Cleaning a Pool

[Shinnokxz]

Hopefully this is the best off place to be posting this. First time poster- just got assigned to my parents' pool (6 ft. under ground pool). moslty just needed a good skimming and brushdown- well enough... i needed the exercise and tan :) Also noticed a bit of algae growing on the corners and near the skimmer intake. Gave it a good scrub and gave me the decision to shock it with this stuff in their garage.

But the water is still a real murky color. At first it was more green, but after getting rid of all the debris, clearing filters and throwing in a quick bag of SHOCK... the murk seems to be turning more a blue color. How would I got about making it crystal clear? We have lots of chemicals in the garage, pH decreaser, shock, algae killer, some other assorted. What will be the next step?

Thanks for any thoughts all.

[tom]

Keep filtering, working the pH, and chlorinating. Oh, and when the chlorine levels fall back down, backwash the filter now and then. Then do it all again. Keep at it. Tom

[Shinnokxz]

I have my doubt that the chlorination system works right. The pool does not look chlorinated and it's on five with only half of the top intake thing. I have my doubts about the pools intake pressure all together.

[Sacramento Dave]

Find a pool supply and take a water sample in and have it tested. They will point you in the right direction. Even with a home test kit it's hard to do the entire test. If you shocked the pool your chlorine will most likely look right. I guess they gave you no instructions

[Phisherman]

Keep testing the water once a week and add chemicals as needed. Don't expect overnight changes. Adding Shock will cause other fluctuations to happen. Keep filters clean. Read and follow all directions.

[Steve B]

My thoughts:

(You asked for any)

1. Drain the pool.
2. Clean the filter. (You failed to include the important part about if it is a sand, DE, or cartridge filter.)
3. Hose down and scrub the pool surface, acid washing if necessary, if only lightly.
4. Refill pool with new water.
5. Replace or clean contents of filter. Make sure inside of filter is up to snuff. If it's a cartridge, you can clean it. If it's DE, remove the DE, and make sure all your screens and assembly are okay.
6. Invest in a cyanuric acid test kit. Cyanuric acid is the stabilizer that is added to chlorine to keep it from evaporating and going into the atmosphere. You will need to buy a bottle of stabilizer with the new water. Once your cyanuric acid level is right, you will use LOTS AND LOTS less chlorine, and you only have to check it like once a year unless you drain and refill the pool.
7. From there, get a good test kit, and don't really spend a lot on phUP and phDOWN chemicals because if you got it right, you won't have big ph swings.

You asked for any opinions. Mine are to start with clean water, put the right chemicals in there, and start correctly from square one. Who knows what happened in that pool in the past. You think you're going to clean out all that gook and end up with clean clear water?

I don't think so, Tim.

START with clean clear water.

Steve

[Sacramento Dave]

I think draining the pool is a bit extreme, how often do you drain yours? I think with the proper chemicals and cleaning the filters you can get a handle on it.

[tnom]

It sounds like you killed the algae but left debris that is finer than your filter. This debris is left to circulate and cloud the water.

If so you need a "Clarifier". Just add the clarifier to the water and it will make the fine particles coagulate so that your filter can remove them and produce crystal clear water.

[Dan Espen]

...

...

Not only extreme, but for an inground pool, dangerous.

[Sacramento Dave]

I was just curious if I would get a reply. As you say draining the pool is a last resort the deep end of my friends lifted one foot. ( ground water) I would thing twice about taking advice from someone saying drain the pool, they don't know what there talking about.

[Dan Espen]

I've been reading AHR for at least a year now but so far no thread about the repair costs on a pool that's popped out of the ground.

I guess it's a total loss.

[nospambob]

[Brian B]

I've been fighting green algae as well. I understand that I have to shock it and put in algaecide (which I did). I know you're supposed to brush and backwash pretty often. After you backwash, do you need to replace the DE every time? Just wondering as that's using a lot of DE.

Thanks, Brian

[catherinedoe]

Make it uncomfortable for algae before you make it comfortable for bathers.

Drop the pH to about 7.0 and add about 20-25 ppm chlorine (read the dosing instructions on the label). It will clear up. Keep filtering. When it's clear, balance the water.