Cloudy Pool

[creechy]

So, I went to the pool store and took a water sample to see how it aligns to mine and I left the store with something I probably didn't need and is now causing me grief! She tested my phosphates and said they were high. I added 9 oz as prescribed. 48 hours later I vacuumed to waste and back washed 3 times as she said. This was a week ago. I still have cloudy water (which I didn't have when I went to the store) and the walls of my fiberglass pool are chalky. I use a SWG.

FC 6.5
PH 7.6
TA 100
CH 180
CYA 40

Can you help!! Thank you!!

 

[Texas Splash]

You've been "Pool Stored"! It's what they do. Now is the time to rely solely on your TF-100 or Taylor K-2006 and perform a SLAM per the link below in my sig. Follow everything on that page and it will resolve your algae issue. Phosphates is NOT the problem. Let us know if you have any questions about the SLAM.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

So, I went to the pool store and took a water sample to see how it aligns to mine and I left the store with something I probably didn't need and is now causing me grief! She tested my phosphates and said they were high. I added 9 oz as prescribed. 48 hours later I vacuumed to waste and back washed 3 times as she said. This was a week ago. I still have cloudy water (which I didn't have when I went to the store) and the walls of my fiberglass pool are chalky. I use a SWG.

FC 6.5
PH 7.6
TA 100
CH 180
CYA 40

Can you help!! Thank you!!

Cloudiness is quite common with phosphate removers as they form an insoluble precipitate (lanthanum phosphate) which your filter is supposed to filter out. Which brand of phosphate remover was it?

Some of the retail brands (i.e., not commercial strength stuff) have clarifiers added to them which is supposed to help clear the pool. However, that doesn't always happen and, because you have a sand filter, clearing the pool of the precipitate will take a long time. You can either go out and buy some clarifier and try using that to help clear the particulates or, a better approach, is to use the methods taught here for adding DE to your sand filter. It shouldn't take more than a cup of DE to help boost the filtration efficiency of your sand filter but it does take some experimentation. Follow this link - Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter

Follow the process there and see if it helps. If not, post back and we'll try to help.

- - - Updated - - -

You've been "Pool Stored"! It's what they do. Now is the time to rely solely on your TF-100 or Taylor K-2006 and perform a SLAM per the link below in my sig. Follow everything on that page and it will resolve your algae issue. Phosphates is NOT the problem. Let us know if you have any questions about the SLAM.

Pat,

Without an overnight chlorine loss test, I don't think a SLAM is the right approach here. The OP used a phosphate remover and THAT is most likely source of her cloudiness (yes, even up to a week later). The OP should try adding DE to the sand filter first and see if that speeds up clearing. At the same time and OCLT can be performed to see if there are any algae issues. But I would NOT start a SLAM at this time without definitive answers.

 

[Texas Splash]

OCLT it is! Creechy, if you have any questions about the OCLT, just let us know. Good luck!

 

[creechy]

Thank you Pat and Matt,

I was "pool stored"! I should know better! I used SeaKlear Phosphate Remover - Commercial and it was expensive. I use a skimmer sock in the skimmer so I save the filter from a lot of the debris. Is that good or could it be slowing down the clearing process? Each morning it is full of yellow stuff probably pollen and I change it. Would the phosphate remover also be causing the chalky walls? I will do OCLT tonight and SLAM if needed.

Thanks!

 

[JoyfulNoise]

creechy,

I have used the Sea Klear product as well and I can tell you that it does work to remove phosphates. So it's not a total waste. The thing is, and what the pool store employee should have known (now you know why we don't trust them!!) is that the Sea Klear product has no clarifier built into it so you need to use a clarifier after the product has done its thing in 48 hours to help clear the water. In my pool, I did not need a clarifier because I have a DE filter and it is fully capable of clearing the particulates.

I really think adding DE to your sand filter will do the trick but please do an OCLT so we don't miss anything. I'm not a big fan of clarifiers myself because they can sometimes have adverse reactions when other chemicals are present. I like the DE trick because TFP has found it works great every time it's done right and, best of all, once you backwash the sand filter, the DE is gone. So it's a very versatile process for adding a little extra polish to the pool water.

 

[creechy]

Thanks Matt! I have some DE that is a few years old. Should it still be good?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Thanks Matt! I have some DE that is a few years old. Should it still be good?

Yup. As long as it is Pool Grade DE and not Food Grade DE. There is a huge difference.

Go slow when adding it to a sand filter. For whatever reason people get varying results where some people's filters can handle a full cup and others can't put in more than a few tablespoons. Best to add it a 1/4cup at a time and let the pump run for a while to see how high the pressure goes. You don't want more than a 1 psi rise total. Slow and steady wins the race. And if your pressure goes too high, no worries, just backwash it and start again.

 

[creechy]

Update on my cloudy pool. I did an overnight chlorine test 2 nights and it is maintaining, My FC and CC are the same. But I still have cloudy water a little better but still cloudy.

So far this is what I have done since the phosphate treatment:
Running filter 24/7
Lowered ph to 7.4
I added some DE - although I think the skimmer sock is catching most of the debris and pollen.
Raised chlorine with bleach to 12 and maintaining it there with bleach (my CYA is 30-35)
Got up during the night to change the skimmer sock because it was full of pollen. It isn't slimy so I assume it isn't mustard algae.
This morning I vacuumed and backwashed

I think my problem is so much pollen in the pool! It is everywhere, all over the car and on outdoor kitchen countertops.

What should I do next? Should I go ahead and lower the chlorine or maintain it at 12 until no longer cloudy?
I would try clarifier but the bottle says my chlorine should be at 4 to add it.

I am worried about keeping the chlorine so high and damaging heater and other pool equipment. Should I be?

One thing I have learned is that I will leave the cover on longer next year until the pollen has settled down!

Thanks for the help!!