WELL in below 10centigrade you will not need to stop any algae as i beeive it needs higher temperatures.
Did you winterise pool i.e. adjust ph cl and salt level before covering???
I also live in Limousin -so happy ice-skating this weekend as snow is about-although not too much if you are below 300metres>
depends on the area as we are a very large region.
Even if you have winterised your pool, you still need to check the water chemistry from time to time and adjust as necessary. Whilst algae will not be a problem at low temperatures, once the temperature rises if the Ph and chlorine levels are not stabilised then the green terror will appear and hard work and patience will be needed to get the water back to normal standards.
Baz
Yes , yes, yes.. Its a familiar story.
Can I say, as you are a new pool owner, the installer should have told you how to maintain your pool. If its a self install, at least the manual should be able to help you ( I despair of these companies as it seems new owners are left to own resource even after handing over loads of cash).
So assuming that you have no help whatsoever form the above sources, then it is again down to us to help you out, the previous posters have offered some advice - if I may I shall add to it.
After heavy or prolonged period of rain, it is sure that you chemistry is all over the place. Your first remedy is to get a good tester, I suggest a photometer such as the Scuba+ so that you can test accurately ALL the parameters you need to keep under control and not just Chlor and pH (you also need to test Stabiliser CYN, and Total Alkalinity ALK). It all has to be in balance for your pool to be in good condition. (Its on my website www.poolguy.fr). The water temperature is an issue related ONLY to the production of algae, its is irrelevant to the maintenance of your pool structure and equipment in good condition.
If your chemistry is out and surely you would barely know as the Tester you are using is not reliable and certainly not telling you the whole storey, then you indeed risk damage to the liner and the pool fittings, especially with an acid pool, worse still is that you warrantee will be void.
I encourage you to correct the balance sooner rather than later. Check these levels in the following order and adjust:
Must do’s
Total Alkalinity - between 80ppm and 200ppm
pH levels - between 7.1 and 7.6
Cyanuric acid(stabiliser) - between 30ppm and 50ppm
Chlorine Levels - between 1.5ppm and 3ppm
Calcium Hardness - between 100ppm and 150ppm
Total dissolved solids - between 1000 and 2000ppm
If you leave your pool to chance and hope that the problem will go away, for even fix itself, the you will learn the hard way that it does not. A pool requires constant attention, or as a substitute, the equipment that can mind the pool for you when you cannot.
If you want specific help then PM me.
I have a Scuba+ and it really does take the guess work out of what the water state is! It is a good bit of kt!
One of the things that the stabiliser, cyanuric acid, does is to help to stop the UV rays from the sun from dissapating the chlor out of the water, BUT if you have too much stab. in the water it will actually stop the chlor from working by masking it. The only way to get rid of too much stab. is to change water and Poolguy will agree with that I am sure.
I will say again that my pool care bible is The Ultimate Pool Maintenance Manual by Terry Tamminen. It's a real mine of information about all of the questions you want to ask. It doesn't goe into the more modern aspects of water checking and the kit that's around today, but water chemistry has not changed for millions of years no matter what machines are used to check it. They just make it easier to check...
Londoneye.
If you are going to raise the pH using the Alkaline powder (pH+) before you check the total alkalynity then you might find that you get a reaction from the pool which is not what you wanted: for example; rapid rising and lowering of the pH, this is called 'pH bounce' and the cause, as I wrote before is Low TA. So for best results test it and adjust befoer you try to correct the pH.
If you are adding chemicals then it is necessary to circulate the pool to mix them in, sprinkling over the surface is acceptable for pH adjustment as is adding to the skimmer box. Dilution in water before is a good idea to dissolve the granules before they enter the pool.
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