Another green swamp conversion - am I almost there?

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R

rjproulx

0
Jul 25, 2011
76
Bedford, NH
Background: second year with this 15' round AGP, have never truly gotten it clear. Last year I didn't have a proper test kit so I floundered, then closed it. This year I went to open in early June and found a cracked filter. FINALLY got a new (used) cartridge filter in late June. I also went to Leslie's to get a new o-ring for the new filter and also bought what I THOUGHT was their full service kit...but like I've since read, I made the same mistake as many others and got this kit: http://www.lesliespool.com/Home/Pool-Chemicals/Water-Testing/Test-Kits/81330.html, that measures TC only up to 5ppm. My TFT FAS-DPD kit should be here tomorrow.

Here are my initial tests, from 7/10/12:

FC: 0
CC: 0
pH: 8.0
TA: 40
CYA: 0
CH: 50

I didn't take as many pictures as I should have, but here's one showing a liner issue because I'm an idiot and removed my skimmer box over the winter:

[attachment=1:w90sy6t8]2012-06-26_15-14-56_632.jpg[/attachment:w90sy6t8]

Say hello to my tadpole friends. All 1000 of them.

As a result of these settings, my green sludge pool, and my lack of a proper FAS-DPD kit, my shocking has been done by a method I've coined "bleaching the heck out of the thing", ensuring that it's always more than 5ppm. The first few days it would dip down to near 0 soon, but today is the first day where I shock it at night, and wake up to a very dark pink color on my test. I added a bit more today (sunny and in the 90's today) and each time I've tested it's been bright pink. I also added 2lbs of HTH CYA from WalMart, which appears to just be registering now. I've had the sock in front of my return for about 2 days (should have chosen a thinner sock!)

Here are my numbers as of just now, 7/13/12:

FC: >5
CC: ?
pH: 7.0
TA: 40
CYA: 30

And here's what the water looked like today:

[attachment=0:w90sy6t8]2012-07-13_13-14-06_301.jpg[/attachment:w90sy6t8]

It's remarkably better, but extremely cloudy. You can see how quickly the vac hose disappears. I'm still very high on FC (and will have more accurate numbers once my TFT FAS-DPD test comes in today or tomorrow) and have vac'd a handful of times in the last few days. I'm sure there's still some junk down there, though I can't see it. So given the high FC count and a 24/7 filter run time:

-Should I expect it to get better soon, once the dead algae is picked up in the filter? Anyone ever add DE to a cartridge filter before (just asking :) )?

-My filter has a pressure reading of 15 after cleaning it (which is a half hour process given my lack of any shutoffs, which I'll change this fall), and only goes up to 18 or so before the water pressure out of the return seems very low. I've been cleaning the filters about once a day. Will I need to do it more often to get this thing clear?

-And should I be concerned with the fluctuating ph levels? I know high FC can tweak ph so I've been mostly ignoring it and focusing on keeping that FC test bright pink. Am I ok for now?

Thanks for all your help! Pool School, the algae sticky, and several other threads have been wonderful!
 
When you get your test kit in, it will make it easier to tell what exactly your next step is to take. But the color change is an improvement. Have you read pool school yet? If not, then while you are waiting for the test kit, do so and then read it again. Knowledge is power and will help you gain control of your pool. When your kit arrives, post a full set of test results and then the masters on this site can help you from there. This is my first year with this method, after several hundred dollars spent at the pool store. I will forever be a BBB girl.
 
poolmama67 said:
When you get your test kit in, it will make it easier to tell what exactly your next step is to take. But the color change is an improvement. Have you read pool school yet? If not, then while you are waiting for the test kit, do so and then read it again. Knowledge is power and will help you gain control of your pool. When your kit arrives, post a full set of test results and then the masters on this site can help you from there. This is my first year with this method, after several hundred dollars spent at the pool store. I will forever be a BBB girl.
Click to expand...

Yep, I read the Pool School about three times in the last two weeks, and hopefully will get the FAS-DPD test kit tomorrow (didn't come today). I do know that my FC is north of 5ppm, but how much higher is unknown. What I do know is that it's not dropping nearly as fast as it was initially, signaling (I believe) that I've killed much of the algae. What's left now is to filter it out, which I hope won't take more than a few days.
 
Got my FAS-DPD test yesterday and can FINALLY see my CC numbers. I lost a lot of FC yesterday and had a CC of 1.0, but didn't lose as much FC today and only had 0.5 cc. Both days I brought FC back up to shock after cleaning the cartridge.

Here's a picture from today:

[attachment=0:zhvirrhv]2012-07-15_14-38-28_356-1.jpg[/attachment:zhvirrhv]

I think it's getting better but now I'm kicking myself for replacing my broken DE filter with a cartridge. It's a pain to clean daily and the dead algae doesn't seem to be filtering out very good. Should I just keep at it or are there any tricks to help a cartridge filter capture fines better?
 
It's probably more the size of the filter than the media it uses. What size was your old filter and your new one.

Basically you should keep at it and soon you'll see improvement soon. There's no magic thing to do or add. Once you've passed the OCLT you'll start seeing a difference.
 
Bama Rambler said:
It's probably more the size of the filter than the media it uses. What size was your old filter and your new one.

Basically you should keep at it and soon you'll see improvement soon. There's no magic thing to do or add. Once you've passed the OCLT you'll start seeing a difference.
Click to expand...

