New to TFP - Battling Cloudy, Milky Water

[GRP]

Hi. I've had the pool for 4 summers and never had a problem until this year. It's ~10K white fiberglass, with a sand filter & PoolFrog mineral system. This year I cleaned it up and got it started with my typically beautiful sparkling, clear blue water. After about two weeks, it turned green but still very clear. I tested with my small kit several times & always came back with good results. Took a sample to the pool store and they said it was balanced, but the Phosphates were high & Calcium was low. Per their instructions, I added 5 lbs. of calcium waited 1 hour then 1 bottle of phosphate remover. Within 30 minutes the water looked like blue milk. After almost 2 weeks, the water is slightly less milky and has a blue-green tint. I purchased the K2006 kit and tested yesterday. My readings were:
FC 5.4
CC 1
TA 120
CH 90
pH 7.2
CYA - the black dot disappeared when the level was only about 1/3 of the way to the 100 mark.

What do I do first? Drain and replace the water?

Thanks

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

Yes, you need to replace water. Get CYA down to something more reasonable, like 50 or 60, and then fight the algae.

 

[chjade84]

The phosphate remover and calcium they sold you was wasted money AND probably had messed up your water. This is why we dislike pool stores.

Phosphates mean nothing, it's just something extra for the pool stores to sell. Calcium is only an issue in plaster pools. Fiberglass and vinyl pools don't need calcium. The CC means you have organic matter in the pool and you should SLAM it (see "Pool School", top right). Your TA is a bit high and PH is a bit low. Are you using chlorine tablets? Those cause your CYA to rise forever making you use more chlorine than you should and making it almost impossible to SLAM.

Frankly, I would read up on Pool School and browse around here to get a good idea of the methods and science we use, then drain and start over. You'll have to replace a LOT of water anyway because that's the only way to lower CYA. There are some dangers in completely draining the pool if you have a high water table, so research that first. If you don't want to risk it, you can fix the water you've got but it will take TIME.

Also, consider disconnecting that mineral system. Minerals in the water cause problems with staining and can cause green water as well, as you found out. Mineral systems don't add anything helpful.

Don't worry though, we will get you to sparkling water soon!

 

[Butterfly]

Welcome to TFP

Pool Frog I am surprised you did not mention any green hair on people or pets! Since your drain/refill dance will get rid of the excess CYA, it will also get rid of some copper. You should have the water tested for copper now and again after the drain/refill.

.

it turned green but still very clear.

That sounds like copper (metals). For more information, do a search, upper right, on Pool Frog

We can help you take control of your pool and have smooth sailing from now on

 

[GRP]

Thanks guys! I've been reading in Pool School and thought that I needed to just drain it and start over, but wanted some confirmation. I appreciate the advice!

As for the Pool Frog - I will consider just bypassing it, but until this year we've absolutely had no problem except at start up and I just put a bottle on Conquest in and that solves it for the rest of the summer. My boy is blonde-headed and we've (in 3 summers) NEVER had to deal with his hair turning green. I was surprised by the info on Pool Frog I've found on the site.

 

[chjade84]

Thanks guys! I've been reading in Pool School and thought that I needed to just drain it and start over, but wanted some confirmation. I appreciate the advice!

As for the Pool Frog - I will consider just bypassing it, but until this year we've absolutely had no problem except at start up and I just put a bottle on Conquest in and that solves it for the rest of the summer. My boy is blonde-headed and we've (in 3 summers) NEVER had to deal with his hair turning green. I was surprised by the info on Pool Frog I've found on the site.

If I were in your position I would drain as well - so long as you understand the risks and can manage any groundwater that could disrupt the empty fiberglass shell. The last thing you want is a $10,000 bill to put the pool back in the ground!

As far as the mineral system, it sounds like you've found all the negative info on here. I'd take it out just because it doesn't do anything productive and costs money to buy new cartridges. The green water does usually indicate copper - which unless you have copper in your fill water is most likely coming from that system, so another strike against it?. The Conquest is a metal sequestering agent which keeps the metals in solution until your PH gets out of whack, then it all comes out in a green/yellow mess! That's three years of copper from the system that's been just floating around waiting to show itself. Your boy's hair didn't turn green because that Conquest was keeping all the copper in solution, like it was meant to. Unfortunately, there is no permanent solution for getting metals out of the water either, so that's another reason to drain. I'd really think hard about taking that thing out of the system...

I'm of the attitude that I want the absolute bare minimum of "stuff" in my water. I re-filled this spring to acid wash when I got the house and the only things in it now are chlorine, baking soda, washing soda, Muriatic acid and CYA. I've gotten nothing but compliments about how clear it is, how it "doesn't even smell like there is chlorine in it" (despite 5ppm chlorine) and how "soft" the water feels. Either way, it's up to you, obviously. We just don't like seeing people waste their money or end up causing themselves frustration fixing avoidable problems.

Oh, and post some before/after pics!

 

[GRP]

If I were in your position I would drain as well - so long as you understand the risks and can manage any groundwater that could disrupt the empty fiberglass shell. The last thing you want is a $10,000 bill to put the pool back in the ground!

A friend who installs pools looked at it for me last weekend. I'm half-way up a ridge so he said draining would not be a problem if I go that route, but thanks for checking on it.
I'm thinking that we won't be fooling with the PoolFrog after this year. Thanks for all the info!!

 

[chjade84]

Yea it sounds like you are good to drain then. The only other thing I know of to look at is to make sure the ground that was backfilled around the pool is stable and won't be "pushing in" on the walls, otherwise it could collapse the sides once the outward pressure of the water is gone. We have hard clay up here so I didn't have to worry about that.