Green to Clean Services

Hello folks! My first post here on this great site. I have been reading for hours and have learned more than I have thought I would already.

My current pressing question concerns green to clean services. I'm based near Houston Texas and at this time of the summer a lot of my clients are fighting algae blooms. How do I handle a pool that is a good 45 minute drive in as few visits as possible? Specifically, what chemicals do you use to get the job done as quickly and profitable as possible? I can usually get back to clear water, but it takes so many trips, that I quickly loose any profit involved. I also get many calls from potential new customers that want me to come over, pour some magic potion in thier pool to clean it up in time for their pool party. I don't know of any way to do that and I'm losing money currently.

Any and all comments and help will be much appreciated!
Bud

Replies

Bruce Wettstein August 24, 2010 at 4:48pm

I hate to see water dumped, as it just wastes the water that is already existing in the pool and then consumes an equal amount on the refill. Here in Southern California we are seeing severe drought conditions and limited day use of watering for lawns, gardens, car washing restrictions, etc. Water may be plentiful in other parts of the country, but certainly not here. There is also the consideration of the pool floating out of the ground, plaster delamination, the pool being out of use (especially critical in community pools), etc., but that is another discussion!

We have filtered green pools before (Ironically, our website gets and awful lot of hits from Texas! I would think that our water chemistry and temperature run pretty similar, so pool issues are probably pretty typical as well, which may be one reason why), and once the water is back in range, it is relatively easy to introduce chlorine and get the water back. I have filtered a pool recently where I could not see the bottom (and it was only 4'6" deep), and once completed, the pool was still green, but the water was "perfect" (Calcium Hardness was 150, CYA was 30, pH mid 7's, TDS at 700). I had the Homeowner add 4 gallons of 6% bleach that evening, and check and add again in the morning. They kept the filter running and had a crystal clear pool in a couple of days.

Clearing algae, unfortunately, is a process, and not a quick dose and all is well! Knowing what you have for water chemistry going in is critical to fight the battle and win as quickly as possible. Your shock levels (chlorine) will need to be held much higher if your CYA is too high, for example, and a lot of folks don't bother to take that in to consideration.

I just had to sound off, especially as the water dumping caught my eye! We (www.poolservicestech.com) hate to see good water wasted, just because someone was irresponsible and let it get green. Of the last million gallons of water we've treated, only 15% has been depleted to waste. That's 850,000 gallons saved, as well as another 1,000,000 not used up in a refill! It just doesn't make sense to waste that much water to me!
Bud Brinkley August 24, 2010 at 12:37pm

I agree about dumping water when it's that bad. As luck would have it in my case it always seems to be a vinyl liner pool and so it's inadvisable to pump due to liner shrink damage issues. I may try a bottle of the Swamp Treat that Don mentioned. Heck I'll try anything once! LOL

Shawna Moore said:
It is much easier to pump a pool and re-fill. We are in the Dallas area and pools in our climate do best with new water every five or so years any how and water is not that expensive. It's less trips for you too. We found that we wouldn't clean a pool if we couldn't see the bottom anyway, we would dump. But now it has extended to pools that continually have algae problems. We dump them re-balance and wow, sparking easy to manage water no more algae problems. At some point there are just to many dissolved solids and you've tried phosphate removers and done everything you can. Dropping a pump on one day, (sometimes even chlorine washing to remove stubborn algae or black algae) then coming back to balance when full, saves you trips and lots of tedious brushing. Plus the clients are usually very happy to have new clean water. And lastly in out Texas heat...hello...cooler water!
Shawna Moore August 24, 2010 at 12:23pm

I would add that you need a permit in some cities, certain chemical levels, and usually pump to sewer drain at front of house. People don't like swamp pools going down the street or ally. For instance city of Dallas is fine with chlorine of less than 5ppm and balanced ph, and would prefer sewer line be used.
Shawna Moore August 24, 2010 at 12:21pm

It is much easier to pump a pool and re-fill. We are in the Dallas area and pools in our climate do best with new water every five or so years any how and water is not that expensive. It's less trips for you too. We found that we wouldn't clean a pool if we couldn't see the bottom anyway, we would dump. But now it has extended to pools that continually have algae problems. We dump them re-balance and wow, sparking easy to manage water no more algae problems. At some point there are just to many dissolved solids and you've tried phosphate removers and done everything you can. Dropping a pump on one day, (sometimes even chlorine washing to remove stubborn algae or black algae) then coming back to balance when full, saves you trips and lots of tedious brushing. Plus the clients are usually very happy to have new clean water. And lastly in out Texas heat...hello...cooler water!
Don Siekawitch August 23, 2010 at 9:19pm

Hi Bud,

This is Don from Express Pool Care in Phoenix, AZ. I know this reply is a little late but if you haven't heard about it aready, there is a new product called SwampTreat by United Chemical Corp. They claim it works in hours not days and will leave a chlorine residual. Go to swimpool.com to get info.

Don