Cloudy Pool - New Pool Owner

[Adamf78]

There is NO sarcasm in my voice. Why did you add calcium? There is generally no need for calcium in a vinyl pool, unless (like you) you have a heater and 200ppm should be just fine.

As a general rule, do not add calcium products within 24 hours of ANY pH changing products (chlorine, CYA, Boric Acid, ph Up/Down), as it can cause clouding.

Suspend the use of phos free and clarifiers...forever. See links below. This can cause clouding.

I'm sure we can clean this up.

I would clean your filters and note your clean filter pressure. When it rises 25%, I would clean them again. Rinse and repeat. This should be normal maintenance.

Maintain your FC around 8 until we can sort out your CYA. You reported less than 10, added enough to get to 30, then reported 65. Can you clarify why such a wide range?

I would lower your pH to 7.4, this will help with scaling and lower CSI.

Do nothing else until you can perform OCLT, that will also give us a day to sort out any improvement in clouding with proper filter maintenance.

When you can to OCLT, post results. Take pictures every 12 hours that mimic the ones you posted so we can see improvement.

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

Non-Recommended Pool Chemicals

These pool chemicals should not be added to your pool. Save your money and frustration and avoid these chemicals!

www.troublefreepool.com

Thank you for your help and advice. The only reason I added calcium was because the pool store told me too. After researching TFP and some of the things the pool store was asking me to buy and add to the pool I became suspicious. I have completely stopped using phos free and clarifiers. Now trying to get the pool under control from what the pool store had me add.

I completed the OCLT last night and this morning. Last night my FC was 7.5 and this morning after having the SWG off for 8 hours my FC was 6.5.

If I need to maintain my FC around 8 should I turn up my SWG (currently at 20%) or add liquid chlorine? If adding liquid chlorine how much do you suggest?

To lower my PH how much muriatic acid would you suggest to get to 7.4? I am currently at 7.6 so not much I would assume?

My current filter pressure is 10 but I am going to clean my new filters (installed on 8/11).

 

[PoolStored]

If I need to maintain my FC around 8 should I turn up my SWG (currently at 20%) or add liquid chlorine? If adding liquid chlorine how much do you suggest?

Use liquid chlorine to RAISE FC and SWCG to MAINTAIN FC. Download Pool Math and it will help you with how much to add. Link-->PoolMath

To lower my PH how much muriatic acid would you suggest to get to 7.4? I am currently at 7.6 so not much I would assume?

Again, use Pool Math, it will tell you how much to add.

My current filter pressure is 10 but I am going to clean my new filters (installed on 8/11).

Clean your filters and note clean pressure. When pressure rises 25%, clean them again. This should be a normal maintenance routine...

 

[Adamf78]

Ok I have cleaned my new filters, the water in the filter housing was a milky white but the filters themselves were not really that dirty. Pressure is still 10 psi before and after cleaning. I have maintained my FC at 8 and PH at 7.4 for the past 2 days. I did have to add additional liquid chlorine and muriatic acids to get the FC at 8 and PH at 7.4 today. Water is still very cloudy. I am running my robot and I continue to pick up white powdery substance which I assume is the calcium still. Pictures attached so you can see what the water looks like today. Any additional suggestions on what to do next? Thank you.

 

[PoolStored]

I would SLAM. Link-->SLAM Process

Let's see what @JamesW, @JoyfulNoise and @ajw22 say...

 

[ajw22]

The milky white water in your filter indicates it is catching stuff.

You need to keep on filtering and cleaning your filter regularly as long as it is getting the milky white water in it.

You are dealing with the effects of the phos free and clarifier.

You just need to be patient and help it get filtered out.

 

[Adamf78]

The milky white water in your filter indicates it is catching stuff.

You need to keep on filtering and cleaning your filter regularly as long as it is getting the milky white water in it.

You are dealing with the effects of the phos free and clarifier.

You just need to be patient and help it get filtered out.

Even though the last time I added phos free was 8/10? My pump has been running 24/7. Thanks.

 

[ajw22]

Clean your filter often whether you think it needs it or not until your water clears.

Don’t put anything in your pool other than muriatic acid and liquid chlorine.

 

[Adamf78]

Clean your filter often whether you think it needs it or not until your water clears.

Don’t put anything in your pool other than muriatic acid and liquid chlorine.

Do you recommend Slamming the pool? Just trying to make the pool clear again. This has definitely been a learning experience!