I'll get that filter info when I get home tonight.

I meant to try the OCLT this morning but was in a rush before heading to the office and inadvertently dumped the sample after testing for FC (which was 7.5). I'm thinking I likely won't pass it just yet since I shocked again last night to get FC up to 12ppm. But I'll keep at it and come back to post my filter sizes.
 
Our twins BOTH had ear infections so I haven't gotten out there much in the last day. Just enough to test for FC/CC and add what I need. Added 150oz this morning to bring back up to shock level, but tonight FC was down to 5.0 and CC was 0.0. I decided to leave it be and see what it looked like in the morning. I'm definitely making progress. Here's a picture from tonight:

[attachment=0:8n3saga4]2012-07-17_19-04-25_228.png[/attachment:8n3saga4]

The rest of my levels look ok. CYA is still around 30 so may bump that up once I get a bit more clear, and PH is still very low, but a quick fix once my water clears up. Right now my concern is just filtering out the dead stuff which feels like watching paint dry with every passing day. But in reading dozens of threads here I understand patience is a virtue. It's just not one I necessarily have a lot of.
 
Don't take this the wrong way, but reducing shock level now will do nothing for your patience. Bring the water back to shock level, and if you're needing a break give the pool a nice big tip so you NEVER fall below shock level.

You have a pool that is ready to begin to clear. Stopping now will only backtrack you, and I get the feeling you want to be done someday with this.

You have to meet all three criteria to consider stopping shocking.

1 - .5ppm or less CC
2 - loss of 1ppm or less overnight (OCLT)
3 - Water is clear

Your water is far from clear, and no OCLT has been performed and passed. You aren't out of the woods yet. Hang in there with us on this one, k?
 
Ahh, shoot. I didn't realize the OCLT had to be done at shock level. With the sick kids tonight, I knew I wouldn't be able to shock it, wait a half hour, then test again. I shoulda shocked and then just not tested...I'll go add it now. Thanks!
 

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As I clicked submit on my message last night, but of my kids woke up. These ear infections are a killer. Anyways, I never got to add any more bleach so I'll consider this a "duh" moment and learn from it. Levels this morning were:

FC: 2.5
CC: 0.5

Brought it back up to 12 again and will watch it closer today since I'm working from home. I'll also clean the filter out. Thanks for putting me back on track frogabog...thought I was closer to the end than I really was.
 
Don't feel too bad, all you did was slow your progress. Stay at shock FC until you pass all three parts of the OCLT test.

The kids are sick anyway so they won't be ready for the pool for a few days. Take care of the little ones first and the pool during their naps or tv-coma time.
 
Working from home today so just went out to clean the filter and test. FC (which I had raised back up to 12 this morning) was down to 7.5. It's hot and sunny today so I'm sure that helps. I added bleach to bring it back up again and I'll test again tonight before bed.

Another thing I did after reading it elsewhere is to turn the eyeball slightly. I turned it about 1/8 turn down towards the floor. In the time it took me to walk around and up onto the deck, there were dozens of leaves and pine needles at the top. I'd been vacuuming, brushing, and scooping blind these last two weeks, so I'm not surprised there was more down there. But I grabbed the net and sat there like a DUI trap outside of a bar, just waiting for the Crud to come to the surface. That can't hurt!

Oh, and I could also see the shadow of the net on the floor, which is new. I'm getting closer!

Here's a picture, which isn't all that different from yesterday. I am going to have one heck of a conversion .gif file when I'm done though.

[attachment=0:2r1kxv52]2012-07-18_14-40-47_351.jpg[/attachment:2r1kxv52]
 
It does look better than yesterday. The dark stuff in the middle is smaller today too. I think you've got a little more debris in there. To help bunch it up, you can swirl the pool like a whirlpool either by paddling it with skimmers or oars, etc. or even by getting in and running (at or below shock level) around. let it swirl for an hour or so to drop and settle, and then get your vacuum or leaf net in there and take as much from the center as possible. Debris never helped a pool complete a shock process, ever. That debris is mostly organic, and it's decomposing. The chlorine is attacking the debris decomposition plus the algae. You want the chlorine to focus on the algae, which you can't remove manually like you can debris. Once you get the debris out, this will go much smoother.

Life and sick kiddos takes precedence btw, everybody gets that one :~}
 
I have a Waterways FC075, which has a size of 75 square feet. I almost wonder if it's too small.

Tested again just now.

FC: 8.5
CC: 0.5 (barely...could have talked myself into 0.0)

Brought it back up to shock level again, and the water is still cloudy today. Going to work on getting rid of the rest of the junk on the floor today.
 
I hope yours isn't too small!!! I have an 11,700 gallon pool with a 100 sq ft Waterway cartridge. Mine has never been cleaned, PSI hasn't risen at all. I'm gonna clean it when it goes up a little anyway though. But my pool is new and started with hose water in early June and has never been a swamp.
 
Quick visual update. Finally got around to vacuuming out the Crud in the middle, though I know there's more down there. I can see more and more of the bottom with each passing day, and I'm hopeful this is the week we get clarity. I'm still eating up some chlorine and have 0.5ppm CC just about every other test. Once the water is more clear I'll run the other tests and adjust as necessary.

[attachment=0:1pudx1o0]2012-07-22_10-04-18_74.jpg[/attachment:1pudx1o0]
 

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