starting to go a bit cloudy

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L

linwill

0
Jan 26, 2008
26
Hi.
Using BBB method, been ok till now but when you swim underwater you can see that it is a bit cloudy. Looking down into the water it looks fine and you can see the seems on the liner quite clear. It is strange like drifting fog.
Here are the readings I got from local store.

fc.......0.4 ppm
tc...0.6ppm
cc....0.2ppm
ph....7.8
ak......111ppm
cy.acid....30ppm

18 x 33 above ground.
We have had some very hot days and quite a few storms lately dropping pine needles into the pool. Live in NC. Please help someone. Thanks. I love this forum.
 
Assuming you trust those numbers, it looks like you could be right on the verge of an algae bloom. No CH result is listed, but with higher PH elevated CH can cause hazy/cloudiness.

For your CYA level you should be maintaining around 3ppm FC. You are well below that. Your CC is low, but as a percentage of FC and TC it's pretty significant.

I'd shock if it were me, then monitor FC to maintain at least a 2-4 ppm FC residual.
 
Thanks. The test results did show that the ch (hardness) was 20 ppm ???
I am new to this so please explane just what I need to do. I was told that I could do without calcium. I haven't used shock only i gallon of 6% bleach almost every night whilst the pool has been used so often and the hot weather
 
linwill said:
Thanks. The test results did show that the ch (hardness) was 20 ppm ???
I am new to this so please explane just what I need to do. I was told that I could do without calcium. I haven't used shock only i gallon of 6% bleach almost every night whilst the pool has been used so often and the hot weather
Click to expand...

Vinyl pools = the calcium isn't "as important" but the still recommended amount is 150. But that's not as pressing as your low clorine, and the cloudy water is likely the beginning stages of algae.

So after sunset add in 3 jugs of 6% bleach, the 174 oz size jugs (the biggies) that is your 'shock' level of 14ppm for a CYA of 30ppm. (Run your filter nonstop till it clears). After 1 hour test the chlorine and make sure your FC reads 14ppm. If it doesn't you need to add enough chlorine to bring it to 14. Use the pool calculator to figure out your dosage. I think your pool is 17,800 galllons.

The pool calculator - enter your gallons, then enter in your FC from your test in the "now" column. Enter in 14ppm in the "goal" column and the calculator will tell you how much bleach to add to bring it back to 14ppm -shock level. Tomorrow morning retest firsthing, if your FC held overnight or you lost less than 1ppm, you should be fine. If your FC reads less than 13ppm you need to add enough chlorine to get to 14 again and keep it there another night, test again Saturday morning.

Does this make sense? :-D

Rangeball gave good advise, keep your FC at 3 and try upping your filtering time, usually the cloudiness takes hold and that's a sign the filter isn't running enough and the chlorine is too low.

Keep running the filter till the haze goes away.
 
For a vinyl liner pool don't worry about CH now. Low calcium can cause foaming, but don't worry now as you may not even experience it.

I made some assumptions based on your pool size. If it's 4.5' deep and rectangle, it should be 20,000 gallons. If it's oval, it would be 17,700 gallons.

FC levels are dependent on your CYA level. For yours of 30, recommended shock level is 13 ppm. For 20,000 gal that would be a bit over 5 96oz jugs of 6% bleach, and for 17,700 it would be just under 5 jugs.

Add the bleach after sundown so it has the most time to work before it gets lost to UV rays the next day. The recommended way to shock is to do so until you hold the shock level overnight with no more than a 1-2 ppm loss. Keep your filter running until the pool clears then go back to whatever schedule you run your pump if you think it was working.

Your FC residual for your CYA level is 2-6 ppm. 1 96 oz jug of 6% should give you 2.6 ppm for 17,700 gal and 2.3 ppm for 20,000 gal.

Keep reading the stickies and articles here and you will eventually catch on. Once you get chlorine under control, you can address your PH which is a bit high. I'd also recommend you get a good test kit like the TFP kit Duraleigh sells and learn to use it.

Good luck :)
 
Rangeball said:
For a vinyl liner pool don't worry about CH now. Low calcium can cause foaming, but don't worry now as you may not even experience it.

I made some assumptions based on your pool size. If it's 4.5' deep and rectangle, it should be 20,000 gallons. If it's oval, it would be 17,700 gallons.

FC levels are dependent on your CYA level. For yours of 30, recommended shock level is 13 ppm. For 20,000 gal that would be a bit over 5 96oz jugs of 6% bleach, and for 17,700 it would be just under 5 jugs.

Add the bleach after sundown so it has the most time to work before it gets lost to UV rays the next day. The recommended way to shock is to do so until you hold the shock level overnight with no more than a 1-2 ppm loss. Keep your filter running until the pool clears then go back to whatever schedule you run your pump if you think it was working.

Your FC residual for your CYA level is 2-6 ppm. 1 96 oz jug of 6% should give you 2.6 ppm for 17,700 gal and 2.3 ppm for 20,000 gal.

Keep reading the stickies and articles here and you will eventually catch on. Once you get chlorine under control, you can address your PH which is a bit high. I'd also recommend you get a good test kit like the TFP kit Duraleigh sells and learn to use it.

Good luck :)
Click to expand...

Ditto the TF TEst kit!

How tall is your pool anyway....Rangeball and I both got different results...(different results on the shock level too. Rangeball, what chart are you using, is the one in Pool School incorrect, can't 1ppm make a difference?)
 

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JasonLion said:
Shock level with CYA of 30 is:

Pool Calculator: 13
Chem Geek's Chart: 14
Ben's Best Guess: 15
Click to expand...

Aha! That explains it. I was using the chart and you were using the calculator?

Jason, why the variety? Is the difference between 15 and 13 nothing to worry about? Just curious how stringent people need to be.
 
OK.............done new test reading

ph..........7-6
fc....... 5
ta.......70
cya.......30-50

The water looks ok and clear but is dull , not sparkling and still slightly cloudy down near bottom. Have had filter running none stop , put in bleach as advised and lowerd ph slightly.Have scrubbed sides and bottom and kept it clean. Help please
 
Do you have any CC reading?

If not, at this point, all you should add is some POP, or pool owner patience :)

Assuming the haze was algae, it can take the filter some time to clear it all.

What type of filter do you have again? How are your pressure readings?
 
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