 

[ajw22]

Do you recommend Slamming the pool? Just trying to make the pool clear again. This has definitely been a learning experience!

SLAMMing the pool can't hurt and it may help oxidize the stuff in it.

What is your CYA?

 

[Adamf78]

Most recent CYA was 70 from Friday but I will check again tomorrow.

 

[Adamf78]

Most recent CYA was 70 from Friday but I will check again tomorrow.

My CYA is now 60. I’m going to go ahead and SLAM and see if that helps with the cloudiness.

 

[Adamf78]

My CYA is now 60. I’m going to go ahead and SLAM and see if that helps with the cloudiness.

Ok it has been 1 week since I have started SLAMMING my pool. I must have an algae problem because the pool is still cloudy and I cannot hold the recommended SLAM level of 24 FCA. I have probably added 13 gallons of Chlorine in the past week. I have been testing the FC 3-4 times per day (as much as I can with my work schedule). I cleaned the filters today and they are still milky white. I have added pictures of brown spots in the pool I continue to brush in the same spot, I can’t tell if that is algae or just dirt settling in the same spots? I have also included pictures of what the robot is sucking up 2 times a day (white powdery substance). Any additional advice besides to continue to SLAM? I’m getting discouraged because nothing is seeming to help.

 

[PoolStored]

Dead algae. Same spots because they are low spots. Continue to SLAM. It will take a while because you are doing 3-4x. If you can't do more often, do every hour in the evening. You'll get it! Take a few of these...

CapturePOP.JPG

• PoolStored
• Jun 12, 2023

 

[Adamf78]

So if I was able to you would recommend checking FC every hour? Even midnight on?

 

[PoolStored]

Ha Ha...you are asking the wrong person. I've been tagged on TFP as being "extra." When I found TFP, I had been taken for $1500 by the pool store, it was 8 days before 4th of July first year with the pool and lots of family coming over....I was a man on a mission. I checked and replace FC every 1-2 hours, 7am to 1-2am. I'm happy to report the pool passed slam by the 4th! I would have been done 3 days earlier if I had known bacteria can live inside of pool ladders. The day I figured that out and cleaned them, I passed OCLT...

Recommend? Recommending that people SLAM hourly can scare people off. Is it necessary, no. It really an individual choice, we do what we can. If you want it to go faster, check and replace more often. Up to you if that is what you want to do. It will clear faster if you do.

 

[Adamf78]

Ha Ha...you are asking the wrong person. I've been tagged on TFP as being "extra." When I found TFP, I had been taken for $1500 by the pool store, it was 8 days before 4th of July first year with the pool and lots of family coming over....I was a man on a mission. I checked and replace FC every 1-2 hours, 7am to 1-2am. I'm happy to report the pool passed slam by the 4th! I would have been done 3 days earlier if I had known bacteria can live inside of pool ladders. The day I figured that out and cleaned them, I passed OCLT...

Recommend? Recommending that people SLAM hourly can scare people off. Is it necessary, no. It really an individual choice, we do what we can. If you want it to go faster, check and replace more often. Up to you if that is what you want to do. It will clear faster if you do.

Understood, I appreciate your help and advice. I’m going to hit it heavier at night and see if that helps.

 

[Adamf78]

Update I have been testing more frequently 4-6 times per day. This morning was the first time I passed an overnight chlorine test. What’s weird is this morning I checked at 6:30 AM and FC was 25 and that was the same as last night around 11 PM. Now at 9 AM this morning FC went down to 21. Pool is still cloudy and robot is still picking up a lot of the white powdery substance in the pictures.

Just to confirm even if I pass an overnight chlorine test I need to keep SLAMMING until pool is crystal clear?

 

[ajw22]

Just to confirm even if I pass an overnight chlorine test I need to keep SLAMMING until pool is crystal clear?

Yes, keep SLAMMing and filtering.

Is your pump running 24/7?

How often are you cleaning your cartridge?

 

[Adamf78]

Yes, keep SLAMMing and filtering.

Is your pump running 24/7?

How often are you cleaning your cartridge?

Yes pump is running 24/7. I have been cleaning cartridges about twice a week. Pressure has stayed the same and cartridges have not been that dirty other than a milky white water.

 

[Adamf78]

Well it’s been about 3 weeks of slamming my pool and I’m finally seeing results. I was getting very impatient but I could see improvement each day. Attached are pictures of my pool now. I can finally see the drains in the deep end! Thank you for everyone’s help!