Cloudy Water

[Danielle1]

Hey all! New to the forum but I am having issues with cloudy pool water. I had an algae bloom Tuesday this week which I vacuumed up and shocked the pool. After shocking the pool went cloudy and hasn't returned to clear yet. It isn't horrible and I can see the bottom and all around but it isn't clear. We added clarifier too and it didn't help.

I had the water testes at the pool store to see if it matches my tests and it did so I'm at a loss. The store recommended not adding anything and just keep letting the water filter.

The pool I have is a 22x52 Intex metal frame with the supplied filter. The water was crystal clear just before the algae bloom and I did cut the filter rum time to 6 hours just before the bloom to try and save electricity. Below are the water results.

Free chlorine 5.4
Total chlorine 5.4
Combined chlorine 0
Ph 7.4
Hardness 71ppm
Alkalinity 71ppm
Cya 23ppm
Copper .1ppm
Iron. 1ppm
Phosphate 964ppb

I'm still going to swim since everything looks good but I want a crystal clear pool again. :-(

The store suggested maybe when I shocked it I added too much chlorine. It stayed above 10ppm for a few days and is just now dropping. It hasn't been too sunny this past week but is supposed to be today and tomorrow.

 

[JVTrain]

Too much chlorine will not cause cloudiness. Not enough will cause cloudiness as that's a sign of algae starting to grow in the pool.

The best way to take control of your pool is to get a test kit we recommend here and stay away from pool store testing. Home test kits are more accurate and much more convenient. Check out Pool School - Test Kits Compared The TF-100 from tftestkits.net is your best value and the Taylor K-2006 is good as well, just has less reagents that you need, specifically when needing to test frequently when dealing with algae.

Check out ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry to get a feel for our methods here. We use a process called SLAM here to deal with algae. It works every time when performed diligently with a recommended test kit. After you check out the ABCs, you can move onto the SLAM procedure and Chlorine/CYA chart in my signature.

1. Get a test kit ordered
2. Do some reading so you are prepared to take control of your pool.
3. Ask more questions as needed!

 

[Danielle1]

Unfortunately I'm broke at the moment waiting for some $ to come in. I'd there anything I can do now based off of the tests done already until I can get some $ together?

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[Danielle1]

Also I have chlorine in the pool so it's not that there isn't any..

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[Danielle1]

Ok so my local Lesli Pools both has and uses the Taylor kits. I was able to get one of the ones they had there and they tested the levels for me as well..

Free Chlorine 3
Total Chlorine 3
Calcium Hardness 0ppm
Cyanuric Acid 40ppm
Total Alkalinity 100ppm
PH 7.4
Copper 0
Iron 0
TDS 800
Phosphates 300ppb
Temp 75

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[Danielle1]

Also they weren't happy about the HTH walmart clarifier either so I bought some of theirs and will try tomorrow

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[jblizzle]

Stop wasting money on clarifier and potions ... Did your test have the FAS-DPD chlorine test with powder? If not, it is the wrong kit.

 

[AimeeH]

HI Danielle

Nobody here would reccomend you purchase clarifier. It isn't necessary. I think you need to decide if you want to spend money on a good test kit that includes a fas-dpd chlorine test as well as everything else you'll need to test or if you want to spend your money on what the pool store tells you to. Our advice doesn't mix well with theirs but we have no skin in the game when it comes to chemical sales like Leslie's does.

Most of us understand being on a budget but have learned that over time with proper testing we spend far less than a pool store would have you spend.

 

[Danielle1]

It's a DPD test but I see no powder

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[Danielle1]

K-1004 DPD test kit is what I have

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[jblizzle]

Wrong kit. I think that is missing a lot of the needed tests, especially the FAS-DPD which is not! The same as the DPD test.

 

[Danielle1]

Ok maybe tomorrow I can exchange it bc I can't go back today..in the meantime..are the results I posted helpful at all...two different kinds of tests were done on the water today

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[jblizzle]

You need to follow the SLAM process which requires a higher FC level than you can test for.

 

[Danielle1]

Also is the K2005 a better kit? They are limited to what is in the store

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[jblizzle]

Better, but still missing the FAS-DPD chlorine test which is required.

 

[jblizzle]

There is an article in Pool School during the only approved test kits ... Get out of tapatalk

 

[AimeeH]

Check out this link Danielle, previously posted in post #2 of this thread. Pool School - Test Kits Compared

What we here on this forum aim to do is help educate you to take control of your own pool and therefore NOT spend extra money on unnessary things the pool store wants to sell you. You likely will not find a test kit that includes the fas-dpd chlorine test retail locally. There is a reason pool stores don't sell the quality test kits and test your water for free......because they then can sell you things like clarifier that you don't need to spend money on.

Please review the links in post number two of this thread as well as more articles in pool school if you want to help yourself then post questions. If not, you can keep following Leslie's advice.

 

[Danielle1]

It's not that I want to follow the stores advice but I'd rather not wait for shipping and be able to pick things up immediately. I'm going to return/exchange the kit. The guy thinks they have a fas/dpd kit if not idk. I don't even think I took the receipt from the store so getting a full refund may be a problem. I also don't want the water to just sit like this until I can get a kit..is that what I should do just let it sit and wait days? Won't it be worse?

I'm just frustrated and at a loss.

 

[pooldv]

Add your pool info to your signature and we can recommend a daily dose of bleach. Brushing and scooping also helps. It only takes a few days to get the right test kit fro TFTestkits.net.

More here on what to put i your signature and how to add it. Pool School - Read This Before You Post

 

[AimeeH]

It's not that I want to follow the stores advice but I'd rather not wait for shipping and be able to pick things up immediately. I'm going to return/exchange the kit. The guy thinks they have a fas/dpd kit if not idk. I don't even think I took the receipt from the store so getting a full refund may be a problem. I also don't want the water to just sit like this until I can get a kit..is that what I should do just let it sit and wait days? Won't it be worse?

I'm just frustrated and at a loss.

I can feel your frustration. I hope you've done some of the suggested reading in pool school. Without the fas-dpd chlorine test, you can't accurately follow SLAM. You can in the mean time add about 1/2 gallon of regular bleach a day and brush a lot.

I know the desire for instant results but what we teach is a concept of testing and understanding what your pool needs. My advice is the bleach (half gallon or so daily) only if your ordering a good test kit and get that kit and then post up test results. It will provide you years of pleasure knowing your own pool with your own test results.......not tomorrow of course but long term.