a few question re: my pool

[queenofmyswamp]

Hi there. You saved me last year from pool store he!! - every time I went into the store, they had a new $30 product for me to try to clear up my pool (swamp then). I came here and never looked back. However, I do have 2 new questions this spring as I try to refresh my memory.

One, my ranger pool cleaner and the sides of the pool have a white, gritty, powdery film on them. What is this? We have hard well water, so I am guessing that has something to do with it.

I shocked the pool and kept the level high overnight. The pool is very cloudy (can hardly see the top step of the ladder) but is a pretty teal green rather than an algae green. How do I get from here to clear? Just lots of running the filter for days? Do I need to use clarifier? I switched from DE to sand last summer, so I am still learning how the sand filter works best.

OK, so it wasn't just 2 questions...more like 10. Sorry. )

Thanks for any help you can offer,

Erin

 

[duraleigh]

We can guess at the problems but without a set of test reults, it's simply a guess.

 

[queenofmyswamp]

ph 8.0
TC >5
FC >5
CYA 40

 

[duraleigh]

Get your pH down to the mid 7's right away.

You may well have too much calcium in the pool but I didn't see a test result.

Chances are, you have allowed your pH to go too high and too much calcium has resulted in the clouding of your pool.

Can you post a calcium test result?

 

[queenofmyswamp]

calcium 180ppm - FWIW, the solution went from barely pink to light blue

My test kit book says this is within the normal range; is that correct?

I just put pH down into the pool according to the package. How soon should I re-test? Is it possible that the pH is the issue causing the cloudiness?

Thanks for the help!!

 

[Guest]

ph 8.0
TC >5
FC >5
CYA 40

How much greater than 5 ppm? THIS is why we recommend a testkit that uses FAS-DPD chlorine testing, which can test up to 50 ppm with a precision as great at .2 ppm. If your chlorine levels are really high this could give you a false high reading on he pH test and trying to drop the pH could make your pH dangerously low in actuality. NEVER try and adjust ph when chlorine levels are above 10 ppm.

Also, you have not posted your total alkalinity. That reading along with calcium can sometimes let us kow why a pool is cloudy.

Work on clearing the pool first before you worry about the scale deposits. Keep your FC at 15 ppm until the pool clears (NO GREEN AT ALL BUT MILKY IS OK), even if it means adding chlorine a few times a day. (Once again, a good reason to have a test kit with the FAS-DPD test).

One you get the water clear we can work on the water balance issues.

While you are doing this I would take the time to reread the pool school section of the forum. Link is in the upper right corner of every page and in my signature.

 

[queenofmyswamp]

I bought the nice Taylor test kit last year at the recommendation of this list - I will check to see if there is a way to read higher than 5; I just know that it is bright red and redder than the test shows.

Off to test my alkalinity.

Thanks!

 

[queenofmyswamp]

alkalinity 170

I added the pH down about half an hour before I took this reading, so I am not sure if it would have had time to work yet or if it takes longer.

 

[Guest]

I bought the nice Taylor test kit last year at the recommendation of this list - I will check to see if there is a way to read higher than 5; I just know that it is bright red and redder than the test shows.

Off to test my alkalinity.

Thanks!

It is NOT the kit that we recommend. You have a K-2005 with the DPD test that uses a color comparator, not the K-2006 that is a drop counting test like the TA and CH tests and is the one we recommend. There is a way to read higher than 5 ppm by diluting your sample with distilled water. If you read the small print on the lid in the chlorine section it will tell you how. The comparator tube has a small mark at the halfway point and one near the bottom for 1:1 dilutions and 1:4 dilutions. You lose accuracy by doing dilutions and it's a cumbersome extra step.

 

[Guest]

alkalinity 170

Now your scaling issue makes sense. I will bet that the calcium was much higher but the high TA, high calcium, and high pH that existed at some point caused calcium to precipitate out as scale. Like I said before, you need to concentrate on killing the algae before you deal with this.

