Pool has been cloudy all season, test results in - any advice?

[Rockybalboa]

Hi everyone - My parents just got their pool tested as it's been cloudy since they opened it back in May. Local pool store said the "water is great", but it being still cloudy, made me want to ask you all for any suggestions on what is needed? More vacuuming, more backwash? Looks like the FC is way too high as well as the Phosphates:

Pool Info:
Vinyl; Chlorie
DE Filter, 36 SQFT
22k Gallons

Test Results:
FC: 15
pH: 7.4
Total Alk: 114
Calcium Hardness: 291
CYA: 34
Iron: .1
Copper: .2
Phosphates: 542
TDS: 1000

Thanks everyone!

 

[mknauss]

You need a proper test kit. I suggest the TF100 or the Taylor K2006C. A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.

I am sorry, but we will not provide guidance based on pool store test results.

 

[mguzzy]

Cloudy means suspended stuff. Dead or Alive? We won't know until you get your own test kit and do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. That's why we can't just say.. oh you need to run your filter more. Or you need to do a SLAM. We need to know what the heck is going on in there. Keep us posted!

 

[Newdude]

Ay Yo Rock !!! We are only as good as the test results provided. As such :

 

[NowintersinAZ]

Just a thought on the pool store. They say the water is fine and yet it's cloudy and has been. That should tell you the experience and abilities of the people at the store.

In this forum you have volunteers ranging from people like myself that own a pool and know nothing about chemistry. To people that own pools and are chemists that have chemists friends and the research and advice here is based on test results from one of two kits. TF-100 and the Taylor K-2006(C) without reliable tests all advice that may be given is a toss of the dice. We don't have dice here at TFP so reliable tests done at home is the way to go. If you need help with testing procedures or are unsure of anything pool related just ask, someone here will be able to help you out.

 

[Rockybalboa]

Thanks everyone! Appreciate the quick replies! I actually ordered my parents the k2006 but they had issues using it. Is there a step by step video or site that you all know that I can read about and tell them exactly what to do over the phone?

 

[mknauss]

Is there a step by step video

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZEB8AfTZShtGSEAL8KtOqyricTju3EA4

 

[Rockybalboa]

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZEB8AfTZShtGSEAL8KtOqyricTju3EA4

Thanks!

 

[Newdude]

Are you nearby and can easily go help ? The instructions got many of us. It seems like so much that at a glance it’s way more confusing than it really is. Each step is stupid simple if you only read that direction.

It’s easiest to just focus on one test. See what bottles the test needs and have them ready in order. Then just go line by line with silly instructions like ‘fill vial to 10ml’. Ok. ‘Add 5 drops of XXX’ Ok. ‘Multiply the drag coefficient by the inverse cosine of the power curve’. Ok easy enough. Just like that. (I was kidding about the drag coefficient. It’s 12).

 

[mguzzy]

(I was kidding about the drag coefficient. It’s 12).

wait.. I thought the answer to everything was 42!?

LifeUniverseEverything.jpg

• mguzzy
• Apr 6, 2021

 

[Rockybalboa]

Thanks everyone!! Took about an hour over the phone, but we did it!! As you all said, really wasn't that hard. Please find the updated numbers below and if I should be testing anything else for your help:

Free Chlorine: 5.4
Combined Chlorine: 7.4
PH: 7.0
Base Demand Test 7.2 (2 drops)
Total Alk: 110
Calcium Hardness: 330
CYA: 34

 

[NowintersinAZ]

Combined Chlorine 7.4? could that be Total Chlorine? If it is TC then you have a CC of 2. Also CYA of 34 sounds like a store reading? If it is really the astomated number from the reading taken at home round up to 40 for for slam process.

 

[Rockybalboa]

Combined Chlorine 7.4? could that be Total Chlorine? If it is TC then you have a CC of 2. Also CYA of 34 sounds like a store reading? If it is really the astomated number from the reading taken at home round up to 40 for for slam process

Thanks for the quick reply. 7.4 was for the combined chlorine, maybe I should have them do it again? CYA was between 40 and 30, slightly above the 2 little circles (less than half).

 

[NowintersinAZ]

Thanks for the quick reply. 7.4 was for the combined chlorine, maybe I should have them do it again? CYA was between 40 and 30, slightly above the 2 little circles (less than half).

CC 7.4 might be right, it just sounded high to me. For the CYA round up to 40 for figuring out the FC level during slam.

 

[Rockybalboa]

CC 7.4 might be right, it just sounded high to me. For the CYA round up to 40 for figuring out the FC level during slam.

Awesome, thank you!

 

[mknauss]

Do the FC / CC test with 10 ml of water. One heaping scoop of R0870. Each drop of R0871 to clear is 0.5 ppm.

A CC of 7.4 is not realistic. Unless a lot of non-chlorine shock was added right before testing.

 

[Rockybalboa]

Do the FC / CC test with 10 ml of water. One heaping scoop of R0870. Each drop of R0871 to clear is 0.5 ppm.

A CC of 7.4 is not realistic. Unless a lot of non-chlorine shock was added right before testing.

Ok, thanks! Just had them do that, 33 drops, so it's 16.5.