swimming pool woes

[Doc]

This summer I've had more trouble than ever keeping the algae out of the pool (in ground).

I'll brush it really well; let it settle and then vacuum it. Backwash and add shock. It'll be fine for a few days then suddenly, it's turning green on the bottom and sides again.

I've had to add water from the well to the pool this summer because we've had no rain. I add a little each morning.

No matter what, I cannot get the pH up to 7.0. I stays around 6.7 or 6.8 and it is all I can do to keep chlorine in it.

Any ideas what's going on? Any suggestions?

[momanto]

Bump For Answers.....dd Has Similar Prob. In Sw Fla On A Riverbank Home/pool

[3sunz]

My mom is having the same problem with her in ground pool here in Va. I would love to see what suggestions you get.

[giffy]

A forum I have used that will give you every answer you need to know about pools is Pool Solutions. Just post your problem along with your test numbers and they will have you going in no time. The forum is found here:

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/index.php

giffy

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GiffsFarm

[donsgal]

Originally Posted by Doc

This summer I've had more trouble than ever keeping the algae out of the pool (in ground).

I'll brush it really well; let it settle and then vacuum it. Backwash and add shock. It'll be fine for a few days then suddenly, it's turning green on the bottom and sides again.

I've had to add water from the well to the pool this summer because we've had no rain. I add a little each morning.

No matter what, I cannot get the pH up to 7.0. I stays around 6.7 or 6.8 and it is all I can do to keep chlorine in it.

Any ideas what's going on? Any suggestions?

I used to work at a hotel that had an ozone pool. They never used chlorine and they never had any problems with algae. All they had to do was fish the leaves out that blew in from time to time. I recall their heater was solar too.

You might check it out. I really don't know much about it but they swore by ozone. donsgal

[Lizza]

What kind of chlorine are you using? Pellets or liquid? Sounds like you are not using enough chlorine. The problem with the pellets is that they do not dissolve fast enough. Try buying a case (4 pack) of liquid chlorine and use that. Also try using pool conditioner with your chlorine. What pool conditioner does is attach itself to the chlorine molecules so that the UVA rays do not dissolve the chlorine so fast. You are going to need a Cyanuric Acid Level test kit for the pool conditioner. Also, check into a product called Nature 2 Express, it is a silver copper cartridge that works great for 6 months, algae free. Just do a google search. I am a 20 year pool professional, let me know if you have any more questions.

p.s. this is David, morningstar's husband.

[SteveD(TX)]

Phos-Free is your friend.

[Cindy in PA]

I never had algae for the first 7 years I had my pool and we use the Nature2. Two years ago my husband decided not to put in the Nature2 cartridge, as it got late before we had the pool up & running & he wanted to save money! That was the first year for algae. Last year we had it again even though we used the cartridge. We always used a solar cover. This year we have been OK, but we also changed to solar rings instead of a solar cover, which is supposed to eliminate mustard algae which grows without direct sunlight. I could never determine what kind of algae I had, as it looked green, but mostly grew where it got the least sunlight. My stabilizer is OK and I too have trouble keeping my ph above 6.8. They say chlorine disapates faster when PH is low, but I use tablets & after filling the dispenser & turning it all the way down, I can't seem to get the chlorine below a 5 this year. It hasn't been real hot this year. I should be running the Chlorine at .5 with the Nature2. Pool is real clear though.

[Rocky Fields]

Hey.

Algae needs light. Maybe a pool cover when the pool isn't being used.

RF

[harrisjnet]

As Rocky mentioned, algae needs light. You can add laundry blueing to your pool. The blueing acts like a sun screen. I have even put the toilet blueing tabs in the skimmer. A cover for shade will keep the algae from going into bloom. That is the pea soup green you see, the algae has finally got enough sunlight to mulptiply.
Add Vinegar or lemon juice to raise your PH.(Vinegar is cheaper) I would also add extra chlorine when adding well water.
When you shock your pool, be sure you are using enough chlorine or your efforts will be fruitless.
Good Luck.

[Brea]

Make sure you take a sample to the local pool place to get tested also. They can give you recommendations on chemicals and the chemicals they sell have different concentrations than some of the brand name stuff you find in Wally's World or the grocery store.
Have you tried adding stablizer? Also don't skimp on the clorine when you do get it all balanced again. Or main problem was my dad didn't want to spend the money for a little more clorine so we ended up spend twice that on other chemicals.

[Jenn]

Our saline pool is doing a lot better than our regular chlorine pool did years ago but just started.... we also did pretty well with a solar copper system in old pool- were truly able to use less chlorine. Haven't got one now as salt has less chlorine taste less annoying cheaper (salt not chlorine). Good luck.

[gilberte]

Are you using a test kit? If so what is the cyanuric acid level (stabilizer)? How big is your pool, in gallons? What does your filtration system consist of and how many hours a day are you running it? What product are you using to shock?

[Wolf mom]

As I remember , we had to use not only chlorine (tablets) but also pool acid. We shocked it only occasionally when the chemicals were really out of balance. Brushed it daily.
Buy a test kit - use it daily. Take a water sample to the pool store & follow their directions to a T. If it's raining where you are, you need to check the chemical balance more often. If your eyes are red &/or hurting, when swimming, you need more chlorine - not less.
This was a 42' inground pool in Phoenix with a diatamaceous filter.
Good luck

[farminghandyman]

years ago when we were kids we would swim in the supply tank for the cattle, and had some algae problems, and we wrote the state Ag collage and they suggested copper sulfate to control the moss growth, some links below by some state universities on control in stock drinking water.

http://extension.missouri.edu/webste...e-control.html

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/NR/...StockTanks.pdf

Do your own research before using!

[Country Doc]

Test your chlorine needs to be >1ppm . 2 ppm a good shock but don't swim in it that high. Make sure your chlorinator is working and turned up all the way. Make sure the filter is clean and the pump is working well. Sometime you have to correct for water hardness, but its been too many years since I was a lifeguard to remember how.

[egads1]

We use a product called EZ-POOL. We have a 22M-gallon in ground pool and have never had a problem. We also, take a sample to the pool store once a month to have them check the Ph. Good luck!

[Melissa]

When this happened to me I had to add stablizer. My pool has been great for two years now.