VERY cloudy pool isn't getting better
- Thread starter hillyjd
- Start date
Drained half the pool last night. Started refilling this morning. Here's my working theory. High salt concentration is real and is above the range that the SWG sensor can calculate. If I'm right, once pool is refilled, SWG sensor reading should go up, not down. We'll see.
The nightmare continues. Half emptied the pool two nights ago. Started refilling the following morning before I left on a business trip. Once it was full, had my wife run the pump all night. Yesterday while I was still on travel, I had her rerun the standards tests. She told me the chlorine was low, pH was high, salt strip test was zero (no way) and the SWG was reading 2100. VERY bizarre. And the water was still the same (her words). I told her to shock the pool, add 1/2 gallon of muratic acid, and set SWG at 20%. Came home late last night and ran full set of tests this morning. Results
FC: 10+ (strips)
FC: >5 (basic drop kit)
FC: 6.5 (TFP drop kit)
pH: 7.6 (all tests)
CYA: 10 (strip)
CYA: 60 (TFP drop test)
Borate: 80 (strip
Salt: 6800 (strip)
Salt: 2000 (SWG sensor)
Water is actually about half as cloudy as it was. Have ordered the Taylor salt test kit but it has not arrived yet.
So, in summary, draining and refilling half the pool lowered the SWG salt reading from 2300 to 2100. Lowered the salt strip test from 7200 to 6800. Continues pump running does not seem to be helping clear up the pool. Any thoughts?
FC: 10+ (strips)
FC: >5 (basic drop kit)
FC: 6.5 (TFP drop kit)
pH: 7.6 (all tests)
CYA: 10 (strip)
CYA: 60 (TFP drop test)
Borate: 80 (strip
Salt: 6800 (strip)
Salt: 2000 (SWG sensor)
Water is actually about half as cloudy as it was. Have ordered the Taylor salt test kit but it has not arrived yet.
So, in summary, draining and refilling half the pool lowered the SWG salt reading from 2300 to 2100. Lowered the salt strip test from 7200 to 6800. Continues pump running does not seem to be helping clear up the pool. Any thoughts?
Did you test CC?
Also, what did the drain/refill do to your CH?
It would be helpful if you add your pool & equipment specs in your sig.
Go to User Control Panel (top left under TFP logo), Select Profile, then select Edit Sig.
Also, what did the drain/refill do to your CH?
It would be helpful if you add your pool & equipment specs in your sig.
Go to User Control Panel (top left under TFP logo), Select Profile, then select Edit Sig.
I did not test for either, so I just ran out and did those tests. CC is zero, CH was 250. I double checked with my wife, and she swears the salt test yesterday showed no salt on the strip. Verified with my very smart 12 year old grand daughter. I'm thinking salt strips are very sensitive to chlorine level? Yesterday when they tested for salt, chlorine was low, today when I tested, chlorine was high.
I'll get my specs into my profile.
Thanks.
I'll get my specs into my profile.
Thanks.
If your filtering 24/7 and your cartridge filter is in good shape, then it sounds like you got something blown into the water that is finer than the cartridge can filter, though that seems strange. In this situation, a clarifier (e.g. GLB Clear Blue) could be used, though even PolyQuat 60 would likely help clear the water a bit in this situation if you have any of that around already. Or you could be patient and see if shock levels of chlorine plus filtration clear it up.
Cartridge is new - I'm tempted to try some more shock. I've got a Leslie's clarifier product that I'm reluctant to use. My biggest worry is that the high salt (if it really is high) could damage the Pebble-Tec sealer/grout, and maybe that's what's clouding the pool. Hope the salt drop test arrives soon and I can get a handle on the real salt story.
I'm NOT a seasoned veteran...but in my case in the beginning I was doing like you, using my test strips and my basic 4 way kit with my TF-100, NOT a good idea!
I went to using ONLY Tftestkits products test kits for my readings and only then did I see results when applying pool school standards here at TFP with those readings.
Quit all of the test strip testing and mixing readings!
Being patient and reading more here at TFP, (for me) helped a lot.
I went to using ONLY Tftestkits products test kits for my readings and only then did I see results when applying pool school standards here at TFP with those readings.
Quit all of the test strip testing and mixing readings!
Being patient and reading more here at TFP, (for me) helped a lot.
I record the tests separately, but I do agree with you the strips are less accurate (but quicker). I use the strips just to see if there are any radical changes and then follow-up with the TFP tests if I see a concern. Pool is still a mess this morning. It was so hot here yesterday that we actually went swimming. Water feels great, just looks awful. Of more interest, could not test any salt in the water, so suspect the SWG reading is closer to reality. Still trying to decide to try some clarifier or what. New filter does not seem to be getting any of what is making the water cloudy.
Usually a clarifier would only be needed or help if what is in the water is too small to get caught in the filter, such as a colloid. Algae usually clumps up, but some items like lanthanum phosphate precipitate when phosphate removers are used don't filter out well without a clarifier. Certainly given how long you've been shocking and filtering, it would be something to try as a last resort.
