Algicides - ingredients?

[allanb]

I had the same problem as many other people : a very green and murky pool after the winter.  I've been reading the advice given on this forum, especially by Poolguy, who clearly thinks it's important to be careful about which anti-algae product to use.

I've already used some (bought before I started to search on the forum!) and the trouble is that I don't know what's in it.  It's called ALGI 3 A, and the only clue about its contents is a warning that it contains polyquaternaire.  Googling suggests that the full name of this ingredient is "ammonium polyquaternaire", but I'm not a chemist so that tells me nothing.

I used it after a couple of shock chlorine treatments.  What I have now is a pool in which the water is much clearer than it was at first, but still cloudy.  In the shallow end I can see the bottom fairly clearly, and the water appears blue.  In the deep end I can't see the bottom, and the water is more green than blue.  This hasn't changed noticeably for about three days.

I'm filtering a lot, and when I backflush, the water coming out of the filter is a very pale green and clears quite quickly (in less than a minute).  I'm also using a robot, and its filter gets clogged from time to time with bright green stuff which appears to be very fine -- much finer that the usual garden debris.

So I strongly suspect that my main problem consists of algae: but what to use?

I would be grateful for any advice.

 

[Poolguy]

I am not so sure that your problem is algae - it may be

chloroform.

In the main the idea is to get ammonium OUT of the water rather than put it IN

I would be very cautious proceeding with other anti algae treatments, you

are heading for a 'cocktail' which may be very hard to control. I would suggest

a cleaning regime for the first instance, Hovering the bottom until you are sure

that there is no more debris, after that Test the water for Cyanuric acid as it

is possible that if the level is too high then chlorine is not working. If it is

high or you are experiencing continual difficulties then take out 20% of your

water and add fresh.

If you want specific help them PM me

Andrew