sande005 said:

You didn't check CC - or at least log it. Is it .5 or less? That is one of the criteria, where all 3 need to be true.

The picture strongly suggests it is dead algae settling out. Your low level of FC last week bit you. A sand filter (even with glass media) can be less effective at getting the dead suspended stuff out, especially with a robot stirring some back into suspension. It will get it, but perhaps more slowly. If the amount does not greatly lessen over the next couple of days, you still have actively growing algae.

The criteria:
CC of .5 or less
FC overnight drop of 1 or less.
Crystal Clear and no sign of visible algae - alive or dead.

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CC was 0 as it always has been. No I didn't record it. FC overnight drop was 1. This has been in my pool since we set it up and hasn't gotten any better or worse. So if it is dead algae, how do you purpose I get rid of it? I will do whatever is recommended to eliminate it. When we have used our hand vacuum, what is caught in the filter socks of the vacuum is gritty like sand or fine dirt but it always reappears by the next day.

I recommend taking pictures daily, or even a couple of times a day - then you can compare them and see the difference which is not immediately obvious when you just look at the pool.

Trust in the process....it works

How old is the hose? With age, it can get cracks between the corrugations in the hose. Also, it can get small holes in the ribs as it is unrolled and rolled on the deck before putting it in the water. You could try having someone get in the pool and hold the hose below the surface of the water. If the air disappears, you will know you have a small crack or pin hole somewhere in the hose.

IIRC correctly your area can have high TA fill water. Test it and see.

Once up and running you shouldn't be adding tons of fill water like they do in the desert but on large fills it will make a difference.

Start your SLAM.

Patience + make sure you are following the SLAM process precisely. That includes rounding up your CYA. So CYA of ~45 = CYA of 50 which means your FC target is 20.

It doesnt matter how you flood the system, all the plugs need to come out. (And equipment drain plugs in if removed).

If you have any expanding rubber plugs, open all threaded plugs and valves first. It may be under negative pressure and I had one get sucked into the pipe once because it was a bit small and fit. The threaded plugs such as the gizmo do not have that concern. Lol.

If you tested FC after dusk last night (30 mins after last adds), did not run your SWG overnight, left your filter on and tested FC this morning before sunrise then you have 1 CC which means SLAM. You are not supposed to lose any FC overnight because there is no UV or heat to affect it. Only organics can use FC at night. PS: you've been on here for a while now, it's time to fill out your signature so we can see what all the details of your pool and equipment are including test kit.

You didn't check CC - or at least log it. Is it .5 or less? That is one of the criteria, where all 3 need to be true.

The picture strongly suggests it is dead algae settling out. Your low level of FC last week bit you. A sand filter (even with glass media) can be less effective at getting the dead suspended stuff out, especially with a robot stirring some back into suspension. It will get it, but perhaps more slowly. If the amount does not greatly lessen over the next couple of days, you still have actively growing algae.

The criteria:
CC of .5 or less
FC overnight drop of 1 or less.
Crystal Clear and no sign of visible algae - alive or dead.

Thanks Newdude. I put 8 lbs of stabilizer in yesterday and that brought my CYA up to 30. The rest of my readings are below. When my pool was last sparkling clear, my TA was running 140-160.....last year it ran a little above 200 and was never sparkling.

todays test
FC - 22 (I know this is too high...too much chlorine got put in last night on accident)
CC - .5
TA - 340
CH - 275
PH - 7.5
CYA - 30

I dont know what is causing me to have such high TA?

Skimis said:

Two days ago I opened the pool

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Skimis said:

Am I just too impatient?

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Yes.

A pool that particular shade of green is going to take time. You can see considerable progress between picture 1 and 2, but it's still got a long way to go.

Are you sure the pressure gauge on your filter is good? It's odd for a DE filter to not need cleaned often with that kind of water, if it is working properly.

mblind said:

I have not sought out the advice from a pool store

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You got industry advice one way or the other. We call it pool store advice as that where most people get it, but whether it was a neighbors pep talk, books, online reading, etc, the industry advice puts way too much focus on Ph, TA and CH while blowing off the chlorine part which is the critical one for being sanitary.

mblind said:

Since CYA doesn't rise without adding it, and since I am draining a bit at a time, shouldn't my CYA go down too?

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You got it. But multiple drains also removes good water, so it gets less efficient each round. Let's use 50% for simple math, the first round removes 50% of the original water, then 25%, then 12.5%, then 6.25%. You drained 200% of the pool volume to get to 93.75%.

The #s are more favorable with smaller drains such as 10%, but the decimals are longer and i wasn't feeling more math this morning. Its still early. Anywho, just getting the theory across, multiple drains will get you there just not as quick as many think.

Chems:

Salt 3200
TA 90
CH 350
PH 7.6
FC 4
CYA 60

thetekgeek said:

Honestly - it looks a bit like dead algae to me.

Perform an OCLT - Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)

If you pass, great. IF you fail - SLAM - SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain

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Performed the OCLT as you recommended. FC last night was 7 and 6 this morning. So I'm assuming it must be dirt.

Okay - overnight test results:

10 pm - 8.4
6 am - 5.8

This means algae, right?