5 days of slamming and pool still cloudy/turquoise

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J

jlouisfoster

Member
Jun 10, 2022
8
Montreal Canada
So at about my breaking point with this pool so I decided to post for some help from the experts.

Pool was closed by local pool store and for the first time - when I opened this year it was the greenest I've ever seen. (1st photo)



IMG_5965.JPG


I'm wondering what caused this in the first place as I had the winter cover on (although it's a bit old now with a few holes).

Anyways proceeded to shock with liquid chlorine after getting my water tested at the pool store (still trying to get the kit in Canada) and was able to get the water blue but very foamy and cloudy. The foam issue resolved after about 2 weeks of filtering but pool was always cloudy. Had some rainfall and I left town for a couple days and the pool was clear in shallow end but slightly green. I was planning on changing the sand in the filter this year since we bought the house 3 years ago and have no idea when the sand was changed.

I changed the sand to glass media, shocked the pool again and now after about 5 days of trying - the pool is remaining a turquoise cloudy color. I've ensured my ph is in the proper range, cya at 30 and shocked to 12.

Here is my numbers from the pool store an hour ago - I haven't added chlorine since Wednesday.

ALK: 92

PH: 7.7

FC: 13.2

TC: 15

CYA: 44

CH: 167

TDS: 1100

Phosphate: 492

I've been brushing 3x per day and adding chlorine (blindly) but I can't get the water blue again, let alone not cloudy. I can see to the shallow end but not the deep end.

IMG_5964.JPG

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Not sure how to proceed - do I continue slamming - I've been through over 12 bottles bleach. Trying to avoid clarifier and algicide route.

Pool is about 19000 gallons.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this :D
 
You are on the right track with the liquid chlorine. Download the pool math app and start adding 5ppm of chlorine to the pool regularly until your test kit arrives. Once it does, you can start the slam method. Others will chime in here shortly I am sure.

What test kit did you get?
 
Welcome to TFP! :wave:

full
 
Thanks for the welcome!

Went and purchased this one but just saw there is a delay in the order: Taylor K-2006 Complete Swimming Pool/Spa Test Kit FAS-DPD K2006 Chlorine : Amazon.ca: Everything Else

Is that a good one to start with? I have company coming next week - is there anything I can do to speed the process up?

I haven't been vacuuming the bottom and when I brush I do see a bit of algae come up. I was thinking of increasing the chlorine to 20 and seeing if that helps or maybe adding floc?

I did use the pool math website to start the slam process using the numbers given by the pool store 5 days ago - so was hoping by now after 5 days of slamming, it would of cleared up?
 
jlouisfoster said:
Is that a good one to start with?
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K-2006C is perfect! :goodjob:

jlouisfoster said:
I was thinking of increasing the chlorine to 20 and seeing if that helps or maybe adding floc?
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No guesswork. When you get your K-2006C, confirm the CYA then go to the FC/CYA Levels to see what your FC SLAM level should be. No on the floc. Chlorine is your pool's best friend.

jlouisfoster said:
I did use the pool math website to start the slam process using the numbers given by the pool store 5 days ago - so was hoping by now after 5 days of slamming, it would of cleared up?
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Problem is the pool stores numbers may have been wayyyyyyy off. We see it all the time. Your K-2006C will unlock the mystery.

Try to be patient. Add just one gallon of liquid chlorine each day and continue to brush and vacuum if you can. Chemically, we'll coach you through this soon.
 
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The k-2006 has all the tests you want but you may want to place an order for some extra FAS-DPD reagents now as the kit doesn’t come with a whole bunch. That’s why the “c” at the end is a better version - but I don’t know what’s available in Canada, so you might have gotten what you could.
 
Assuming those test results are accurate….then your chlorine level is too low for slam, you need to raise it to 18-20 and keep it there until the water is clear. That’s means regular testing and dosing of chlorine. Anything below slam level is just playing rope a dope with the algae. You can keep that pool cloudy all summer, by putting chlorine in every day, just not enough to kill all the algae.
 
I'm wondering what caused this in the first place as I had the winter cover on….
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That is an amazing first picture! Lemna minor, a macroscopic algae, usually grows in agricultural drainage ditches which are heavily fertilized by runoff. Seldom seen in swimming pools, as they require lots of nutrients to begin growing.
 
Chances are the CYA reading from the pool store is off. This is the one they blow the most and ironically is one of the most important.

How long is your test kit delayed for? If you can find one, HTH makes a 6-way test kit that includes a CYA test. If we could get a good CYA reading, we would have a better idea of how much chlorine could be safely added to your pool.
 
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their amazing help. I'm happy to show that the pool is completely clear! IMG_0019.JPG

I'll provide some details on what fixed the problem.
My first issue was while slamming I was not re-adjusting based on higher cya levels, thus not putting enough chlorine. I had to keep testing and adjusting as adding the chlorine.
Once the pool had a slight green tint but remained cloudy for a few days I caved in and added Polysheen Blue Clarifier every 36 hours their suggested amount. **Video Link Deleted by TFP Mod - Not TFP accepted advice **
Basically my new glass media in my sand filter need some extra help to clear up the dead algae. Within 3 days the pool was getting clearer and clearer. I also retested my levels and the were all good (aside from high chlorine)

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone again!
 
