I am learning but I need help, cant clear up water

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R

roftus

0
May 28, 2016
7
Vernon, VT
So I will start by saying I am not very educated about everything I have to do to maintain my pool but I am trying to learn. I was always under the impression with the right filter my water would be clear, how wrong I was.

I have had my above ground oval 15 by 30 pool for around 5 years. I have always had a little trouble here and there if the green got away from me it took me a while to bring it back but this year when trying to open my pool I was never able to clear it up. I have three filters, wanted to try one of each to see if I had a strong preference. First is the sand filter, it is a clearwater filter I got with the pool from namco. For the most part it worked well but I started having trouble with it 2 years ago and had a really hard time keeping my water clear, took the filter apart and one of my arms had come unscrewd from the center rod. After that I was always paranoid that one of my arms had come loose when I had any trouble so I got a DE filter last year, used on craigslist. It is a hayward and appears to be in good condition. Was able to keep my pool quite clear but I became frustrated with it as it seemed anytime I tried to run the filter the pressure became quite high, 22 or so and I would bump it and an hour later it was high again. Change the powder, take it apart, spary it off, new powder, run for 8 hours high pressure again. Pretty clear water though.

This year I purchased a Hayward cartridge filter new off e-bay thinking it would ease my mind and make life easier. My pool was very green so I went to home depot and purchased some algae product, liquid blue in color, looked neon when I added it to the pool and also purchased a box of the six in one powder shock. This has always worked quite well for me in the past.

Hooked up my new filter dumped two bags in of the algae product and ran the filter for 24 hours when the pressure had risen to a point where I had to change filters. I started with a hayward filter that came with my new filter system and I canged into a unicel filter I had purchased also off ebay. Upon inspection the hayward filter appears to be much better but I am no pro so maybe the unicel is not so bad.

The water would not clear, brought some water to local pool store and we added ph up, alk. up, oxidizer and calcium increaser over the course of 2 or so weeks. The levels on my aquachek 7 strips were perfect except there was no reading for free chlorine which my pool guy said was not important. Throughout the last three weeks or so I have become suspect of my new filter and have swapped back and forth between the three filters I have running them in cycles, no help.

4-5 days ago bought some floc, added that to the pool and let it rest for 4 days, nothing, around 4 inches of visibilty throughout this whole process, can barely see the bottom of my skimmer. Gave up on the floc and started running the cartridge filter again. Lost chlorine levels letting the floc sit so added five gallons of liquid last night and have run pump since. Still no visibilty, my strips says my chlorine levels are both high but the remainder items are still spot on.

This is where I am. hate to drain it and start over but am unsure if I can actually clear it up. Ordered a taylor k-2006 test kit from amazon but it is not here yet. also ordered a k-1106 phosphate test kit as I read in one of the threads between these two it is pretty much everything you need to test for. any help would be extremely helpful....
 
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Welcome to TFP!

OK, you have N algae problem that you have not been able to whip.

Send the phosphate test kit back. No need to worry about them.

It will,seem confusing for a while, but our system is very simple. Kill the algae and keep the correct amount of chlorine in the pool all the time and it will never return.

Now, the K2006. It is the right kit, but which "size". Taylor labels their kits with a letter at the end. If you got the basic K-2006 it is the small one any you will need to order some replacement reagents now so you have them clearing the pool.
 
Welcome to TFP

It sounds like you're describing an algae problem? This likely is due to not adequately chlorinating your pool and not a filter issue. When you get the Taylor test kit, post up a full set of numbers and we will get you through this.

While waiting for your test kit start reading the articles in pool school which is linked at the top of the web page.
 
No, a single addition of chlorine will not eradicate the algae. This is the problem with most pool $tores and their advice. They sell you shock and say throw this in, everything will be better. You may stunt it, but it's not all gone.

Our methods are based on accurate testing and adding the exact amount of chlorine needed on a continuous basis until testin PROVES the algae is gone.

Time for a little reading, start with ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Then this one as it is how you will be eliminating the algae. SLAM Process
 
OK, here's something that's going to blow your mind. No filter will ever give you clear water by itself. If your chemistry is not under control, your water will never be clear.

Forget filters for now, the low dollar sand filter is a great choice, concentrate on getting good test readings and get your chemistry right.
 

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roftus said:
I ordered the Taylor Replacement Reagent Refill Kits - Basic Refill Kit - 2 oz.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry, that is the wrong refill kit. That is the refill kit for a K-2005 DPD test kit. You have a K-2006 FAS/DPD test kit on order.

This is what you will run out of - TFTestkits.net

- - - Updated - - -

roftus said:
I ordered the Taylor Replacement Reagent Refill Kits - Basic Refill Kit - 2 oz.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry, that is the wrong refill kit. That is the refill kit for a K-2005 DPD test kit. You have a K-2006 FAS/DPD test kit on order.

This is what you will run out of -

R-870 Powder

R-871 Reagent
 
Right, I didn't click the link earlier. Those refills only cover the DPD chlorine test and PH. DPD only measures up to 10 ppm. What you need is the FAS/DPD chlorine test.
 
Thanks so much, I will return the kit I bought and order the correct one. Still waiting for the taylor kit to come but today I did receive the phosphate kit, I know you said I did not need this but I did test it anyway. Curiosty got the better of me. What I found was my water tested at The darkest color there was, maybe even darkerwhich would equate to more than 1000 parts per billion. Just trying to provide all the info I can. My pool is 15 by 30 above ground. I added 5 gal of liquid choline this past Friday evening, another lb. of in the swim instant liquid chlorine Sun. and another lb. yesterday. The pump has been running 24 hrs a day since Fri. eve. as I mentioned I still do not have the taylor test kit I ordered but my Aquacheck7 test strips says both my total and free chlorine levels are highand everything is pretty much spot on, total hardness may be a tad low. The pool water does look a little better but at this point I can dip a stick into the pool and have about 6-8 inches of visability before I cannot see the stick any longer. Will post my taylor kit readings as soon as I receive the kit. Should I add more instant liquid chlorine at this point?
Thanks so much for all of your help, speant quite a while reading all about what I need to know and feel like my pool is in much better hands than it has ever been, especially with your help!!!
 
Ok, Just got my Taylor test kit and here are the current readings(still Cloudy)
Free Chlorine-9.4 ppm
Combined Chlorine-1.4 ppm
PH-7.4
Alkalinity-120
Calcium Hardness-160
Cyanuric Acid-115 I had to guess a little on that last one. Was supposed to record the reading when I could no longer see the dot but the dot dissapeared before the water level reached the scale
Thanks
 
If the dot disappeared before it got to 100, you need to run a dilution test.

Fill to the bottom of the label with pool water, then fill to the top of the label with tap water. Mix the water together, then pour out water until the level is to the bottom of the label, then proceed as normal with the test. Multiply the result times 2.
 
Ok, Just did it and it was about 60 when I could no longer see the dot so times 2 would be 120ppm for the Cyanuric Acid. So would love to hear what you would suggest as far as how to proceed. Tomorrow will be a week of pretty darn high chlorine levels and constant pump running, Visability has improved slightly I can see to a depth of approx. 10-12 inches by holding a stick in the water.

- - - Updated - - -

My Free Chlorine levels have probably been pretty consistant at around 9.4 ppm for the past week I believe. Is that high enough to snuff out a algae problem?
 
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