Pool cloudy, mostly in deep end

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M

Mattyssox

0
May 24, 2010
114
New Engalnd
Hello,

Ok, so last year I had the same cloudy issue. The pool is about 20 by 40ft inground. There are two skimmers and a main drain, and two outputs. One output in the shallow end, one in the deep end. I have balanced the pool by getting it tested once a week and using the necessary ingredients. I have shocked the snot out of it a few times, when doing so, I put in about 4lbs of shock. After shocking it, I get it tested again a few days later. My pool gets better in the shallow end, where i can see the bottom, but not crystal clear. The deep end remains cloudy, to the point where I can't see anywhere near the bottom. I have used clarifiers, the balls for the skimmer, tablets...everything.

I think it would be neat to have one of those pools where you can see the bottom. You know, like the rest of the world has.

Please, I welcome your thoughts.
 
Paulr is right. Without more information about the specific numbers for your pool it's really hard to say what the cloudiness is from. Do you have a test kit that measures the following, or do you pool store results that you can post (suggest ONLY getting numbers from pool store, don't buy anything until after you post the results and hear back.)

FC - Free Chlorine
CC - Combined Chlorine
TC - Total Chlorine (just FC + CC)
TA - Total alkalinity
CH - Calcium hardness
CYA - Cyanuric Acid or Stabilizer
pH - acidity factor of the water

With these numbers, the folks on here will get you headed in the right direction and you'll be on your way to a clear pool.
 
I will try to get these readings tonight. I have tried shocking it 5 times a week to clear it up, and had no luck. Also, I have kept a floating clorinator in the pool to supplement my clorinator attached to the filter. I use the pucks.
 
Yup...we really need those #'s. :goodjob:

Shocking 5 times a week, is not shocking...that is adding stabilized chlorine to your pool 5 times a week, which may not be enough. Adding a source of chlorine to your pool water to keep your FC level at the required shock level is shocking.

I would strongly suggest you invest in a good test kit (TF100 or Taylor K2006) and read up on the articles in pool school. We'll be here to help you out when you have those test results, but do undertsand that consistent Pool Store test results are sketchy at best (some may be accurate, but there is no way to know for sure), hence why we recommend you get your own kit.

From the sound of it you are using pucks and powdered shock, which likely are adding to your CYA level. The higher your CYA, the more chlorine you will need to properly shock your pool.
 
so i was reading that link from PaulR...

Let me see if i understand how this works:

If my pool CYA reads at 30PPM, then I would want to add enough chlorine to get my FC level up to 12ppm. What would I use to do this? liquid chlorine?

Then once i get it to 12ppm, then I add granular shock?
 
Mattyssox said:
If my pool CYA reads at 30PPM, then I would want to add enough chlorine to get my FC level up to 12ppm.
Click to expand...
Yes, but given that you have been using granular shock for so long, you likely have a cya >100 (over-stabilized). This means to properly shock you would need much higher FC levels. To take control of your pool you need to get your CYA down to a manageable level.


Mattyssox said:
What would I use to do this? liquid chlorine?
Click to expand...
YES!!!


Mattyssox said:
Then once i get it to 12ppm, then I add granular shock?
Click to expand...
NO!!!
The only source of chlorine you need is liquid (Bleach or Liquid Pool Chlorine).

Go back and re-read How to Shock.
 
so if my cya is that high, what would I do to bring it down?

Also, I had my pool water professionally tested last week and it checked out fine. I told him it was cloudy, so he told me to add granular shock and didn't try to sell me any products like liquid chlorine etc.. So I don't really get how my CYA could be that high, yet two different pool stores have said to continue to shock it.
 
If your CYA is high, the only way to bring it down to a manageable level is doing a partial drain and refill, or a series of partial drain and refills. But we don't know if your CYA is high or not without test numbers.

Cloudiness can be caused by multiple things, the beginnings of an algae bloom, high calcium, or a host of other things. There's no way to give you good advice without test results. As dmanb2b said, the users of this forum have a lot of experience with different pool store numbers and they can be inconsistent from one store to the next, one day to the next, or one tester to the next. To take full control of your pool getting your own good test kit and becoming familiar with it is the best solution, however, even with pool store results we can begin to understand the chemistry of your pool and help you begin the process of getting it clear again.

Sorry to be blunt, but if the pool store advice to continue adding shock to your pool was working, you probably wouldn't be here. Most of us found this site after the pool store advice stopped working or just got so ridiculously expensive we thought there had to be a better way. There are many people on here that are happy and ready to help, but the first step is to give them some concrete numbers to work with.
 
