Cloudy Pool Water

[BB BMW]

I just got my pool opened and refilled last week after painting fiberglass steps with Epoxy paint.
Chlorine level and PH are good. CYA is still a little low. Hardness is a little high. Everything else is good.

After one week, the water is still cloudy. Any suggestions to help get it clear.

 

[linen]

Post your full set of test number please FC, CC, ph, TA, CH, cya. Telling us it is good, doesn't help us help you.

 

[BB BMW]

Post your full set of test number please FC, CC, ph, TA, CH, cya. Telling us it is good, doesn't help us help you.

At work right now, but from what I can remember yesterday

FC - ?
CC - 3.5
PH - 7.5
TA - 150
CH - ?
CYA - 40

These are what I best remember. I don't have a FC reading and remember the Calcium Hardness was around 150-200.
TA was pretty high, can't remember the number.

I'll post results tonight.

 

[linen]

Are you certain of that CC number? If yes, then you need to do the shocking process (since CC is >0.5 ppm) and the cloudiness is very likely will clear up as well. See:http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool

 

[BB BMW]

I know you will flame me for this, but the only tester I have right now is the HTH Chlorine and PH liquid tester and some 6-way strips.
The chlorine (red) shows the chlorine level is ideal at 3.5 and the PH (yellow) ideal at 7.5-7.8. Both are within the ideal range.
The other reading are from test strips.

Like I said before, I am posting from work based on what I remember from testing yesterday. I will retest later today when I get home.

and yes - I am going to order the K-2006 kit.

Best I can do right now though.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I know you will flame me for this, but the only tester I have right now is the HTH Chlorine and PH liquid tester and some 6-way strips.
The chlorine (red) shows the chlorine level is ideal at 3.5 and the PH (yellow) ideal at 7.5-7.8. Both are within the ideal range.
The other reading are from test strips.

Like I said before, I am posting from work based on what I remember from testing yesterday. I will retest later today when I get home.

and yes - I am going to order the K-2006 kit.

Best I can do right now though.

You've got a big boy pool, you need a big boy tester. Go with the TF-100, and you'll have much more reagents to do more tests, which you'll need to take control of your pool properly.

 

[BB BMW]

OK just tested the water with strips and liquid regents today at 6:00pm CDT.

Strips:
FC = 0/1
PH = 7.5-7.8
TA = 180
CYA = 30-50
(The strips do not measure CC)
I know, need a Taylor kit

Liquid Regents:
FC = 1.0-1.5
CC = 1.5
PH = 7.6

Ordered A Taylor K-2006, but it has not arrived yet.
The water is a little clearer tonight and I can see the bottom better. Had a bit of rain this afternoon. It needs another vacuum and brushing.

 

[karmabiker]

OK just tested the water with strips and liquid regents today at 6:00pm CDT.

Liquid Regents:
FC = 1.0-1.5
CC = 1.5
PH = 7.6

Time for the shock process for you. CC is greater than 1.5

 

[BB BMW]

OK just tested the water with strips and liquid regents today at 6:00pm CDT.

Liquid Regents:
FC = 1.0-1.5
CC = 1.5
PH = 7.6

Time for the shock process for you. CC is greater than 1.5

So I need to start adding bleach until I bring the FC up to the shock level on the Chlorine/CYA Chart, based on my CYA level?
Based on my readings, CYA is somewhere between 30-40 and FC at 1.0-1.5 I need to bring the chlorine up to about 14 or 15.

Should I add bleach over a period of time or mostly all at once?

 

[JohnN]

Add as much bleach as is required to get up to shock level. When you get the K-2006, you will have to be testing the FC level up to once an hour and dosing to shock level.

 

[linen]

Based on my readings, CYA is somewhere between 30-40

I bet it isn't. Strips are almost always wrong on cya. Assuming that level likely won't hurt anything, then when you get the new kit (by the way the tf-100 ships fastest typically and is the best value) you can find out what it really is and go from there.

 

[BB BMW]

Based on my readings, CYA is somewhere between 30-40

I bet it isn't. Strips are almost always wrong on cya. Assuming that level likely won't hurt anything, then when you get the new kit (by the way the tf-100 ships fastest typically and is the best value) you can find out what it really is and go from there.

Do strips usually read highr or lower?

 

[JohnN]

I don't think it is either. Strips generally have no connection to reality.

 

[BB BMW]

OK

got test kit and retested my cloudy pool water. Here are the new readings

CYA = less than 30 (dot did not disappear) adding CYA
FC = 1 (adding bleach)
CC = 0
PH = 7.2
TA = 90
CH = 120

 

[BB BMW]

Any new suggestions based on latest numbers?

 

[dattia]

I would start the shock process, even though you have no CC, you still have cloudy water. The CYA you are adding will probably not show up for a few days to a week, so just assume it is in there. I would be careful not to overshoot on the CYA as well, easy to add... not as easy to lower.

 

[BB BMW]

I would start the shock process, even though you have no CC, you still have cloudy water. The CYA you are adding will probably not show up for a few days to a week, so just assume it is in there. I would be careful not to overshoot on the CYA as well, easy to add... not as easy to lower.

I just did the shock process thursday and brushed and vacuumed friday.
Do you think I need to do it again?

 

[JohnN]

If your pool is still cloudy, you never finished the shock process. There are 3 criteria to meet, <1 ppm FC loss overnight, <.5ppm CC, and the pool is clear.

 

[harleysilo]

I would start the shock process, even though you have no CC, you still have cloudy water. The CYA you are adding will probably not show up for a few days to a week, so just assume it is in there. I would be careful not to overshoot on the CYA as well, easy to add... not as easy to lower.

I just did the shock process thursday and brushed and vacuumed friday.
Do you think I need to do it again?

No offense but you need to read the shock process instructions in pool school again. Shouldn't take you too long to finish and remember you can swim up to shock level for your CYA level.

 

[dattia]

You can perform an OCLT (Overnight Chlorine Loss Test) tonight if you are able. If you lose chlorine overnight, it means something in the water is consuming the chlorine in the absence of sunlight. If you do not lose any chlorine, it is probably just a matter of giving your filter time to do it's job. Sand filters are very reliable, albeit a little slower than other means of filtration. You can boost your filters ability to filter finer particulate by adding DE or a DE alternative to your filter.