Newbie to the site, cloudy pool

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I'll work on getting some pictures up, I wish I would have taken pictures in January before I started de-leafing the thing. I had it half un-swamped before I found this site. My neighbor can't believe it. Thanks for the help. Still gotta pass the OCLT, which I think I will. The FCs haven't been dropping overnight, and my CCs were 1 or less. 1 drop cleared the pink...went to 2 to be safe. Tonight we'll find out for sure. Thank you all for the encouragement and help.
 
OCLT

2300: FC 25 CC 1
0800: FC 25 CC 1 Pool Crystal

I guess I'm still staying in shock. The CCs aren't falling off from 1. I have scrubbed everything. There is nothing left in the pool. THere is no dirt, no leaves, no nothing. No algae either. Nothing but blue pool liner. The CCs are at 1. When bugs get in the pool overnight (I am in NC...so we're talking about mosquitos so big they fly off with little babies)..........can that raise my CC? I net the bugs out all the time, but I can't stay out there all night netting them off the surface during the OCLT. Can this be causing my CCs? Or do y'all still think something else is going on? Pool looks great otherwise. Advice?
 
Advice?
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It's sorta' your decision. The cc's of 1.0 is really too much but will likely come down on it's own. We hold those three criteria as hard and fast rules for simplification. Your condition would certainly imply that everything is really good in your pool water so you could let the FC drift on down if you choose.

Conversely, now that you're so close, it is probably about as easy and only costs a little more chlorine to keep it right at shock value until you get the definitive .5cc's that you are looking for.

I think if it were me, I'd probably hold FC at 25 for another 24 hours, but that's just me....others would let it drift downward.

Bugs shouldn't make enough difference....did you get any of that rain last night? That might influence it more than bugs although it typically only affects IG pools from the wash-in.
 
We got a sprinkle or two, but nothing major. Really windy though. I was gonna hold shock until I got .5, it hasn't been costing very much in bleach anyhow....I'm already at shock level, and I'm only losing about 5ppm during the day, which is 1/2 a gallon of bleach or so to get it back up. I'll hold it in shock. I've just been hoping and praying that the test solution would stay clear on the drop test when I add the 3rd reagent after calculating the FC's. It always turns very light pink. 2 drops clear it up, and the second drop is barely needed.

I'll keep it in shock through the rest of the week. I vacuumed some sand up this morning, and I imagine after all this wind, I'll have to vacuum again tomorrow. Netting today in this wind has been a losing proposition. Pool is looking great now.
 
Pool still in shock...still have CC's showing up in drop test. It is somewhere between .75 and .5. Takes a drop to clear the pink, the second drop turns the sample completely clear. Maybe I'm being too strict on my color interpretation. CC might be .5. I am holding FC's overnight. I figured I was safe to drop the FCs a bit today to get some valid sampling done.

FC: 9
CC:.75
TC: 9.75
CYA: 50
CH: 890???? Finally got the shift in colors. 89 drops. I gotta check my fill water, can't find calcium in anything I've put in the pool. I'm hoping that even though this number is high, it doesn't affect me with the vinyl liner.
pH: 7.2 (added borax tonight to bring that up a bit...per Pool Calculator)
TA: 100 Yay!

Water is crystal clear, and clean. I don't see algae, leaves, anything biological in there. Still can't figure out why the CC's keep popping up on the test. Figure it could be me being too anal about it. Other than that, I'm passing OCLT. Less than 1ppm FC loss, water is clean.....cc might be .5, but I think its reading between .5 and 1....like .75. Suggestions?

Pool looks absolutely fantastic, better than all year last year. So, thanks for that. Now to keep it that way!

Tom
 
Im starting up my new pool tomorrow (filling right now) I just wanted to write that I found this post incredibly helpful and definitely inspiring. Maintaining pool chemistry is a bit scary and many of the people I know pay someone 250/month to maintain their pools. But reading this post gives me confidence that no matter how bad it gets, the pool can be brought back.
 

