swimming pool help

[lymi]

We have an above ground pool. We keep chlorine in it. We've shocked it and run our fliter. We've even poored bleach in it. We've used algacide. It's still turning green. Any advice?

[buttrfli]

Bleach?? Thats a really BAD thing to do. The last thing you want is to be mixing pool chemicals w/ bleach. If they become unstable it would be extremely dangerous.

Aside from that... do you have a testing kit? You can test the water and it will tell you what you need. Or you can take a water sample to a local pool supply and they normally test samples for free and they can tell you what you need.

[rlynn411]

Have you tried vacumning it and back flushing the filter. If there was algae and it has been killed - it needs to be removed.

[Tasha405]

We had a problem with ours for a while too. DH got some Algea Stop, at Walmart. (I think thats the name of it) It was around $20 a bottle but it worked great! We would always put a little in it after we had rain and it would keep our water crystal clear.

[DBackFan]

Chlorine evaporates in heat very quickly. Keeping the pool covered helps as does having it in the shade. In the heat of summer in full sun you will probably need to add chlorine every other day if used.

[lisarae]

I am having trouble as well. I dont want to take over op's thread, but maybe my question can help her as well sometime.

I have an above ground vinyl pool, approx 5,000 gallons. Its a bit cloudy with a green tint too it. Everything is running normal ranges except the total chlorine is a tad high and Alkalinity is running extremly low. What can I do about the Alkalinity? What do I add? Im not worried about the chlorine because it isnt really high.

[taz69]

We had that problem last year. Check the bottom of the pool for hair ties, or bobby pins. Any metal, but especially copper can turn it and keep it green. We fought with ours for a month, then found one of those hair ties with the little copper things on it on the bottom of the pool.

[buttrfli]

I am having trouble as well. I dont want to take over op's thread, but maybe my question can help her as well sometime.

I have an above ground vinyl pool, approx 5,000 gallons. Its a bit cloudy with a green tint too it. Everything is running normal ranges except the total chlorine is a tad high and Alkalinity is running extremly low. What can I do about the Alkalinity? What do I add? Im not worried about the chlorine because it isnt really high.

You can buy Alkalinity Increaser. If you only need to raise it a little bit, you can actually use baking soda, but if you use too much it will make your pool cloudy.

[Angelseyes28]

This is the first time in years that I haven't used test kits, strips or anything else and believe it or not, this is the first year it has stayed clear!LMAO
I just dump chlorine and algaecide in it every few days and so far so good. Of course I never measure anything out....if the pool has a faint smell of "pool water" then I'm good.
ROTF That's the redneck version of keeping a pool clean:rolling

[Tasha405]

This is the first time in years that I haven't used test kits, strips or anything else and believe it or not, this is the first year it has stayed clear!LMAO
I just dump chlorine and algaecide in it every few days and so far so good. Of course I never measure anything out....if the pool has a faint smell of "pool water" then I'm good.
ROTF That's the redneck version of keeping a pool clean:rolling

That's how we finally done too. Those test strips will drive you crazy! LOL So we quit using them too. Just added the Algea Stop and chlorine every so many days or right after we got some rain. Worked like a charm! :)

[crystal_19]

When we opened our pool this season we could have filmed "The Swamp Thing"!!! We went to our local pool supply store with a water sample and they calculated exactly what we needed to do to clear it up. In our case we had to use Acid and some Shock. They should have a shock at your pool store that does not contain clorine. This works better in hot weather. Also, once we got the green out we went back because the pool was VERY cloudy. They then gave us "Drop Out". This will drop everything to the bottom of your pool so you can vacume. After this, take them another sample and they will check all of your levels. We used to buy everything from WalMart as well for the pool but trust me a pool store isnt that much more and they have all the equipment to tell you what you need instead of trial and error which is what we did for weeks!!

Good luck!

[lisarae]

I was going to ask about Baking Soda too, but didnt know how much I should put in it. I swept the pool out for a long time yesterday so I know their isn't anything in it to make it different. Not sure whats making it cloudy though. Could leaving the ladder in it to long make a difference. We normally take the ladder out of the evenings, but haven't for about a week or so.

[crystal_19]

I was going to ask about Baking Soda too, but didnt know how much I should put in it. I swept the pool out for a long time yesterday so I know their isn't anything in it to make it different. Not sure whats making it cloudy though. Could leaving the ladder in it to long make a difference. We normally take the ladder out of the evenings, but haven't for about a week or so.

