Pool Water Green/yellow

[Phil_T]

Hello,

I have some issue this summer starting up my above ground pool. It is a 27 footer with 52 inch wall, with the water temperature at 80F at the moment and outside temperature right now is at 65F.

I had this pool for about 5 years, and I go about doing the same thing every beginning of summer, which include:

-adding about a foot of water to reach the skimmer,

-scrubbing of the walls and bottom of the pool, and I let the water sit for about 12 hours,

-recirculate the water with the filter set at whirlpool and I get all the leafs and debris out, through the skimmer basket,

-backwash a couple of times + empty the pump basket,

-let the water run through the filter and set the chlorine at 3.0ppm and pH at 7.2-7.8 + start the heat pump which is set at 80F at the moment,

-after threes days or so the water is at temperature and then I add the 6-1 shock treatment,

-and when every thing is fine I set the alkalinity and the hardness, but this year I have not yet done it,

But this year when I added the shock treatment, the water turned greenish-yellow, the only reason I can see it is because of the bottom drain which is white normally. Then I brought A water sample to a company which deals with spa and pools and they were not equipped to test the water for metals or algae, so they sold me a algaecide and liquid chlorine which is bleach. None of them worked, chlorine was at 10.0ppm for a few days but it did not help the color of the water.

I did returned to the same company and the sold me a scale remover/ preventer which is called Tabex Pure, because they thought the minerals in the water was out of balance. It only made it worse, now it is of a slightly darker green maybe blue, not too sure. Also I tried a different kind of shock treatment, which was a 4-1, and did not helped. So within 2 weeks I poured 4 shock treaments.

So I was wondering if anyone could help me with this issue.

Thanks a lot

Phil

[waterbear]

First thing we need is a full set of test results not done with strips. We need:

Free chlorine

Combined chlorine OR Total Chlorine

pH

total alkalinity

calcium hardness

cyanuric acid (stabilizer or CYA)

If possibe iron and copper (not all places can test for these)

we also need to know what kind of chlorine you mainly use (I suspect you use trichlor tabs)

Most important, what was the pH and TA when you first opened the pool.

Also does your heat pump have a copper or a titanium heat exchanger?

I have a strong suspicion that you have copper in your water from the heater in addition to the normal algee found on startup because your pH and TA have been too low.

[Phil_T]

OK,

-Free chlorine is at 3.00ppm

-Calcium at 20

-ph: 7.2ppm

-alkalinity:50

-Water Temp 80F

When I started trying to start the pool, the free chlorine was almost not present and the ph was a little less then 7.2, I am not sure what was the level for the TA. I used the dual test kit with the 4 drops of chemicals to test for ph and free chlorine. Elsed, I used the Strips to maintain it.

For chlorine I use the pucks; Trochloro-s 100%, Available Chlorine 90%.

The heat pump is a Turbo Flow from Water Co with a big Titanium Sticker on it but going to the heat exchanger I can see a piece of copper pipe...

Now, the girl from the company called me today and told me I should put 18 Litres of Liquid Chlorine (Bleach Atlantic 12) in it because she assumes that I have a big algae problem...

Regards

Phil

[waterbear]

OK,

-Free chlorine is at 3.00ppm

-Calcium at 20

-ph: 7.2ppm

-alkalinity:50

-Water Temp 80F

When I started trying to start the pool, the free chlorine was almost not present and the ph was a little less then 7.2, I am not sure what was the level for the TA. I used the dual test kit with the 4 drops of chemicals to test for ph and free chlorine. Elsed, I used the Strips to maintain it.

For chlorine I use the pucks; Trochloro-s 100%, Available Chlorine 90%.

The heat pump is a Turbo Flow from Water Co with a big Titanium Sticker on it but going to the heat exchanger I can see a piece of copper pipe...

Now, the girl from the company called me today and told me I should put 18 Litres of Liquid Chlorine (Bleach Atlantic 12) in it because she assumes that I have a big algae problem...

Regards

Phil

I suspect that you have a copper problem from the low TA and pH AND an algae problem from the continued use of trichlor which cases CYA to build up and the pool becomes overstabilzied. The Trichlor is also the reason the pH and TA crashed since it is very acidic.

First think you should really do is get a GOOD test kit becaue striips do not have the precision or reliabilty to balance water. The best kit for the money is a Taylor K-2006 (not the K-2005). This will give you valid information with enough precision to be able to keep your water balanced.

I would not make any suggestions about how much chlorine to add until we have a reading on stabilzier (CYA) and if it is above 100 ppm you will need to do a partial drain and refill to get it down as a first step in successfully klling any algae. Howwever, I would rasie the TA with baking soda, which will bring up the pH, then add a good metal sequestrant (I would recommend Jack's Magic Blue stuff or Pink Stuff). Follow the dosing in the bottel but do not ad ti until you get the TA up. Once you get a reading on the CYa we will know how much chlorine you need to start adding to kill the algae.

We really need a full set of test results not done with strips.

[Phil_T]

Hello waterbear,

I looked locally to find drops to test the CYA and I can't. So I got the K-2006 in order from amazon. But it will take a week or two. So finally last night I decided to drain the entire pool, because here in new-brunswick canada, swimming seasing is kinda short, July and August...

So I scrubbed the walls, and I used a vinyl cleaner on the entire liner. Then I redrained the remaining water.

So late last night I introduced bleach at 10.3% just a small quantity because it is still low, barely touching the sides on the walls.

So this morning the water is the exact same color that it was prior of draining the water.

I took two samples, one from the middle of the pool and one from the side of the pool (because it looks worst in the middle then it does from the side) and another sample from my tap water. (the water used to fill the pool is from a well).

And of coarse you can easily see visually which one is contaminated.

Now, what am I doing wrong here, should I have acid wash the entire vinyl surface??

Regards

Phil

[Poolspotpro]

This is difficult to diagnose without seeing it. When you refilled the pool, was the water clear before you added the chlorine? If yes, then more than likely you have metals in the source water as the chlorine caused the metals to oxidize and thus changed the color of the water. Are you filling it with a well? I don't think it was from existing metals from the previous fill because metals don't stick to vinyl very well and you should have been able to spray the walls and bottom of the liner down as you drained it. Any other issues that would cause this would most likely have to originate from the fill water source as this is a vinyl pool and you didn't yet run the pump.

[chrispitt]

Good one answer Waterbear i really appreciate and respect your answer. It is helpful for all.