6 weeks and still cloudy...

[slgsreds]

First things first - I ordered my TF100 this morning so all I have is test strips and the pool store, Meg says I might see my TF100 tomorrow - I sure hope so!!!

I have had my pool for 16 years and this is the worst ever! - I always open early and close late (never know when you might be able to swim). Last year we had to close green, for the first time ever I had surgery and before we knew it it was getting really late. I opened the pool the last weekend of April and have been having a hard time since then. When we opened it was clear but tons dead algae? on the bottom, then it turned green. The pool store told me I had very high Nitrates and needed to drain 2/3's of the pool (we are on a well and not a good one). I then then went to another and was told that my Phoshates were high and that Algae thrives on it...... so I overdosed with Diclor (30 LBS per the kid a the pool store) and then the pool changed to a blue color and the P Store said everything was good and the PH was low add soda ash which I did on this past Monday morning, the pool became almost milky when I did this. I thought I would wait and see what happened.... still very cloudy. Shocked with 3 more lbs of Diclor not much change.... then I found this site, and started reading then I wanted to puke... I wanted to go throw $100 bills in the pool, but I did not have any....

So like I said ordered test kit, went to Costco and purchased Bleach then went to pool store to try and get some readings to post:

FC - 1.1 PPM
TC 1.1 PPM
CC 0.0
PH 7.6
Hardness 170 PPM
Alkalinity 140 PPM
CYA - not run -- then I asked if they could run and they said that they were out of the reagents but could use a test strip.....
Test strip reading ~150PPM (no wonder I Put in 30 lbs of Dichlor a week ago!!!)
Copper - 0 PPM
Iron - not run
Total dissolved solids - 1070 ppm
Phosphate -0.00
Nitrate - 80.00

At this point she told me to do something and I just said thank you and left....


My questions are -- what do I do? I think I know that I will be told to drain some of the water, how much if so or wait for my test kit? The pool store is really concerned about nitrates, I am wondering if since they are telling to drain the pool it is a way to get the CYA down also???

Thanks for all your help!!!!

 

[JasonLion]

If CYA is anywhere near 150, it would be a very good idea to replace water to get the CYA level down. It is far far far more difficult to maintain a pool when CYA is that high. Replacing water is fairly drastic, and test strips are not completely reliable, so it is probably best to wait for your test kit to confirm that reading before replacing water.

Adding 30 lbs of dichlor would have raised CYA by about 85. That is an important reason not to use dichlor when shocking.

Ignore nitrates, they can be just about anything without causing problems.

 

[slgsreds]

I just reviewed the results from the Pool store:
5/30 CYA - 10PPM
6/4 CYA - 100 PPM (added diclor....on 6/2)
6/6 CYA 35 PPM????
6/14 CYA - ~150 per test strip... (3 more pounds 6/11)

I think that waiting for the TF100 is a good idea...and liquid beach is even better.

 

[Suziqzer]

Yes, use bleach/liquid chlorine and no more dichlor until you know your CYA situation. It's hard to know how much bleach to use to keep from an algae bloom w/o really knowing your cya level... maybe someone else can guide you in that direction. Your test results from the store are a clear indicator that their accuracy is unpredictable... They are all over the place!

Hang in there until you get your test... you will love being able to do it yourself and know that your results are accurate and done the same way every time. Hope your test kit comes quickly so you can get everything balanced. You'll be amazed at how much more you will appreciate your clear pool too

 

[slgsreds]

TF100 arrived today - pool still cloudy but can see bottom which is an improvement
Added 2 jugs (182oz) of clorox yesterday and a jug today....

Test results:
FC 24
PH 7.8
CC .5
TC 24.5
TA 160
CYA 80
CH 480

DO you think a truck load of water is needed - I can get 6,000 gallons on one truck
I am going to check the FC in the morning and see if it held.

Thanks!!

 

[slgsreds]

Just tested

FC held at 24 overnight.
CC .5

still cloudly.

Thanks

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

It can take 7-10 days AFTER the algae is dead for a sand filter to clear up the cloudiness. You should keep it up at shock level another night or two, in the meantime, there are instructions in Pool School for adding DE to the sand filter to aid in the clarity process. Lots of POP at this point!

 

[JasonLion]

You should see a visible improvement in the water each day at this point. If you don't there may be some kind of issue with the filter.