Pool looked great but now I messed up

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Yes, this should solve your problem. My best guess is the following sequence of events:
1. Dust from pavers blew in, and you were concerned about metals based on pool store tests
2. You added 2 bottles of metal solution containing etidronic acid and phosphoric acid, a chelating agent that binds to metals
3. The potion you added bound to the calcium in your water, forming a precipitate that clouded your water and settled to the bottom
4. On my advice you added poly fill to the skimmer to try to grab any iron/metals in the water that may be causing the issues.
5. Every time you disturb the layer, it makes your pool cloudy again until it settles.

I believe your course of action is as follows:
1. If no change in the polyfill (i.e. it is not changing colors due to absorption of metals) then remove it, as it's probably not doing a lot for you
2. Continue vaccuming to waste, and brushing so that your filter can grab the powder that's suspended
3. If you want better clean up try this Add DE to a Sand Filter - Trouble Free Pool
4. continue to test and monitor your pool

It would be very helpful if you could post your most recent set of test results. Also, it would be great if we had before/after CH levels to verify the theory.
 
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From Wikipedia:
"Etidronic acid is a chelating agent and may be added to bind or, to some extent, counter the effects of substances, such as calcium, iron or other metal ions "
Also, see this video. It seems to show exactly what I suspected. Phosphoric (Etidronic) acid reacts with dissolved CaOH in the water to form CaPO4 that is a solid, and precipitates out of the water to form a powder on your pool floor.
 
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I had a similar issue when they did my pool deck, they had to grind off the old kooldeck and it made a mess.They tried to cover it some but it got everywhere.
I would turn off the pump and let everything settle over night then calmly brush as much toward the main drain as I could then turn pump on and only pull from main drain..It took doing that several times and since I have a cartridge filter several filter cleanings
 
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crusemm said:
Yes, this should solve your problem. My best guess is the following sequence of events:
1. Dust from pavers blew in, and you were concerned about metals based on pool store tests
2. You added 2 bottles of metal solution containing etidronic acid and phosphoric acid, a chelating agent that binds to metals
3. The potion you added bound to the calcium in your water, forming a precipitate that clouded your water and settled to the bottom
4. On my advice you added poly fill to the skimmer to try to grab any iron/metals in the water that may be causing the issues.
5. Every time you disturb the layer, it makes your pool cloudy again until it settles.

I believe your course of action is as follows:
1. If no change in the polyfill (i.e. it is not changing colors due to absorption of metals) then remove it, as it's probably not doing a lot for you
2. Continue vaccuming to waste, and brushing so that your filter can grab the powder that's suspended
3. If you want better clean up try this Add DE to a Sand Filter - Trouble Free Pool
4. continue to test and monitor your pool

It would be very helpful if you could post your most recent set of test results. Also, it would be great if we had before/after CH levels to verify the theory.
Click to expand...
Oh, thank you!
Here are yesterdays results
Ph 7.5
CH 125 has not decreased btw, started with 100.
TA 60 had it up to 70 but it dropped back down
FC 6 trying to keep it at upper level for CYA level
The polyfill is catching the dust crud from pavers and I'm keeping the top layer removed as it gets dirty.
Where do you purchase the DE, I've seen it at Tractor Supply for use with chickens. I read not to get gardening DE, so what should I look for on the container?
Will brush and vacuum this evening after it cools down some. ?
 
Farmerswife96 said:
Oh, thank you!
Here are yesterdays results
Ph 7.5
CH 125 has not decreased btw, started with 100.
TA 60 had it up to 70 but it dropped back down
FC 6 trying to keep it at upper level for CYA level
The polyfill is catching the dust crud from pavers and I'm keeping the top layer removed as it gets dirty.
Where do you purchase the DE, I've seen it at Tractor Supply for use with chickens. I read not to get gardening DE, so what should I look for on the container?
Will brush and vacuum this evening after it cools down some. ?
Click to expand...

