Cloudy pool - I can't get it back to crystal clear.....

[Wineutopia]

HI Everyone,

I have a 18' round above ground pool and this is my first year with it. The water has been crystal clear all summer until about a week ago. We have been getting some rain and the people at Leslie's tell me that is what it could be. I have done a treatment of crystal blue and that did not work. I am two treatments in with Leslie's Clear Aid and it still doesn't seem like it is working. I have cleaned my filter and it appears there was some green in it, but I have taken a sample of the water to Leslie's and had them test it and every was in the "OK" range. I have included some photos of the pool and my report from Leslie's. Any help would be great - it is driving me nuts!

 

[smallsmx3]

Being a new guy around here I can't give you all the technicals. But first off your going to need to ditch Leslie's. #2 your going to need an appropriate test kit tf100 or k2006 and test yourself since the pool store isn't always accurate.

 

[Demegrad9]

Welcome to TFP!

So it looks like there's lots to learn and forget everything that you've heard from the pool store. The central difference here is that the pool stores don't seem to understand the relationship between Free Chlorine (FC) and Cyanuric Acid (CYA). Check the pool school table of content for the FC/CYA chart. This tells you for a given level of CYA you must maintain a certain range of FC to prevent algae. Also don't put much stock in pool store testing, you need to get your own test kit, either the TF-100 or Taylor K-2006 or the larger versions of either of those.

The reason that clear aid didn't work as promised is because this isn't just a bunch of stuff floating around the pool, it looks like you're in the early stages of an algae outbreak. You need to SLAM the pool, read up on that to kill the algae, the faster you can start the better.

Some great news, you don't seem to have iron or copper in your water (if we believe they actually tested for those things)

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!

You have a chemistry problem, not a filtering problem.

Based on your pool store test, and we do not trust them except as an indicator, your FC is far too low for your CYA. See this chart [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA].

You need to purchase a proper test kit, I use the TF100 from TFTestkits.net. Best value for residential pool owners.

Until you get your kit, add 1/2 gallon of liquid chlorine or bleach to your pool each day. Discontinue the use of all solid chlorine products (tablets, powder, etc)

Once you get your kit, post the results here and we will assist you with a plan forward. You will need to do a SLAM Process,

Start reading through Pool School.

Glad to have your here on the forum.

 

[remixmark]

Welcome to the forum!

You have a chemistry problem, not a filtering problem.

Based on your pool store test, and we do not trust them except as an indicator, your FC is far too low for your CYA. See this chart [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA].

You need to purchase a proper test kit, I use the TF100 from TFTestkits.net. Best value for residential pool owners.

Until you get your kit, add 1/2 gallon of liquid chlorine or bleach to your pool each day. Discontinue the use of all solid chlorine products (tablets, powder, etc)

Once you get your kit, post the results here and we will assist you with a plan forward. You will need to do a SLAM Process,

Start reading through Pool School.

Glad to have your here on the forum.

He's spot on! You need more Liquid chlorine or bleach in. Use the pool math calculator to figure out how much, https://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html. My pool place sells 12.5% bleach in 128oz (1 gal) containers for $2.55 (cheaper than my local grocery store). Put your pool info in your signature to help the pro's help you a little more Mouse over your username at the top>choose settings>on the left side choose Signature. I'm going through a SLAM myself so just stick with it and you'll get there

 

[Wineutopia]

Guys THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I knew I could count on you! I have ordered the test kit (I have been using the Insta-link test kit with my iPhone). I will be picking up liquid chlorine over lunch and starting SLAM when i get home from the office. THANK YOU!

 

[mknauss]

You need to wait until you get your TF100 before moving on to a SLAM. You must know your CYA, and if you may need to drain some water, before you start. You could waste a bunch of chlorine and $$$ if you do not wait until you get your test kit.

The one test the pool store rarely gets right is CYA -- I suspect yours is much higher than they reported.

How have you been chlorinating?

 

[Wineutopia]

You need to wait until you get your TF100 before moving on to a SLAM. You must know your CYA, and if you may need to drain some water, before you start. You could waste a bunch of chlorine and $$$ if you do not wait until you get your test kit.

The one test the pool store rarely gets right is CYA -- I suspect yours is much higher than they reported.

How have you been chlorinating?

I have been using the tablets directly in the skimmer basket for chlorinating. Am I ok to start adding half a gallon of liquid chlorine today?

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

Leslie's lied to you. Everything is not "OK" or you wouldn't have cloudy water.

