Cloudy pool help

[aholmes12000]

I've got a cloudy pool and unfortunately wasted my money on a cheap test kit. Until I get the water to the pool deal for testing, can anyone look at the results I've got from my cheapo test and make some recommendations until I get a good test?

CL (total) 5
pH 7.2
TA 160 pppm
harness 0
CYA > 40?

The water is cloudy--can't see the shallow end. I used algaecide yesterday and there was some dead algae on the surface today (a little foam). I brushed everything and haven't done anything else. Any recommendations? I've backflushed the filter every other day or so. This pool sat for 4 years!

 

[reebok]

you need to read through pool school. you need a good test kit, the pool store doesn't qualify.
pool-school/

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Which cheap test kit did you buy?

Yes, read Pool School. Lots of informative articles. Be sure to read Defeating Algae and the sister article "Green Swamp to Sparkling Oasis". All is not lost....

Welcome to the forum

 

[aholmes12000]

I bought the 6-way HTH test kit from Walmart. The pool dealer said I was low on CYA which I didn't believe until I thought about it. Thanks for the recommendations.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

The 6-way isn't great, but it's not that bad....at least your TA/PH tests are reasonably accurate, CYA too. It only has enough solution to do about 3 CYA tests. You are limited on the chlorine side of things since it's just an OTO.

I do recommend you upgrade your kit... TF100 or Taylor K-2006.

CYA of 40 isn't "low" it's middle of the road for a non-swg pool. Be sure to refer to the CYA chart when determining your recommended normal FC levels and shock level.

 

[Buggsw]

The Walmart test kit isn't bad at all for an OTO, except it only tests chlorine up to 5. Their HTH test strips are pretty decent, too - at least they measure Free Chlorine up to 10 and the CYA part is right on as long as your Chlorine isn't super high like near 20.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I disagree, from my own experience back when I used strips and it showed my CYA was at 30-50 when in reality the CYA was over 100. Strips are useless, IMHO. (Except the Aquachek salt test strips.)

 

[Buggsw]

Mine is showing my CYA in the 30-50 and that is what mine tests out at, as well. My DD's pool shows 100 and that's what hers test out at, too. Perhaps different batches or years. Just saying, I've had pretty good luck with them, this year.
Let's face it, you are never going to get the precision out of strips that you get with drop tests. I use them as a quick check during an extremely busy week but always drop test on the weekend.

 

[aholmes12000]

Thanks for the feedback. After adding the stabilizer, I have a reading of 35 ppm CYA. The chlorine is off the chart (Walmart HTH test) after shocking it a couple days ago. The pH is 7.5. Still cloudy though. I'm thinking about buying floculant, but I think it would be smarter to buy the better test kit first as many of you recommend. :-D It's still cloudy.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

You don't need floculant. You just need to keep the chlorine up, keep the filter going and have some pop. A much better way to spend your money would be one of the recommended kits.