This would help also

The Filter Fiber Stuff | Jacks Magic

jacksmagic.com jacksmagic.com
 
DE is at any pool supply or hardware store (Home Depot or Lowes) Make sure you get Pool DE, not garden. You should only need a couple of cups at most, but they usually only sell it in large boxes, but it's pretty cheap. If you know someone with a pool with a DE filter, they may be able to give you some.
Leslie's has some, so does Home Depot
 
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Also, if no change in CH due to the pool potion, then my theory may just be pure BS. In that case, the cloudiness is most likely just dirt/dust from the patio work, and it happens to be settling out as a layer of white dirt on the bottom of the pool. Whatever you do, do NOT add any pool store floculents or clarifiers, as they will mess up your sand filter. This is just a case of P.O.P (Pool Owner Patience) to allow the filter to do it's job. I don't have any experience with the stuff @markayash suggested, but that may be a cheaper option at $8 vice $25 for DE. Seems to be sold by 2 dealers close to you.

Caryl`s Pool Shop 2616 Lawndale Drive #E Greensboro NC 27408 (336)286-6515
Signature Aquatics 211 Southside Square Greensboro NC 27406 336-708-6825
 
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crusemm said:
Also, if no change in CH due to the pool potion, then my theory may just be pure BS. In that case, the cloudiness is most likely just dirt/dust from the patio work, and it happens to be settling out as a layer of white dirt on the bottom of the pool. Whatever you do, do NOT add any pool store floculents or clarifiers, as they will mess up your sand filter. This is just a case of P.O.P (Pool Owner Patience) to allow the filter to do it's job. I don't have any experience with the stuff @markayash suggested, but that may be a cheaper option at $8 vice $25 for DE. Seems to be sold by 2 dealers close to you.

Caryl`s Pool Shop 2616 Lawndale Drive #E Greensboro NC 27408 (336)286-6515
Signature Aquatics 211 Southside Square Greensboro NC 27406 336-708-6825
Click to expand...

It will settle just takes time, I actually don't have a manual vacuum so just used the main drain and messed with it for over a week. Have to brush it to the drain like your pushing a egg, slow and gentle or your stir it up :)
 
Yea I add it to my cartridge filter, the guys at Jacks had me add it when removing iron and I liked how it worked so kept using it. Its not the cheapest but I don't add the recommended dose..
I wouldn't add it to your sand filter until you have most of it out or you will just backwash it out the drain.. DE is cheaper is you can find it bt amazon sells jacks ad will ship it to you.
 

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Found this...son picked up for me. Instructions says to use 1lb which is 6 cups, TFP says to start out with 1/4 cup. I guess start out with little to see how much will make pressure increase?
Screenshot_20200604-134718_Chrome.jpg
 
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Filter was clogged up after a few hours. Backwashed and added more DE. Second time clogged up faster. I think it's too much dust/powder for my filter to handle. So when it settles down again I will vacuum to waste if we can figure out how. Know where there's a quick video or lesson?
 
crusemm said:
Also, if no change in CH due to the pool potion, then my theory may just be pure BS. In that case, the cloudiness is most likely just dirt/dust from the patio work, and it happens to be settling out as a layer of white dirt on the bottom of the pool. Whatever you do, do NOT add any pool store floculents or clarifiers, as they will mess up your sand filter. This is just a case of P.O.P (Pool Owner Patience) to allow the filter to do it's job. I don't have any experience with the stuff @markayash suggested, but that may be a cheaper option at $8 vice $25 for DE. Seems to be sold by 2 dealers close to you.

Caryl`s Pool Shop 2616 Lawndale Drive #E Greensboro NC 27408 (336)286-6515
Signature Aquatics 211 Southside Square Greensboro NC 27406 336-708-6825
Click to expand...
I've been thinking alot about this because pool is not improved much. You're theory still may be correct. I've been testing water in evenings after water has been stirred up again. If it's calcium, it's mixed back into water and showing no loss.
Also, if it indeed is bonding with calcium, wouldn't it keep adding to the calcium hypo in the chlorine that I add and problem keeps persisting and never ending?
I'm going to test this morning or when stuff has settled. And start looking for sources of chlorine. 😊
 
There should be a waste setting on the multiport valve. You set up the manual vacuum like normal and set the multiport to waste instead of filter. The water will come out the waste line instead of going back into the pool. You will probably have to top off the water level after you finish vacuuming.
 
Yes, brushing it and stirring it up into the water so that it can go thru the filter is what you need to do. Keep an eye on your filter pressure. Please don’t add anything other than chlorine until you get this cleared up.
 
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