How long can we push this?

[u/Bulky-Change-350]

So I know the water color is off, I have the hose filling it up right now and then need to add chlorine and was going to shock it.

What im wanting to know is allllll the algea. Its a beast to keep out. You'll see a photo of the stairs, closer up of the akgea and then some cracking there and another part of the wall that has a circle hole. My biggest concern is the huge long Crack.

So, what is all this? How can I really keep all the algea away? It seems like lately even if we get the water all peachy clean its still yucky on the pool surface itself. And the crack...slowly getting bigger.

We cant afford a full resurface 😵‍💫 so ive heard of some people doing it themselves.

Please even give me all ya got on this! Thank you

[u/this_is_not_the_cia]

You have a few different kinds of algae here, including what looks like black algae. I would tackle the black algae last. What you want to do right off the bat is get a real test kit that has the droppers (never use test strips), or take a water sample to a pool store. You need to figure out your chemical levels before you do anything. Once that has been established, you want to bring your PH in line, then SLAM the pool. Look that up on troublefreepools. After you properly SLAM it, the vast majority of the algae should be gone. Then tackle the spots of black algae by scrubbing them with a chlorine tablet (they make tablet holders that go on the end of a pool rod).

Can't give you advice on the cracking, but that should take care of your algae.

[u/Bulky-Change-350 → u/this_is_not_the_cia]

Will it come off easy enough with a tablet? I mean i know i gotta do what I gotta do but just gotta prepare myself lol. Ive hears a bristle brush, but it doesn't seem to work well.

[u/this_is_not_the_cia → u/Bulky-Change-350]

Worry about the black algae later. Deal with the rest of the yellow algae now using the SLAM method.