Cloudy pool

[Wonderbeansmom]

Hello!

My pool started to get cloudy the day before yesterday. We didn't open the pool cover yesterday because we were busy. Today it's more cloudy. Here are my readings using the TF-100 test kit:

FC: zero
CC: zero
pH: 7.5
TA: 110
CH: 110
CYA: none (black dot on vial never disappeared)

Help please!

Thanks!

 

[freqz]

Get some chlorine in there ASAP.

4 lbs dichlor shock. (+11 FC, +10 CYA)
4 lbs stabilizer (+20 CYA)
1 x 121 oz jug of 8.25% bleach (+3.3 FC)

OR

Add stabilizer and liquid chlorine per pool math to get the same results.

That should bring your FC to the neighborhood of 14-14.5 and CYA to 30.

SLAM until you pass the OCLT and water is clear.

 

[jblizzle]

I would not raise the FC up that high until the CYA was dissolved in the water.

Simplest would be to just get 4-6 pounds of CYA dissolving and add 3 jugs of bleach. And then start the SLAM Process.

 

[Wonderbeansmom]

I'll head out to the store then. My son swam in the pool this morning while it was cloudy. Is that harmful? Thanks!

 

[jblizzle]

We say it is safe to swim if you can see the bottom and the FC is above the minimum listed for your CYA level in the FC/CYA Chart. So .... not really safe since you had no FC, but may not be harmful.

 

[Wonderbeansmom]

I'm at Walmart and obviously I can find bleach but where do I find CYA?

- - - Updated - - -

Oh and all they have are "hth" products. I have no clue if I should use anything from that company. They have a natural clarifier and a super concentrated clarifier. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[steveg_nh]

My pool got cloudy the other day, but a backwash and recharge of my DE filter took care of it today. How is your filter pressure?

 

[jblizzle]

Sorry for the delay. I have used the HTH stabilizer. I think it is labelled as conditioner (NOT clarifier). Check the ingredient is cyanuric acid.

 

[Wonderbeansmom]

An update:
The filter pressure was high and my husband did a backwash and the pressure went to normal. He also switched on the stabilizer setting to 100%. This was at about 5:30 last night.

I looked at the pool last night around 10pm and it was clearer. The pump ran all night and I looked at the pool again at about 8am and it was even clearer.

I went out a short time ago and opened the pool cover and there were soapy looking bubbles at the the deep of the pool. They quickly dissipated and now the pool is cloudy again. Not as bad at yesterday but as cloudy as 10pm last night.

I just took more readings:
FC: I have a question. In the instructions it says to multiply the number of drops by 0.5 but the example in the parentheses uses 0.05. So the drops X 0.5 = 1 and the drops X 0.05 = 0.1
CC: same deal as above... 0.25 and 0.0025, respectively.
pH: 7.5
TA: 120
CH: 130
CYA: zero
One note: while at Walmart, the products I mentioned did not have an ingredient list. Would CYA only be in the pool supply area?

What should be my next move? Thanks again!

 

[jblizzle]

What is the "stabilizer setting"?

With a 10ml sample, the multiplier is 0.5 ... the example must be wrong. And it is not possible to get 0.25 for the CC with the same 0.5 multiplier.

Yes the conditioner should only be in the pool area ... you still need to get the CYA up. That is the next move.

 

[steveg_nh]

At Walmart, the bottle is HTH Stabilizer and Conditioner. About $14 for 4 pounds.

 

[cottielee]

I'm at Walmart and obviously I can find bleach but where do I find CYA?

- - - Updated - - -

Oh and all they have are "hth" products. I have no clue if I should use anything from that company. They have a natural clarifier and a super concentrated clarifier. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Just follow the advice you have been given here. You won't need any type of clarifier to clear up your pool.

 

[Wonderbeansmom]

The stabilizer setting is at 100%.

I went to Walmart and got the HTH Stabilizer and Conditioner. I haven't added it yet.

Is the CYA going to clear up my water? The water is cloudy coming out of the return jet. So there's pools of cloudy water floating around. Not to mentioned some sort of white residue on the surface in places...seems like remnants of those soapy bubbles I mentioned before. What could cause that? The rest of the pool is crystal clear.

the only other thing I did yesterday before I tested anything was to put this bottle of chemical in the skimmer the pool guy told my husband to do that at the end of April and he hadn't. It's by Natural Chemistry and called Salt Water Magic. So that was in the early morning yesterday and I just read that the directions on the bottle say not to backwash for 24 hours, which my husband did do last night.

I'm just so confused. I don't know if this CYA will clear up the pool. I don't know what those soapy bubble where. I don't know if this Salt Water Magic had any effect on anything. And I don't understand the cloudy water coming out of the jets and lingering in places, while the rest of the pool is clear.

Please help! Thanks!

 

[jblizzle]

What is a "stabilizer setting"? I have no idea what you are talking about.

No the stabilizer is not going to clear up the water. It is going to protect the chlorine from the sun. The chlorine is going to kill what is in your water and the filter is going to remove it from the water.

Put the stabilizer in a sock and put it in the skimmer. Leave the pump running and backwash whenever you need to.

I think you need to stop and learn a bit more.
How much Pool School have you read? Start with these:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

 

[mmcgovern]

My guess is that the "stabilizer setting is 100%" refers to the SWG. I could be wrong though..