Deep-End Cloudy/Greenish After 11 Day SLAM

[rednick]

This is my second year opening my inherited pool, but the first by myself. I opened to a swamp, the same as last year. Using TF-100, TA 70, pH 7.4, CYA 20, CH 100 (don't quote me on that one, but it was within range)

I added LC to shock level of 12 on day 1 and added 5 pucks to inline chlorinator. I made a slurry of stabilizer which I added day 3 to bring the CYA up to 40. I SLAMed for a week at FC 16 and saw good progress. I have no waste line and an old DE filter, so I backwashed just about daily. I hit a bit of roadblock. From about day 8-10, I would say that I was minimally filtering the water (it was running 24 hours/day), but it was pretty well-caked and had small leaf debris. Still, I passed the OCLT and CC has been regularly 0-0.5. I hosed down the interior, removed excess DE, and let the filter run overnight. This morning, I backwashed again, but I am not really seeing any improvement.

The strange thing is, my shallow end has been crystal clear for about 4 days, but the deep end is still a little cloudy/green. I know there are some variables in there, but I would expect a certain level of uniformity between the two. It's a bit hard to tell, but I have pretty significant fading in the deep-end (mostly due to not crushing tablets enough my first year before throwing them in - don't ask bad advice), so I am not sure if it's just throwing off the optics, but it's not clear like I remember from prior years. I have municipal water, but if I've had to add 1,000 gallons in the last 2+ years, it would be a lot.

I've read other posts about iron, but it seems more green than brown to me. Am I just being paranoid?

 

[mknauss]

Clear and green is iron. Is the water clear? If It is, it should filter out over time. Keep your pH under control and it should lessen.

I suggest you test your CYA soon. How you described adding your stabilizer and also using pucks who knows what it is.

 

[rednick]

Thank you for the quick reply! I just re-tested CYA, and it is 30. I waited a day after adding the stabilizer, but perhaps it hadn't circulated enough.

The water is clear IMO. I can see the main drain in the deep end. I don't know what plumbing runs underground, but everything I visible is PVC. My filter is old, so perhaps there is some oxidation there in the canister? I cannot really think of another source, and it's the first time I'm experiencing this. And it's odd that I would only notice it in the deep end (or is it?).

 

[mknauss]

The water depth allows the little iron in the water show up.
You mentioned making a slurry of stabilizer. Did you then pour that in the skimmer? If so, you backwashed out a large portion of that. Use the sock method in the future.

 

[zea3]

Have you vacuumed the deep end? How is your water circulation in that area of the pool? It looks like it may be a little cloudy in the deep end, does it look that way to you?

 

[rednick]

OK, but if the water is tinged green, but there doesn't appear to be much surface staining, then it should just filter out, or should I use a sequestrant?

For the CYA, I dissolved in a bucket of water for about 36 hours and added directly to the pool (I will use sock method next time).

 

[rednick]

Have you vacuumed the deep end? How is your water circulation in that area of the pool? It looks like it may be a little cloudy in the deep end, does it look that way to you?

I have vacuumed the last two days. I have a return jet, main drain, and skimmer in the deep end. There is also another return about mid way that I direct more towards the deep end. I do keep debating myself whether it's cloudy or discolored. Here's an additional pic of each end (I know it' still hard to tell).

 

[zea3]

Is the liner faded in the deep end? It looks like there is some fading and I can't tell if the white at the seams is dirt or discoloration. Wait, did you add the CYA to the deep end? Can you direct all of the flow to the main drain and away from the skimmers? Add enough chlorine in the deep end to bring it to slam level and brush the pool. Keep pulling water from the deep end. If the main drain can't get enough flow hook up a manual vacuum (without the pole) and toss it in the deepest part of the deep end and let the pump run a couple of days. If it is algae it should clear up. If nothing happens try some metal magic. If it is iron some metal magic sequestrant will clear it up.

 

[rednick]

Is the liner faded in the deep end? It looks like there is some fading and I can't tell if the white at the seams is dirt or discoloration. Wait, did you add the CYA to the deep end? Can you direct all of the flow to the main drain and away from the skimmers? Add enough chlorine in the deep end to bring it to slam level and brush the pool. Keep pulling water from the deep end. If the main drain can't get enough flow hook up a manual vacuum (without the pole) and toss it in the deepest part of the deep end and let the pump run a couple of days. If it is algae it should clear up. If nothing happens try some metal magic. If it is iron some metal magic sequestrant will clear it up.

That is fading unfortunately due to a combination of age and a mishap with some chlorine tabs. There is virtually no dirt at the bottom. I have manually vacuumed the last two days and brushed daily the last five.

I can’t isolate the main drain, only main and deep end skimmer. The vacuum idea is a good one. I can try that tomorrow.

 

[zea3]

Do you use well water to top off the pool?

 

[rednick]

We’re on municipal, but I haven’t had to add any water yet.

 

[zea3]

So normally iron comes from well water, but occasionally city water also contains iron. They usually try to get rid of iron before it goes to people's homes because they get lots of water quality complaints if they don't! Try the elevated chlorine levels a few more days and keep the vacuum head in the deep end and see if it helps.

 

[mm3846]

That’s iron, 100%. Had the problem last year and was chasing my tail for almost a month cleaning and testing for it with no avail. One day I said screw it and dropped in a good amount of whatever metal remover was already in my stash left from the previous home owner (should have been a hint) and it was gone in half a day.

 

[rednick]

That’s iron, 100%. Had the problem last year and was chasing my tail for almost a month cleaning and testing for it with no avail. One day I said screw it and dropped in a good amount of whatever metal remover was already in my stash left from the previous home owner (should have been a hint) and it was gone in half a day.

I'm leaning in that direction. I have an old metal filter that may have some rusting inside. Still have the same coloration and running the Polaris now after keeping the manual vac there all day yesterday. I also have old brownish staining I inherited on my skimmer that I assumed was from algae at some point, but maybe I was wrong. Same staining on parts of the Polaris and the returns jets (which I mostly removed soaking in white vinegar).

 

[zea3]

Try folding up a few white paper towels and putting them in the skimmer basket and keep the pool running. Check them in an hour and see what color they are.

 

[rednick]

Try folding up a few white paper towels and putting them in the skimmer basket and keep the pool running. Check them in an hour and see what color they are.

Paper towels were still white. Kinda perplexing.

 

[rednick]

Thanks to everyone, I now have a crystal clear pool! Turned out the iron diagnosis was correct. After my FC finally drifted down, I added two quarts of HTH Metal & Stain Defense and was clear by the afternoon. Thanks again!