Desperate For Help!

[copchic]

Hello All! I am desperate for help as this year I am having a horrible time opening my pool. Have had no real issues for the past 4 years (especially after having discovered Metal Magic for my well water and upgrading my pump).

Opened the pool this year like usual: Remove winter cover, dumped two boxes of Hth Green to Blue, came out next day and water was crystal clear with all the gunk on the bottom; Vacuumed to Waste all the nasty stuff out; Took water sample to pool store and purchased Metal Magic, Muriatic Acid as well as my regular pool shock and algaecide chemicals. After adding chemicals as directed and following normal process, Woke up next day to a greenish/blue pool.

So went ahead and added more algaecide and liquid chlorine (This is the first time I have ever used liquid chlorine!!!) with pump running as required. Another water test at the pool store resulted in PhosFree and Metal Free as well as another gallon of Muriatic Acid. Again added chemicals as indicated.

Woke up to blue cloudy pool water and can't see the bottom at all. Went ahead and shocked the pool again and kept filter running all day. Today I can somewhat see the bottom but still blue and cloudy. PLEASE HELP! It is supposed to be 90 on Friday and that is a rare occasion this early in the year in MN and I definitely want to be able to use my pool with the family.

I think that I have a major issue with my CYA because according to the test results the first time I had absolutely 0! But my pool store says not a big deal - of course there are new people working there and I think that they really don't have a clue but it is the only store around...

Here are my test results:

FC - .1ppm
TC - .1ppm
CC - 0.0ppm
pH - 7.2
Hardness - 776 ppm
Alkalinity - 170ppm
CYA - 2ppm
Copper - 0ppm
Iron - .3ppm

 

[tim5055]

My first suggestion is to stop going to the pool store. Their only response it to sell you something else as they guess at what your problems are.

We can teach you how to get it sparkling and keep it that was for a lot less money than the pool store.

Not much credence is given to pool store testing around here. While you would think that a "professional" would be the best, unfortunately in most cases it is quite the opposite. Between employees who blindly trust the word of chemical sales representatives and high school kids working in the pool store for the summer you end up with poor results from their testing. But, what can you do?? We base our pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. To do that you need your own accurate test kit. Order a TF100 and at least include the XL option. That will give you what you need while you are clearing the pool, and probably enough reagents for a couple of years normal use.

While you wait for it to get delivered, you have a homework reading assignment. Start with ABCs of Water Chemistry and Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis

Until you get your test kit add one bottle of 8.25% common household bleach to the pool each day while the pump is running.

 

[copchic]

Thanks Tim. I have a test kit already but thought for some reason that the pool stores would be better.... I know dumb! I will see what results I get with it. But do you think that this is a CYA being too low issue?

 

[tim5055]

Thanks Tim. I have a test kit already but thought for some reason that the pool stores would be better.... I know dumb! I will see what results I get with it. But do you think that this is a CYA being too low issue?

What test kit do you have? To effectively practice the TFPC methods, the FAS/DPD chlorine test is essential. All the kits we recomend contain that test while very few other kits do. The kits sold at the pool stores generally won't won't cut it, but be careful pool store employees are known to say “it's the same thing”. Generally it's not!

If your CYA is in fact low (there is no real way to test as low as 2ppm) that is a factor, but cloudy water = too little chlorine = algae in most cases.

 

[copchic]

I am sure that the kit I have is probably useless ... I did put a whole gallon of algaecide in so I thought that, along with regular algaecide treatments, would take care of any algae issues till I got the chlorine / CYA levels up.