Cloudy skies... no, wait, cloudy water

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B

brasilmom

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2011
187
Brookfield, WI
Hello,

I am having the most horrible time getting my pool to get and stay clear. I did the readings this morning and here is it:

FC: 4.5
CC: 0
C.H.: 160
P.H.: 8.0
TA: 160
CYA 25

I am going to add stabilizer and more chlorine. I need to lower the PH, I know. Anything else that I need to do?

Also, I have replaced my pump with a 2 speed and I noticed that when I put on the lower speed it releases a much more cloudy water into the pool. It does not matter if I have just backwasshed the filter. I also put some DE yesterday to help with the filtering. I backwashed this morning and I am adding water to the pool. I will be adding chlorine, although I hate doing it as it is supposed to be very hot and sunny today, burning teh chlorine right off.

Thank you for the help. Be well

Miriam
 
You need to lower the pH down to 7.2 and then you need to begin the slam process . After the slam is completed raise the CYA to the 30-50 range.

Are you rinsing the filter after you backwash? Rinsing should clear the dirty water out of the filter. Also be sure you are turning off the pump before switching modes on the filter.
 
Thank you Zea3. I am lowering the PH with MA, but I need to get more as I had only 1/2 gallon and the calculator tells me to use 1 gallon, a quart, and a cup. I will not add any chlorine until I have the PH lowered and then I will raise the CYA.

I do rinse the filter each time I backwash. I did this morning and added the MA this afternoon as the weather was beautiful and the children wanted to swim a bit. I do turn the pump off before switching the filter modes. However, I do not when I go from full speed to low speed on the pump. Should I?

There has been a lot more bubbling coming on the returns. Not sure why, as I never had this happening before. Anything I need to check on?

- - - Updated - - -

Thank you for the article on the filter. Will read it through.
 
Checked on the PH this morning and it is down to 7.4 I will get more MA and add a bit more. I started the shocking process and will also get some stabilizer to add this afternoon. The water still appear to be coming cloudy from the returns. I backwashed and rinsed yesterday, but perhaps I need to do it again to make sure all is clean. Thoughts?
 
Ok, so this is getting concerning now. I have added 4 gallons so far and the water is still looking exactly the same. No change to the clarity of it at all. I can continue to add more chlorine, but at this point I wonder if something else is going on. Anyone?
 
Ok, so the pool is totally shocked, sitting at a 23ppm on fc. The filter has been backwashed and rinsed 3 times since yesterday, and the water remains cloudy as ever. I lowered the PH to 7.4, and the only thing left to do is to increase CYA. Why is the water not clearing up? It looks clean, but is very very cloudy, to the point that we can somewhat see the bottom on the shallow part. I have never had the pool behave this way before. I am stuck. Please help. Thanks
 
Indeed I read the article and started shocking yesterday. I added 5 gallons but in long intervals between each gallon. The last one was added around 7:30pm last night. I took the reading this morning, and did the last backwashed and rinse mentioned. I have had cloudy water before, but never I had to add that much chlorine to clear it up and it cleared up overnight. This time it is too stubborn for me to comprehend what is going on. I will continue to wash, even so because i do not have much of a choice. It sure is a disappointing sight.
 

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I took another reading and the FC is now at 8.5 ppm. I added another gallon. The water remains as if I have done absolutely nothing to it. Not a single change on the cloudiness. The PH is at 7.5, and I did not read the CYA as I did not add any yet. I could not get out today to get some. I also did another backwash and rinse, but it was clean. I am not sure what else to do or think of this all.

Now, what else can it be? Is the new pump causing it? Is the chlorine I am adding? It is a pool shock that I purchase from a local pool store.
 
Yes it is ok to swim up to SLAM level for your CYA.

With all the backwashing you might be getting fairly low on the CYA and this could be affecting your ability to hold the shock level of FC for long. As soon as you let it drop below that level then the algae is getting back into the game. How often are you testing? Are you running your filter 24/7 and brushing everyday?- these are also key components of a successful SLAM.
 
I did not test it today, so I am not sure where the CYA is now. I am adding stabilizer tonight, as I go out to purchase some. I am brushing it and the filter is running 24/7, not stop other than to change modes. I just added another gallon and tonight as I add the stabilizer I will add another gallon. Never seen my pool to behave this badly. Have had cloudy water before that cleared up in a day or two. This has been going on for more than a week, and I am at loss. I fear the chlorine I bought is no good. I am going to get more tonight, but not the same.
 
Just pitch for 30 CYA -but I get the feeling that your sort of adding bleach without testing before each addition. It' really important to test for FC in particular before each addition and even better if you record the relevant dates, times, amounts added etc as well as your readings, so you can track how things are going. Being methodical with a SLAM can make a big difference.

Yes worth checking the date of manufacture of your bleach -what percentage are you using?
 
Thank you Jezza. You are correct on your assessment on my adding the bleach. I think I am rather frustrated as I see no improvement in my pool for 2 weeks already. Nothing. I brush, add chlorine, add DE, backwash, rinse, repeat and still nothing. The water is blue, but cloudy. I added couple of pictures for you all to see. Now, I replaced my pump this year and it seems that since then is when I cannot clear the pool. There is a lot more air bubbles coming from the return too. It seems that it is a series of things not helping it all. The pump is 2 speed but I am running it on high for 5 days and nothing. NO change in the slightest.

The bleach is 12%, but I need to check for the manufacture date.

Honestly, I am plain frustrated as I have treated cloudy water before and it had algae, but I cleared it up in couple days. This time I have no idea what is going on. Perhaps the pump.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh, another thing is. The piping for the pump and filter. We have a 1-1/2" pipe coming from the suction side. Then we have 2" pipe going from the filter into heater into pool. My husband things that perhaps this may also be part of the problem. The plumbing has alwsy been that way, however. We did not do this plumbing, it was existent. The new pool is a 1hp Pentair
 
Most of the time the issue is a chemistry one rather than a filtering one- I would just focus on maintaining the SLAM but applying a methodical approach, recording what seems to be going on. Pay particular attention to how much FC you are losing between testing and the time frame involved, always adding chlorine to maintain the SLAM level for your FC. Confirm CYA number -just be careful not to add too much. Perhaps look at adding DE to your filter when you can establish where things are at.

Also only backwash the filter when the PSI goes up by 20-25% from your baseline starting PSI.
 
Jezza said:
Most of the time the issue is a chemistry one rather than a filtering one- I would just focus on maintaining the SLAM but applying a methodical approach, recording what seems to be going on. Pay particular attention to how much FC you are losing between testing and the time frame involved, always adding chlorine to maintain the SLAM level for your FC. Confirm CYA number -just be careful not to add too much. Perhaps look at adding DE to your filter when you can establish where things are at.

Also only backwash the filter when the PSI goes up by 20-25% from your baseline starting PSI.
Click to expand...

We got a bunch of rain last night and the pool is full. I am sure my FC is almost all gone. The children swam all day yesterday. Now, a thing to notice. My husband turned the speed of the pump to low yesterday - while I was not at home - and again a bunch of sediment was spilled into the pool. Each time we turn the pump to low this happens, and we believe that this is what got the water so cloudy. What can it be?

I will continue to SLAM methodically. My husband is ready to hire a pool person to take a look. I am ready to put some other chemical to see if I can get rid of this cloudy water. We are totally at loss.
 

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