Pool Cloudy and Green

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KickABuck

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Aug 12, 2010
16
Hello..

Went on vacation a week and a half ago, came back to a green swamp pool. I have an in ground, plaster pool that is 15,000 gallons (I think) The pool is amoeba shaped, with a waterfall, so that is kind of a guess. When I got home, I cleaned the cartridge filter and put in a gallon of muriatic acid, 5 scoops of shock and brushed the sides of the pool. Went to pool store and they suggested adding sodium bicarbonate, I put in 10lbs per instructions. Pool still cloudy, green and now I have white particles floating in water. Test yesterday yielded the following:

FC 0.0
TC 0.0
CC 0.0
PH 7.8
Hardness 600ppm
Alkalinity 90ppm
CYA 0
Total dissolved solids 1300ppm

Yesterday, I added 4.5 gallons of 6% liquid chlorox after reading some from the forums, shocked again and as of this afternoon, the totals are the following

FC 9.0
TC 9.0
CC 0.0
PH 7.6
Hardness 670ppm
Alkalinity 85ppm
CYA 10
Total dissolved solids 1800ppm

I picked up some CYA and the pool store told me to add 4lbs into the skimmer. I haven't done this yet.

The pool is still very, very cloudy and light green. I can't see the bottom of the pool at all, visibility to the second step, about 1 1/2 feet. Pump has been running 24/7 for the past week and I have a polaris that runs as well, picking up leaves and bottom sentiment. The pool is surround by trees, so there is no all day direct sunlight, with the exception of when it is directly overhead which is clear from trees to the pool.

I can't seem to shake the light green cloudy look. I do have an inline tablet feeder, but I'm not sure that it is working correctly, given I have been adding tablets in the feeder and the skimmer, but the chlorine didn't rise until I added the liquid chlorox.

I've got my sons birthday parth 8/21 in the morning and a housewarming party that evening, so I *need* to have the pool sparkling clear by that target date. I have a k-2006 test on order which should be here in the next day or two.

So, what should I do to get the pool clear at this point. I'm wondering if I shouldn't drain half the pool and refill to help the process.

Thoughts and direction on next steps appreciated. Let me know if you need any other information from my end. I'm online 24/7 so I'll be monitoring and quick to respond. =)

Pictures:
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img4671q.jpg

img4672e.jpg
 
That CYA number is highly suspect if you are using a tab feeder - it should much be higher.

Keep up with the chlorine. Your pool is burning through it. Do you have any sort of test kit?

Leave the TA alone.

I'd be hesitant to add more CYA at the moment. If you have been using TriChlor I wouldn't trust that CYA number.

Check out the How to shock section in pool school.
 
Well, I went ahead and added the CYA, 4lbs.

The reason I did, was due to the fact that I have been having the water tested at the same pool store for about 8 months now, and all tests for CYA were 0, until today. I actually didn't even know about CYA or whether or not I needed it until this last week after reading the forums.

I don't know exactly what kind of tablets I have been using, as the pool person I used months ago, bought bulk and put them into an unmarked bucket that was simply noted with pen on the top "3 inch chlorine tablets". So I don't know if they are TriChlor or what.

Test kit is on order.. should I continue to add liquid chlorine? Take a look at the pictures I just uploaded

Thx for suggestions.
 
4.5 gallons should have raised you FC by 19 or so, so the fact that you've burned off quite a bit means you need more.

Without knowing what the CYA really is it's going to be really hard to shock properly - especially with a deadline.

I'll be right back
 
Note: When I say I went ahead and added the CYA, I mean I added it after my first post. So this afternoon test, CYA was 10, and I just *now* added the 4lbs about 15 minutes ago before I saw your post.
 
with a trichlor feeder you'd expect CYA to be 60 - 100 or more....... So another 4lbs.... who knows. I've seen more than 1 post in the last 2 weeks where pool store says 0 and when the test kit comes its 60 or 70....

Is there another pool store nearby?

Are you comfortable with the How to Shock section in pool school?
 
I've read the Pool School links.

Again, I have a K-2006 on order, but it will not be here for another 48 hours. There are two pool stores in the same complex near my house. Tomorrow, I will go and take two samples and hit both stores. I'll post both results when I get them.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to do my own tests until my K-2006 is in my hands.
 
KickABuck said:
should I continue to add liquid chlorine?
Click to expand...

Ultimately yes - much more. I'd target a fc level higher than your minimum CYA at this point (About 40). I would try to target FC 24ppm for a shock level. Others may disagree - it's admittedly a guess.

Test as often as possible - and bring it back up to shock level (Chlorine)
Keep the filter running
Scrub the pool 2 or 3 times a day and hunt out places algae is hiding

What kind of filter do you have?
 
