Over the winter we never managed to close our pool and of course it got really green and full of leaves. We shocked it and put liquid chlorine in it trying to clear it up and it only changed the shades of green and made it incredibly cloudy. Instead of wasting money we drained our pool to about 2 inches of water (bottom drain would not drain anymore) and got all of the leaves out and skimmed it as much as I could. We filled it up to about a foot and drained it again to try to get any remaining algae out. Now we have refilled it and I have not put any chemicals in it except for the floating chlorine dispenser and we have little white particles that are not getting filtered out floating all throughout the pool making it cloudy still. I just replaced the cartridge filter and the pool is a 16 x 48 frame pool that holds about 5,145 gallons. I don't know the size of my filter though. I tested my water and my Chlorine is normal and my PH is a little high. Would adding PH reducer get rid of the cloudy or do I need something else?
Little White Particles Floating in Pool
- Thread starter mandy0917
- Start date
Mandy, welcome to TFP 
Our belief system here is that owner testing, with the right type of test kit (ie one that includes the all important FAS-DPD chlorine tester) is the answer to most pool problems. How are you testing? We need to know these test results numbers to determine what's going on in your pool?
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Don't put anything into your water except plain household bleach until we can try to help fix this issue. Odd potions from the pool store will just complicate or compound the problems.
Can I get you to read some of our basic pool school stuff? --> ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry and since your pool is smaller, I'd suggest this too-
Pool School - Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools
Yippee
Our belief system here is that owner testing, with the right type of test kit (ie one that includes the all important FAS-DPD chlorine tester) is the answer to most pool problems. How are you testing? We need to know these test results numbers to determine what's going on in your pool?
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Don't put anything into your water except plain household bleach until we can try to help fix this issue. Odd potions from the pool store will just complicate or compound the problems.
Can I get you to read some of our basic pool school stuff? --> ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry and since your pool is smaller, I'd suggest this too-
Pool School - Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools
Yippee
I am using a clorox 3-way test kit that checks Bromine, Chlorine, and PH only. My Chlorine was between 2.0 and 4.0 and Bromine was between 4.4 and 8.0. My PH was 8.4 which I know is high. Now I checked my pool again this morning after running the pump for 24 hours and seems to be clearer but you can still see the white particles floating around.
Hi Mandy
A full set of test results would have been helpful to confirm/eliminate some possible causes
You may wish to consider upgrading your test kit in the future
You could try a stocking wrapped around your filter cartridge to help catch finer material. It helped me when I had an intex cartridge filter.
You could also try a socking over the pool return, to see if you can catch the white stuff that way
If you can catch some what does it look/feel like? If it is hard and you drop a little acid on it does it fizz?
Can you leave your pump off for a while and let it all settle and then slowly vacuum it up?
I am just guessing at the moment, but I am thinking either pollen or calcium
It would be really helpful if you could update your signature, instructions are on this link
https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/115-read-before-you-post
A full set of test results would have been helpful to confirm/eliminate some possible causes
You may wish to consider upgrading your test kit in the future
You could try a stocking wrapped around your filter cartridge to help catch finer material. It helped me when I had an intex cartridge filter.
You could also try a socking over the pool return, to see if you can catch the white stuff that way
If you can catch some what does it look/feel like? If it is hard and you drop a little acid on it does it fizz?
Can you leave your pump off for a while and let it all settle and then slowly vacuum it up?
I am just guessing at the moment, but I am thinking either pollen or calcium
It would be really helpful if you could update your signature, instructions are on this link
https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/115-read-before-you-post
Mandy, you don't have a bromine pool, right??
I strongly suggest you get one of the suggested test kits- the TF-100 or the Taylor's K-2006 from TFTestkits.net for the fastest shipment, or off Amazon. Pool stores generally don't carry the test kits with the FAS-DPD tests which can give FC values up to 50ppm, along with accurate combined chloramines, calcium, alkalinity, CYA and pH tests. Please try to order one so we know what's really in your pool water. The test kit you're using now is pretty much worthless to diagnose this problem.
Yippee
Thanks for the tips you guys. I am going to try the stocking and see if that helps. I am also going to upgrade my test kit. Last year was the first year that we owned a pool and this is the same kind of test kit my parents used when I was a kid so I thought it would work. I am beginning to think it is pollen because I have started seeing a lot of pollen floating in the pool and it has started leaving a yellow residue on the side of my pool. Nothing I can do about that part I guess
Here in GA, pollen seems to appear mostly yellow. White flakes are often calcium, so if you can contain some in a stocking, pour a smidgeon of MA on them and see if they fizz. That is a big clue that they're most likely calcium.
Yippee
Yippee
I get small white particles as well. Tend to go away when I pour some MA in the pool. Very un-scientific I know. Better to get the kit and post results.
I'm in MS also and the pollen is in my pool as well. It comes in as yellow, but quickly gets bleached by the chlorine into white cloudy material.
Thanks! I've had the same problem so I'll give that a shot.
Muriatic acid used to lower pH.
Maddie
Yeah I have that everyday too. Its most likely pollen, luckily it sits on the water surface and the skimmer takes care of it all in an hour or two.