you have your initials mixed up - FC stands for Free Chlorine. CC is combined chlorine. It's the FC you are raising to SLAM levels, and SLAM level depends on your CYA. Are you brushing and vacuuming frequently? And I'm not sure how effective your old filter cartridges are. Your water won't clear if your filter isn't working properly.

By the way, you are running filter 24/7, correct?

Thanks for catching that Kelly! I got it wrong up top and then kept copy and pasting the wrong FC/CC letters.

I work too many hours a day to do this right and efficiently but am brushing when I can. Knowing it will prolong the process and probably cost more in bleach as well.

Also, yes, running 24/7

Thanks,
B

 

[Vickery]

Down here it's important to be able to see the bottom to make sure that there aren't any gators waiting...

 

[BCroasmun]

We usually say that it is safe to swim if you can see bottom (for swimmer safety), the FC is in the proper range and the FC is at or below the SLaM for your CYA.

You really aren't passing the 'see the bottom' part of this, but I would leave that decision up to you...

Thanks for the reply. I am not too worried about seeing the bottom for swimming safety. My daughter will probably be the only one in it and not even swimming under water until it clears... mainly it's a large splash pool to walk around in. I definitely see the concern there and pass it along though just so the family understands!

 

[BCroasmun]

FYI, the PH test is unreliable when your FC is 10 or higher, so don't bother testing it while SLAMing. Generally we recommended you get your PH to 7.2 prior to the SLAM because it can't be monitored during the SLAM. If your FC ever gets lower, you should check PH and adjust it if necessary.

Swimming during a slam is okay and it will prolong the SLAM, but you have such a short time remaining of the swim season. You can swim as long as the following are true:
FC is above the minimum and equal to or below SLAM level for your CYA
PH is between 7.2 and 7.8
You can see a person if they are laying on the bottom of the pool.

Thanks for the info! I leveled the chemicals before starting the SLAM so I think that should be fine. Hmmm... "laying on the bottom of the pool" makes me think about that differently... I was thinking about seeing other swimmers below you so there are no accidents but if someone bonks their head standing above the pool it would be much quicker to find them and get them up if they sank. I think are scenario still doesn't have much risk BUT I am seeing more reasoning behind it. Probably no "playing" in the pool until it clears but getting in to walk around and brush should be OK.

- - - Updated - - -

Down here it's important to be able to see the bottom to make sure that there aren't any gators waiting...

If I see a gator in my above ground pool in NE Ohio the water quality will be the last thing on my mind! hahaha

 

[kellyfair]

Be glad you aren't in Florida. Our gators can climb!

 

[MarianParoo]

Yikes!!!

 

[BCroasmun]

Be glad you aren't in Florida. Our gators can climb!

View attachment 54083

That's crazy!

- - - Updated - - -

I am leaving my solar cover (12 mil clear) off during the SLAM process... I thought I remember hearing chlorine and sunlight are the two things that break them down over time so high chlorine for this long of a period might not be too good for it. Do you think it matters much?

 

[singingpond]

Just curious what size cartridge filter (noting that your signature shows 5300 gallons, 1.5 HP pump, and unspecified cartridge filter)?

 

[BCroasmun]

Just curious what size cartridge filter (noting that your signature shows 5300 gallons, 1.5 HP pump, and unspecified cartridge filter)?

Not too sure what kind it is... I go to the pool store and get the round cylinder that is about 5" in diameter and maybe 13" inches long.

I probably should measure tomorrow and do some shopping around... now that I learned how much cheaper chemicals are at other places maybe I could save on my filters online or somewhere else also. Was amazed when I learned that 1 gal of muriatic acid was less than $8 at the local home depot versus the price they were selling for the ph down stuff!

 

[kcindc]

You should leave the cover off during a slam. When Fc is used it converts to CC. Sunlight helps burn off CC. Leaving the cover on could lead to high CC. You will want to clean the solar cover with diluted bleach and put it back on for a few hours at the end of slam to make sure not hidden algae spores are left on the cover.


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[singingpond]

Not too sure what kind it is... I go to the pool store and get the round cylinder that is about 5" in diameter and maybe 13" inches long.

