Is it just me, or others with unusual openings?

[rcy]

Aside from doing an ascorbic acid treatment prior to closing in October last year, I closed in my normal manner. We had a milder than usual winter, but still had below freezing temperatures, just not long spells - more like one or two days, then hovering around freezing again instead of weeks of cold. Now it's been much milder than normal for the last couple of weeks. Normally I open first week of April or so, but this year I opened on March 16. The water was 45f when I opened.

I have a safety cover, so the pool refills with rain and snow melt over the winter from below the returns to above the skimmer.

I had green algae on the top step of my fiberglass steps, and overall the pool looked much darker than normal (murkier - not green but dark dark blue). Usually, within a day or two of 24hr filtering, the water is crystal clear. Today is day four and the pool, while much lighter than when I first opened, is still cloudy. It's been consuming using more chlorine than my typical opening as well.

Do you think the milder winter/wamer recent weather caused this, or is it just random bad luck, or some other variable out of my control?

 

[BadOleRoss]

I just opened and had just to opposite experience, my pool is as clear as it has ever been at this point. I opened Saturday to a little debris and the usual worms on the bottom of the pool but the water was clear, no signs of algae and my FC was still registering 0.02ppm which surprised me. I vacuumed the pools, added bleach and it passed the overnight test last night.

 

[rcy]

Do you have a safety cover (the mesh type)?

 

[zea3]

Aside from doing an ascorbic acid treatment prior to closing in October last year, I closed in my normal manner. We had a milder than usual winter, but still had below freezing temperatures, just not long spells - more like one or two days, then hovering around freezing again instead of weeks of cold. Now it's been much milder than normal for the last couple of weeks. Normally I open first week of April or so, but this year I opened on March 16. The water was 45f when I opened.

I have a safety cover, so the pool refills with rain and snow melt over the winter from below the returns to above the skimmer.

I had green algae on the top step of my fiberglass steps, and overall the pool looked much darker than normal (murkier - not green but dark dark blue). Usually, within a day or two of 24hr filtering, the water is crystal clear. Today is day four and the pool, while much lighter than when I first opened, is still cloudy. It's been consuming using more chlorine than my typical opening as well.

Do you think the milder winter/wamer recent weather caused this, or is it just random bad luck, or some other variable out of my control?

Do you have any current test results?

 

[rcy]

When I first checked it was

FC - 1
TC - 3
PH - 7
Alk - 80
Hardness - 200
CYA - 10

I've since added CYA, raised the PH (borax), and added 10 % bleach to reach shock level based on CYA of 10 (because the CYA I added will be slow dissolving). I haven't done the overnight test because I leave for work at 5am, and really don't want to be mucking around with the pool when I'm half asleep and/or late for work. I might bite the bullet and do that tomorrow morning after taking a reading tonight. By the way, these readings were from the pool store - I now have my K2006 out of storage, refilled and ready to go.

I think I just might need a bit of patience. Other years with more winter precipitation, the water level was well over the top of the skimmer, allowing me to vacuum to waste when first opening the pool (very fine layer of silt/dust and worms, bugs etc. This year with such a mild winter, the water was just at the top of the skimmer, so a lot of the silt didn't get sent to waste and instead was stirred up by me brushing the pool.

 

[BadOleRoss]

Do you have a safety cover (the mesh type)?

Yes, I have the Loc-Loop Safety Cover. I know there are different degree's of mesh when it comes to these covers. Mine looks solid looking at it but you can see into the pool if you get right over top of it and start looking into the shallow end by the steps.

 

[rcy]

OK..per the K2006

FC 5.2
CC 1
PH 7.4
Alk 120
Cal 160
CYA (full tube and I could still see the black dot, so less than 30 - maybe the pool store reading of 10 is right)

I can't remember - does water temp affect the CYA reading?

I plan to get up 10 mins earlier tomorrow morning and check the chlorine reading again.

I was thinking 10 for a shock level...does that sound good?

 

[rcy]

OK..slept in this morning, but this afternoon the chlorine reading was 0, however, the pool is much clearer (can see bottom of deep end now) - looks like a case of just needing some pool owner patience while the filter clears away the cloudiness (and of course being aware that my chlorine was being used up and maintaining shock level).