It's a Hayward cartridge filter, C-1200. Rainbow 320 chlorinator.. set to 4 on the dial. The sides of my pool are clear of algae, but I'll keep scrubbing, no algae on my steps either. At this point, the water is green, but I don't know what is on the bottom and have not vacuumed it, since my polaris has been running strong.
 

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lightingguy said:
If I was on a deadline I would put 20ppm Chlorine in the pool tonight as to not loose 12 hours. Again - this is a bit of a guess and a little aggressive.

Are you comfortable with the pool calculator?
Click to expand...

Can't get anymore chlorine tonight. I'll look at the pool calculator and plug in my last numbers.

I should have test results from both pool stores by noon tomorrow and will post for guidance.

Thanks again.
 
Get out the leaf rake and start pushing it around the bottom of the pool to scoop up leaves. The Polaris can't do it all by itself. With a few windstorm while you were gone there could be whole branches down there. All the chlorine will not eat up leaves so you have to drag them out. Then the chlorine can work on the algae.

Filter running 24/7? Keeping an eye on the pressure and washing the cartridges as needed?

How many of those 3" tablets were you usually using in a week? That will be a clue to the CYA level.
 
Ok, went to the store and put in 3.5 more gallons of liquid chloring "Chlorox" 6.5% this evening.. and brushed the sides of the pool. Will take pool water in for testing tomorrow as stated and post results.
 
Hey Kick, welcome to TFP...more likely than not, those are trichlor tabs, but for now it is what it is.

Keep hitting it with bleach until you can test the CYA yourself. If you pool volume estimate is right, one gallon of 6% bleach will raise your FC by approx 4ppm. Given you added 4 lbs of CYA, and have been using trichlor, I'll guess your actual CYA level is around 40-50ppm, if not more. Shoot for a target FC level of 20ppm (5 gallons of bleach) all in one dose in the morning and then add another gallon mid day tomorrow until the kit arrives on Sat?. That should get you going in the right direction. I hate flying blind, but even if your CYA is lower, the high FC for 24hrs or so, should not harm things.

If you decide to test the water 1st at the pool store, just remember that on gal of 6% is about 4ppm in your pool...so adjust accordingly.
 
KickABuck said:
@anonapersona

I had been putting in 3-5 per week. But again, I do not know what *type* of 3" tablets they were. It was generically marked at "chlorine", in a bucket that was unmarked.
Click to expand...

If 7 oz tabs, 4 a week adds 7.8 ppm a week, for however many weeks. So add that to the volume of CYA you've now put in.
 
Have not tested the pool since original post.

Put in 4 gallons 6% liquid chlorine yesterday, tested the pool at Warehouse Pool Supply and Leslie's this afternoon.

Warehouse
FC 9.0
TC 9.0
CC 0.0
PH 8.0
Hardness 625ppm
Alkalinity 100ppm
CYA 30
Total dissolved solids 1700ppm

Leslies:
FC 5
TC 5
CC Did not test
PH 7.6
Hardness Did not test.
Alkalinity 110ppm
CYA 100
Total dissolved solids 1500ppm

Why the big swing between chlorine and CYa? Note, this is the first time I've had my pool water tested at Leslies, I've been going of Warehouse testing for months. Pool was noticeably clearer and less green this morning, I can actually start to see the bottom now. But it's still very cloudy.

My Taylor K2600 is with UPS but estimated delivery is not until Aug. 18th.

Not sure what if anything to put in it now... I'll keep trying to turn the water over and keep scrubbing the walls.
 
You'll want to keep the chlorine higher. I think everyone agrees that it's not likely that your CYA is low based on how you've been chlorinating the pool.

If it were me I'd be a little bit more aggressive with the chlorine. Use the calculator to target 30ppm or maybe a bit higher. (Keep in mind the shock level for CYA 100 is 39ppm.... So it's a bit of a guessing game) Then get a pool store measurement later in the day to try to calculate how much you are losing and adjust back up. With any luck you'll have shocked the pool by the time the test kit comes in and you can refine from there.

If your CYA is really 100ppm or more - leaving your chlorine low will allow the algae to gain a foothold again.

As for the big swing in the numbers.... That's why people here are quite vocal about a good test kit and learning how to use it.

Keep us posted.
 
Ok..

I'll see if I can test it again later today before the store closes, otherwise it will be in the morning.

Is 40ppm chlorine safe to swim in? The pool people are going nuts saying it is already too high.

At what level of chlorine ppm, does one usually encountered the "over chlorinated" pool symptoms of stinging eyes and bad smell etc.?

Thanks for all the help.
 

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