We opened our pool this year and it had a lot of leaves in it. The water was very dark. We've had a pool guy trying to clear it up. They cleaned it out and it was starting to look pretty good. Next thing I knew, it turned green. They added a lot of shock, it turned white, then started to clear up. It turned green again. We went through it turning white again due to shock, and now it's been that way for about two weeks. I have ordered a test kit but haven't gotten it yet. I'm concerned that my salt water generator may be malfunctioning. We don't seem to be getting anywhere, so any suggestions would be great.
Cloudy Water
- Thread starter Janet Cornelison
- Start date
Your salt water generator won't be able to keep up with the algae bloom. You need to go through the shock process as described in pool school to get the job done.
I would recommend you not add anything further from the pool store until you know more about what you are adding to your water or you may cause yourself even more problems and a partial water drain. Most of the chemicals you need for a pool you can find at the grocery or hardware store at a much more reasonable price.
Sit back, get your test results as soon as you get your test kit, and while you're waiting for it, read through pool school. It's loaded with valuable information and not as technical as you might thing once you get the basic idea. The pool school and the pool calculator along with your test kit will become your pools best friends and you'll love them when you get your water sparkling!
Feel free to post your test results when you get them and people here are more than willing to jump in and help you get started. Be ready with a good amount of standard chlorine from the grocery/hardware store (6%) or liquid chlorine (12%) from the pool store to get things going. You may need something to get your ph adequate before you shock, but that we can't help you with that without test results.
Once you get your pool in balance, you will be able to let your salt water generator (SWG) do the work of providing your chlorine for the pool.
I would recommend you not add anything further from the pool store until you know more about what you are adding to your water or you may cause yourself even more problems and a partial water drain. Most of the chemicals you need for a pool you can find at the grocery or hardware store at a much more reasonable price.
Sit back, get your test results as soon as you get your test kit, and while you're waiting for it, read through pool school. It's loaded with valuable information and not as technical as you might thing once you get the basic idea. The pool school and the pool calculator along with your test kit will become your pools best friends and you'll love them when you get your water sparkling!
Feel free to post your test results when you get them and people here are more than willing to jump in and help you get started. Be ready with a good amount of standard chlorine from the grocery/hardware store (6%) or liquid chlorine (12%) from the pool store to get things going. You may need something to get your ph adequate before you shock, but that we can't help you with that without test results.
Once you get your pool in balance, you will be able to let your salt water generator (SWG) do the work of providing your chlorine for the pool.
^ Yep, what Suzi said. Once you get your own test kit and post results, you will be on your way to a clear, clean, low maintenance, sparkly pool.
Welcome to the forum
Welcome to the forum
I got my test kit. It's a TF-100. Here's what I found out so far.
CYA: my test tube goes to 20 at the top and it sad to fill until you could no longer see the black dot on the bottom. I filled it all the way up and could still see the dot.
pH: 7.2
Cl: 3
Br: 6
3ppm FC
.5 CC
3.5 Total chlorine
T/A 50
CH 300
I'm not exactly sure where to start with all of this information. Any ideas of where to start would be much appreciated. Thanks!!
CYA: my test tube goes to 20 at the top and it sad to fill until you could no longer see the black dot on the bottom. I filled it all the way up and could still see the dot.
pH: 7.2
Cl: 3
Br: 6
3ppm FC
.5 CC
3.5 Total chlorine
T/A 50
CH 300
I'm not exactly sure where to start with all of this information. Any ideas of where to start would be much appreciated. Thanks!!
HereJanet Cornelison said:
Some stabilizer to get things up to about 30 and many, many gallons of bleach will fix you up.
Hi, Janet,
Then you need to shock the pool and that is not the same as going to the Poolstore and purchasing "shock"
read "How to Shock Your Pool" up in Pool School and follow those directions to an absolute "T" your pool will clear up (although it will take longer than you want it to) and if you will memorize and read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School, you will have crystal clear water all summer.
That means you have no CYA. Purchase some and add enough to your pool to get to about 30-40ppm.
Then you need to shock the pool and that is not the same as going to the Poolstore and purchasing "shock"
read "How to Shock Your Pool" up in Pool School and follow those directions to an absolute "T" your pool will clear up (although it will take longer than you want it to) and if you will memorize and read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School, you will have crystal clear water all summer.