Water is still cloudy after multiple treatments

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KBreuer15

KBreuer15

Member
May 5, 2025
24
Minnesota
Pool Size
18000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Hayward Turbo Cell (T-CELL-5)
Here is what I have done:

5/5: Mechanical opening and get pump running
5/6: Bring water test in and put in 6lbs of pH down, 1 quart of algaecide, and 2 lbs of shock (on 5/7 for the shock per pool store directions)
5/8: Bring in another sample to the pool store because water isn't clearing up. Added 10 more lbs of pH down, 2 gallons of CYA, 2 more lbs of shock, and 1 cup of clarifier.

If this doesn't work, what else could be going wrong?
1000007469.jpg
 
dereksanders said:
Hi. You need to get a recommended test kit and test your water yourself. I wouldn’t add anything other than chlorine until you get a test kit. Please stay out of the pool store.
Pool Care Basics
Test Kits Compared
FC/CYA Levels
Click to expand...
But they test the water for me. Right? I have my own test kits. Both strips and more advance solution based kits. But why is bad to have to pool store test the water?
 
KBreuer15 said:
But they test the water for me. Right? I have my own test kits. Both strips and more advance solution based kits. But why is bad to have to pool store test the water?
Click to expand...
A bunch of reasons but if you have the kit, why wouldn't you test it yourself?
 
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KBreuer15 said:
But why is bad to have to pool store test the water?
Click to expand...
Quite simply: why would you trust the testing that's being done for free just to get you in the door and sell you products? Did you check the calibration records of the machine? Do you know what the margin of error is on the machine? How many people going in to that store know or care about these things? And what is the incentive of the store to care about these things if they make the same number of sales regardless of how good their test results are?

Test strips are only reliable for testing how gravity affects them as they are falling to the bottom of the trash bin. They are so cheaply made that the QC is virtually non-existent. The readings you get are unreliable and even when accurate they are too vague to be of use.
 
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Please let us know what test kit you have and please don’t acid bomb your pool with 10# of dry acid.
Do all the tests yourself & report the results like this
Fc
Cc
Ph
Ta
Ch
Cya
Salt
Borates
You need the proper test kit
Test Kits Compared
to properly perform the SLAM Process & clear your pool up as it requires testing some parameters multiple times per day.
We can help you but we need accurate data.
If you don’t have one of the recommended kits (tf100/pro or Taylor k2006 c)
Simply add 5ppm worth of LIQUID CHLORINE each day slowly infront of a running return to keep things from getting worse until you get a kit & can proceed with SLAM.
 
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KBreuer15 said:
But they test the water for me. Right? I have my own test kits. Both strips and more advance solution based kits. But why is bad to have to pool store test the water?
Click to expand...
They aren’t very accurate and tend to give really bad advice based on the bad test data. Did they really tell you 16lbs of dry acid?
 
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Mdragger88 said:
Please let us know what test kit you have and please don’t acid bomb your pool with 10# of dry acid.
Do all the tests yourself & report the results like this
Fc
Cc
Ph
Ta
Ch
Cya
Salt
Borates
You need the proper test kit
Test Kits Compared
to properly perform the SLAM Process & clear your pool up as it requires testing some parameters multiple times per day.
We can help you but we need accurate data.
If you don’t have one of the recommended kits (tf100/pro or Taylor k2006 c)
Simply add 5ppm worth of LIQUID CHLORINE each day slowly infront of a running return to keep things from getting worse until you get a kit & can proceed with SLAM.
Click to expand...
Ok. Just ordered the TF Pro - Salt.
 
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KBreuer15 said:
Ok. Just ordered the TF Pro - Salt.
Click to expand...
Great choice 👍🏻
We’ll be here waiting for your results and we’ll get you on the right track.
While you wait go ahead and fill out your detailed signature - it helps us respond with the most precise advice 😊
You can see ours under each post for an idea of what it should include.
(If you’re on a mobile device turn it sideways)

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
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KBreuer15 said:
They did. Didn't think they were inaccurate. It has worked for us the last few years of we ever had any chemistry issues.
Click to expand...
How large is the pool? In my pool that’s 27k gallons that would reduce my pH by 1.6! And my TA by 28ppm. That’s a huge amount of acid to in addition to dry acid being corrosive to your salt water chlorinator (which likely has a warning not to use dry acid in the pool). Was the pH over 9.0?

The other issue is the liquid CYA stabilizer. It’s the most expensive version of stabilizer out there. The granular stuff is way cheaper and does just as well.
 
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Mdragger88 said:
Great choice 👍🏻
We’ll be here waiting for your results and we’ll get you on the right track.
While you wait go ahead and fill out your detailed signature - it helps us respond with the most precise advice 😊
You can see ours under each post for an idea of what it should include.
(If you’re on a mobile device turn it sideways)

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
Click to expand...
Ok. Thank you. Should I go pick up some liquid chlorine tonight and start adding some so the problem doesn't get any worse while I wait for my test kit to arrive?
 
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Bperry said:
How large is the pool? In my pool that’s 27k gallons that would reduce my pH by 1.6! And my TA by 28ppm. That’s a huge amount of acid to in addition to dry acid being corrosive to your salt water chlorinator (which likely has a warning not to use dry acid in the pool). Was the pH over 9.0?

The other issue is the liquid CYA stabilizer. It’s the most expensive version of stabilizer out there. The granular stuff is way cheaper and does just as well.
Click to expand...
Ugh....well...it is what it is at this point. Even the people who installed my pool told me to follow their instructions when I showed them what amwas being recommended.
 
KBreuer15 said:
Ugh....well...it is what it is at this point. Even the people who installed my pool told me to follow their instructions when I showed them what amwas being recommended.
Click to expand...
What salt chlorinator model do you have? Maybe we can look it up and you can show them. But nearly every manufacturer has a warning about dry acid.
 
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KBreuer15 said:
Ok. Thank you. Should I go pick up some liquid chlorine tonight and start adding some so the problem doesn't get any worse while I wait for my test kit to arrive?
Click to expand...
Yes - get several gallons and be prepared to aquire more once you begin the slam process.
Read through this link
SLAM Process - there’s a checklist you can print or save
 
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