jeskajoy Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Hi there, I'm the property manager of a large estate. I've noticed that the salt water pool turns green very frequently in the summer. The pool guy says it's just because it's hot, and that it's normal. But I'm starting to wonder if we should try somebody new. He's here 2 times a week!! I've heard salt water pools are difficult to maintain... but really? It's a SWAMP today... not good. My handyman recommended someone who's supposed to be really good. Should I switch?? Or is this the best that can be expected? I LIKE our current guy, he's been coming here for years. But.... I appreciate your feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegsOnEarth Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 A pool that is properly cared for should not turn green. It has nothing to do with whether it uses salt or pixie dust. That being said, if you could post some readings from the pool, I'm sure we may be able to find a solution to the problem that your current pool guy may not be aware of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 Salt water pools are actually very easy to maintain IF you know what you are doing. If the current guy keep letting the pool turn green it is is obvious that he does not! Posting a full set of test results (not done with strips) would be the first step. If the pool is turning green then either the cyanuric acid is too low, the generator is set too low, the pump run time is too short, or the cell is fouled and needs to be clean. If the cell is producing enough chlorine (for units that require 80 ppm CYA that would be a FC level of about 4 ppm) then the pool would not turn green. Period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluePool-100 Posted July 27, 2012 Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 A pool with a properly functioning saltwater system and in normal chemistry balance typically should not be turning green at all, it is not normal, as there should be enough power in the salt system (if operated correctly) to achieve whatever level of free chlorine the pool needs to be sanitized properly and kept blue. It's almost a no-brainer for any qualified service company. This may be a slightly forward statement, but any pool, with or without a salt system on it, that is being serviced twice a week should never turn green even a single time, and if it did, it should be able to be chalked up to something easily explained , then corrected, and should not happen again. I would look into other service companies or have a sit-down heart-to-heart with the current provider and clearly explain to him what your expectations are with the pool and with his services. If he counters with additional charges to guarantee a blue pool, I would then look elsewhere for a quality service provider. We could counsel/question you on current conditions and proper water chemistry levels and most likely find the culprit, but then what are you paying them to do if you are forced to fix the problem yourself? I think the real issue here is not a green pool as much as it is the normal expectations you should expect to receive of paying for a twice-a-week pool service and the possible ramifications of what will happen if those expectations aren't met. If you choose the sit down heart-to-heart with them, ask them to give you a specific list of what they're doing to the pool each visit (I hope they're leaving you some sort of visit ticket each time with water conditions), and what they think the problem is. If their reply is no different than 'this is normal and expected', I would walk to another provider, as you are certainly not receiving a quality service at this point. IMO, there is no excuse for a pool under a service contract to become green, it is a sure sign of: A non-caring or poorly trained service company Poor communications between provider and owner A combination of the above A good service provider should take great pride in their service contract pools always looking beautiful. If there are conditions present (obviously here) that are making the water turn green, they should have been recognized, diagnosed, explained to you, and an appropriate action taken to correct them (and quickly too). Sometimes it's just a boundary issue, the provider needs to know he's being kept on a short leash until all problems are sorted out and you are happy with the services again, and there is no need of a knee-jerk walk-away, but more of a 'I'm expecting to get what I'm paying for and will hold you responsible' approach, sometimes that's all that is needed to get their attention, especially if you are an old account and simply at this point being taken for granted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstanley Posted August 7, 2012 Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 I have to agree, if you have a pool it shouldn't be turning green unless you have someone who is not really familiar with the whole process. I just hope that things would turn for the better if you have someone new to take care of your pool. That is what you need, quite frankly. Hope that you will be able to get the proper guy to work with you just like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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