Cloudy pool water... HELP!

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LynnKath

0
Jul 15, 2016
6
New Brunswick
I can't seem to clear up my water. We got our 16x48 pool filled last Saturday (a week ago tomorrow) and we had about 6-8 inches left of dirty water from last year remaining in the bottom. It was clear as we put some chlorine and algaecide in it prior to the water truck coming, and he filled it with chlorinated drinking water. I didn't think this would be a big issue as I figured our pump and chemicals would clear it up in a few days. We have ran the pump almost 24/7 and cleaned the filter regularly since filling and the only time it was off was when we used a clarifier. We went out and bought a $200+ pool vacuum and all it seems to do is cloud up the water worse :( It's picking up sludge type stuff and some debris but we can't seem to get it all. I can't afford to drain the pool and refill and can't even top up with the hose if we drain some :(

My PH is all over the place, either too high or too low. I put shock in and within 12 hours it shows there is no chlorine in it when I test it.

Last night my husband bought 8 jugs of liquid shock. I put in two last night and 1 this morning and so far it's holding the chlorine well above (Ideal) on the tester so I'm going to dump in a jug every 12 hours in hopes it helps kill off anything left in the water. Sometimes we can slightly see bottom of the pool but it's still very cloudy. I don't know what else to do... the clarifier made the cloud worse too...

Anyone have any advice? I'm lost.
 
Hello and welcome!

Please don't put anything but liquid chlorine into your pool. All those bags of shock are adding either CYA or calcium as well as chlorine. As the CYA builds up (it does not evaporate) it will make your FC less and less effective.

First order of business is a proper test kit. This is the core of properly caring for your pool.

Pool School - Test Kits Compared

The TF-100 with XL option is really the best value.

TFTestkits.net

Those 8 jugs of chlorine added well over 100ppm of FC to your pool, which is extremely damaging to your equipment and liner, don't do that again.

Without a proper test kit it will be next to impossible to properly clear and maintain your pool.

This pool will need a SLAM.

Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain

Please have a read through Pool School, especially The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

Dom
 
LynnKath said:
Oh I didn't add all 8 jugs in at once. I added two last night and one this morning and going to keep testing to make sure levels stay high for now until water begins to clear.
Click to expand...
Sorry, don't know how I missed that in your post.

Guess I should have some coffee before I post LOL.

Dom
 
You've got the right idea with the liquid chlorine but to really tell what you need in there, you gotta get a good test kit. The recommended kits are either the Taylor K-2006C that can be had from Amazon or the TF-100 from TFTestkits.net. Most prefer the TF-100 because it comes with more of the reagents needed most often. And I recommend getting the Speedstir with your TF-100, makes life much easier especially since you need to SLAM your pool. Read as much as you can from Pool School and put your pool info in your signature so we can help you with dosages and recommendations based on climate.
 
You'll need to use the search function (upper right) and search test kits Canada

It's the same here. We can not get the TF100 shipped to us. You can use a US postal receiving service or if you have a friend in Maine maybe? You can get a Taylor K2006 up there from Lowry and Associates and I think one other place, but it's probably around $200.

Another option is to refill and follow this system carefully: Pool School - Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools

If none of the prior chemicals you used contained CYA (aka cyanuric acid, aka stabilizer), it might be possible to use a 4-way test kit and get you going. I recognize there's only so much season there, so this might be an option. Check your packages of everything you've put in. Let people here know the quantity in ounces/lbs, the chemical name, and brand and product name. There's always a chance.

Nothing wrong with the prior advice. It's just tougher in Canada.
 
I can't drain and refill, finances are tight and it was already $260 to fill it. I bought some test strips which give me more than my previous kit..

They are hard to read though (darn!!!!!)

Shows something like- Total Bromine- 0
Free Chlorine- 0
Total Alkalinity- 80
PH- 7.8 to 8.2 (it's a mixed color....)
Total Hardiness- norm-high (again, it's like a mixed color)

Within the last 3 days we've added 5 jugs of the liquid chlorine, at different times mind you.

I bought a liquid clarifier but I doubt that will help when the chlorine is reading at 0 AGAIN after keeping the levels very high for 48 hours.
 
As far as test strips, one of the very long-term experts here suggested making a little teepee with them, light them on fire and cook a hot dog. That way you get some value out of them. Seriously, they're not reliable enough for running a safe sparkly pool.

You're going to need to buy a Taylor K2006 test kit to maintain your pool using Trouble Free Pool Care. Lowry and Associates, Newmarket, Ontario

You can read the links given by Dom and gain some good knowledge about pool chemistry.

If you haven't added any stabilizer, you could use PoolMath here (determine volume, enter at the top, then enter you results).

Stabilizer is cyanuric acid aka CYA. It protects chlorine from being burned off by the sun. If you have never used solid or powdered sources of chlorine, then you can calculate how much stabilizer is needed, so that the pool has 30 ppm CYA, before continuing to add liquid chlorine. The chorine may hold, provided you continue adding about 3 ppm FC per day. If you have algae that led to the cloudiness, you will not be able to treat the pool effectively without a test kit.

I think your alternatives are weekly pool service, getting a test kit, or refilling and following the seasonal pool system.

You can search other Canadian users and how they got test kits. Go to search box at upper right, and enter: test kit Canada
 
Hi again, I email Lowry & Associates (Taylor distributor in Canada) and they sent me the 2016 order form for Canada, which you can use to order the K-2006 in Canada

This is the way to go for the long term, if you decide to adopt Trouble Free Pool Care and you're unable to get the TF100 by picking it up in the USA
 

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Cannot tell a lie, lol, I was kinda interested to know how crazy their prices are. It looked like they mostly supply industry with other testing stuff, so I suppose they're used to fat markup or maybe just lower volume residential sales. Who knows.

At $200, you'd still save back the cost vs. pool store recommendations, but unlike the USA where it only takes a month or two to pay off a kit, maybe it would take a full swimming season in Canada.
 
I dont know Canada at all but is there a place you can buy the Walmart HTH? drop kit I sometimes see recommended for seasonal pools and then add on a FASDPD for less money from elsewhere?

Seems like a tight budget issue and although the TF 100 is the best value long term this may get them started until they can save up for the bigger kit
 
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