How to Clean a Green Swimming Pool

It's the beginning of pool season and you pull back the cover to find a slimy green pool overrun by algae. How can you get the water crystal clear in time for a pool party?

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Algaecide
• Pool Chemical Test Kit
• Chlorine
• Flock-Out
• Wire Bristle Pool Brush
• Manual or Robotic Pool Vacuum
• Superblue Pool Treatment
• At least 48 hours Lead Time

1. Treat the green pool water with an algaecide to kill the algae. Algae will turn from green to orangish-brown when dead.

2. Measure the combined chlorine of the green pool water. This is an indirect method of determining the amount of organic matter in the swimming pool.

3. 
   Swimming Pool Treatments Are Ineffective Without Breakpoint Chlorination

   Use the combined chlorine measurement to calculate the breakpoint chlorination value.

4. Treat the green swimming pool water with sufficient chlorine to reach breakpoint chlorination and kill the algae.

5. Determine when the swimming pool water is sufficiently chlorinated by taking another measurement. You may need to repeat the chlorine treatment.

6. Add Flock-Out to force the floating algae to settle to the bottom and sides of the pool.

7. 
   Patience is Key to Ridding a Green Pool of Algae- Don't Vacuum Too Soon

   Wait a minimum of 24 hours after Flock-Out treatment before trying to clean the dead algae from the pool water.

8. Use a wire bristle pool brush to scrub dead algae from the sides of the pool.

9. Wait for the algae disturbed by brushing to resettle on the bottom of the pool.

10. Vacuum dead algae from the bottom of the pool. You are less likely to stir up the algae if you use a manual vacuum rather than robots that will send more algae into the water. You may need to vacuum the whole pool two or more times to get all the algae and repeat Flock-Out treatments as necessary.

11. 
    Superblue is One Secret to Sparkling Swimming Pool Water

    Add Superblue or a similar product for stunning, sparkling blue swimming pool water.

Tips & Warnings

• You may need to adjust pH and alkalinity after algaecide, breakpoint chlorination, Flock-Out treatments before your pool is ready for swimming.
• Avoid green pool water with regular algaecide maintenance treatments.
• Many swimming pool chemicals are caustic. Use appropriate safety gear and keep away from children and pets.

Resources

• How to Maintain Swimming Pool Chemicals

[chuckthepoolguy]

on 11/27/2009 Pretty Accurate!!!

[godgouchi]

on 9/29/2009 GREAT ARTICLE! Man, I've been there before. Took six days to blue.

[greatgreat8]

on 6/24/2009 great article 5*