Still cleaning the swamp: One month and counting.

[poolgoat]

Since May 3, I have been attacking the swamp I inherited from a foreclosure last year, religiously following the 'Swamp... Sparkling Oasis' rules. I have even been aided by unseasonably cool temps, but the going has been S-L-O-Wwwww. It took about 3 weeks to see the bottom.

In the past week, I had seen real progress: I could finally see "clearly" to the bottom of the pool (the water wasn't sparkling clean, but I could see the pattern well and - after a brush - quite blue-ly), aside from an area in the middle which remained brown. (We get a LOT of wind, so it could very well be desert sand. When I change the filter, it is often sandy.) I cannot reach the middle with the brush (which I do several times a day), but I would switch between using the skimmer and Kreepy Krawly, centralized in the area. (I could even see the Kreepy Krawly moving around, and the liner would shine blue where it had been.)

Last night, I went to bed thinking that everything looked good, and I could see more improvement. The brown patch had shrunk again. ("Maybe this week!")
35FC
5CC
50CYA
7.5Ph
With those measurements, I added 2 extra 182oz jugs of bleach, put on the Kreepy Krawly, and let it run for the night. (The filter has been running 24/7, and I even have two cartridges to reduce downtime. I still have to change the cartridge at least twice a day if I use the Kreepy Krawly, every two days when I tried just skimmer, which showed minimal progress.) This morning, before the sun hit the pool, it was cloudy again (the pump had nearly lost flow, which I expected overnight w/ the KK), and the FC was down to 2. TWO?!?! I added 6 large jugs of bleach, and two hours later the FC is ZERO. Using the Taylor 2600 kit, I can't even get extra powder to turn the water pink. :grrrr:

When I originally asked, the consensus was that cleanup would take "a week" (so I budgeted 3)... (Keeping the H2O to shock for a month seems like it would have replaced the original water w/ bleach by now). what, oh what could have happened?!

 

[duraleigh]

Apparently, you had an uncommon amount of junk in your pool. Regardless, stay the course. There is no other way.

It appears your system is getting a little overwhelmed with all the stuff and cartridge filters plug up in that environment far quicker than sand so you have probably been filtering at fractional capacity a lot of the time.

At this point changing the cartridges as soon as you get a 3-4 psi rise may be helpful.

Why are you using 35ppm+ as shock value?

The inability to reach into the middle and remove the solids also requires more work for the filter to do.

All in all, you had a huge mess so it is a huge task to clean it up.

 

[poolgoat]

Thanks. Two hours later, the shock went back to 40+. I don't understand.

On the Chlorine Chemgeek chart, it has 30 for yellow mustard shock. For the first few weeks, I used the standard shock target, but then I upped it, in case I was targeting the wrong animal. The 'results' did speed up after upping the numbers. My pressure gauge doesn't really work, so I change it when I can either feel the feedback losing steam or see that the skimmer isn't sucking like it should.

My husband says that he is willing to enter the pool and brush around in the middle. Would it be safe? (I mean, yes, I swam in Lake Erie in the 80s, but it wasn't super-chlorinated. ;-) )

 

[duraleigh]

I would get in the pool and clean it manually.

I would get a working pressure gauge. Trying to clear a pool without one is problematic.

Chlorine cannot rise unless you put more chlorine in. Your testing methods may have some errors.

You should not have increased your shock values that high, IMO.

You should have already made provisions to clear the center of the pool.

This will seem harsh but, honestly, it sounds like you have not taken a very structured approach to clearing your pool and, as a result, your clearing procedure has taken FAR longer than it should have.

That said, there is nothing wrong with going forward from here and you have made progress. Continued diligence will clear your pool.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I'm confused - is it just the need for a longer pole? I have the same size pool and my pole reaches the center...

You may need to replace the cartridges when this is done. Really bad swamps can ruin carts and they need to be replaced.

I don't think you need to go so high on the FC, you just need to get the solids out of the center.