I probably should measure tomorrow and do some shopping around... now that I learned how much cheaper chemicals are at other places maybe I could save on my filters online or somewhere else also. Was amazed when I learned that 1 gal of muriatic acid was less than $8 at the local home depot versus the price they were selling for the ph down stuff!

My point with the filter question was to wonder whether the filter (square feet of filtration area) might be small for your pool and especially for your 1.5 HP pump. For example, our filters, which have 15 sq ft of area, measure 5.5" x 10". Your filter may not be much larger. If so, it is really too small for your pool (as the filter in my signature is really too small for our similar-size pool, at least when trying to clean after algae), and it may be very significantly undersized for the flow rate of your fairly large pump. If that is the case, filtration will be quite inefficient, which might help explain your experience that clearing of the water has 'slowed to a crawl.'

Chemistry is always the first thing to look at, but filtration becomes important in actually clearing the water after the algae or other organics have been dealt with by chlorine.

So, if your filter cartridge has a square foot number (maybe on the box it comes in?), that would be worth knowing.

 

[BCroasmun]

You should leave the cover off during a slam. When Fc is used it converts to CC. Sunlight helps burn off CC. Leaving the cover on could lead to high CC. You will want to clean the solar cover with diluted bleach and put it back on for a few hours at the end of slam to make sure not hidden algae spores are left on the cover.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks! I'll actually be starting with a brand new cover after this clean up process so no risk of re-introducing algae from the cover.

 

[BCroasmun]

My point with the filter question was to wonder whether the filter (square feet of filtration area) might be small for your pool and especially for your 1.5 HP pump. For example, our filters, which have 15 sq ft of area, measure 5.5" x 10". Your filter may not be much larger. If so, it is really too small for your pool (as the filter in my signature is really too small for our similar-size pool, at least when trying to clean after algae), and it may be very significantly undersized for the flow rate of your fairly large pump. If that is the case, filtration will be quite inefficient, which might help explain your experience that clearing of the water has 'slowed to a crawl.'

Chemistry is always the first thing to look at, but filtration becomes important in actually clearing the water after the algae or other organics have been dealt with by chlorine.

So, if your filter cartridge has a square foot number (maybe on the box it comes in?), that would be worth knowing.

This appears to be the one I have (unfortunately I threw my box away): Amazon.com : Unicel C-4950 Replacement Filter Cartridge for 50 Square Foot Rainbow, Waterway Plastics, Custom Molded Products : Swimming Pool Cartridge Filter Inserts : Patio, Lawn Garden

That says 50 sq ft.

I am contemplating using a floc to try and clear it up as the depth of visibility hasn't moved in a while now but FC is maintaining pretty well and the CC is pretty low (.75 to 1). Probably purchase a new filter as well and see what it will do.

 

[kcindc]

Please do not use floc. It may help, or it can make things worse. Spend the $ on a new filter to see if that is holding you back. Best to wait for your filter to clear the water. The water didn't become dirty overnight and it won't get clear overnight.

Take a photo of the steps or at least in the same spot each day to track your progress. Make sure you brush daily so that the water is moving so that the dead algae can get filtered out. Small filters take longer to clear.

 

[BCroasmun]

OK, I had already ordered floc on Amazon but will hold off using it. New filter on it's way as well... Originally when I was pulling the filter and rinsing it, it was a mess with each rinse, now in 5 to 8 hrs when I rinse I am not noticing much of a difference.

Not saying the filter isn't dirty at all but now the dirt is only small enough to be discoloring the filter and I see no gunk buildup like I did in the beginning. In the beginning water flushed out green and there were solids rinsing away then it went to more of a orangish brown slime that was being rinsed away. Now the filter material barely changes color... it does lighten in color after rinsing it a lot but not much.

After a few days the depth I can see down into the pool is not changing at all. I am using my net as a measuring stick, I put it in the pool and I lose sight of the far end about where the plastic prongs that go into the pole touch the water.

Maybe I just need more patience but I thought I would at least gain a couple inches of clarity in a few days.

 

[BCroasmun]

Here's some pics to show progress... I need to take some newer ones but this will give the initial progress.



Filter out all the tadpoles... couldn't believe a pool could get this bad over a few months.


I think this is after the first batch of bleach...