New to ingrould pools GREEN nasty looking pool what to do??

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SpookyB00
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New to ingrould pools GREEN nasty looking pool what to do??

Postby SpookyB00 » Fri 21 Mar, 2008 16:30

I have no idea how to clean this mess.
We purchased the house in Oct. It came complete with an inground vinyl lining. The water is dark green, has pine needle in the bottom, frogs floating in the water, and algae growth floating on top. What can I do to clean this. We have a sand filter... no swimming pool tools for cleaning. I am a first time pool owner and know nothing on the care and maintenance of them.

What tools and chemicals do I need to clean this mess up and maintain the pool? How do I use the filter thing? It a Hayward Pro Series sand filter serial #320G26 High Rate sand Filter (Lever has 6 options: recirc, rinse, filter, waste, closed, backwash) Pump it plugs into is a Hayward Super Pump self priming.

Thank You for any help.
EmmaRuss @ coastalnow . net


Guest

Green nasty looking pool water

Postby Guest » Thu 27 Mar, 2008 09:11

First you should get a test kit. <personally, I use the HTH drops at WalMart.> While you're there, grab a leaf net too if they have it or go shop online. You should also swing around the laundry isle and grab some bleach... OKAY, ALOT of bleach (uncented and I'm talking about 20 big jugs to start with :wink: You will use that much and then some), get some Borax-20MuleTeam and some Arm&Hammer baking soda. You should also get some Cyranic Acid. It's a sunblock for your Chlorine.

Welcome to BBB - Bleach. Borax. Baking Soda. :twisted:

It is really that simple.

Before I start, I must say someone will have to tell ya about the sand filter. I use DE.

You wanna try and get as much yuck out of the pool as possible with your leaf net before you start your pump up. Once you get that far, throw the cyranic acid in the pool. Follow directions on container. You want a range of 30-50. No more no less. You add too much and you'll need more chlorine to do it's job. Not enough and the sun will burn it off faster than you could ask: Where'd it go? So that's why 30-50 is important. Don't make more work for yourself eh? Those chlorine pucks add CYA too but you don't wanna use them on a constant basis cuz it could add too much and then you have to do partial drains/refills. It's the only way to lower the CYA. <That's cyranic acid. :wink:

I guess that's good on a crash course of CYA. And FTR, CYA takes a couple days to disolve. I usually put it in a sock and tie it to the steps.

Check PH <should be around 7.6 give or take a point <Use Borax to raise>
Check TA <should be from 80-120 <use Baking Soda to raise>

Now you wanna add the bleach. You wanna hammer it! There is no other way and dilly dallying around is out of the question. You'll need to test the Chlorine every 4 hours. That water is so green, it's gonna eat up the bleach as fast as you can poor it. <Hence all the bleach> You wanna get your chlorine at a shock level of 15ppm. If you go below that, you are dilly dallying! :wink: :lol:

Your pool will clear right before your very eyes within a few days. You'll want to run your pump 24/7 while you are shocking the heck out of it.

And one more thing. Get a brush and brush the pool. Brush it everyday to scratch the surface of the algae so the chlorine can get to it and it helps loosen it off the walls and floor.

It's alot of work but once you figure out how to care for it, it'll never look like that again.

I'm sure if I've missed something, someone will add it.

Good Luck and KEEP US POSTED! And you can also post your numbers here and then we can hold your hand even more to get this cleared up. 8)
Guest

Green nasty looking pool water

Postby Guest » Thu 27 Mar, 2008 09:17

When you add the bleach, do it over the return water flow into the pool and pour it slowly so it doesn't splash into your eyes. Pouring over the return helps circulate the bleach because it is heavier than water.

