Water Milky after swimming and chlorine level always low.

[PaulR]

also, as far as the gallons of the pool, the manual says something about a 23-2400gal capacity, but acording to our water meter, (checked before and after pool fill) we used right at 1700 gallons.

The liner had two marks on it to show where the 37inch water fill level is. But it was 1 inch from spilling over, and I knew it would be water lost after I got my wife, 2yr, and 4yr. daughters in there that like to jump and splash... (Of course Dad, has to splash back and throw them :lol: ) And I have found that keeping the pool at 32inches works out great!!!

With 32" depth and 1700 gallons this would have to be about 10' diameter round? This is the metal frame with vertical sides, not the Easy Set, right? Just trying to double check the capacity. I'm having a hard time finding a pool that matches your description on the Intex website.

With vigorous splashing are you having to refill a lot? (Trying to come up with some excuse I mean explanation for why my clever dichlor scheme didn't land you spot on at CYA 30.)
--paulr

 

[PachinkoPlayer]

12ft round

And my wife is to blame!!!!!!!!!! While verbally showing my aggravation this afternoon on why the pool wouldn't level out, she confessed. the pool has been running in the the 90s all this week so yesterday while I was at work, she drained 4inches of water out of the pool and filled it back up with cold water from the spicket that runs off the water softener....

The water is now a cool 82 but my levels are all out of whack!!!!!!!

 

[PaulR]

Well, replacing part of the water would certainly help explain it.

But I also think the 1700 is wrong. 12' round, flat bottom, vertical sides, 32" deep is 2200-2300 gallons; and your wife replaced 1/8 of the water. You need another 1/2 lb of dichlor. If you already did the 1/4 lb that frustratedpoolmom said, then do another 1/4 lb.
--paulr

 

[PachinkoPlayer]

wow, 34yrs old and I can't subtract very well....

 

[PachinkoPlayer]

Ok, I think I got the hang of the pool calculator, but before you kick me out of the nest. :lol:

Should I just get in the habit of putting a gallon of bleach in before I go to bed?

Or test 2-3 times a day and if the CL is low then add some bleach? Do I even add it in broad daylight?

also, on cartridges, I am on my third one in 3 days. the water return was extreamely weak so I checked the cartridge and it was brown. will post pic soon.

Is this normal to be changing everyday?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Ok, I think I got the hang of the pool calculator, but before you kick me out of the nest. :lol:

Should I just get in the habit of putting a gallon of bleach in before I go to bed?

Or test 2-3 times a day and if the CL is low then add some bleach? Do I even add it in broad daylight?

also, on cartridges, I am on my third one in 3 days. the water return was extreamely weak so I checked the cartridge and it was brown. will post pic soon.

Is this normal to be changing everyday?

Glad you are getting the hang of it. What's your current FC and PH?

Cartridges - Normal? No. I think you were on the verge of a full-blown green algae situation, when you first posted. (The first visible sign is usually dull/cloudy water.) Now that you are maintaining proper FC levels, you are seeing the after-effects of killing the algae. Once your FC is stable, this should improve and you should be able to go a week or two. You can try hosing it off a few times a day and see if you can make it a bit longer between changes....

A whole jug of bleach per day is too much for normal use. 1 quart each nite will raise your FC by 10ppm! You want to test each nite, and enter the result in the "now' column. So say your current FC level is 2. For now, you want to target 12 for a few more days to make sure the algae is dead. So you plug 12 into the "target", and the calc tells you how much bleach that is. Once things have cleared up and stabilized, your nightly target will be 5 or 6 instead of 12.

The point is to add enough bleach each nite to keep you above 2 by the next nite when you test again and add more bleach. So in normal conditions, you shouldn't need more than 2 cups of bleach per nite, and that's really more than should be necessary if your 1,700 gallons are accurate.

Hope this helps. If you are unsure about any of this just holler....

 

[PaulR]

The point is to add enough bleach each nite to keep you above 2 by the next nite when you test again and add more bleach. So in normal conditions, you shouldn't need more than 2 cups of bleach per nite, and that's really more than should be necessary if your 1,700 gallons are accurate.

And if it's really 2200-2300, 2 cups will still get you about 3.5ppm, which might still be enough. I would continue testing twice a day (morning and night) until the filter stops clogging up every day. After that point it's a matter of learning how much to feed the pool each night, like having a pet.
--paulr

 

[PachinkoPlayer]

2:20am

CL about 1.5 no bleach added for almost 24hrs and the CL isn't wiped out!

Ph is 7.6

No Dichlor or ph minus used today. I took the wife out to dinner and went to the nearest city north of us. Their Lowes closed at 7 so I was out of luck on purchasing the Dichlor. Will go south like I normally do to the Home Depot and pick up some Dichlor tomorrow.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Good. Okay in this situation - of course it's hours later, if I had been up.... I would have told you to add 1 cup of 6% bleach to raise your FC level up to 4.

You want to keep your FC level above 2 at all times - so next time you get results like that, add a cup of bleach.

 

[PachinkoPlayer]

Ooops, I added about half of a 96oz jug. at 10am it was above 5 so I left it alone. Will be checking it around 5pm...

Should I go ahead and keep up on the 1/4 of dichlor since the water is still somewhat cloudy? its getting better each and every day but its still not 100% clear. the girls have diving rings in the bottom of the pool, and its still kinda fuzzy....

