Cloudy blue pool after 1 week

[m127]

Hi, first time poster. I bought a house with a pool a couple of months ago. We had to replace the liner, refilled it, and added salt to reach 3ppm salt. Realized the SWG isn't working but have decided to hold off replacing it for a few weeks since we have another renovation ongoing.

I started adding bleach to maintain FC and following what I read here. I can't claim complete understanding just yet.

Right now the pool is blue and cloudy. We've had a few substantial rains in the past couple of weeks and the water has been cloudy all that time. I've had to add acid a number of times since my pH kept jumping up to 8+.

Right now I'm at: (Taylor 2006 kit, 23,000 gal pool, vinyl liner)
FC: 28+ actually ran out of reagent at 28 due to testing so much in the past week
CC: ? sorry see above
Ca Hardness: 250
Total Alk: 110
pH: 7.5
CYA: 35 (still some CYA dissolving in the skimmer, so it's headed up)
Salinity: no reading, assuming 2.5-ish due to initial addition of salt and subsequent rains/ backwashes.

Filter was backwashed & rinsed yesterday. No noticeable improvement since. Pump has been running for a week 24 hrs/day.

Any thoughts on this? I'm starting to doubt my FC level. The pool doesn't smell chlorine-y like I remember from my childhood. I've added about 8 gallons of 8.4% bleach over the past week. The level was low before the 1st rain, 1 or 2.

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[tim5055]

Welcome to TFP!!

First, pull the CYA from the skimmer, you don't want the level going any higher just yet.

For a CYA of 40 (there is no 35, always round up) your shock level is 16 so 28 is way too high. More is not better.

Right now you are in a holding pattern, without test reagents you really can't correctly follow our guidelines for clearing a pool. You need to order more ASAP. FAS/DPD Chlorine & CC's test

Until the test kit comes in you need to add a gallon of concentrated bleach (8.25%) to the pool each day when the pump is running. You also want to brush the pool each day.

Read the directions on SLAMing your pool in the How To section of Pool School. When you get your new reagents you need to follow that procedure completely to the end.


edit your signature and add the following information so we can better frame our answers to you.

• The size of your pool in gallons
  
• If your pool is an AG (above ground) or IG (in ground)
  
• If it's IG, tell us if it's vinyl, plaster/pebble, or fiberglass
  
• The type filter you have (sand, DE, cartridge)
  
• If you know, tell us the make and model of your pump and filter.
  
• List any other equipment you have: SWG, second pump, etc.
  
• Please mention if you fill the pool from a well or are currently on water restrictions

Information in your signature will show up each time you post and it makes advice more accurate as we know what equipment we are dealing with.

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

You don't want that Chlorine-y smell. That doesn't mean high FC, but high CC. That's like halfway oxidized stuff in the water. Too bad tou didn't get to check CC.

Just to be sure.... you're using a 10 ml sample size? Because if you're using the 25 ml size and multiplying by the wrong factor, your FC is much lower than you think, which could account for the cloudiness.

 

[m127]

Thanks, I should have new reagents on Tuesday. Til then I'll keep adding bleach per your recommendations, brushing daily and I'll take the additional CYA out.

Richard320: I was using the 10ml sample and used 56 drops before the bottle ran out. Sample was still pink. Knew I didn't have enough reagent to do the larger sample size. The way I understand it is:
10ml: 1 drop = 0.5ppm FC
25ml: 1 drop = 0.2ppm FC

 

[Richard320]

Thanks, I should have new reagents on Tuesday. Til then I'll keep adding bleach per your recommendations, brushing daily and I'll take the additional CYA out.

Richard320: I was using the 10ml sample and used 56 drops before the bottle ran out. Sample was still pink. Knew I didn't have enough reagent to do the larger sample size. The way I understand it is:
10ml: 1 drop = 0.5ppm FC
25ml: 1 drop = 0.2ppm FC

You are correct

 

[CFM56-7]

Hi m127, great group of folks here will get you squared away.

Low priority, but wanted to let you know most SWG's require +-3200ppm salt for proper operation. If you truly only have 3ppm, that would at least partially explain why yours wasn't working.

CFM

 

[m127]

Hi m127, great group of folks here will get you squared away.

Low priority, but wanted to let you know most SWG's require +-3200ppm salt for proper operation. If you truly only have 3ppm, that would at least partially explain why yours wasn't working.

CFM

Sorry meant 3ppt, not ppm. It's probably a little low now after rains, but not that low. Sorry for the mix up.