cloudiness and burning eyes

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Dustballs

0
Nov 25, 2014
79
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Hi everyone,

I need help in determining how to fix the 2 issues I have going on. Below are my test results:

FC - 5ppm
CC - 0ppm (both standard 10ml test and 25ml test)
CH - 300
TA - 70
PH - 7.8
CYA - <20 (just completed a slam last week and had to wash the cartridge filter. I assume I lost all my stabilizer in the process)
Salt - 4600

Problem 1 - The last 2 times we swam in the pool (most recently today) I noticed the water is cloudy while under water. From above looking down its crystal clear, however, cloudy when my head is underwater. What could be the reason? I have passed OCLT 2 nights in a row to end my slam last week.

Problem 2 - After swimming tonight, we are all complaining about burning eyes. Could it have to do with a low CYA? I will be adding stabilizer to the pool tmr to get up to 70

Thanks for the assistance.

David
 
The first thing that I notice is that your salt level is way too high. Many generators stop working at 5000ppm. Average should be around 3200. This may contribute to your irritated eyes.

You FC is on the high side for that CYA.

Since the CYA is already low. I would drain the salt to 3200-3400 ppm. Then add the Stab to 70-80ppm

hope that helps
 
A high FC with a low CYA means a higher active chlorine level and that can be more irritating. 5 ppm FC with < 20 ppm CYA is higher than SLAM level and could be a lot higher if the CYA is closer to zero. Get your CYA back up to your normal level.

As for cloudiness underwater, is that looking through goggles? If you look directly with your eyes you usually won't see clearly and it will be significantly out of focus.
 
Thank you all. I will do a partial drain (25% per pool math) and refill to lower salt.

I will then raise cya up to 70.

The cloudiness is without googles. I just don't remember that being the case. I remember being able to pick something up off the floor and right now that's not something I could do.


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Let me interject that the reason for "cloudiness" is visible particles in your pool water. What's the answer? Filter them out!

If you are not already, you should be running your pump 24/7 and cleaning that cartridge if necessary.

Since you are already inadvertently at a high FC (get your CYA up as chem geek says) It's probably OK to Assume you have no algae.

Is your filter big enough for your pool? What is the flow rate (gpm)?

Once again, that advice is assuming you have no algae. Based on your descriptions, I think that to be the case. That said, the very first sign of algae getting a foothold in your pool is "cloudiness" so keep that in the back of your mind.
 
Pump was running for 24 hrs for over a week due to slam. It's now running 12 hrs a day, will bump back to 24 hrs.

I cleaned the cartridge 2 weeks ago, hence no CYA. I currently have no algae and started to slam because I saw algae growth in the grout line of the tiles.

What is the life of a cartridge filter? Mine is at least 2 yrs old. It was in when I bought the house 2 years ago, so I don't know the gpm. I have cleaned it several times. Wondering if it's time for change.


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Dustballs said:
About 3 weeks ago I tested and cya was 70. It's been at 70 for over 3 months.

I was told that the stabilizer paste sticks to the filter and it doesn't burn off. Not sure how I would go from 70 to 0 without draining the water.


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Click to expand...
As far as I know, the only reliable way to reduce CYA is water exchange. CYA is not a paste, and will pass through the pool's filter media with the water. If it did collect in/on a pool filter, there would be a lot of happy newbies on this forum.:D

Excessive FC levels can oxidize some CYA, but to go from 70ppm to <20ppm in three weeks seems strange.

Can you give me an idea of your SLAM FC levels? Did you previously add the CYA needed to get to 70ppm, or was that a result of trichlor/dichlor usage?

Dom
 
Unless there was a significant water exchange from rain dilution and overflow there is absolutely no way cleaning a filter would lower the CYA from 70ppm to <20ppm (which is effectively like 0ppm on the test). Even at sustained SLAM levels, the chlorine oxidation of CYA is only a few ppm per MONTH. You'd have to have excessively high chlorine and high pH (basically unswimmable pool water) to oxidize CYA at any significant rate. Finally, the only other way to degrade CYA is through bacterial conversion of CYA to ammonia and/or nitrates. However, ammonia would cause an excessive FC demand.

That being said, I would suggest something went wrong with the CYA test. Have you retested your waters CYA value to confirm? Are your reagents old? Perhaps you can check them by adding a little CYA to distilled water and see if the R-0013 solution clouds it. I'm skeptical that your CYA results are accurate.


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Dustballs said:
Chem geek, what are the negatives of that high salt level? Is it wise to leave it and just adjust cya? Or do you recommend a partial drain and refill?
Click to expand...

The higher salt level would not cause your eyes to sting but would actually make it LESS likely to have eye irritation because the salt level of human tears and fluid in the eye is around 8000 ppm (see this paper showing no irritation from chlorine when salt was above 0.7% which is 7000 ppm). The main issue with a high salt level is the higher rate of metal corrosion, but it's probably not worth a specific drain/refill unless you have pool metal components that are low-grade stainless steel (304 instead of 316 or 316L) or zinc (usually screws) or perhaps copper in the gas heat exchanger.

For sure a high FC with a low CYA is way too strong in the active chlorine level. Double check to make sure the CYA test is measuring correctly. If it were truly that low and your pool was exposed to sunlight you should be seeing higher daytime FC loss.
 
When I got home the pump was off and I tested after running it for 15 mins and had the same results.

Tested again this morning and same results. Both tests were done with a brand new bottle of r013.

Gonna have the wife take a sample to Leslie's.

Also had no FC loss yesterday.


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Dustballs said:
When I got home the pump was off and I tested after running it for 15 mins and had the same results.

Tested again this morning and same results. Both tests were done with a brand new bottle of r013.

Gonna have the wife take a sample to Leslie's.

Also had no FC loss yesterday.


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Click to expand...
You had zero FC loss during the day? Was the pool covered and was it very limited direct sun (cloudy/shady)? Is the water still cloudy?

On my best day, with overcast skies I lose about 2ppm over the course of the day (7am-5pm).

Dom
 

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