A bit about the pool. Its roughly 17' x 35' roam style pool. Cartridge filter. I am a new pool owner trying to gain as much knowledge I can about maintaining my pool. This site helped tremendously. I am currently using test strips and know I need to get a high quality Taylor test kit. Right now, I need to clear it up so I can close it. I can't keep the leaves out of it fast enough!
I pulled the retractable cover off last week and was greeted with extremely cloudy water. It was so cloudy, I could not see the bottom in the shallow end.
My PH and TA are balanced, according to the pool store water test(strips also). However, my CYA is sky high(200 according to pool store) and they did not mention one thing about it, other than sell me chemicals that was supposed to clear it. The previous owner used 3" pucks exclusively. The free chlorine level was zero at this time. After 3 days without seeing an increase of free chlorine, I found this site and started doing some research. I then went to Sams and purchased several cases of bleach. Within a couple hours of adding bleach, my test strip started showing chlorine and started to see a tiny change in clarity.
Anyhow, I have been constantly shocking it and keeping the chlorine levels high. My test strips are indicating 10, but i'm sure that is not accurate, but regardless its showing high free chlorine.
The picture below is showing some clearing, but the process has been pretty slow so far.
1. My question is, am I on the right track of shocking with a combination of bleach and powdered shock?
2. How long is this going to take?
3. Would it be OK to close the cover to keep the leaves out?
Also, I hosed out the large cartridge filter several times. The first time, the water used to rinse the filter was very milky colored. The other times, not as much. The filter was new last year and looks OK to me.
4. Do you think it needs replaced?
5. Can I close in the current state of clarity?
Pump has been on 24/7 since this happened.
Sorry for all the questions, i'm just running out of time to get it closed! I'm afraid to return to the pool store and have another several hundred dollars in stuff I don't need!
I pulled the retractable cover off last week and was greeted with extremely cloudy water. It was so cloudy, I could not see the bottom in the shallow end.
My PH and TA are balanced, according to the pool store water test(strips also). However, my CYA is sky high(200 according to pool store) and they did not mention one thing about it, other than sell me chemicals that was supposed to clear it. The previous owner used 3" pucks exclusively. The free chlorine level was zero at this time. After 3 days without seeing an increase of free chlorine, I found this site and started doing some research. I then went to Sams and purchased several cases of bleach. Within a couple hours of adding bleach, my test strip started showing chlorine and started to see a tiny change in clarity.
Anyhow, I have been constantly shocking it and keeping the chlorine levels high. My test strips are indicating 10, but i'm sure that is not accurate, but regardless its showing high free chlorine.
The picture below is showing some clearing, but the process has been pretty slow so far.
1. My question is, am I on the right track of shocking with a combination of bleach and powdered shock?
2. How long is this going to take?
3. Would it be OK to close the cover to keep the leaves out?
Also, I hosed out the large cartridge filter several times. The first time, the water used to rinse the filter was very milky colored. The other times, not as much. The filter was new last year and looks OK to me.
4. Do you think it needs replaced?
5. Can I close in the current state of clarity?
Pump has been on 24/7 since this happened.
Sorry for all the questions, i'm just running out of time to get it closed! I'm afraid to return to the pool store and have another several hundred dollars in stuff I don't need!