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Old 06-20-2011, 08:59 AM
 
5,546 posts, read 9,969,287 times
Reputation: 2799

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I admit, this has been a source of GREAT frustration for me for years and I'd never own another pool. I've tried four different pool services and not a one can keep this pool blue.

It is green right now, despite having dumped five gallons of chlorine into it Friday night and a whole container of kill all algeacide yesterday. I still have 8 more hours to run the thing and then not sure what I'll do. I think if I can get it blue I am going to try to stay on top of it myself, unless I can find a pool service who knows what they are doing. I had luck one time with a prescription from Leslie's. The other times whatever they told me to do did not work. On one occasion I spent $250 to no avail.

Does anyone have any recommendations for me? I am hoping this is the LAST summer I have to deal with this. Aghhhhhhh
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Old 06-20-2011, 09:09 AM
 
Location: Phoenix, AZ
6,401 posts, read 8,927,270 times
Reputation: 8491
My employer uses Poolman to clean the company pool and fountains. Odd because the pool has been out of use for 2 years but they have it cleaned and maintained regardless. The water has remained clear during the year I've been there.

I don't own a pool myself so I can't refer to any personal experiences aside from work.
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Old 06-20-2011, 09:19 AM
 
Location: Hard aground in the Sonoran Desert
4,866 posts, read 11,167,660 times
Reputation: 7123
Quote:
Originally Posted by mistygrl092 View Post
I admit, this has been a source of GREAT frustration for me for years and I'd never own another pool. I've tried four different pool services and not a one can keep this pool blue.

It is green right now, despite having dumped five gallons of chlorine into it Friday night and a whole container of kill all algeacide yesterday. I still have 8 more hours to run the thing and then not sure what I'll do. I think if I can get it blue I am going to try to stay on top of it myself, unless I can find a pool service who knows what they are doing. I had luck one time with a prescription from Leslie's. The other times whatever they told me to do did not work. On one occasion I spent $250 to no avail.

Does anyone have any recommendations for me? I am hoping this is the LAST summer I have to deal with this. Aghhhhhhh
I have had our pool for three years and have never had it turn green or get algae. I do it myself and it takes less than 15 minutes a week to keep it looking perfect.

This site will teach you all you need to know, make sure you read the Pool School section.

Trouble Free Pool
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Old 06-20-2011, 09:25 AM
 
5,546 posts, read 9,969,287 times
Reputation: 2799
Quote:
Originally Posted by LBTRS View Post
I have had our pool for three years and have never had it turn green or get algae. I do it myself and it takes less than 15 minutes a week to keep it looking perfect.

This site will teach you all you need to know, make sure you read the Pool School section.

Trouble Free Pool
Thanks and lucky you. I will read that link for sure. I think in my case it's because I have a 30K gallon diving pool and the challenge for me has always been to brush down the sides, as that requires strength and get that far down. I wish I had gone with a play pool.

Once I get this blue I plan to go on a maintenance plan of both phosphate removal and algeacide on a weekly basis. Once they get out of control, look out!
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Old 06-20-2011, 09:26 AM
 
5,546 posts, read 9,969,287 times
Reputation: 2799
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bondurant View Post
My employer uses Poolman to clean the company pool and fountains. Odd because the pool has been out of use for 2 years but they have it cleaned and maintained regardless. The water has remained clear during the year I've been there.

I don't own a pool myself so I can't refer to any personal experiences aside from work.
Thanks, I'll google on Poolman and see if they do residential.
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Old 06-20-2011, 11:23 AM
 
Location: the AZ desert
5,035 posts, read 9,184,683 times
Reputation: 8289
Quote:
Originally Posted by LBTRS View Post
I have had our pool for three years and have never had it turn green or get algae. I do it myself and it takes less than 15 minutes a week to keep it looking perfect.

This site will teach you all you need to know, make sure you read the Pool School section.

Trouble Free Pool
I've been using their system for many years and have easily maintained a pristine pool at all times.

