Serious Algae Problem - Need Help!!

[julia424]

Hello fellow pool people,

I desperately need some advice on how to handle a serious algae problem in my pool (cannot see how to attach pics to my post?). Despite every effort the problem has gotten worse.

I recently switched the brand of pool chemicals I use from Leslie’s to Pool Time because I didn’t think Leslie’s was doing a very good job. Here are the products I currently use:

Pool Time shock max blue 6 in 1
Pool Time 3 inch tablets
Pool Time Algicide 50
Liquid Chlorine and Liquid Acid

I wasn’t happy with Leslie’s but now I’m wondering if the Pool Time products are inferior to Leslie’s because the problem has gotten worse.

I should mention that I check my pool chemicals regularly and the acid levels have been very stable at 7.5. The chlorine level has been very hard to keep up. I add shock once a week and at least one gallon of liquid chlorine. I also have two floaters that use a tablet each per week.

I have a 17,000 gallon pool and the water level drops about 5 inches per week (Las Vegas heat!) so I am constantly adding fresh water. I last refilled my pool completely in July 2019 and my filters are clean.

It has been in the past day or so the water has become cloudy green to where I can barely see the pool vac moving around the pool floor. Really stressed and needing help!!

Thank you,
Julia

[Denniswiseman]

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Let's have your numbers (CYA is very important)
FC:
TC:
pH:
TA:
CH:
CYA:

You need to Slam (Shock Level and Maintain) with relation to Chlorine / CYA Chart and Recommended Pool Levels

Excessive CYA renders your chlorine ineffective and you have to use more to get the same sanitation
For every 10 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) added by Trichlor, it also increases Cyanuric Acid (CYA) by 6 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Dichlor, it also increases CYA by 9 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Cal-Hypo, it also increases Calcium Hardness (CH) by at least 7 ppm
To reduce your CYA you have to do a partial drain and refill
Continous use of Trichlor/Dichlor will raise your CYA which means you have to raise your chlorine level as well

Don't use copper algaecide as the effects aren't always desirable. Use a Polyquat 60
(Any brand as long as the ingredients are "Poly [oxyethylene (dimethyliminio) ethylene (dimethyliminio) ethylene dichloride" at 60% concentration.)

Use these common products to balance your pool
Liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite or plain bleach)
Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) to lower pH and TA
Bicarbonate of soda to raise TA
Aeration will raise pH only
Soda ash will raise pH and TA

[julia424]

Hello again,
So it’s been almost 2 weeks since I started this thread. During that time we seemed to be making progress and we thought we’d gotten the algae pretty much under control, although the water was not clear yet. It looked more like very diluted milk.

But in the past 3 days the algae problem has exploded again and we’re back to where we were a week ago, maybe even worse. Very green water, cannot see the bottom at all. And this despite constantly adding chlorine and shock and cleaning the filters again.

I’ve had this pool for 30+ years and I’ve never seen an algae problem like this in all that time. I must admit I’m overwhelmed.

I had the water tested on Thursday 9/17 and am attaching a copy of the results (see below). I was told all my levels were perfect, and they could not understand why I’m having this problem. Today I spoke to one representative at Leslies who highly recommended something called “Biodex Skill-it”, but didn’t have it in stock.

I called another Leslies to see if they had it in stock. After I described my problem, the representative at that location kind of dismissed my Biodex Skill-it query and proceeded to offer me his very detailed process called “green to clean” with the following steps:

After cleaning the filters AGAIN:
1. mix 5lbs soda ash in water, pour around pool And wait 4 hrs
2. add 4 pounds “Green to Clean” wait 5 minutes
3. add 4lbs shock - run pump 12 hours
4. add another 4lbs shock - run pump another 12 hours
5. add another 4lbs shock - run pump another 12 hours
6. after the dust settles, vacuum pool
7. clean filters AGAIN
8. add 1⁄2 bottle “Clear Aid” around pool and done.
Of course my pump has to continually be running during all those hours.

Has anybody out there ever performed this procedure, or anything like it? And what was your experience with it?

The state of my pool presently demands some urgent action but I wanted to pop in here to the forum to share all this and see what ya’ll’s thoughts are before I decide how to proceed.

Obviously, I have to do something ASAP to get this problem under control. So, I appreciate any helpful advice and look forward to any suggestions you may be able to offer.

Thank you again,
Julia

[julia424]

By the way, here are pics of the algae problem from 2 weeks ago, which the system wouldn't allow me to post at that time. The problem currently is worse than this but it's 2:30am and I haven't got a current pic. Just visualize it 20 or 30% worse than these pics.

[Denniswiseman]

I gave you sound advice previously and it seems you have ignored it and gone for the snake oil remedies from the experts at Leslies
If you had your numbers, I would have told you that a CYA of 80 needs a slam level 31 and not 3
By draining 50% of your water and refilling will reduce your CYA to a more manageable level of 40 with a slam level of 16
Read and understand my previous post and then come back for anything not clear

Test strips are commonly called guess strips
You really need to get yourself a decent FAS/DPD test kit (Taylor K2006c or TF Testkits TF100 in the states) to get accurate results as maintaining an appropiate shock level means testing quite often during the day