First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all season

[safount]

I am new to taking care of a pool. It was opened at the beginning of May and it turned a swamp-like, dark green about 5 weeks ago.
I shocked it and ended up killing the algae and after an application of floc and lots of vacuuming, the water is a light, cloudy green. Clarifying agents turn it into a slightly blue but still cloudy hue.

I've stopped using the clarifying agent (pool first aid) and have just been maintaining all my levels and yet the pool still has that green tint to it. I've had my water tested at the pool store, multiple times a week and the levels are within their recommended ranges, but the water still isn't clear. My goal is just to get the water clear and stop hemorrhaging money at the pool store.

I bought the test kit recommended by this site and here are my readings:

FC: 3
CC: 0
pH: 7.5
TA: 110
CYA: 20
CH: 260

I am unsure of where to go from here. Please help. Thank you.

 

[JohnT]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

Welcome to TFP!

You've come to the right place.

How do you chlorinate the pool? With low CYA, your chlorine could be dropping very low during the middle of the day, allowing algae to hang on. Adding enough CYA to get your pool to 35ppm will help with that.

To get rid of the green, forget the clarifiers and flocs, and concentrate on chlorine. We use the SLAM method for fighting algae. Read about it at pool-school/shocking_your_pool

 

[woodyp]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

You should probably raise your CYA level to the 30-40 range so it will actually hold some chlorine during the SLAM process. See pool school on slamming instructions, and the chlorine/cya chart. Welcome to TFP!

 

[safount]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

I have been using chlorine tabs and powdered shock to chlorinate the pool.

Should I raise the CYA level to 30-40 range prior to starting the SLAM process? Or is it better to add the required amount of stabilizer to raise the CYA while raising the FC to shock FC levels simultaneously?

 

[duraleigh]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

I would go ahead and add the additional stabilizer now.....I'd stop at 30 ppm.

Start the slam process just as soon as you get the stabilizer in the pool. Don't worry that it won't show up on the test, just assume it is there.

When you did the CYA test, did the dot completely disappear at 20 ppm?

 

[safount]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

Okay, will do.

And yes, the dot completely disappeared at 20 ppm during the CYA test.

 

[techguy]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

So, it sounds like you need to

• 1.turn on pump
  2.add chlorine
  3.hang a sock with CYA in front of the return
  4.read pool school on how to SLAM
  5.test pool for FC
  6. got to step 2, repeat steps 2 to 6 until clear

 

[Richard320]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

SLAM it.

A little inspiration:
first-time-shocking-with-bleach-t45074.html
pretty-black-pool-t58442.html
first-time-pool-owner-t61565.html
a-little-encouragement-for-those-with-algae-and-new-to-bbb-t57137.html
frog-filled-green-swamp-to-oasis-work-in-progress-t48213-20.html be sure to look at page 2
before-and-after-t36785.html
a-final-picture-set-of-how-well-the-bbb-method-works-t33199.html

 

[safount]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

Day 1:

Added requisite amount of stabilizer to bring up CYA to 30 and began SLAM process by adding bleach to bring up FC to 16 ppm.
Shocking level (per the suggested levels section in the poolcalculator.com) is 12 ppm FC for 30 ppm CYA. I must have misread the chart as I aimed for 16 ppm FC all day today. Readjusting to new target shock FC of 12 ppm from here on out.


Test #1
FC: 15.5
CC: 0

Test #2
FC: 17.0
CC: 0

Test #3
FC: 8.5
CC: 0

Test #4
FC: 13
CC: 0

Test #5
FC: 19
CC: 0

Test #6
FC: 13
CC: 0

 

[JohnN]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

The chlorine/CYA chart is more aggressive than the Pool calculator. They will both get you to your goal, but I assume the chart gets you there quicker.

 

[safount]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

Day 2:

Adding bleach after each test to bump up FC to 16 ppm. I've been treating the target SLAM rate of 12 ppm as a minimum to stay above at all times during this process.

Test #1
FC: 13
CC: 0

Test #2
FC: 14.5
CC: 0

Test #3
FC: 14.5
CC: 0

Test #4
FC: 13
CC: 0

Test #5
FC: 15
CC: 0

Test #6
FC: 13.5
CC: 0

 

[Richard320]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

By Jove, I think you've got it!

Keep it up, you're doing excellent.

 

[safount]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

Day 3:

Just being patient and hoping to turn the corner soon.

Test #1
FC: 16.5
CC: 0

Test #2
FC: 14
CC: 0

Test #3
FC: 13
CC: 0

Test #4
FC: 11
CC: 0

Test #5
FC: 17.5
CC: 0

 

[safount]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

Day 4:

Added bleach to achieve 20 ppm FC after each test.

Test #1
FC: 15
CC: 0

Test #2
FC: 13
CC: 0

Test #3
FC: 18
CC: 0

Test #4
FC: 11
CC: 0

Test #5
FC: 23.5
CC: 0

 

[safount]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

Day 5:

I'm seeing small improvements daily and the pool is looking better, but it's still cloudy.

Test #1
FC: 20
CC: 0

Test #2
FC: 14.5
CC: 0

Test #3
FC: 15
CC: 0

Test #4
FC: 18
CC: 0

Test #5
FC: 18.5
CC: 0

 

[safount]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

Day 10

Update: OCLT was 2.0 so I'm continuing the SLAM process, but the pool seems to be regressing as far as clarity is concerned.

Test #1
FC: 14.5
CC: 0.5

Test #2
FC: 13.5
CC: 0

Test #3
FC: 12.5
CC: 0

Test #4
FC: 16
CC: 0

The pool was as clear as it has ever been for the past couple of days. I could easily see the bottom drain in the deep end, but today, there is a slight cloudiness and white film on the water that wasn't there before and while the drain in the deep end is still visible, it's definitely noticeably less clear today.

Is this cause for concern? Do I do anything different in addition to the SLAM process?

 

[FamilyGuy]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

You can add a little D.E to your sand filter to help remove smaller particulate from the water. Also are you using just plain bleach/liquid chlorine or did you use outdoor bleach? I ask because the outdoor bleach contains additives that will add cloudiness

 

[safount]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

I'll look in to adding the D.E. to the sand filter. I've been using plain bleach so far.

 

[Richard320]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

You're soooo close.

Just out of curiosity, nobody went in the pool with it looking so nice, did they? Because a load of sunscreen can mess things up. They could also stir up stuff stuck to the walls if you've slacked off any on the brushing.

I'm not doing the SLAM, but if I get in there in a fit of industriousness and really give the pool a serious brushing with the wall whale, things cloud up on me.

 

[safount]

Re: First time pool owner - pool hasn't been clear all seaso

We've been tempted, but no one has been in the pool yet.