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I'd go ahead and add another 1/4 package of Dichlor just to make sure your CYA is in range. But then that's it, you don't want the CYA too high.

It's probably ok that you added half the jug since we're still working on you getting your water clear. In fact, wouldn't hurt to do that again tonight. 1/2 small jug would be considered "shock level" in your pool.

You're getting a handle on this, you can fly solo, I didn't kick you out too soon.

 

[PachinkoPlayer]

Last night I didn't add any dichlor, just added roughly 24oz of bleach. This morning I did the testing..

CYA 35
PH 7.8
CL 3


I will be getting a bigger pump and filter by the end of this week. It has gotten to the point to where I am changing cartridges everyday still. I was talking to one of my employees and he had an old intex pool pump from 2yrs ago it is the exact same model as mine. I brought it home and put my cartridge in it and it circulated the water like nothing! I put it back in my filter pump and it just barely moved the water.

I am starting to get particles floating on top of the pool so I am going to purchase a skimmer and therefore the little pump I have won't power it.

I am keeping an eye on a local auction for a Hayward 1hp pump with a Jacuzzi filter system.
We have decided to go ahead with our plans on purchasing a bigger permanent (non intex) pool next spring.

So if the hayward system blows up the pool, there is always the lake. Everytime we jump in the pool, I can hear the 26ft Bayliner screaming from the garage, "hey, what about me!" :lol:

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

You're becoming an old pro.

Hope you can find something suitable for cheap!

Good luck purchasing a grown-up pool, be sure to search the forums for advice on what to buy.

Be wary of pool store "packages" you'll often end up with "free upgrades" you DON'T want - "ionizer" systems like Aquasmart, Frog or Nature 2....and also an oversized pump. Bigger is better when it comes to filters, not pumps. 2 speed pumps are good and offer big savings on elec bills.

Do alot of research before you buy.

 

[PachinkoPlayer]

Thanks "mom" for taking me under your wing. Is the CYA pretty much in check now?

We stopped at the closest pool store and were looking at pool packages.

Pool, telescopic pole, skimmer kit with return fittings, A-Frame ladder, beaded Manchester pool liner, bead receivers waterford 21"/ 1.5hp pump and filter system, 5 piece pool maintenance kit/ vacuum hose, aqualuminator light, lil shark automatic pool cleaner, solar cover

Brisbane 52" wall

27' $3,689.95

They also have a

24' and they downsize the filter system to Waterford 18"/ 1hp pump and filter system. everything above is the same.

$3,349.95

all prices are before tax.

Is that good? bad? or just down right UGLY?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Well, sounds like basic packages that don't include too much fru-fru.

I don't know if the prices are good or not, you'll have to shop around and compare.

I would research more specifics, like the brand of filter/pump, look for owner reviews. Alot of times they don't size the combo right. The bigger the filter the better. If you were to downsize the pump, but don't downsize the filter size.

You also need to decide if you want sand, cartridge or DE. I like my cart, but sand owners swear by sand. I don't own a robotic cleaner, so can't advise on that.

See if they'll upgrade the ladder and/or solar cover. Always room to negotiate in this economy, right?

Your CYA is fine now, just use bleach to keep your FC at your recommended 2-5 for your CYA.

If it turns cloudy or green again, you can try shocking or just dump/refill and start over with the Dichlor process.

 

[PachinkoPlayer]

THANK YOU PAULR AND FRUSTRATED POOL MOM!!!!

I have been meaning to do this for a while now, but keep forgetting until 11pm when its dark.

There has been a 7yr, 4yr, and a 3yr old along with 3 adults splashing around jumping in and out of the pool for the last 90mins.

THANKS AGAIN PAULR AND FRUSTRATED POOL MOM and the others for your help!!!!




To refresh your memory when I first posted, I had no FC, no CYA. The water was somewhat cloudy on a good day, but after 5mins of just 1person in the pool,
it was so cloudy you couldn't hardly see your feet.

I jumped out to take this after 90 some minutes of playing and swimming.
Pic was taken while everyone else was still in playing.

 

[cubbybeave08]

no, I haven't added it yet, the wife caught me before I got out the door so she is having me help her clean the house....

Pachinko...SHHHH...don't let the cat out of the bag...but my deal is that in the summer time...my full time house job is the pool...If the wife expects to be able to lounge during the summer with the kids while I am at work, I need to be free from the trappings of cleaning the house...I have to test the pool water...and then test it somemore...This pool keeper job of mine is not easy...I have to make sure the FC and CC is right...Man I about had a stroke (in front of her) last week when my PH and TA went up unexplicably...I had to spend the entire weekend on that...

I really only spend 5 minutes a day but she does't necessarily need to know that...If I am outside at the pool it is understood that I am busy keeping it clean. DON'T EVEN HOLD DINNER HONEY! I AM VACUUMING. Or I gotta go...the filter needs to be jet cleaned at the car wash...That could take an hour at least...Get the picture...They want a clean and balanced pool...You can't do that if you are helping her clean the house! The pool is your excuse to say sorry honey, but if you want to swim later I gotta get my CYA to the proper level...She will look at you and say you're right honey, go make the pool clean for me to swim in. I will take care of the house! Then out the door you go...Take a radio...Tunes and cleaning really work well together. And when you are in the pool and she isn't...you arealways to have the skimmer net or vacuume with you. It just looks better!

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Um...Helllloooo? I'm telling the Mrs.