Cloudy with bubbles

[Drewjill]

We have had a hard time balancing this year. We replaced the SWG a few weeks ago, appears to be generating. We can't get our FC above 0. We had iron staining and used Asorbic acid to remove stains (worked beautifully) added metal free, waited 36 hours as directed. The morning we were to use filter blast to clean filter the pool was cloudy. Used it anyway and rinsed VERY thoroughly. Pool was blue, but still cloudy. We had to wait 1 week to add shock. Took for a water test on Sat with the following readings:
TC: .8
FC: 0
ph: 7.4
alkalinity: 105
calcium hardiness: 250
stabilizer:0
salt: 3200

added 3 gals liquid shock, 8# stabilizer

tested next morning FC still 0
took test to another store on 8/14 got these results:
FC: 0
total chlorine: .5
salt: 3300
calcium hardiness:250
CYA: 0
TA: 120
ph: 7.6
copper:0
iron:0
phosphates:1000

Told me we had a chlorine block
added: 5lbs powder chlorine free shock and some clarifier (2oz)
still FC:0

8/15- spoke with pool service company they told me to turn SWG to 100% and to add phosfree
added: 1.5 liters phosfree, 3 lbs dry chlorine free shock and 5 pounds Stabilizer - both to different skimmers

still FC: 0

8/16- pool still cloudy with a layer of white bubbles all over test strip shows:
FC: ok in 1-3 range
Alk: ok in range 80-120
ph: ok in range 7.2-7.8
CYAk close to color of 40

not sure what to do to get rid of the bubbles and the cloudy water!

HELP

 

[Patrick_B]

Welcome,

The first thing you need is a good test kit so that you can know what's really happening in your pool. It's unfortunate, but very often store results are unreliable. Next, and while you are waiting for it you need to start building some knowledge. Begin with the ABCs in pool school first and devour as much of the rest as soon as you can absorb it. It's really much much easier than you'd even imagine. With just a little foundation, and some good results you'll be amazed how quickly you can turn this pool around, and understand why it's working for you. The Chlorine "block" or lock as it's usually called is a myth/misnomer, but they don't even have this right as its a reference to high levels of stabilizer (Cya) and they show you at zero. That level could be correct, or not, but you never know until you test it on your own with a reliable kit. Multi parameter test strips cannot be relied upon unfortunately either. Any question or problem you have will be answered here by numerous people who are more than willing to help you all the way through while you're learning.

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Welcome to TFP Drewjill

Good test kit, strips are marginal at best. - - > TF100 link below in signature or a Taylor K2006.
Pool School - - > link at top of each page Pool School - Pool School
ABC's of water chemistry - - > Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

"Chlorine block" is a term pool stores use for "I don't have a clue". It's usually followed by a $25-50 bottle of "try this". Trust me I know that feeling all too well before I came here.
The more things you add the to the water the more problems you can end up with. You've stated adding Metal Free, phosfree, powdered sanitizer and liquid sanitizer. There is a chance they might not get along and are causing the cloudiness. It might also be you're on the brink of having an algae outbreak due to low FC (Chlorine) since the water tests seems to be showing you have enough CC to indicate algae.

I'd recommend no more metal free, no more phosfree and only using regular bleach for a supplemental sanitizer. Before this happened at what % did you run your SWCG and how many hours a day ??

Can you post a picture of the water ?? If you do it at the stairs it gives us a reference as to clarity and depth.

 

[lightingguy]

As others have mentioned - Chlorine Block is just silly.

Now it is true that "Chlorine" gets used up. When chlorine does it's thing it converts to salt - and is no longer a sanitizer. Your SWG converts this salt back into "chlorine" - so it's a cycle.

Right now there is something in your pool water that is using up the chlorine as fast as you add it. Ammonia, an algea bloom you can't see, fertilizer run off - it really doesn't matter. Your pool will never hold it's chlorine level until you oxidize all that "stuff"

Since you have had such low FC levels for so long - you are virtually guaranteed to have algae growing in the water - So the longer the pool is in this condition the more "stuff" there is to oxidize.


The good news is this is a very simple problem to fix. You need to add more chlorine to the water - more than you might think - to oxidize all the waste from the pool. In order to do this properly you will need a good pool test kit - and you will need to test your own water.

We will ask you to put nothing in your pool except Sodium Hypochlorite - otherwise known as plain unscented bleach or pool chlorinating liquid. We will need to have an accurate measurement for CYA before we can do this properly.


The only thing that is slightly complicated in your case is the metals in your water. You don;t want to "nuke" the pool with chlorine as it might precipitate the iron out of solution. Again - a good test kit and we can do this correctly.

While you are reading up in Pool School and getting a good test kit - add 1 gallon of bleach to the pool everyday. Feel free to leave the SWG running.