What is in my pool!!!

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BfreeWV said:
I back flushed because my pressure keeps increasing about 5 or 6 PSI daily. It's crazy.
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That means your filter it doing it's job!

WOW on the stuff the cartridge collected. Does it rinse off good so you can keep using it?

Can't wait to hear what the acid does to it.

With all of that I back at draining and refilling your pool so it can be used. That is going to take a while to clear up :(
 
BfreeWV said:
I banged the cartridge on my sidewalk.
I don't know what this is but my pool is full of it.
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I had the exact same stuff in my pool a month ago. It was worse than you. Does you pool have that “chlorine smell” too. I have a fiberglass and ended up having to drain the pool. Rebalanced everything’s according to what I learned on this site and I’m clear swimming again.
 
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kimkats said:
That means your filter it doing it's job!

WOW on the stuff the cartridge collected. Does it rinse off good so you can keep using it?

Can't wait to hear what the acid does to it.

With all of that I back at draining and refilling your pool so it can be used. That is going to take a while to clear up :(
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Hi All, yes it does wash off the cartridge and I am reusing it.
Where would I get acid??
I hate to drain the pool, wow that's expensive and I'm not sure I can afford it. But, we want to swim!
 
mgtfp said:
My idea is that by adding calcium increaser (which increases CH) and baking soda (which increases TA) at the same time, you will increase your CSI. Once it is all mixed in, CSI might be OK again, but in the area where both chemicals have been added, CSI can be very high for a while, and Calcium Carbonate can just cloud out of the water.

I think that could explain the larger whitish looking particles from one of the pictures.

And phosphate remover will also cloud the water, that's how they work to make the phosphate accessible to filtering. They often also contain a clarifier to speed up the clearing process.

I think, the combination of the above can explain the sudden clouding that appeared in one area of the pool that then dispersed across the whole pool.

Algae is very likely involved, too, assuming that the pool store FC and CYA test is at least in the ball park. But with the puck history of the pool, I assume that CYA is actually rather higher than lower than the store result.
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I think you're right about the CYA being higher than the store result, because when I tested it at home it was the highest reading possible on the "guess" strip.
 
I had pantyhose over the return port to catch some of the stuff. This fluffy stuff was in side of the pantyhose. I had this hanging out overnight and it dried. This is different from the white stuff. When I take the pantyhose off the port the white stuff just returns back into the water and I fine White cloud.
20220611_123340.jpg
 
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Muriatic acid can be found at Lowes or Home Depot.

Since you have not "played with this stuff I am going to let you know this stuff is NASTY stuff and can cause some trouble.
-wear safety glasses!!!
-fumes-see if you can make sure the wind is blowing away from you. Some people set up a small fan to help blow the fumes away from your face.
-Storage-Store it outside away from metal as the fumes can cause metal to rust. Mine is in a bucket with the lid on WITH small holes around the top to help vent it. Do NOT store it near chlorine as they do NOT play well together.

Have the hose on and ready to rinse the area you pour the acid on the stuff.

I hear ya on the $ to refill. So now it will be time and lots of love for your filter as it does it's job.
 
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Orion7319 said:
And that’s why we don’t like pool stores….
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Yes, I'm 100% believe this is a direct result of my going to the pool store to ask for their help. I've had this pool for several years and never had an issue until this year I went to the pool store....
After I drain the pool I'm going to clean it thoroughly and then go back here and follow the processes so I can have a trouble-free pool.
 
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Okay lets make you a shopping list for when you go to fill it back up:
-CYA-use pool math to see how much size pool needs to get it to 40 (Get the powder stuff at Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart)
-Liquid chlorine-get a few gallons and keep them in a cooler, shaded spot. Garage? Laundry room?
-2 cup plastic measure cup just for the adding the chemicals


I hate the cost for you but at least the kids will and you will be able to swim sooner!
 
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Well, looks like a lot happened over (Aussie) night.

I think you are doing the right thing. Even if the water could have been saved with time and patience, the water would probably have been borderline of manageable all season. Plus disgruntled family who can't use the pool. Probably good to pull the plug now.
 
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And add one of the test kits that Kim recommended in one of the earlier posts to the shopping list. You'll need that to stay out of the pool store. The test strips are not really cutting the mustard.

You will probably also need muriatic acid. It sounds worse than it is. Bit like a barking dog. You don't want it in your eyes, which safety glasses prevent. A splash on the hand you just rinse off in the pool. The fumes are unpleasant, which is good because it prevents you from breathing them in. It's the best way to control pH.

Once you stop using Trichlor (which is quite acidic), pH will usually want to climb up. Unlike Trichlor (which raises CYA), muriatic acid controls pH without any side effects for your pool, the only thing it leaves in your pool is some salt, which chlorine of any form does too, anyway.

Go through all the pool school articles, they will explain all you need to get started.
 
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mgtfp said:
Well, looks like a lot happened over (Aussie) night.

I think you are doing the right thing. Even if the water could have been saved with time and patience, the water would probably have been borderline of manageable all season. Plus disgruntled family who can't use the pool. Probably good to pull the plug now.
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I pumped all of the water out and as the water was pumping out I scrubbed the pool cleaned it with the water hose and brush. To my surprise in the very edges of the pool where the vinyl seams are located I pulled back the flat of vinyl and when I sprayed water in there green came out. It was thick dark green water. I guess this was growing or living back behind the scene the entire time. But regardless I cleaned it out. Currently the pool is filling back up with water.

I've been searching on trouble-free pool for pool startup information. Do I slam right from the beginning? If anyone knows the proper steps I should take to get this baby back up and running please let me know. Thanks!!
 
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BfreeWV said:
To my surprise in the very edges of the pool where the vinyl seams are located I pulled back the flat of vinyl and when I sprayed water in there green came out. It was thick dark green water. I guess this was growing or living back behind the scene the entire time.
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Nice catch.

BfreeWV said:
Do I slam right from the beginning? If anyone knows the proper steps I should take to get this baby back up and running please let me know.
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Might be wise to make sure any of that algae gets finished off.

But make sure to get your CYA up to maybe 30ppm first and adjust chlorine straight away according to the FC/CYA chart to keep that algae in check from the beginning.

Slamming without CYA makes chlorine uncontrollably harsh and it could fade your liner. The FC equivalent without CYA to SLAM-FC would be something like 0.6ppm FC, beyond that chlorine gets very harsh without CYA. 0.6ppm without CYA is of course not manageable without professional systems to constantly monitor and adjust FC to avoid over- and undershooting, especially outdoors.
 
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I don't know if you have wrinkles or creases in your liner, but if they are still there after you refill you will want to be sure to brush those areas regularly and make sure algae doesn't get started in there.
Once the pool is full, adjust your pH if needed, add enough CYA to reach 30ppm, then add enough chlorine to reach 10ppm.
 
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BfreeWV said:
Yes, I'm 100% believe this is a direct result of my going to the pool store to ask for their help. I've had this pool for several years and never had an issue until this year I went to the pool store....
After I drain the pool I'm going to clean it thoroughly and then go back here and follow the processes so I can have a trouble-free pool.
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Yeah they got you good! At least you got a nice science lesson out of the deal…
We won’t let you become “just another Timmy” ever again…
 
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