Do you have a tele-scopic pole? You need the pole to use the leaf net, skimmer and sweeper. If not, you'll have to buy that too.
muss08
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Green nasty looking pool water

Postby muss08 » Thu 27 Mar, 2008 17:02

Never turn the filter lever (multiport valve) while the pool pump is on!! When you first start your pool pump make sure the filter lever is on waste. let it run for about a minute to flush out your suction plumbing. Turn the pump off. Turn the lever to filter and turn pump on. Your filter is now filtering the water. You'll notice a pressure gauge on your filter. Make a note of the filter pressure. When the filter pressure raises 10-15 psi then your filter is dirty. Cleaning the filter is called backwashing. Turn your pump off. Move the lever to backwash. Turn the pump on and wait for the waste water to come out clean (not brown or green). Turn your pump off. Move the lever to rinse. Turn the pump on. Run for about 30 seconds. Rinse cleans out the pipes so no debris from backwashing shoots back into the pool. Turn the pump off. Move the lever to filter. Turn back on. Simple as that.
SpookyB00
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Done :(

Postby SpookyB00 » Sun 13 Apr, 2008 17:38

I have already spent nearly $800 in chemicals before I saw these postings. :(

The water is now blue but cloudy. I can see the shallow end floor of the pool, but the deep end I cannot see through to the floor. Is this normal?

I have been running the pump and filter 24-7... it has helped alot. I have been kicking up leaves from the bottom and pulling them out and keeping the top skimmed off... the water finally smells like pool water should. It has come a long way since the day I started.

Are using bleach, borax, and baking soda safe for the pool? I took a water sample in the Savannah pool store and they said no, to use only pool made chemicals. I know the previous owner's used bleach as I hauled off 2 truck loads of his old bottles! :)

Would a robotic pool cleaner (such as the Nitro) help with the clean up process? I am getting so discouraged. I have been cleaning it daily for about 2 months now. :( My DH is in Iraq, so I am on my own here besides the help you guys are giving me. The labor is not only discouraging at tmes... but is killing my poor back and muscles as well :( HELP! :)
Guest

Green nasty looking pool water

Postby Guest » Sun 13 Apr, 2008 18:11

We'd love to help more but we can't unless you post a full set of numbers from your test kit.

Once it get's sparkling blue, you won't have to do much more back breaking work! Get those leaves out girl! You're almost there!

I started the bleach last year and haven't had any ill effects as of yet and I don't anticipate any in the future. I took my skimmer cap off last week and guess what?! I can see the bottom and it's crystal clear... even with the cover on! The pool store just wants your money! They don't want you to know you can do it with basically the same products but much cheaper! Why would they want you to save money when they can take it from you?
chem geek
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Green nasty looking pool water

Postby chem geek » Sun 13 Apr, 2008 19:27

Sometimes the pool store will sell chlorinating liquid at a price somewhat comparable to bleach (accounting for concentration differences). I buy 12.5% chlorinating liquid from my local pool store at $3.40 per gallon which is equivalent to about $1.25 for a 96 ounce jug of 6% bleach (e.g. Clorox Regular or off-brand Ultra). Plus, the pool store reuses the containers (I return empties and get full ones) so such reuse is even better than recycling in terms of the environment. And it's about half the weight to carry.

It is true that some pool store chemicals can kill algae faster, but more expensively, than chlorine. For example, they can sell you a copper-based algaecide, but then you can end up with staining of plaster if the pH rises later on. Or you can use a phosphate remover. The choice is up to you, but take a look at this link to see how a pool "let go" over the winter is cleared of algae in a matter of days using chlorine (bleach or chlorinating liquid) alone. The key is to use enough chlorine relative to the CYA level and to keep the chlorine level up. This is why you REALLY need a test kit to see what's in the water. If the CYA level is very high, then a partial drain/refill would be in order. You also need a good test kit to be able to measure high chlorine levels. The Taylor K-2006 test kit which you can get at a good price here is one option (note that this is NOT the K-2005 sold in pool stores -- the K-2006 uses a FAS-DPD test that can measure up to 50 ppm while the DPD test sold in most pool stores will bleach out above 10 ppm). Another good kit is the TF100 from tftestkits(dot)com here. The TF100 has 36% more volume of reagents so is comparably priced to the Taylor kit (it uses the same reagents, but is packaged with more intelligent quantities).

Richard

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