re: Algae in pool

Chlorine, algae guard, muratic acid, and shock as necessary..... keep the pump running 10-12 hours a day during the summer, backwash sand filter once a week, brush once or twice a week, let Polaris work 2-4 hours a day.

I usually test the water once or twice a week and add whatever I need to add as necessary. I keep the chlorine float full at all times

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I have a pool store right around the corner from the house and they have never tried to sell me anything I didn't need.

All pool places may not be the same, but these guys have tested my water a number of times and most of the time have told me to just use what I already have or to just brush/filter and bring a sample back next week.

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its been my experience they gain your confidence and then when you have the inevitable algae bloom they hit you with the $$$ chemicals.

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You have to manage that over the course of a year, and determine when/how to use chlorine with stabilizer (tri-chlor) and when not to. Bleach is a great alternative to use when you need to back off of trichlor.

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Just chiming in to (hopefully) clarify and (hopefully) not add conflicting details:

Tri-chlor contains stabilizer (CYA) which is important but if you use too much your CYA levels can get too high which can cause some problems that may seem counterintuitive, not the least of which is a higher use/demand for Free Chlorine. As explained in this TFP post:

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When I was using Trichlor tabs 7 years ago in my own pool, my CYA climbed to 150 ppm after 1-1/2 seasons and I started to get an unusually high chlorine demand that eventually turned the water dull and then cloudy -- it was algae that was at first not visible. This was in spite of using an algaecide every other week and having an FC level of around 3 ppm. If I wasn't using an algaecide, I probably would have had algae when the FC dropped somwhere below 8 ppm or so. Had I known better, I could have raised the FC level as my CYA climbed or even better switched to using chlorinating liquid which is what I did and have not had such problems since (well, one time I did when I let the chlorine get to zero during a spring startup).

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This is one big reason why you see so many mention simply using chlorinating liquid (bleach) rather some of the other things that contain CYA and if your CYA level is way high could be contributing to the stubbornness of your problem. If CYA level is too high, the only solution is to dilute (drain and replace) gradually, and monitor accordingly.

Seems like a huge PITA right now, but once you get your water balanced it should just require some tweaking here and there, for me, maybe once every 2-3 weeks usually dealing with ph.

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I'm just using the Polaris to help stir up the bottom. Unfortunately my pool vacuums to the filter, so I don't have a set up to go to waste. Guess I'll have to pull a vacuum and drain the algae bottoms manually in my yard somewhere. I've never tried this, maybe use a shop vac on the end of the hose to get it started?

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Disconnect pipe going from pump to filter.

Should be a screw pipe at filter. Turn pipe away from filter and go to town.

What Havoc says is correct. If there are people in this thread who don't fully understand CYA, please take the time to read on it. In my opinion, it's the most important concept for beginners to understand.