Clearing my green swamp for a week and a half

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emmeaus

emmeaus

0
Jul 11, 2010
19
North Shore, Massachusetts
I have read, reread pool school and know all the basics. Used BBB to a tee last year as first time pool owner, love you guys/girls. This year I have been clearing my green swamp for a week and a half. Holding overnight FC at 15 for several days, with CYA of 30 with a sand filter and cloud will not clear up. I have a bottle of floc in my hand right now. Please stop me or give me and OK... I am at the edge of the abyss with my 5 kids dying to get in the blue cool pool. Can you give me a quick answer?

Thanks, Sharon
 
I'd prefer clarifier over floc. Besides test results, can you describe your pool and equipment? Pump size/filter size/type...etc

If you pump has been running 24/7 and you are not seeing day to day water clarity improvement, I would question if the filter is working properly or set to the filter setting
 
OK,
18,500 gal AGP vinyl liner, buried 3ft in ground.
2.0 hp pump, Hayward 1.7 sand filter
All items brand new install last July, used BBB and was beautiful until we failed to get cover on before algae took over at end of season.

We have cleared out all leaves, sticks, gook. Although I know that there are a few rocks, toys, etc. on the bottom that I can feel with vacumm/screen, but nothing organic I believe. We have been vacumming 2/day, backflushing more than needed (ever couple hours just to be sure). And when we vacumm, we need to backflush at least once.

The pool is making very slow progress and 5 days ago we added ecoklean, Maintain (DE filter replacement material) to try and help the function of the sand filter after reading up on that in the forums. (directions called for 8 cups for the 1.7sqft filtration area of our filter)

FC has been holding at 15 overnight for a few nights now. Only losing FC ( 7-8ppm) during the day as it has been sunny.

These are my test as of 15 min ago:
FC=12.5 (which I will now add 96oz and bring up to 15 shock level)
CC= .6
PH = 7.3
TA = 100
CH= 50
CYA = 30

Just the cloudiness is killing me. I told my husband about the POP (patience needed) and he is almost there yet, but if there is any way to speed it up we may try it. But talk me off the ledge of FLOC...

Thank you guys in advance and I hope you are having a great Memorial day :cheers:
 
Sorry... and yes the filter has been running 24/7 since we started this 12 days ago.

We even moved the output direction pointing down toward the floor as suggested by someone in the forum to provide better top to bottom circulation. We can see down to within 1ft of the bottom. It is not getting worse, a 'tiny' bit better each day perhaps... but afraid it will take 2 more weeks to get clear.
 
Aha! Sand filter!

They won't clear the superfine stuff. Many recommend adding some diatomaceous earth to the filter. You can try searching for old threads. Here's one I found. If any of your freinds have a DE filter, I'm sure they'll part with a canfull, rather than you having to buy several pounds of the stuff. If the murkiness is at the bottom, try vacuuming after you add DE. Or just tilt the vacuum on edge so it's drawing from the bottom and brush things towards it.
 
I did do that already 5 days ago... but put in a substitute DE material (ecoklean, Maintain (DE filter replacement material) to try and help the function of the sand filter after reading up on that in the forums. (directions called for 8 cups for the 1.7sqft filtration area of our filter).

But perhaps with all the backflushing I should replace more? really appreciate your input!
 
Folks,

We're getting side-tracked, I think.
Only losing FC ( 7-8ppm) during the day as it has been sunny
Click to expand...
If you are losing 7-8ppm in FC each day you are still killing organic material in your pool. Something in your shock process has not been done correctly. Backwashing other than when you detect a significant pressure rise is a waste of your time and water. That you have had to backwash apparently each time you have vacuumed tells me you still have plenty of junk on the pool floor. It sounds like your pool was in really bad condition and it's gonna' take some steady effort to clean it up

Use the flocculant if you like but keep in mind the other items you have added haven't helped so I'm not sure why you think floc will. It may very well do the job........sometimes it does work and most of the time it seems not to.

I will add this.........each Spring, I clean up my green, swampy pool by adding chlorine to it IN ADEQUATE DOSAGES and filtering it with my sand filter. No additive of any kind has EVER been in the pool and it works every year. Yours will to if you get your chlorine to adequate levels, KEEP IT THERE, backwash your filter when you detect a significant pressure increase, and brush your pool frequently.

If I was to suggest a change in what you have been doing, I would bring your FC up to 20ppm and never let it get below 16ppm for the next 48 hours and see what happens.
 

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emmeaus said:
FC has been holding at 15 overnight for a few nights now. Only losing FC ( 7-8ppm) during the day as it has been sunny.
Click to expand...
I suggested looking inside the filter because of the OFCLT and I still think it is a good idea :wink: .

However, I also think that suggesting to increase the FC to 20 is a good idea and is what I would do if it was my pool. :)
 
Thanks Dave and everyone... I have already put the Floc back in the bag and I will NOT be using it. I am increasing the shock to 20 just to be sure. And I have realized that the problem was probably me and my overkill on the backflushing. I did speak to someone from the DE replacement company and they confirmed that I should be letting the sand filter increase it's pressure and not backflush often (only with a preassure increase of 8-10). So I filled the filter with the supplemental DE replacement that was called for and I will wait and see how it works to help and filter our big cloudy pool. But you are right. 2 weeks ago we had a bonafide pond... with ducks and all, so I should really just be thankful we are this far and sit on my hands a little more and wait!
Thanks for the support. I have been talked off the 'floc' ledge and I feel better now. I knew it was a bad decision made out of frustration. I will follow up tomorrow and let everyone know how it goes.

Tomorrow if no improvement I will look inside the filter.
 
kind of close... we just made Smores and my husband had a beer (I am pregnant so none for me). But then I went to check the pool and only an hour after putting in the DE replacement, the water outlet pressure is barely there. So I am going to check the manufacturers website for suggestions. I do not want to backflush it all out. Anyways, I will get on computer and look for some cues before I react. Thanks for the popcorn! :wink:
 
I'm guessing you may have added too much DE and the filter pressure is way up, causing low flow. If your PSI has risen significantly, you may need to backwash :wink:
 
well, this morning psi was high, water flow low.
am test was FC 16.5, down from 20 last night. So there must be something still in there it is fighting.

I backwashed first, then vacuumed. There WAS fresh leaf droppings,etc that I had to empty out of filter basket, so that was what the chlorine was fighting. And after all the vacuuming, PSI was still 8 higher than normal, so I backwashed and started pump up again after adding bleach to FC 20.

Now 2 hours later, FC = 18. I will raise back to 20, and test throughout day, vacuum again at dinner time.
 
Today...A little clearer... I can actually see the outline of the vacuum now at the bottom of the pool :party: Although I ran out of R-0871 (chlorine drops) last night and panicked!!! But I just took yesterdays detailed readings and treated with the same amount at the same times. i figure a little too much is OK. I found a place that has the drops in stock and should be up and testing in an hour or so. Thanks for the advice and encouragement. I will follow up as it clears. Hopefully just a few more days.
 

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