cloudy pool

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quacka

quacka

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May 30, 2012
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I have always maintained my pool with the BBB method, but after draining/refilling my pool to correct a leak in the main drain, i'm now seeing cloudy water. My numbers are:
FC 3
TC 3
PH above 8, but lowering
TA 75
CYA 35
Salt 1000
Borate 20
For my CH, I used a different product than I normally use. I used Excel 50 Calcium Chloride. The SDS defines it as 94% calcium chloride, 5% sodium chloride, .02% magnesium chloride, and .20%other. With a fresh fill, poolcalculater called for 141lbs of CH. I added a little over 100lbs and tested, but my sample immediately turns blue, so i'm not sure how to measure. When first filled, everything added, my numbers seemed to be inline. Originally I got 2.5FC; 7.8PH; 70TA; CH350; CYA35. But after a week of filtering off/on, i'm now seeing this cloudiness with a white dust on my pebble plaster and the numbers above. Any suggestions?
 
I am not 100% sure, but I think the high pH could be causing calcium clouding. Get the pH down and keep filtering.

I am unclear, did you test the CH right after refilling and it worked fine? And then you add the Excel 50 and now the water is cloudy and the CH test is not working?

Also make sure your FC does not get any lower.
 
Yes, it's weird. I filled the pool, tested fill water, then starting adding chemicals. Due to the falling temps and work, I calculated the chemical additions with poolcalculator and added all at once. However, the next day I checked levels and showed 2.5FC; 7.8PH; 70TA; CH350; CYA35 so I was feeling good about my calculations. About a week later, with nothing else added, i'm now showing the CH sample immediately turning blue and PH above 8 with cloudy water and the white dust. I'm wondering if I should keep filtering/brushing/robot or if I should try and drain/refill again to avoid any calcification before its too late.
 
You need to lower the pH.
Calcium scaling is not a concern unless you leave your pH too high. Add some acid and in less than an hour you can retest the pH and add more acid if needed.
There is no need to drain and refill again.
 
I've got the PH down to 7.6, but CH still immediately turns blue so i'm not sure what the CH is. (usually turns red->blue). I brushed a little and have my robot/sand filter running and now it is so cloudy you can't see the bottom or the robot. Usually it is crystal and can see the screws in the main drain. I'll keep filtering, but not sure what the CH means with this not showing any presence even though I added 100lbs
 
Speculation (that would need to be confirmed by a chem guru):
If the calcium has come out of solution for some reason (the cloudiness), I do not think it will register on the test.
 
Try adding 5 drops of R-0012 first before adding R-0010 or R-0011L to help with any interference in the test. Make sure you count the 5 drops of R-0012. If this doesn't help, jblizzle might be right.

Try lowering the pH some more, 7.2, to help with the clouding issue.
 
As frustrating as it may sound, I would absolutely want to eliminate test error on the CH before making any conclusions. On the surface Jason has the most logical answer, but that is a whole lot of Calcium to come back out of solution completely. I may learn something here, but I would think it near impossible to have this happen and not have at least a noticeable amount of scaling. Eliminate test error, lower the pH, give some time and retest. This is a bit of a puzzler given the circumstances. Had you not seen a 350 CH after the addition, not so much, but I'm surprised at this result.
 
Ok, latest update. I've ran the pumps continuously with the 380 bot to stir up the white sediment hopefully to filter. I thought my calcium regent may be compromised, so I picked up a new Taylor regent at leslie's and now I test:
PH: 7.5
FC: 4.5
TC: 5.0
TA: 65
CH: 300
CYA: 35
Borate: 10
Salt: 1000
I've stored my SWCG for the winter, so I'm only using bleach as chlorine source. The white sediment settles on the plaster, but the bot stirs it up and the water becomes cloudy. I'm thinking it is either the CYA still dissolving or the calcium. The CYA, like the calcium, is a different product than I normally use (Splash Conditioner). It was added via panty hose in front of return. I'm not sure if this white sediment will ever be filtered out...depressing to have cloudy water. My sand filter shows normal psi and now my wife/friends are telling me to bring in a professional that my BBB method doesn't work but i'm standing firm that this is just something that possibly hasn't dissolved yet.....
 
I feel confident saying it isn't the Cya. If it is, it would be the first I've heard and I have certainly never seen that in mine. Guessing, I would have to go with the Calcium addition or something else. So it gets right back through the filter? Any chance you can get some in your hand, see if you can smash it between your fingers to see what it does?
 

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How did you add the CYA?? I've tried the sock method, and squeezed the stabilizer often causing it cloud up a bit. Does clear up right away however
 
Thanks for all the help. I'm still filtering and running the robot. PSI is staying the same on the sand filter. Thinking about adding a little DE to see if that can help filtration.

I added the CYA via pantyhose in front of the return. Of course it blows out a cloud, but that quickly dissolves. This is a white dust covering entire pool.... but logic says that if it is CYA or Calcium Chloride, my numbers would continue to go up as it dissolves. It has to be cold water just taking longer.... not sure what else it could be
 
Another obvious question, but a place to start......

Have you ran an OCLT?? The majority of the time cloudy water is a sign of something growing.
 
Well, I'm guilty of #7. Does this mean drain/refill?
7.Adding sodium bicarbonate AND calcium chloride to the swimming pool at the same time.
(Never, never do this!)
 
If your water chemistry parameters are correct, then your saturation index is negative. You said you added sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) around the same time you added the calcium chloride, is that right? The locally high TA and high CH would form calcium carbonate and cloud the water as well as form precipitate. This should slowly dissolve, but if you lower the pH and it clears some (especially in the area where you add the acid), then that would confirm that this is calcium carbonate. If that's the case, you don't need to do any draining but rather just be patient.

On the other hand, if the precipitate is something other than calcium carbonate, then your best bet is to filter it out.
 
In case it helps others...I ran my pumps 24/7 for about almost two weeks and kept brushing/running Polaris robot to help stir up the white powdery dust. finally the pool is crystal clear again.
My current #'s are:
PH: 7.2
FC: 4.0
TC: 4.0
TA: 75
CH: 325
Salt: 1100
Borate: 15
However, this does put me with a -0.63 CSI. I will let my PH climb naturally as temp drops, but also thought about raising TA to get the CSI back to around -0.25. I will also add more salt and borate later, but for now the SWG is stored for winter.
Thanks for everyone's help and advisement. I really appreciate it.
 
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