Chapter One: The Clues
The homeowner claimed victory just last week. The water looked beautiful, sparkling under the sun. Friends complimented their effort. Then came the morning after a storm. Green patches reappeared, mocking their confidence.
The brush marks were still faint on the walls from their last battle. The chlorine level seemed fine at first glance. But something was lurking beneath the surface.
Chapter Two: The Interrogation
We started with the usual questions.
“When did you last clean the filter?” Silence.
“What was your combined chlorine level yesterday?” Blank stare.
“How long did you run the pump yesterday?” More silence.
The homeowner sheepishly admitted they had only backwashed the filter once this season. They were relying on chlorine tabs and had not tested beyond a basic strip test in weeks.
Chapter Three: The Misleading Evidence
The water looked okay at first. But the numbers told a different story. Free chlorine was low. Combined chlorine was high. The filter pressure gauge was maxed out.
Their confidence had blinded them to the little signs. Dead spots around the stairs and ladder. Debris trapped in the skimmer basket. Uneven brushing that left patches for algae to regroup.
Chapter Four: The Real Culprits
We pieced it together:
- Filter clogged and neglected, reducing circulation.
- Combined chlorine too high, showing sanitizer was overwhelmed.
- Poor brushing left hidden areas untouched.
- Pump running just a few hours a day instead of full circulation.
The owner thought shocking once and sprinkling some tabs was enough to keep algae away. Not even close.
Chapter Five: Case Closed
We got to work. Deep-cleaned the filter. Ran the pump longer. Shocked properly with fresh chlorine. Brushed every corner thoroughly.
We handed the homeowner this checklist:
- Clean or backwash the filter weekly
- Run the pump at least 8 hours a day during hot months
- Test free and combined chlorine levels twice a week
- Brush all surfaces completely, even hidden spots
- Skim and vacuum regularly
The algae didn’t magically disappear. But with these steps, it finally stopped coming back. Case closed. And maybe, just maybe, the homeowner learned to stop underestimating the enemy.
