So glad to find this site. "The pool store experts" (chuckle, chuckle, growl) have already made over $300 on me this season. And I still have a cloudy pool. I am, like the others, a newbie and about at my wits end. I have the test strips. I have used lots of shock, super blue clarifier(what a joke), and bought the 50 lbs bag of sodium bicarbonate, what I later found out, was baking soda. I have spent more time this year trying to keep it clear than swimming. I used floc upon the first opening and that cleared it up until we had a bad sand storm. Since then the pool has been cloudy. Please help!!!

Get us a set of test results, even if it's from strips and the pool store. Tell us all the specifics about your pool you can, as in what kind of pool, filter type, etc.

It is a 24' Above ground with vinyl liner, sand filter. 1 1/2 HP pump,
Test Results are as follows:
total hardness-250-ok
total chlorine-3-ok
bromine-10-high
ph-7.2-ok
total alk-120-ok
stabilizer-50-ok

These results are using Aqua Chem 6-way test strips

free chlorine was 10-high

Bromine should be ignored unless you have a bromine pool. If you have a bromine pool, let us know right away because this thread will need to be moved into the bromine area to avoid confusion.

Your total alkalinity is a little high, but shouldn't be too much a problem. I'm guessing between the highish TA and the addition of all that baking soda, it caused the cloudiness. If you want to read up on lowering TA, here you go: pool-school/lowering%20total%20alkalinity

You can also consider adding DE to your sand filter: pool-school/add_de_to_a_sand_filter
I don't think it is necessary though. Given time, I think your pool will clear itself if it is just from the sand.

You can't have total chlorine of 3 and free chlorine of 10.

Maybe I am reading the strips incorrectly. When I use the drop agents, my chlorine is a maximum of 5
.

I do not have Bromine in my pool. Retest with the strips and got same results. The pool store is over 35 miles away so don't have any results except from last week before adding the stabilizer, baking soda and super blue, and all the shock.

In regards to the baking soda, the pool store had me add 9 cups of it in three intervals.

So those numbers are before or after adding more "shock" and baking soda? Your TA was already high, so adding baking soda will have made it even higher. Also your CYA was already high for a normal pool, and most likely the "shock" product you added drove it even higher.

Can you put up a picture of your water?

PS: Don't go back to that pool store!

The numbers are after. Will post picture of water.

While your doing all this, order a real test kit, seriously, you can't maintain your pool without a proper test kit (http://www.tftestkits.net), then read pool school, upper left cover of the site, when your done, re-read pool school.
Seriously, a good test kit with the knowledge contained in pool school will go very far.

OK, I"m betting that's not algae cloud, especially since you haven't shocked the pool.

A good test kit and an overnight chlorine loss test would tell us a lot.

Which test kit is the one that I need to use? The Taylor K-2006?

That or the TF-100. I love the TF-100, very nicely put-together kit, good, easy-to-read instructions. See tftestkits.net

TF-100 comes with more reagents, might as well get it over the taylor. I've never used the TF kit, but I would use either of them. Or you could decide by which case you prefer.

If there was ever a perfect candidate to make the switch to BBB, it's you. You will never have to visit that pool store for chemistry again, your own testing will be much more accurate, and then you can add only what's needed to the pool (which you'll be able to buy from the grocery store or the hardware store for much cheaper).

Here's your marching orders:
1. Order a good test kit. Majority of users here order the TF-100. I highly suggest adding the speedstir for convenience factor, but its optional.

2. While you're waiting for the kit to be delivered, read Pool School. The link is in the upper right corner of every page. Nearly every article is relevant, so read all of it. It will seem overwhelming, but it has all the info you need. For a little more focused reading start with these articles - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry, Recommended Pool Chemicals, and What is BBB?.

3. Next read How to Shock Your Pool and this thread. These are very important, as correctly shocking your pool will be step 1 in turning your pool sparkly.

4. If at this point you're still waiting for the test kit, read some more, and browse the threads where people clear up either an algae filled pool or an ammonia filled pool. The process is the same, and it will show you that there are many who have done it before, and it works. It also will prepare you for the job ahead of you.

5. When you get the kit, test your water, and post a full set of test results. The TF-100 comes with instructions, but this thread goes into more detail.
Once we know what condition your water is in, we can help you clear it. There are a lot of people who love helping others with this process, so you'll be in good hands.

6. Finally, and some would say most importantly, take pictures!! We've got the start point already, but document the process as well. Other readers will cheer you on, plus its a good way for you to look back and see the progress (because on some days it will be so gradual, you may start to get frustrated).

Welcome to TFP!!!

The comment above outlines the exact process you want to follow, I'm gonna bookmark that and copy/paste whenever needed, those instructions are complete and concise

So I take it that the HTH test kits are worthless?