 

[Guest]

35FC seems WAY high for CYA of 40 and your pool size.

 

[poolgoat]

This chart:
chlorine-cya-chart-t2346.html
says that for 50cya and mustard you should shock to almost 30. Which is what I was going for (obviously, something made testing yesterday morning not work... I did the same as always, and I have no explanation.), after the regular shock ceased to make further improvement. Going for the mustard target really made a difference in the clarity of the H2O, which had remained stagnant.

I taped another pole to the pole (which, no, doesn't reach, even when I bend quite into it) and was able to sweep to the center. Even before I did that, however, today looks way better, except when I am brushing. The pool has been clear of detectable solids, aside from the "dirt" for weeks. The Kreepy Krawly has been going around and moving the spot. When I brush, however, it gravitates there in the center. (Not to sound defensive, but: Honestly, I can't think of how I could have possibly been any more structured. Testing several times daily, sweeping several times a day, I have changed/ cleaned the filter at least 100 times [which is really difficult], CONSTANTLY "following up and hitting hard", maintaining a constant FC... to the tune of 4-5 hours every day [even on the coldest, windiest days], following the cleanup guide "to the letter".)

I did buy a new filter at the beginning of the process, in the knowledge that the old one would be quite shot by the end. (Seriously: we're big on preparation and the scientific method around here.) The old filter is, indeed, ratty.
Last time I posted for advice, I was called out for changing the filter too frequently. (At the time, I thought, "better safe than sorry".)

 

[duraleigh]

The goal of everyone on here is to get your pool clear so you can enjoy it.

Do you have a manual vacuum?

Get a new pressure gauge. It is difficult to clear and maintain a pool without it.

Have you mechanically removed every bit of solids and dirt?

Do you have a pic of the pool in it's current state?

The brown patch had shrunk again.

What brown patch?

My suggestion is that you Test FC tonight and then post another FC test in the AM. We would like to see how much FC you are losing overnight. You will have to test accurately and often but I al almost positive you have w-a-a-ay too much organic material in the pool and are going to have to continue to shock.

 

[mglange1]

From your posts I believe you are calculating the CYA level yourself? I would have a water sample tested at your local pool store to verify your CYA levels. The CYA level in your pool is critical to get the chlorine to work properly.

 

[esim13]

HI there! I use the K2006 too. Do you test at the 10 level or the 25? I'm just curious bc I test on 10 and couldn't imagine putting in 70 drops (FC 35). Btw, is your CC still 5?

I'm sure you don't want to hear "keep at it!" but it will get better. At the beginning of the season I was cloudy for IMO a LONG time. I was getting very discouraged. I went to bed frustrated and at my wits end. I woke up the next morning and BAM! the pool was finally sparkly.

Encouragement and sparkly poolitis vibes coming your way - GOOD LUCK!

 

[esim13]

One more thing... it always helps me to test my CYA at least 3 times in a row. (Not saying your CYA is wrong or off - merely a suggestion) I usually squeeze the solution in the dot side, check my level then pour it back into the squeeze bottle and do it again 2 more times. I hate testing CYA! At least this way I take the best 2 out of 3. IMO - if your certain you're doing the CYA test correctly then trust YOUR results!

 

[keene3b07]

why don't you just drain it and clean everything out with a pressure washer? It would have taken a day and you would have saved a lot of money.

 

[devis]

why don't you just drain it and clean everything out with a pressure washer? It would have taken a day and you would have saved a lot of money.

I agree. I had the same exact experience, foreclosure, pool full of algae and leaves, towards spring time mosquito larvae were hatching. Someone from the city actually knocked on my door and told me to clean up the swamp otherwise I'd be fined. I hired the pool guy, not much luck. After a month or so struggling with it, after I fired the pool guy of course, I drained the pool, washed it with muriatic acid and painted it with epoxy pool paint. absolutely gorgeous! I say cut your losses and move on. In my experience maintenance is a lot easier when you start from a clean slate.