Help needed. Cloudy pool will not go away.

[angfiggy]

Hello!

I have a mostly rectangular pool with angled corners. It's 17'x41' and about 20000 gallons (19, 900 and some change). I have been using the SLAM and methods on this site successfully for the past 5 years. Thank you for this amazing site! But, this is a new issue and I can't seem to get it figured out.

So, short story is that a pipe broke; it took 3 weeks for me to find it and repair it; and then my pool turned to a swamp. After I got the pipe situation corrected, I started in on measuring and SLAM'd. However, I cannot get the pool to clear. It's frustrating at this point because it's hot (104 today) and I know it's harder to get it to clear when it's warmer.

I measured the CYA, ph and made some adjustments on Friday/Saturday, kept SLAM'ing, and still no joy. I have been keeping the pool at 18ppm.

I just measured and here is what I found:
FAS-PPD test
FC: 18
CC: 0.5
CYA: 25 (I have troubles here with getting a good measurement. I measured this twice. The first time I got 35, but I re-read the instructions and realized that I didn't shake it for the full 30 seconds. I re-measured and it's just below the 30 line where I can't see the black dot. I did add more to bring it up 5 - 7 ppm in a sock in front of jet.)
TA: 130
ph: 7.2

I have had the pool between 18 - 20ppm consistently since last Friday. It only fell down to 12ppm once on Sunday afternoon. I am testing every 3 hours and adding chlorine until 10:30pm at night. I start again at 7:00am in the morning.

I am actively raking the bottom of the pool and sweeping. I backwash the filter (sand filter) twice a day.

I am attaching pictures of where I am still at today (5 days later). I don't understand why the pool will not clear. It is clear maybe 1 1/2 feet down. I can't see the bottom.

Does anyone have suggestions for me?

 

[Texas Splash]

It sounds as though you are following just about all of the SLAM principles. I will say though that with a sand filter, you probably don't need to backwash twice a day unless the pressure increased by about 25%. Sand filters tend to filter a little better when they are slightly dirty to catch the finer stuff. Is everything out of the pool? No ladders or steps? You are brushing each day which is perfect. We often remind owners, especially those who's pool became a swamp that just as it didn't go green in a few days, it won't get crystal clear in a few days either. You might be surprised at your current pace to see things get clearer soon if you continue the vigilant FC testing and maintenance.

Tomorrow I would do one more CYA test if it's nice out. You need to narrow that CYA range that has gone from ~30 to 40 or so. Backwashes can impact CYA as well. Once you get a good average CYA number, stick with it and the corresponding FC level. Other than that, hang in there.

 

[angfiggy]

Ok. I will keep going with faith! I am going to try and vacuum tomorrow as well. I have two skimmers so vacuuming is kind of tricky, but I know there is Crud on the bottom that I need to attack.

I left the steps out until the water clears. I usually don't even put them in unless the in-laws are visiting.

I will also test CYA again tomorrow. I have the powder stuff so I will squeeze the sock and try to get it dissolved.

Do you think it's worth a deep clean of the sand filter, at this point? I cleaned it out 2 summers ago, but did not do anything to it last summer or this summer. Maybe that's something to wait on and do if the pool still looks like this in a week?

 

[Texas Splash]

Do you think it's worth a deep clean of the sand filter, at this point? I cleaned it out 2 summers ago, but did not do anything to it last summer or this summer. Maybe that's something to wait on and do if the pool still looks like this in a week?

Unless you are really curious and ready to go in there, I'd say give the chlorine a few more days to do it's thing. If we think progress might be limited to filtration alone, then you can go in there. Certainly up to you though.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

For future reference-> if you ever lose power or something breaks on the pool, continue adding liquid chlorine and brushing it around daily. This will help avoid that swamp you're now dealing with.

Maddie

 

[V___25]

Maybe try adding a little DE to your sand filter to help with filtering? Sand filters are notoriously slow at clearing water.

 

[VetteBlue]

Is your pump running 24/7?

 

[angfiggy]

Yes. My pump is running 24/7.

I agree! I should have been adding chlorine during the pipe break. Good advice.

I don't have any DE. I may try that if the vacuuming tonight doesn't get the job done. I did raking and brush more last night and I stumbled upon some good sized scoops of debris in an area. I also found what I think was 2 algae patches down there, so eureka! Hopeful that helps things. Going out to measure this morning.

 

[V___25]

I wish I could just send you some DE - I have a whole huge box that I bought at walmart to help with filtering and now it just sits here! Good luck though, hopefully with those spots addressed, you'll be moving right along.

 

[angfiggy]

So, I had to leave for a week. I did use tablets and left my MIL to dump chlorine in the pool (keeping to SLAM levels per the last week). I came home to a much clearer pool (believe it or not) and can now see the dirty patches on the bottom. I tried to vacuum before I left, but I cannot get my vacuum to work. I am pretty tired of struggling with it, so I will post over in the other forum to get help on a new robot vacuum. Thanks always for the advice! It helps me to stick to the SLAM plan.

 

[Texas Splash]

 

[angfiggy]

Lol! I fixed my vacuum (silly yellow squid ice cream cone diving toy in the tube). Debating on a robot. Pump wouldn't prime in the midst of all of this and I learned a bit more about my pump. Did you know you can program those buttons to different speeds? I do now!

Out to vacuum and dump in more bleach! Is 3:50pm too early to drink a cold one and vacuum?

 

[MITBeta]

It's 5 o'clock somewhere.