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Alright, with the pool clear and free of CC's, here are some new numbers:

FC: 8
CC: 0!!!!!!!!
TC: 8
pH: 7.5
TA: 130
CH: 890
Temp: 72 F

I was requested to check the CH on my fill water....it is 480.....eeek. At any rate, I also found a bucket of "shock" that was Cal-Hypo that we must have thrown in the pool last year, I forgot about that, that is no doubt what put the CH through the roof.....when that junk made it into the pool. I'm assuming that it will be impossible to get that CH down using my house water to fill the pool. Even to get it down to 480 would require a total drain and refill. Since I have a vinyl pool, I don't think I'm going to have any issues. Should I have any concerns with that 890 CH? Other than that, life is golden, as the pool looks perfect, and I mean perfect. Still don't have any pictures to upload, was busy doing other honey dos all week and weekend.
 
don't think I'm going to have any issues. Should I have any concerns with that 890 CH?
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You can live with it but you should manage it by keeping your pH down in the lower 7's and your TA perhaps a little less than 100. If you don't, your pool can quickly turn cloudy as the calcium in the pool becomes saturated and precipitates out at the slightest pH climb ......like adding chlorine, for example.

Rain and fill water will slowly diminish it. Directing rainwater into the pool (if you can do it) is a great way to reduce it and it's free.
 
Congrats Tim!! I've been following you as we were on the same path. Gotta love these guys!! Like you, I can't believe how clear the pool is and how simple the process really is!
 
I'll try and drop the TA with Acid/Aeration method, and you think pH around 7.4 or more like 7.2? It got quite a bit of rainwater the other night, we had a gullywasher, and the pool needed about 4 inches. I tested the CH prior to that rainfall. I'll work on getting the TA below 100. I think I can do that, I've knocked it down from 250...which is where it was in February. I think I can grab 30 more parts easy enough. Thank you all again. Family reunion will go swimmingly.
 
TomTinNC said:
I'll try and drop the TA with Acid/Aeration method, and you think pH around 7.4 or more like 7.2? It got quite a bit of rainwater the other night, we had a gullywasher, and the pool needed about 4 inches. I tested the CH prior to that rainfall. I'll work on getting the TA below 100. I think I can do that, I've knocked it down from 250...which is where it was in February. I think I can grab 30 more parts easy enough. Thank you all again. Family reunion will go swimmingly.
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EDIT: can I raise the pH to purposely precipitate the calcium and catch in in the filters or vacuum?
 
and you think pH around 7.4 or more like 7.2?
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You don't have to be dead accurate. I think if my pH got to 7.6, I would lower it to 7.2. It will likely rise a little over the summer so I would do the same again when it gets back up to 7.6.


EDIT: can I raise the pH to purposely precipitate the calcium and catch in in the filters or vacuum?
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Now that's a sign of a true BBB'r....managing and understanding his pool water...I mean that, too. :lol:

Unfortunately, it is a good plan in theory but it doesn't always work out that way. It may decide (and frequently does) to precipitate onto your hard plastic surfaces and then you have calcium scale and you are faced with the time and effort of getting rid of that. There have been reports here of others trying it and with some success (although they precipitated iron) but I would never take the chance.....controlling pH is usually much easier.
 
I'll keep the pH on the low side, and skip out on trying to get rid of the calcium. Hopefully, we'll have a normal rainfall summer, unlike the last 3 summers. If we get the regular afternoon deluges, hopefully the CH will fall a bit with nature's replacement water.

i forgot to report my CYA above: 50 ;)

Other than the CH, I think my numbers are golden, and the clarity of the water speaks volumes about this method. Now, if I can ever get out of this house and buy another, I'll be looking for a house with an IG pool. I am no longer afraid of pools, and Sams Club is my new best friend.
 
....and some pics

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My scooter on the bottom of the pool.

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Family guest swimming.

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Deco Bottle which I use to work on the pool...2 small holes patched yesterday.



Thank you all again. The pool is excellent right now. Yesterday, I took the tank in, and gave a thorough inspection. I found some algae underneath the edges of some excess vinyl that looked like the PM should have trimmed off. I scrubbed it all off and put the pool up to shock. The algae scared me, don't want that fight again. It is very nice to know what to do. I do intend on becoming a TFP supporter, and I'm trying to convert everyone I know that owns a pool. I am sold....and the methods work, as you can see.

We have been in it all weekend, and today, I plan to float on a lounge and consume some piper fuel........and soak in some rays.

Tom
 

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