Dry skin- itchy rash?? My levels....

[asumila]

I have an AG Intex metal frame pool 18x48 vinyl. It holds according to their calculations 6,700 gallons. Its been up for 9 days now and our water is still slightly green and a tiny bit cloudy. When I look down I can see down to my thighs and that's it. I only have the test strips and an HTH drop test right now. My readings as of tonight are:
400- TH
8-10 FC
8- pH
180-240- TA
30-50- CYA (I put a range on some of these reading because those colors are so darn hard to read!!)

From the drop test:
7.5- pH
5+ FC- (only goes up to 5)

When we filled our pool we had 0 FC reading, 7.5 pH, 240+ TA, and 0 CYA. I spent a few days trying to lower the TA with acid and then just this afternoon added some pH plus when the pH got down to 7. We don't have an aerator and I've read different places that say you shouldn't be TOO concerned with high TA- it will only mean you will have to more frequently check and manage pH levels. I've also added to the pool a little bit of clarifier- (only because after I was doped by the pool store and figured out I don't need it, they don't take returns of course- but THATS a different story).

What do I need to do to get our water clear and what could be causing me to have dry really itchy skin with tiny little bumps??

Sorry for the long post- I'm confused and totally new at this- first time pool owner!! Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me!!!

 

[asumila]

Oh yeah- I've been using shock powder, liquid chlorine- 12% from pool store and those chlorine tablets in the floater- am I overdoing that??

 

[Richard320]

Probably a reaction to something alive in the water.

I ain't getting in a pool unless I can see the bottom. See your thighs? I don't want to just see my toes, I want to see the hair on them!

Pause from your reading here, and go order a proper test kit. I endorse the TF100XL. It has everything you need, in large quantities. I have no stake in the company, but I use one myself, as do most of the folks here. As long as the card is out, order a speedstir from the same site.

Without knowing all your water test results, there's no way of knowing if you're overdoing things or not. You might be low on Calcium, so the shock powder is okay; you might be too high, in which case you're aggravating things. Your CYA may be low, so the pucks are okay, or again, it may be too high. But you added some already, and it can take a while to read. If it's higher, a lot of the chlorine isn't free to kill algae.

Have you found Pool School?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I agree with Richard - start in Pool School, order a test kit, stop swimming if you can't see the bottom of the pool.

You probably need to shock the pool. Stop using tablets and powder - your CYA is probably too high and you aren't maintaining proper FC levels.

Without test results - that would be my assumption. Don't rely on strips, especially for CYA levels. They are notoriously innacurate.

 

[asumila]

Ok, so when I took the cover off the pool this morning the water is much more clear and I can see to the bottom- not CRYSTAL clear but like I said, can finally see to the bottom!! I've ordered a good test kit and until then I think what I will do is shock the pool and keep it at shock level until it clears up and hope for the best! The idea of something being ALIVE in the pool causing a reaction like Richard said gives me the heebie jeebies!! I'm not getting back in until its sparkling!! I'll post my results when I get the good test kit in and hopefully they will be good.
Thank you guys!!

 

[asumila]

Ok- went to Ace Hardware store and got Borax (walmart didn't have this) and muriatic acid. Got back home and now the pool is grey and cloudy again!! What the?? Tested my levels and the chlorine is still high but my TA is also still very high- could this grey stuff be scaling or dead algea? I'm going to vaccum the pool and see it that helps and check my filter too. The water in the town I live in has rest deposits in it- so much that two days after the first filter is was bright orange, three days after the next filter still bright orange! Could the rust be a problem too? I'm sorry too many questions.
Thanks!!

 

[JasonLion]

If your water was clear before and has now clouded up, then algae has most likely started growing again. There are a couple of other possibilities, but they are much less likely.