***EDIT***

OK, I just poured in one more 5 litre jugs of 10% bleach (Purox brand - actually labelled as Pool Chlorine). The filter was backwashed and rinsed properly a couple hours ago and at that time I added one additional jug of bleach. Shortly after adding the 2nd jug of bleach, milky cloudiness started coming out of the returns and the pool is now cloudy again (though not as much as before). Also there is a small amount of 'suds' now floating on top of the water. What do you think this is? Do I need to clean the filter or something?

The readings after adding the 1st jug were

PH 7.6
Alk 120
Hardness 150
FC - 3.6
CC - 0

Haven't done CYA yet as I ran out of the reagent (I think I have more somewhere I just have to find it)

 

[zea3]

Check the jugs and make sure one of them wasn't scented or "extra strength" or or anything other than regular bleach/chlorine. Also check that the filter valve is in the correct position.

 

[rcy]

Both regular Purox chlorinating liquid. Filter valve is in filter. Put it in backwash to wash, rinse to rinse, and back to filter when done. The weird thing is the cloudiness didn't start coming out of the returns until I added the bleach. Almost as if it was reacting with something in the filter, or the pipes or the solar panels...

 

[zea3]

Have you put any DE in your sand filter?

 

[rcy]

No. Do you think I should. Last night in the dark, I put the pool lights on and the cloudiness looks like large pieces of dust floating throughout the pool. Almost like....very fine flakes of snow...for lack of a better description. I know I had some algae when I opened, and something was consuming my chlorine...is this dead algae floating about? The chlorine is not being consumed as much (though I still haven't done an overnight loss test). CC was .4 before I went to bed last night.

I have a sand filter, and rarely see the pressure rise. I backwashed yesterday, despite the lack of pressure rise, and the sight glass was milky for about three minutes before it cleared and I rinsed. Maybe I just need to backwash more often and give the filter time to remove the particles? The DE will help with this, right?

 

[linen]

Last night in the dark, I put the pool lights on and the cloudiness looks like large pieces of dust floating throughout the pool. Almost like....very fine flakes of snow...for lack of a better description.

I would think a properly functioning sand filter would remove what you describe without the need for DE.

I have a sand filter, and rarely see the pressure rise. I backwashed yesterday, despite the lack of pressure rise, and the sight glass was milky for about three minutes before it cleared and I rinsed. Maybe I just need to backwash more often and give the filter time to remove the particles? The DE will help with this, right?

I am wondering if you filter is channeled. Have you tried: http://www.troublefreepool.com/my-sand-is-channeled-how-to-fix-it-t7626.html

Sand filters typically filter better after they become a bit "dirty" where the filtered particulates become part of the filter media (and work with the sand). Back-washing too often is counterproductive. I typically don't backwash until I see at least a 5 psi rise in my pressure. Are you sure your pressure gauge working?

 

[rcy]

The pool is 'almost' crystal clear. I may pull top off the filter and do the garden hose trick. The pool and equipment is from 2007..but even when new, I never saw a pressure rise on the filter except when solar comes on. Pressure is usually 24 and jumps to 28 with solar. Last year I purposely didn't backwash the whole summer and never saw the pressure change. I don't get a lot of Crud in my pool though (leaves etc.)..a lot of dog hair though. The gauge is a good quality glycerin filled type.

I think more patience than normal was required this year because I had some algae. Other years after opening I've seen clear water in a couple days. This year its been six days.

Just as an aside, I was using liquid chlorine but the water was warm eenough today to turn on chlorine generator. Just for kicks I used the superchlorinate button. Later I was dismayed to see bubbles coming out of my returns. I figured I had a leak and went around checked the suction line, checked the skimmer line, checked solar....still bubbles. Checked equipment pad...lubed o-rings etc. Started to worry that it was a buried line. Finally the lightbulb went off and I shut off the chlorine generator....no more bubbles.

Sometimes it's the simplest thing...

I still don't know why the milky cloud came out of the returns when I added the liquid chlorine.