I'd say you've got three choices with regard to a clarifier or flocculant. You can use PolyQuat 60 which is both an algaecide and a weak clarifier. Though not as powerful, it will eventually break down so is a more "get in, fix the problem, get out" approach. The other choice is use of a powerful clarifier such as GLB® Clear Blue® (I've used that in my pool when a vendor had me try out a phosphate remover that severely clouded the pool as an experiment -- it cleared the pool overnight). Another choice is to use a flocculant such as OMNI Liquid Floc Plus, but you need to be able to vacuum-to-waste and I doubt you are able to do that with your cartridge filter since they usually don't have the multi-port valves that are used with sand filters for backwashing, waste, recirculate, etc.
You will need to clean your filter after use of the clarifier (after the water gets clear).
By the way, I'm assuming that you don't have a filter problem or a circulation problem and that you've been regularly brushing to get material to the filter. If you find that the cloudiness is only in areas of poor circulation, then I'd focus on that instead.
I'd say you've got three choices with regard to a clarifier or flocculant. You can use PolyQuat 60 which is both an algaecide and a weak clarifier. Though not as powerful, it will eventually break down so is a more "get in, fix the problem, get out" approach. The other choice is use of a powerful clarifier such as GLB® Clear Blue® (I've used that in my pool when a vendor had me try out a phosphate remover that severely clouded the pool as an experiment -- it cleared the pool overnight). Another choice is to use a flocculant such as OMNI Liquid Floc Plus, but you need to be able to vacuum-to-waste and I doubt you are able to do that with your cartridge filter since they usually don't have the multi-port valves that are used with sand filters for backwashing, waste, recirculate, etc.
You will need to clean your filter after use of the clarifier (after the water gets clear).
By the way, I'm assuming that you don't have a filter problem or a circulation problem and that you've been regularly brushing to get material to the filter. If you find that the cloudiness is only in areas of poor circulation, then I'd focus on that instead.
Well, I'm out of time and patience. I have to go on business travel tomorrow for two weeks and it's 105 degrees outside. Went shopping today with wife and grandkid. Could not find any of the products mentioned. Tried four different pool places. Finally settled on HTH clarifier. I realize it's polymer based, but hoping for the best. Put the recommended 1st time dosage in. Will run the in-floor cleaning system all night and see if things improve tomorrow. If not, I think it's pool draining time. The good news is the FC and pH levels are perfect. Just can't see a hand in front of my face in the pool. We actually spent ah hour in the pool this afternoon. Feels great - looks terrible.
Let us know if the clarifier works or not. I'm keeping a record of clarifiers used and if it works or not.
Well, after adding HTH clarifier yesterday afternoon and running the pump all night, I think I can safely say the water has never looked worse. Now cannot see the bottom of the pool at all. It's almost as if the the pool is overdosed on clarifier when I hadn't used any. FC = 5. pH = 7.3. I added some acid yesterday when pH was 7.8. Surprised it lowered it that much. Last act of a desparate man - I'll shock the pool again this morning and see if that makes a difference.
Well, scratch that one off the list, though you should make sure the filter is able to capture anything at all. A clarifier will initially make the water more cloudy by consolidating some chemicals and particles into larger clumps, but that assumes that the filter is functioning properly and able to remove them. It sounds like the cartridge isn't filtering for some reason -- is the pressure rising on the filter at all?
Thought I should wrap up this saga. Went on my business trip. Two days after I leave, my wife reports the pool has cleaned up considerably. Maybe I should leave more often. The salt test kit arrives the following day, and my wife tries it and it measures 4000ppm! This after draining half the pool and refilling. She says she did the test twice and got the same result. Salt sensor on the SWG still reading 2000. So this holiday weekend I reclean the sensor with fresh water and a clean cloth. Sensor now reads 2300. Drops still at 4000. Rest of measurements essentially perfect. Pool looks fantastic.
Conclusions:
1. SWG salt sensor still reading very low compared to truth, even after cleaning. Anybody have any ideas on how to better clear or recalibrate that sensor? Manual just says to use clean water and a mildly abrasive cleaning pad.
2. Still have no idea how salt level got so high.
3. My paranoia over clarifiers probably unfounded. I used the minimum dosage and did not go for a second application that was recommended on the directions. Result was that it took quite a bit longer to clear up. Probably didn't help that I put a new cartridge filter in during the process.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Conclusions:
1. SWG salt sensor still reading very low compared to truth, even after cleaning. Anybody have any ideas on how to better clear or recalibrate that sensor? Manual just says to use clean water and a mildly abrasive cleaning pad.
2. Still have no idea how salt level got so high.
3. My paranoia over clarifiers probably unfounded. I used the minimum dosage and did not go for a second application that was recommended on the directions. Result was that it took quite a bit longer to clear up. Probably didn't help that I put a new cartridge filter in during the process.
Thanks for all the suggestions.