Should I drain my pool to get rid of algae? Yes, you can because it saves time and money, but only if you do it properly. Use the main drain in your pool and drain water through the filter pump. Or rent or borrow the pump, place the hose down the street or storm drain, and drain.
The fastest way to clean a green pool is by using pool chemicals and your pool filter. This process usually takes around 4-5 days but you will start noticing a major improvement after 24 hours.
Poor water quality, due to an overabundance of Total Dissolved Solids or high levels of Cyanuric Acid, is the most common reason for needing to drain a pool. Even with proper and regular pool maintenance, it's often necessary to drain your pool — completely or partially — every 3-5 years.
When the levels are properly balanced, chlorine will keep the algae at bay, but the water will slowly begin to turn green as the algae take over if there's not enough. But be careful—adding too much chlorine in pool water can cause those metals to oxidize and turn the pool a different shade of green.
If you have a DE filter, you need to backwash it before you start the process, and add fresh DE. Allow the filter to run for at least 24 hours, after the treatment. Then, you can scrub the pool when you clean the filter, and then let it run again. You are going to repeat that process until the pool is clear.
How long can you leave a pool empty? Well, the minimum amount of time possible in order to minimize the risk of serious damage. Most issues that require a pool drain will take at least a day or two to resolve, but it's recommended to not let it sit empty for any extended period of time.
Pool industry experts recommend you drain your pool and refill it every five to seven years. No two pools are alike, so there is no set number at which you must drain your pool.
First, if the draining is done at the wrong time or under the wrong conditions, you can actually risk damaging your pool structure and liner. All the water from your pool needs to go somewhere when it's drained, and that usually means the ground.
While the green algae aren't harmful, the bacteria that feed on the algae can cause issues. When you swim in green water, you expose yourself to algae that host bacteria. Swimming in green water could cause bacterial infections on your skin, and you could get sick if you ingest algae-filled pool water.
Pools can immediately turn green after shocking when they have metals like copper in the water. These metals oxidise when exposed to high levels of chlorine which makes the pool water turn green. Adding a metal control product such as Zodiac Metal Remover will help to restore the pool water.
Baking Soda and Green, Blue, or Yellow Algae
You'll need to use an algaecide to kill the algae and superchlorinate your pool to clear the water. After this treatment, test your pH and alkalinity and add baking soda to raise alkalinity to at least 100 ppm and pH to between 7.2 and 7.8.
Pool water turns green because of algae in the water. Algae can grow rapidly, particularly when it's warm like Summer, which is why it can surprise you overnight. This generally comes down to an imbalance or lack of chlorine in the water.
A nylon or rubber brush is the correct choice for scrubbing the sides of a soft-sided above-ground pool. A large pool brush makes quick work of the job, but you may need a smaller brush to clean corners. Once the particles have been removed from the sides of the pool, turn your filter back on and agitate the water.
Most in-ground pools will have to be drained and refilled at some point. But cleaning should not be the reason to do it. Pools will need to be drained and refilled every 5-7 years on average, or if there is a major necessary repair. Otherwise, avoid draining your pool if at all possible.
The best way to drain the pool is to empty it directly into the sanitary sewer line outside your home. The process is simple but can be time-consuming, depending on how fast you are able to pump the water.
Close the pool for winter – but don't drain it.
In winter, the water in your pool is still your friend. Especially when properly winterized, it helps to protect the pool liner, keep it clean and prevent unnecessary damage from debris, harsh weather and other factors.
In general, draining this type of pool is the trickiest. Inground pools made of concrete or gunite are susceptible to popping out of the ground if drainage is not done properly. If there has been a surplus of rain recently or your pool is located in a wet area, it is best not to try and drain the pool yourself at all.
Modern concrete pools can usually stand being drained for as long as needed, but there'll still be a risk of popping if the ground water level is high. Fibreglass pools are less resilient. The floor may come loose and float to the top when refilled, even after a short period.
Draining a pool can take up to 14 hours, depending on the size, so be sure to drain it on a day when you have sufficient free time. You need to be home to check on the pool, the hoses, and the pump frequently.
(1 bag) of shock per 10,000 gallons of pool water. That may be fine for normal conditions, but if you have a severe algae attack, a triple shock is needed. 1 bag will get reach 7-9 ppm, but for 30 ppm, you need 3, 4 or sometimes even 5+ lbs per 10,000 gallons of pool water.
It is important to know what exactly bleach is before you put it in your pool. Household bleach, Clorox and liquid chlorine can all be used to sanitize a pool. They are all types of chlorine. Household bleaches such as Clorox usually contain about 5-6% available chlorine, about half that of pool liquid chlorine.
The solution to maintaining a clear pool is to use readily available liquid bleach as your chlorine source. Chlorine bleach, as discussed above, is not bound to a stabilizer, so when you add chlorine bleach to the pool, it will go right to work killing microbes and sanitizing.