I agree it takes less than 15 minutes/week. That is, of course, after you learn what you need to know and have things more or less down pat. The info is all right there for the taking though and there are plenty of folks around to assist.
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Old 06-20-2011, 11:34 AM
 
Location: Sonoran Desert
38,981 posts, read 50,929,644 times
Reputation: 28167
You need to add some acid too. All that bleach will push the pH too high for effective chlorination and encourage scale deposits on the plaster. I prefer the powdered di-chloro shock to bleach. I used to put in about 3-4 bags when I get an algae bloom. Haven;t had one since I put in a salt chlorinator, but that is an expensive solution.
Buy a test kit and try to keep it under 7.6. If you have some sort of cleaner taking care of it yourself is easy. Just put one or two (in summer) chlorine tabs in the skimmer basket as needed. An older pool will not use a lot of acid when chlorinated with tabs. Sweep it or vacuum after storms. You are going to have to learn how to backwash or clean your filtration system as well.

Get your water tested for stabilizer. If it is too low, add some. The sun breaks down chlorine compounds pretty quickly without it.

It really is not that hard.

As mentioned ^^, there are many good sources of info.
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Old 06-20-2011, 11:59 AM
 
5,546 posts, read 9,969,287 times
Reputation: 2799
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ponderosa View Post
You need to add some acid too. All that bleach will push the pH too high for effective chlorination and encourage scale deposits on the plaster. I prefer the powdered di-chloro shock to bleach. I used to put in about 3-4 bags when I get an algae bloom. Haven;t had one since I put in a salt chlorinator, but that is an expensive solution.
Buy a test kit and try to keep it under 7.6. If you have some sort of cleaner taking care of it yourself is easy. Just put one or two (in summer) chlorine tabs in the skimmer basket as needed. An older pool will not use a lot of acid when chlorinated with tabs. Sweep it or vacuum after storms. You are going to have to learn how to backwash or clean your filtration system as well.

Get your water tested for stabilizer. If it is too low, add some. The sun breaks down chlorine compounds pretty quickly without it.

It really is not that hard.

As mentioned ^^, there are many good sources of info.
Thanks, Ponderosa. I started this algaecide process off when the pool chlorine was at 5 ppm. I thought about adding some muriatic acid to lower the PH as it was on the high side but didn't know how much to add to lower the PH and just thought I'd wing it.

If it's still green in six hours then I'll backwash, vacuum up what I can (provided I can see it) and start the process over. I'll test the PH and then dump some acid in if it's too high. I just hope I don't lower it too much and then have to add soda ash to raise it.

I find this whole pool process to be a real pain. And I find the fact I cannot find ONE pool service who seems to know what they are doing or cares enough to keep it blue even more of a pain. While it may not be hard for most, I think having to brush it down is where I seem to have the toughest time. It really does take some physical strength which is why I hire someone.
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Old 06-20-2011, 12:04 PM
 
3,819 posts, read 11,896,420 times
Reputation: 2747
What part of the Valley are you in?

We've been using Bright and Clear Pool Care for literally like 3 years now and our pool always looks great. I would check them out if you're in the NW/Arrowhead area.

Bright and Clear Pool Care (http://www.supersavingsmagazine.com/couponprint33.html - broken link)
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Old 06-20-2011, 12:28 PM
 
Location: the AZ desert
5,035 posts, read 9,184,683 times
Reputation: 8289
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ponderosa View Post
You need to add some acid too. All that bleach will push the pH too high for effective chlorination and encourage scale deposits on the plaster. I prefer the powdered di-chloro shock to bleach. I used to put in about 3-4 bags when I get an algae bloom. Haven;t had one since I put in a salt chlorinator, but that is an expensive solution.
Buy a test kit and try to keep it under 7.6. If you have some sort of cleaner taking care of it yourself is easy. Just put one or two (in summer) chlorine tabs in the skimmer basket as needed. An older pool will not use a lot of acid when chlorinated with tabs. Sweep it or vacuum after storms. You are going to have to learn how to backwash or clean your filtration system as well.

Get your water tested for stabilizer. If it is too low, add some. The sun breaks down chlorine compounds pretty quickly without it.

It really is not that hard.

As mentioned ^^, there are many good sources of info.

OP, this sounds like advise for after your pool is algae-free, (even though I disagree with part of it). Do not add stabilizer or chlorine tabs now, while you have an algae outbreak, unless it is under 20 ppm. You want your CYA (stabilizer) level low for treatment. Chlorine tabs have stabilizer in them.

This is the direct link for Trouble Free Pool's algae thread. It will probably be difficult to understand without reading through "pool school" first, but it may shed some light for you.

Last edited by CheyDee; 06-20-2011 at 12:37 PM..
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