Pool Won't Clear Up

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jsnobles

0
Jun 7, 2013
28
Phenix City, Alabama
Hey Guys,

I opened my pool this weekend, and have been shocking it, and sweeping/vacuuming it to no avail. I should have known to test the chemistry first, but I didn't. I got my Taylor K-2006 test kit out to test the CYA level, and this is what it showed. Think this may be my problem as to why the pool won't clear up? I am doing a half drain/refill now as I type this.
 

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I think you have nailed it.

As an aside, that CYA scale does not have equidistant graduations. What you see as 200 may be closer to 300. I suspect you'll need to replace more than half the water. One caution: if you have a vinyl liner, you'll have to stop draining when you get down to a foot deep in the shallow end, lest the liner shift and wrinkle.
 
Consider changing how you chlorinate to prevent this problem in the future. Dry chlorine products like powder shock or chlorine tablets add large amounts of CYA to your water and it builds up with every dose. We use plain chlorine bleach to chlorinate and only add stabilizer as required. You have the right test kit, arm yourself with the right knowledge by reading the Pool School link above and you will be in control in no time.

Follow the TFP methods and you will not believe how cheap and easy maintaining a pool can be.
 
dsmith99 said:
Consider changing how you chlorinate to prevent this problem in the future. Dry chlorine products like powder shock or chlorine tablets add large amounts of CYA to your water and it builds up with every dose. We use plain chlorine bleach to chlorinate and only add stabilizer as required. You have the right test kit, arm yourself with the right knowledge by reading the Pool School link above and you will be in control in no time.

Follow the TFP methods and you will not believe how cheap and easy maintaining a pool can be.
Click to expand...

Thx guys!

A couple more questions.

1. Should I turn over the water once with the pump running when I refill the first time to get the "good" water circulated with the "bad" water (for the less of a better term), or does it not matter?

2. When you say chlorine bleach, is it ok to use plain Clorox bleach that you can get from the grocery store in place of the granulated powder shock, or do I need to get it from a pool supply store. Is there a difference?
 

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The name brand bleach costs a little more, I use great value bleach from WalMart. Read the label on the jug and it will tell you the strength, usually 8.25% sodium hypochlorite. Avoid dollar stores, their bleach is cheap for a reason, it's very weak.

You can also get 10% "pool chlorinating liquid" at WalMart in the pool section, or 12.5% "Liquid pool Shock" at many places, it's just a stronger form of bleach, If in doubt read the label.

Don't know your locaton but if you have a Menards store nearby they have the 12.5% liquid shock on sale, 2 gallon for $4.

The only advantage to the stronger concentration is that it takes a little less volume to do the same thing so a gallon stretches a little further. The downside is that it loses strength at a faster rate than bleach.
 
Richard,

I have an automatic chlorinator in my pool, as a lot of people do. Do you suggest not using this, and going with liquid bleach in place of it? If so, is there a way to use both for convenience reasons, and also for health of the pool's water? What do you recommend? I know that using the 3" pucks adds stabilizer that is needed to keep the chlorine from getting "eaten up" by the sun in the summertime, but it increases the stabilizer levels over a period of time. Can you give me some guidance here? Thx.
 
Your high CYA is from using too many tablets. If your CYA is in the acceptable range, then you must not use trichlor or dichlor as that will make the CYA rise. This is why we highly recommend the use of liquid chlorine ... it does not add anything that is going to cause problems.

So, likely you need to abandon the chlorinator. If you have a little buffer in the CYA number, you could use the tablets while on vacation.

Please add your location (City, State or City, Country) to your profile and pool details to your signature as described HERE as it will help us help you.
 
jsnobles said:
Richard,

I have an automatic chlorinator in my pool, as a lot of people do. Do you suggest not using this, and going with liquid bleach in place of it? If so, is there a way to use both for convenience reasons, and also for health of the pool's water? What do you recommend? I know that using the 3" pucks adds stabilizer that is needed to keep the chlorine from getting "eaten up" by the sun in the summertime, but it increases the stabilizer levels over a period of time. Can you give me some guidance here? Thx.
Click to expand...
Yes, use liquid. Save pucks to boost CYA or when you're gone. You really should read the link I posted above.
 
Guys,

I did read the info in the link. However, I guess I'm a little confused in the conversion of using liquid chlorine versus using granulated chlorine. For instance, if I were to shock my pool, what is the conversion factor of using liquid bleach to granulated 1lb bags? Also, if I don't use the automatic chlorinator, what is the amount needed to keep the pool sanitized on a weekly basis using liquid shock and not using the chlorinator? Pool specs are below, and I also updated my signature.

16'x32' Figure Eight
Tara Vinyl Pool Liner
Roughly 17,000 gallons
Hayward S200 Sand Filter
Waterco 1HP Pump
 
There is no point to a conversion factor.

A normal pool required 2-4ppm of FC every day. You can use PoolMath to tell you how much that is.

Also, if you properly maintain your chemistry, there is no need to "shock" your pool. If a problem develops, then you follow the SLAM Process
 
jsnobles said:
Guys,

I did read the info in the link. However, I guess I'm a little confused in the conversion of using liquid chlorine versus using granulated chlorine. For instance, if I were to shock my pool, what is the conversion factor of using liquid bleach to granulated 1lb bags? Also, if I don't use the automatic chlorinator, what is the amount needed to keep the pool sanitized on a weekly basis using liquid shock and not using the chlorinator? Pool specs are below, and I also updated my signature.

16'x32' Figure Eight
Vinyl Pool Liner
Roughly 17,000 gallons
Hayward S200 Sand Filter
Waterco 1HP Pump
Click to expand...
Forget conversions. Just plug your pool size, your current FC, your target FC, and the bleach strength into poolmath and it will tell you how much bleach to add.

Every pool is going to be different depending on sunlight, amount of debris, amount of swimmers. You might lose 1.5 FC per day or you might lose 3. Maybe more if there's a bunch of kids in and out all day. The key is daily testing and dosing. After a couple weeks, you'll have learned your pool's appetite, and at some point you'll be pressed for time and just dump in the usual and deal with testing tomorrow. Including vacuuming, I doubt I spend an hour a week on my pool now. I know how much bleach it uses and how much acid to add with each refill. It gets pretty brainless and routine after a while. But you'll have to spend the time learning your pool before you get there.
 
Ok. Thx for all the help guys. I REALLY appreciate it. I will have to experiment to see what is best for my pool's needs over the next few months to get an idea of how to take care of it using liquid chlorine versus the granulated. Hope you guys have a great weekend, and God Bless.
 
Guys,

After doing two flush and fills (both were done until the water was 12" in the shallow end), my CYA levels are still above 100, as measured by my Taylor K-2006. I tested the FC and CC and they are as follows, again, using my Taylor K-2006:

FC: 8.8ppm
CC: 1.6ppm

Any suggestions? This is getting really frustrating. Thanks.
 

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