I have never heard that leaving your ladder in would cause the clouding. If you have the green gone, the Drop Out product is very resonably priced and worked so good in ours. You may want to call around. Most of the pool places don't charge you to test your water. Also, I don't know if baking soda would work I have never heard of that either. Most of the cloudy is usually caused by algea that may now be dead and just needs to drop to the bottom. Just talking from recent experience, again good luck!

[lisarae]

Ok, I am going to take some water into the pool shop today and see what they say. I haven't looked at it today yet, so we'll see.

[crystal_19]

Any improvement on the pool?

[lisarae]

not sure, Haven't been up there today. LOL

[lymi]

I am also new to using the vacum. We have the kind you hook the hose on one side, with a pouch on the other side. Do you only run it along the bottom, or do you run it through all depths of the water? Thanks for all the advice so far. I'm gonna try some of them. The drop out sounds interesting. Thanks so much

[lisarae]

I am also new to using the vacum. We have the kind you hook the hose on one side, with a pouch on the other side. Do you only run it along the bottom, or do you run it through all depths of the water? Thanks for all the advice so far. I'm gonna try some of them. The drop out sounds interesting. Thanks so much

Thats a good question. I always run it on the bottom.

I went today and had my water analized. She told me to use liquid shock and some ph increaser and alkalinity increaser. Which I done all of this about 11am. and its still cloudy as of about 7pm. I will check again in the morning. This is driving me nuts.:twitch

[lymi]

ain't that the truth. So much trouble.

[DrGrin]

This is the first time in years that I haven't used test kits, strips or anything else and believe it or not, this is the first year it has stayed clear!LMAO
I just dump chlorine and algaecide in it every few days and so far so good. Of course I never measure anything out....if the pool has a faint smell of "pool water" then I'm good.
ROTF That's the redneck version of keeping a pool clean:rolling


That's how we finally done too. Those test strips will drive you crazy! LOL So we quit using them too. Just added the Algea Stop and chlorine every so many days or right after we got some rain. Worked like a charm! :)

This is our tried and true method of having a crystal clear pool. Test kits are for the birds. Follow the "redneck version of Pool care 101" It works! :D

[lisarae]

You know, this is true, I was doing this as well, and my mom keeps after me to check it because shes afraid of things in it for the grand kids. LOL

after we get it right thats whats going to happen.

[lymi]

We bought a 16 foot above the ground pool. We went to Acacemy and bought an 18 foot tent for about 100 dollars. It zips on 2 sides. some of it is mesh, and some is vinyal. Its great to keep the debris out. It also creates some privacy in your pool as you are kinda in a tent. Blocks the sun a little bit if you are worried about too much sun. The wind can be a problem though. We secured it real good, but the poles at the top can give in the wind. It collasped twice, but we got some stronger pvc and put it back up. No mosquitos or wasps if ya want in it after night. It's really cool. it is about 10 foot tall in the center, so you have lots of room. w put the ladder in where one of the zippers are, and zip it up while we are in it or out of it. Indoor,outdoor swimming. It's a blast

[Angelseyes28]

Thats a good question. I always run it on the bottom.

I went today and had my water analized. She told me to use liquid shock and some ph increaser and alkalinity increaser. Which I done all of this about 11am. and its still cloudy as of about 7pm. I will check again in the morning. This is driving me nuts.:twitch

If your water is green, use an algaecide. You can get it at walmart. I think a gallon size bottle is a little over $5. Dump some all the way around the pool. I always use more than it calls for, I just kind of walk around the pool and pour some all the way around. It will make the water have bubbles on the top at first but don't freak out, it's not gonna hurt anything. Next, rinse your filter A LOT.....3-4 times a day and leave your pump running, no matter what the manual says, do not turn it off. The only way to get the stuff outta the water is to filter it out using your pump. If you have algae on the bottom or walls of your pool, brush it all off. You might have to do this once a day if it's a lot.
If your water is no longer green but instead a cloudy white, that means the algae is dead and floating in the water and you have to get it out. Walmart carries a water clarifier that causes all the little particles in your water to bunch together so you can remove it easier.
There is not going to be an overnight fix so don't get discouraged. It will probably take a week of continuous work to get your water clear again, but it can be done, don't give up:)

[teenies*mom]

I had that problem with our pool a few years ago - so I took a sample of the water to our local pool store and the lady told me to buy this stuff (I don't remember the name of it) - but it looked and felt like cotton - we had to put that in the skimmer (I think) -but it cleared it right up and we have never had a problem since -

[lymi]

Thanks for all ya'lls help. I'm regaining control of the water. It's looking better and better. Ya'll are life savers