I need help with cloudy water and CYA levels PLEASE!!

[hairgirl]

We bought a house last September that was a foreclosure the pool was uncovered for who knows how long so it was green, leafie and froggie,. I have been working on getting this pool clear since the beginning of june and it is still cloudy.

I have been reading ALOT on this forum and have learned alot. We had a coupe set backs and I went and bought a new pump and filter because we had no idea how old the other one was and I did not feel it was working properly.

It has came a long way and it is no longer green and I am not pulling much from the bottom anymore when I vaccuum but it is still a little cloudy I would say 1/2 way down. I went to the pool store Monday to have my water checked because I wasnt sure I was reading my strips right and I know I need a better test kit but that will have to wait a couple weeks.

My pool is not holding Chlorine obviously because my CYA is close to zero. the pool lady told me on Monday dump 2 gallons of chlorine in run the pump through day shut it off at night in the morning backwash, add another 1/2 gallon chlorine repeat for 2 days and if chlorine is holding add Stabilizer on Thursday and keep adding 1/4 - 1/2 gallon chlorine everyday.

Followed instructions Monday tested mon night chlorine good, Tuesday same, this morning I go out to vacuum and I tested water no chlorine???? My question is do I start over and add 2 more gallons of chlorine?

Should I already of added my Stabilizer?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

This is what my test strip read this morning to the best of my knowledge
TH 250
TC 0
FC 0
PH 7.8
TA 180
CYA 0

 

[reebok]

your testing method (strips and pool store) will hold you back. your chlorine will be gone quickly with no cya. you need it in there now. shoot for a level of 30-50. read pool school, specifically how to shock and defeating algae.
pool-school/

 

[hairgirl]

Thanks Reebok,
I new I needed that stabilizer in there to keep the chlorine up but I guess I just needed a second opinion . My pool store has actually been pretty good with the advice and not pushing product at me, so I guess I was kinda dumbfounded at her advice. So I tried what she said and it did not work so I came here and got the RIGHT advice!! Dumbie me shuld have just followed TFP def will from now on!
I added chlorine this morning an went out and added the stabilizer like you said left for about an hour and I dont know if it is just wishful thinking but I swear my pool already looks clearer
Thanks again for the help !!!
Mindy

 

[dmanb2b]

it sounds like you may not be done shocking, but hard to tell with no CYA in the water. I suggest you arm yourself with a good test kit, add 30ppm of CYA and start shocking per the instructions in pool school.

Welcome to TFP

 

[dschlic1]

You may have bacteria in your water that is consuming the CYA. You are kind of in a catch 22 situation. If you add CYA you just promote more bacteria growth, and if you add chlorine, the sun will destroy it. Possibily this process might help. Perform the following after sun down (I know an all nighter!) with the filter running. Perform the chlorine demand test outlined in your other thread. Then add the calculated amount of chlorine, and what 1/2 hour. Test your chlorine level. If not at shock level, add more chlorine. Repeat until you have shock level of chlorine. Wait several hours, and then add your dosage of CYA. Leave filter running. Then go to bed. In the morning check chlorine level and add chlorine to shock level. Continue until read hold over night.