Yeah I hear you. Trust me, the last thing I want to do is spend more money on the pool. Although, I am open to suggestions on the cheapest way to to fill the pool (concrete? dirt?)

Anyways, I will test it when I get home and post the results and we will go from there. I do appreciate everyone's input.
 

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I see from your other posts that you've had some problems with it. I truly understand the feeling. In 2008 before finding this site, I felt like you do. I thought a tennis court would look really good where the pool is. The following season I started up using BBB and immediately had to deal with replumbing my system and multiple pump issues (all related to the age of the equipment we inherited with the house.) After getting that finally repaired, I had to deal with turning a swamp into a pool.

It took several months to get it as sparkling as the pictures on here, but I can credit this forum to helping me keep my sanity. I can assure you that if you follow the advice of the moderators and experts on this forum and are willing to do the reading to learn what's going on in your pool that you will get to where you will be happy you didn't fill the pool in.
 
Most of us have been where you are at some point. I am on my 8th year. The first with TFP. I am infinitely more happy right now than the cumulative of the previous seasons.

Why?
Not JUST because my pool looks beautiful. But because I understand what is going on with it. I control the pool. It doesn't control me anymore.

Take a deep breath. Regroup. Re-approach and read.

You'll be there in no time.

:mrgreen:
 
red sox

CYA = 0 (i was told it was low before)
ph = 6.8-6.9
chlorine = .5
alkalinity = 80
calcium = 200

20 by 40 pool, 8 ft deep end, 32k? gallons, sand filter, cloudy even when balanced last year.

so how much of what do i need for this pos?
 
Have you looked at http://www.poolcalculator.com?
It is also explained in pool school.
Plug your info into the calculator and it will tell you what you need to add. If you want to verify what you get, come back and post the suggestions and you can get confirmation.

You'll need to raise the Ph
Determine shock level and how to get there. pool-school/shocking_your_pool The pool calculator will give you a shock level and so will the CYA/Chlorine chart in pool school. The CYA chart is a bit more aggressive at shocking than pool calculator, but both levels will work.
You also need to add CYA.

:-D
 
If I'm reading that calculator right:

To get chlorine from .5 to 2, I need 96 ounces of 6% bleach. Is this literally bleach from the store? how should i add this

To get my PH from 6.8 to 7.5 it says a few different options, but I will buy PH plus and read the directions.

To get my CYA up, I need 170 ounces of stabilizer. I have some powder stabilizer, so i will read the directions and see how much I need, unless someone lets me know.

Now my question here is which order should I add this stuff? and should I let the pool run??
 
Mattyssox said:
If I'm reading that calculator right:

To get chlorine from .5 to 2, I need 96 ounces of 6% bleach. If your pool is cloudy I'd say you have to shock. Using the pool calculator shock recommendation, and if your CYA is truly zero, you'd need to reach 10. You need to reach 10, retest in 30-60 minutes, enter result in now, 10 in target and repeat according to the instructions pool-school/shocking_your_pool
Is this literally bleach from the store? yes, please go back and read the pool school. The ABCs of pool chemistry is especially helpful but much of the basic info is there. And go buy a bunch of bleach how should i add this into the return jet for most liquid items.
To get my PH from 6.8 to 7.5 it says a few different options, but I will buy PH plus and read the directions. Borax will work fine. It's cheap. As will arm and hammer washing soda which is sodium Carbonate, the same ingredient in ph plus. I can't get washing soda locally so I'm using PHplus until I run out, then I will use the borax I have.

To get my CYA up, I need 170 ounces of stabilizer. I have some powder stabilizer, so i will read the directions and see how much I need, unless someone lets me know. In the pool calculator, just mouse over the ounces it recommends and in the upper section it will tell you the pounds (I got 11.) For now, save your trichlor tabs. They add CYA, which is explained in pool school and its easy to let it get out of control, plus they may be ok for holding basic FC levels early on, but bleach or 10-12% liquid chlorine is best for shocking purposes.
Now my question here is which order should I add this stuff? and should I let the pool run?? Ph needs to be adjusted first. Then you need start chlorine shock process. You can add CYA at the same time via putting it in a sock or several socks and hanging it in front of a return. Once the socks have dissolved assume the target as your CYA level, adjust Chlorine amounts accordingly, then retest CYA in a week or so.
Click to expand...

Edit: Now, I'm confused. I went back and reread this thread...is your CYA really zero? It seems in one area you indicated it was high, now it's zero? If you have been using trichlor pucks, and dichlor shock at all this season, then it isn't zero. How did you test this?

Additionally, it is helpful if you put your pool specs in your signature via the control panel. Thanks. :lol:
 

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