Swimming Pool Experts

[GmB]

From a couple of week we are seeing this brownish stuff which is accumulating on the bottom and on the walls of our pool. Brushing it out seems to easily dissolve the thing but after the next pump cycle it is there again.

Our maintenance guy, who comes every other day, seem to be unable to get rid of it. The pool is fairly new (4 months) and we obviously called the constructor which blamed the maintainer and told us that the chlorine/ph level wasn't optimal and that we could fix the problem adding chlorine and letting the pumps run for a whole night.

We asked then to the cleaning guy to do so but it looks to me that more the pumps are running more this brownish stuff is piling up.

I initially thought is was sand but i am now thinking about algae.

At the moment the pumps are running from 36 hours and the thing is there as never before.

We really do not mind about paying the electric for the pumps but this is obviously not going to work and all we want is the pool clean now.

Does someone know how to solve this problem or point me to a professional able to sort out this problem?

[HDRIDER]

Get a real pool company to look at it, look like the guy you have dont have a clue

[GmB]

Get a real pool company to look at it, look like the guy you have dont have a clue

I think You are definitely right HDRIDER , thanks for your reply.

The problem is that having called the real pool company (well known) for a check and following their directions didn't help either.

I'll try to go there tomorrow to see if is possible to speak with someone in english. I am not willing to save money or to blame anyone i just want the pool clean.

[petercallen]

Super chlorinate your pool (put plenty of granulated chlorine in), also add Pooltrine algaecide and water clarifier.

Run your pool pump overnight, brush down sides and the bottom of the pool, then let the dead algae settle

Once settled vacuum your pool to waste, topping up the water in your pool as you go

When the water is clear keep the chlorine level between 2 and 3 with your water testing kit

Check your PH level at least twice a week as it can change very rapidly

[LivinginKata]

We had what sounds like a similar problem a few years ago. Called a pool expert who advised adding all sorts of chemicals. Did not work after 4 weeks of playing about . Tried another pool company and they used a portable filter with a very fine mesh filter bag. Cleared up the problem in 72 hours of pumping through the filter and super chlorinating. Problem re-occured a few months later. The pool company offered no guarantees and wanted us to pay again. We just bought one of these big condom type filter bags and fitted it to an underwater pump that we already owned. Works great every time. Only need to use about this time of the year (May/June), although by keeping the chlorine level on the high side usually prevents this problem happening. We also changed our sand filter for a mesh type filter, much easier to completely clean the mesh and ensure no algae breeding there.

Can't say if you have the same problem. Best of luck, it's not easy/cheap to get serious pool problems sorted out.

[GmB]

The pool guy just "shocked" the pool super chlorinating it and set the pump to run overnight.

We will see tomorrow morning if the quality of the water is improved. I do not expect that the problem will be fixed overnight but let's see if it helped.

I will surely update the thread when i' ll have sorted out the problem

Many thanks to everybody

[petercallen]

One thing i forgot to mention is that the water sample in your testing kit should be taken from at least 18 inches or half a metre below the surface of the water

You do this by holding your test container upside down so it has a a loch them turning it the right way up once you have it at the right depth

A water sample taken from the surface of the water will not give you a accurate reading

If you have already killed the algae just do the necessary brushing and vacuum to waste

[katabeachbum]

Shock chlor should be done in right dosis, 1 kg is for 50m3 of water. Run filtration for at least 24 hours, but be aware most pumps are not designed/cooled to run continously more than 6-8 hours, so an hours break every 6 hours increases pumps life time.

Clean filter, run 24 hours again if water is not clear, clean filter again.

Check PH at 0,5 meters depth, and balance PH.

Check PH and CL again 3 days later. Keep it balanced, and shock it once a month.

My pools are approx 40-45m3, and I have found new CL tablets needed every 6 days to keep it clear

a CL feeder (2-3k baht) holding many tablets simplifies, as it only needs to refill every month or so

everything you ad to your pool, water and chemicals, should be added to filtration while running, IOW skimmer or overflowtank

[GmB]

UPDATE:

the problem has been sorted out following the excellent advices provided by petercallen

Now after a week the water is perfectly clean and i am confident that the dam_n algae has been defeated.

Thanks to everyone who replied in this thread and special thanks to petercallen and Lannatyne that kindly offered to come for help.