 

[Guest]

I just reread all your previous posts and I am going to be very blunt here. You need to read the Pool School section of the forum and then, when you have finihed, read the entire thing a second time. This will give a a good basic understanding of pool care. Once you have done so please ask abouy anything you don't understand or have questions about. I will say this, without proper testing results you are just shooting blindly into the dark, which is what you have done in the past in trying to clear your pool. Stop that now and get control of your water. We can help you.

 

[queenofmyswamp]

ok - thanks. So just keep the chlorine level high and keep the filter running? Will the cloudiness clear up with time or is that related to the pH/alk issue that needs addressed later? I think the bottom of the pool is clean now and the water looks algae-free, but just sort of milky colored.

 

[Guest]

ok - thanks. So just keep the chlorine level high and keep the filter running? Will the cloudiness clear up with time or is that related to the pH/alk issue that needs addressed later? I think the bottom of the pool is clean now and the water looks algae-free, but just sort of milky colored.

The milky color is most likely dead algae that you need to wait for your filter to filter out.

 

[queenofmyswamp]

Update:

Chlorine levels held overnight, still over 10
pH 7.2
alk. 150ppm

Water is still a very milky looking color. You can't even see the first step and even after running the filter for over 24 hours straight, don't seem to be making progress. Yesterday afternoon, I put in clarifier, and it still doesn't look any more clear. When I backwashed the filter this a.m., the backwash was a brownish/tan color instead of the green I had been getting up until now.

What next? Flock? Patience? If so, how long?

Thanks for the help!!

 

[JasonLion]

Without a FAS-DPD chlorine test, the overnight FC loss test is not reliable. The chances that you no longer have algae are very good, but not certain. Since you don't have the FAS-DPD test, you should continue at shock level until the water is clear.

It can take the filter up to a week, occasionally longer, to clear up the water once the algae is all dead. You should keep an eye on the filter pressure and backwash/clean the filter as needed.

Clarifier doesn't really help with algae. Clarifier is designed to help clear up extremely fine debris that the filter can't catch. Right now you have huge amounts of large debris that the filter can catch easily. The filter just needs time to do it's job.

You could try a floc treatment, which can often clean up the water overnight. However, it costs money, is a lot of work, requires a lot of water replacement, and doesn't always work. It is simpler, less expensive, and more reliable to give the filter time to do it's job.

 

[queenofmyswamp]

OK...pool store got me again. They said to start with the clarifier. Of course, I started with that purchase yesterday and went and bought flock this morning since the clarifier didn't work. Should've stuck with asking here. <hanging head in shame>

Have a great day.

 

[queenofmyswamp]

OK - now i am a little concerned...the Drop 'n Vac flock treatment didn't make any difference at all. The water is no more clear than it was yesterday. Does that mean that the cloudiness is NOT being caused by dead algae? What else could it be????


Updated stats:

TC 10
pH 7.2
Calcium 180 (with major floaties of something visible in the test when it turned blue????)
Alk 140


Thanks.

 

[JasonLion]

Floc doesn't always work. You were just unlucky, it doesn't really tell you anything about what is going on.

Make sure you watch the filter pressure, and backwash/clean the filter as needed. If you maintain a high FC level and give the filter time to do its job the water will clear up. Though it can take several days for the water to clear, there should be a visible improvement from day to day if the algae is all dead.

 

[queenofmyswamp]

any thoughts as to why I had a bunch of "floaties" in the calcium test? Dead algae maybe?

thanks for the help - I will go turn the filter back on now and try and find a little patience. )

 

[queenofmyswamp]

OK...I have been running the filter non-stop for several days with little to no improvement in clarity of the water. Here are my test results:

CL >10 (i know, I don't have a more specific test)
Alk 160
pH 7.2
Calcium 180

Water is still just a milky white.
Where do I go from here? Chlorine level seems to be holding well and I have been running the vacuum a lot and don't think there is anything on the bottom of the pool, although I can't see it.