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Eauclaire said:
That is an amazing first picture! Lemna minor, a macroscopic algae, usually grows in agricultural drainage ditches which are heavily fertilized by runoff. Seldom seen in swimming pools, as they require lots of nutrients to begin growing.
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Is this something I should worry about? I have no idea how it got that green we followed the same procedure as always when closing.
 
jlouisfoster said:
Is this something I should worry about? I have no idea how it got that green we followed the same procedure as always when closing.
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I would certainly have a discussion with the pool store regarding how they close and show them the photo. They'll probably just want to sell you phosphate removers and the like, though.

What date did you open? Opening earlier (when pool is under 60 deg F / 15 deg C) should help with this too, as you'll get to add chlorine before the algae can really grow quickly.

If you want to do your own closing (or at least chemistry for closing) see the article here:

www.troublefreepool.com

Closing an In Ground Pool

Winterizing a pool is essential for keeping your in-ground pool protected during cold-weather months. This Pool Repair guide will show you how to do it.
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
IceShadow said:
I would certainly have a discussion with the pool store regarding how they close and show them the photo. They'll probably just want to sell you phosphate removers and the like, though.

What date did you open? Opening earlier (when pool is under 60 deg F / 15 deg C) should help with this too, as you'll get to add chlorine before the algae can really grow quickly.

If you want to do your own closing (or at least chemistry for closing) see the article here:

www.troublefreepool.com

Closing an In Ground Pool

Winterizing a pool is essential for keeping your in-ground pool protected during cold-weather months. This Pool Repair guide will show you how to do it.
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
Click to expand...
We opened pretty early but didn't add the chlorine right away - maybe a like 2 weeks later. It was green and dark but not that color green when we first opened it. Maybe its because we let it sit for too long?

How they close the pool could it be due to not enough chemicals?

I'll take a look at the article - thank you. I just rather the store close it simply because of how large it is and freezing during the winter always worries me lol.
 
jlouisfoster said:
We opened pretty early but didn't add the chlorine right away - maybe a like 2 weeks later. It was green and dark but not that color green when we first opened it. Maybe its because we let it sit for too long?

How they close the pool could it be due to not enough chemicals?

I'll take a look at the article - thank you. I just rather the store close it simply because of how large it is and freezing during the winter always worries me lol.
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Yeah, you'll want to add chlorine pretty much as soon as you can open and get the equipment going and mixing. Especially if it doesn't open clear. It will just get worse if it sits.

It's hard to say about the chemicals because I don't know how they close. Do you have a mesh safety cover or a solid one? The mesh ones will let more sunlight and dust/etc. through the top of it - I think people who open to crystal clear pools mostly have solid covers, because it prevents stuff from getting in and prevents sunlight from hitting the water. Still, I follow the article's recommendation and the little bit of algae I have when I open goes away really fast when I add the chlorine in.

I totally understand the fear of closing oneself when potentially freezing pipes are in play. I still do it myself but I'm just waiting for the year I have a massive leak in a pvc pipe due to it splitting or a cracked skimmer to deal with. :/
 
IceShadow said:
Yeah, you'll want to add chlorine pretty much as soon as you can open and get the equipment going and mixing. Especially if it doesn't open clear. It will just get worse if it sits.

It's hard to say about the chemicals because I don't know how they close. Do you have a mesh safety cover or a solid one? The mesh ones will let more sunlight and dust/etc. through the top of it - I think people who open to crystal clear pools mostly have solid covers, because it prevents stuff from getting in and prevents sunlight from hitting the water. Still, I follow the article's recommendation and the little bit of algae I have when I open goes away really fast when I add the chlorine in.

I totally understand the fear of closing oneself when potentially freezing pipes are in play. I still do it myself but I'm just waiting for the year I have a massive leak in a pvc pipe due to it splitting or a cracked skimmer to deal with. :/
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This is a yearly fear of mine lol which is why I let the pool store close it.

I have the mesh cover so its very possible some debris and dust got in - I'll try next year and run the pump/chlorine right away.

Thanks for the help IceShadow!
 
jlouisfoster said:
This is a yearly fear of mine lol which is why I let the pool store close it.

I have the mesh cover so its very possible some debris and dust got in - I'll try next year and run the pump/chlorine right away.

Thanks for the help IceShadow!
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You’ll want to stay on top of the chlorine levels. Not sure if the picture is right on my phone but looks like there’s some green areas on the floor still. Use the FC/CYA chart to make sure you chlorinate properly from here on out.
 
Just curious if you passed an OCLT? Your last picture looks cloudy to me and when I zoom, it looks like clumps of algae/dead algae on the bottom. If you didnt do/pass an OCLT that algae could bounce right back........
 
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Kellyp said:
Just curious if you passed an OCLT? Your last picture looks cloudy to me and when I zoom, it looks like clumps of algae/dead algae on the bottom. If you didnt do/pass an OCLT that algae could bounce right back........
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I think there is a bit of algae remaining - but yes the OCLT passed, however it remained cloudy until I added product. I think I could get raise the chlorine again but we've lost so many swim days already I think I'm happy with how it currently looks - also spent quite a bit on chlorine already.
 

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