Green Pool - AARRGGHH

[la vache!]

Its now 3 months since I started using PoolRX and its been quite a warm summer generally - still no algae! So it really does work. I have had white water, where I have had to do a chlor choc treatment a couple of times, and once a calcium choc when the water went a bit green, but no algae, none of that horrible green dust on the bottom of the pool. I still haven't had to brush the pool since I have used it.
I originally mentioned it and asked advice on a specific France forum, but strangely enough the illiterate swimming pool 'expert' said it was yet another useless concept which wasn't worth bothering with. He is wrong. I guess he would lose a lot of money if all the people who regularly complain about green pools bought PoolRX instead of getting him to sort out their problems.

[mpprh]

Hi

I look after a few local pools.

I've always believed that if there is adequate filtration and Cl & ph are kept within limits there will be no trouble.

But, now I've got a greeny ! And we have a water ban which pretty well forbids draining a portion and refilling.

Peter

[mario]

E-mailed them,said no supplier in spain but only 25$ for shipping.

[la vache!]

Peter,
the reason I decided to invest in PoolRX is that although I live on site, and checked I had the correct chlorine and ph levels every other day, my pool still got algae problems! I had no solution, other then chucking in a strong algaecide whenever it occured, which is the death knell for pool maintenance (the more chemicals added, the more the pool needs to stay blue).

[Clexane]

Mario,

You are doing better than me - I got charged US30 for shipping. It is so much cheaper out of the US as well. The local rates are really uncompetitive.

[Calvados]

Just got a call from my guests that the pool seems to be turning a shade of green. PANIC STATIONS .... We are off site ... ring the caretakers who cleaned it yesterday morning and noticed nothing. Now we hear that it does have a touch of green to it.

Our caretakers swear that they have been putting the clorine in, taking the PH and even put anti-algae last week. So what has gone wrong ...

We hit it with the chloroshock and its on the comeback.

What do you guys think went wrong ... is it just the chlorine? How do you get your pools maintained and how much do you pay. We paid our caretakers extra but not sure we can trust them to do it anymore or do you think its part of a learning curve.

How do we make sure this doesn't happen again. We really pride ourselves for providing a five star standard property that is impeccably clean and just can't have this sort of thing happen

Go to bioguard.co.uk I think all the answers you want will be there.
Regards
Calvados

[Alan Knighting]

Calvados,

And if you want the answers from people who have personal experience post your questions here.

Some of us know how to turn brown Windsor soup into gin in less than two days.

Alan

[cromercrabholiday]

Is the pool heated at the moment? We have one at home and through the winter it just needs the odd jug of chlorine. If you've just opened it up, this is a time when all the levels go haywire. Have you had heavy rain recently?

We've run our pool for 15 years and we rarely get caught out these days. Do you shock the pool periodically - not just maintain chlorine levels? We now use a full season algicide - put it in at the start and it keeps you clear for months.

Hope this helps.

John

[Jimbo]

La Vache wrote:

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the reason I decided to invest in PoolRX is that although I live on site, and checked I had the correct chlorine and ph levels every other day, my pool still got algae problems

I've been trawling through the pool threads recently, lots of good advice there. I had 'greening' problems at the end of last season which proved to be remarkably hard to shift, never did sort it out completely. Starting with fresh water this year. I wondered if those who installed the PoolRX system a couple of years back, remained pleased with its efficiency over a longer period? Is it still best to buy directly from the USA?

The previous owner used to fire up the pool by using large quantities of fast-acting clor tablets. Our local pool guy says a waste of money and only use the conventional slow-acting chlorine tablets from the outset. I'm using only slow tablets at present but the water temperature is low (12C) and there is no discernible chlorine reading so far (after a week). In spite of the temperature, plenty of Easter guests have been in the pool. Wondered what the concensus was on slow/fast chlorine tablets for starting the pool in early season?

Jim

[Clexane]

Not sure about the chlorine but I would warn you off the PoolRX. We put the module into the filter as it instructs and all it did was block the whole filtration system. Took us a week to clean things up.

[la vache!]

I still use PoolRX and am very happy with it. However, at the beginning of the season I always chlor choc the pool with the small fast release tablets, then do so every few weeks. I also use 1 or 2 slow release tablets continually to maintain the chlorine presence. The choc is necessary especially in hot weather as the chlorine levels always seem to be lower then. I'm really surprised that your pool expert doesn't think the choc treatment is necessary, but not as surprised as I am to hear that people have been in your pool when it is only 12°c

[Alan Knighting]

Jim,

I am amazed to hear that your “local pool guy� thinks that superchlorination is a waste of money. It is an essential part of treating cloudy water, discoloured water, all forms of algae, eye & skin irritation and chlorine odour. In addition, many experts recommend superchlorination every 14/21 days in times of high temperatures and heavy usage.

Fluffy

[Jimbo]

I am amazed to hear that your “local pool guy� thinks that superchlorination is a waste of money.

I was a tad surprised myself Alan, to tell the truth which is why I posted the question. I don't claim to be a pool expert (which is why I occasionally ask for professional help) but I read a lot about pools and I listen hard to other owners.

Susan, re: 12C. We've got a contingent of American Army in one gite and super-fit Brits in another. Think they're winding each other up about swimming in the 'artic' pool. Thanks for your comments about shocking pool.

Starting to smell a rat. Thanks to all for advice.

Jim

PS: Can you give a rough guide to the amount of shock tablets to fire up a 12 x 6m pool filled with fresh water please?

[Nightowl]

Just a general question - if a pool LOOKS clean, is it likely to actually BE clean and useable?

I ask because we have communal pools on site which are open only when lifeguarded, meaning that the season is really short - from mid june - mid september. but through the rest of the year, they seem to have the filters going and generally look clean and clear. They are never left to go green and never look as if they have algae problems (aside from in the toddler pools which are not filtered all year round, but they tend to empty that one completely when not in use..., I have only seen green water in that one once).

I am often tempted when we are there during, say, May or June, when its blazing hot but the pool is 'closed' to just jump in and use them anyway, lifeguard or not, but I never dare to in case they are full of nasty microbes that will give us a bad tummy or something.


We have keys for the gates to the pool area and it seems such a waste to have a lovely blue sparkling pool there and no one allowed to use it...

We have asked about using it during the closed season and the official line is, no, it shouldn't be used, but my spanish isn't up to getting to the bottom of why... is it health and safety (ie, no lifeguard, or water quality issues outside of those dates...)

To be honest, even at their peak season, our pools are never crowded so I imagine they are likely to get less 'people based' impurities in them than many pools which are packed with people (or am I talking rubbish with that assumption?).

the other thing that I wonder about when trying to decide whether to just jump in or not is whether they will be full of nasty chemicals which will cause skin problems etc if I go in and it just happens to be when the pool is being treated with chemicals. How dangerous or nasty are pool chemicals? Can you tell when a pool is being treated? What's the worst that could happen if I use the pool outside official opening times (aside from being told off by the caretakers?). As we don't manage our own pool, I know nothing about these things? anyone got any views?

[Alan Knighting]

Jim,

Can you give a rough guide to the amount of shock tablets to fire up a 12 x 6m pool filled with fresh water please?

For a pool re-filled with fresh water the recommendation is one 20gr tablet per cubic metre of water. Don’t forget; get your total alkalinity and your pH balance right before adding any chlorine.

Alan