Cloudy post algea breakout low chlorine

[emeraldfly20]

About a week and a half ago our pool turned green. It had been crystal clear all summer. I admit the kids went away to their dads for a two week vacation and I slacked on pool maintenance. I realize now that I let chlorine levels get too low for too long. Anyways back to the problem. After it turned green I brought a sample in to out local pool supply store and they tested it. Everything looked great except I had a ph of 8.2 low clacium and low chlorine. So that day I added 1/2 cup of ph lower, that night I shocked it and the next morning I added calcium...all as instucted by the store. They said my alkilinity was a little low but not to add to it that when I added fresh water to the pool it would be fine.
Nothing happened. The pool got a little less green less green but within a day was greener than ever. So a few days later I shocked it again with a super shock. And lowerd the ph again which at this point was around 7.8. The pool lightened a little and then back to green. So green I could see maybe 8-10 inches into the water. The whole time im doing all of this shocking the chlorine is just disappearing out of the water. I mean by the next day after the second shock chlorine wasnt even registering. So I call my pool guy at the store and he thinks there is a organic thing called cotton wood? In the sand filter so that night we open the sand filter but unlike what our pool guy says the sand is not hard on top. The next night we shocked it again.... Yeah I know.
What else can we do. The pool turns a lighter green by the next morning And in a hope that I can salvage the pool I go to the store and buy liquid chlorine (cause I dont want all the extra stuff that comes with shock) and dump about half a gallon of clorox in there. And every morning since then I have been adding a few cups just enough to keep the chlorine between 2-4 ppm.
Within about 5 hours of adding liquid chlorine the first time my pool was blue again. But extremely cloudy. Its been 3 days and now I can see about 18 inches into the water still pretty cloudy.
The ph has been at a steady 7.6 for the last 3 days. The alkilinity is up from adding fresh water. Stabalizer is good. Phosphorous good. The chlorine is still disappearing really fast from the pool and im having to constantly add it. Also still pretty cloudy.
is this normal?
Ive been backwashing a few timea a day. It is getting slowly better but is there something I am missing?

6,280 gallon agp
sand filter

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello and welcome to TFP! The problem you've been encountering is that you've been relying on pool store advise and their specific products to clear your water. In addition, you've been doing "shock" treatments as advised by the pool store which most times doesn't work. We can help guide you, but there are a few things you will need to do if you really want to take full ownership of your pool:
1 - You MUST have the proper test kit via TFTestkits.net and also see Pool School - Test Kits Compared. There is NO substitute for the right kit. I have the TF-100 w/ speed stir to mix the reagents, and it's wonderful!
2 - Your water is cloudy w/ organic material thriving because your free chlorine level (FC) is not in alignment with your CYA (stabilizer) level. That's very common.
3 - You will need to do a "SLAM" via Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain

But to do a SLAM, you need the right test kit as noted above. It's NOT difficult to do, and you don't have to have a degree in chemistry. Most of us got tired of putting all our money into the pool store business without seeing good results and knew there was a better way. TFP can help.

Please look those links over, and seriously consider ordering the right test kit as noted above. The rest will work. Let us know I you have any more questions. Welcome!

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Until you get the proper test kit, I would advise you to not put any more pool store products in your water. Many of those cause more problems later. Simply add about 1/2 gallon of regular (generic is fine) bleach to your water each night to help keep it from getting worse. When you get your test kit, post for us: FC, CC, CYA, PH, and CYA and we can go from there.