Unless you do something quick (the right something) that cloudy pool will become that cloudy green pool.

You have very high CYA. Odds are, it's probably higher than what they tested. What caused it? Chlorinating with trichlor pucks and adding dichlor shock. As you'll soon discover from reading if you haven't already, you need to maintain a certain FC/CYA ratio to keep algae at bay. The problem is that those dry forms of chlorine add both FC & CYA. The Fc goes away. The CYA doesn't. As the CYA rises, so does the FC level you need to maintain. If you try to do that with more dry chlorine, the CYA rises even higher and you're stuck in a downward spiral.

What you need to do is get the CYA into some useful range and then raise the FC high enough to kill the algae faster than it can grow until you've eradicated it. They key to it all is your own testing. Pool School - Test Kits Compared explains what a proper test kit is and which ones we recommend. It's unlikely you'll find what you need in stock in a pool store. Don't let them sell you a DPD test kit. It's not the same as a FAS-DPF test kit no matter how glib the salesman is.

Once you've got a proper test kit and your own reliable readings, we can walk you through the process.

In the meantime, you need bleach. Plain unscented household bleach. Or liquid pool chlorine. Same stuff, different concentrations. If you go with 8.25% laundry bleach, add about ¾ jug every day until you get the kit. Dribble it into the return stream with the pump running and leave the pump run at least half an hour after. And brush every inch of that pool to remove the biofilm that protects the algae. Your pool may or may not improve, but it won't get any worse. Once you have a test kit, then the real clearing can begin.

 

[Wineutopia]

It is OK for the kids to be in the pool after the addition of liquid chlorine or bleach?

 

[mknauss]

I have been using the tablets directly in the skimmer basket for chlorinating. Am I ok to start adding half a gallon of liquid chlorine today?

Please remove the tablets. You should never place them in the skimmer any way but you will soon learn that using them on a daily basis is not advisable.

Add the half a gallon of 10% or stronger liquid chlorine or as Richard said, 3/4 gallon of bleach (8.25%) into the pool each day until you get your test kit. This is a holding pattern, keeping the algae at bay until you get your test kit.

Take care.

- - - Updated - - -

You can swim in the pool when your FC is at or below shock level for your CYA, you can see the bottom of the pool, and the pH is between 7.2 and 7.8

You will not get to shock level FC with only 1/2 gallon per day. Right now, IF your CYA is 80, your shock level FC is 32 ppm.

 

[Wineutopia]

Update:

Since i I have posted this I have been adding 1/2 gallon of liquid chlorine per day. I have been scrubbing, vacuuming and cleaning the filter everyday and the water has returned to crystal clear. My tf100 is coming today so I am sure I will be playing with that tonight. I will post the numbers and go from there. Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Demegrad9]

Looks great! Now once you get your test kit, just make sure you pass all 3 SLAM criteria and you should be good to go.

 

[Catanzaro]

My tf100 is coming today so I am sure I will be playing with that tonight.

Have fun! I have my test kit in a fishing tackle and have extra vials, etc. My neighbor asked me if it was a chemistry set and I said "Yes". But boy, did I hate chemistry in high school. This is fun. You will really enjoy the kit. If you are computer handy, I would create an excel spreadsheet to your liking to keep track. This way, as you test, everything is documented. There is always a timeline that will show, and you can forecast any potential problems. I will probably have to add baking soda for the first time in 4 years because I am at 60. This all could be due to rain and the solar cover, rain for sure. Have not had to add city water in a long time, which has TA in the 110 and helps compensate. Will shoot for 80. This is one of the reason why a test kit is needed with proper documentation.

 

[Pflugerpool]

I have been scrubbing, vacuuming and cleaning the filter everyday and the water has returned to crystal clear.

Another TFP success story!

 

[jgofnj]

This is a perfect story to show someone who is not convince the TFP method works. You got the pool store telling the guy everything is fine (when it's not). You got the guys adding worthless products the pool store suggested that didn't work, you got the before and after pictures showing the results of adding bleach. This one post I am going to save.

 

[Wineutopia]

I honestly won't go anywhere else for pool advice every again. To say I was cranky about the cloudy pool and the "advice" from the pool shops just to sell me chemicals would be an understatement (just ask my wife). The info you guys have given (and I am sure will give again) is priceless. THANK YOU!!!!

 

[lightmaster]

When you do your CYA test:

CYA test is a more difficult test as easier to mess up thank the others. When you do your CYA test, make sure you're outside with full sun, and have the vial at waist level in the shadow of your body. Add a little of your sample then glance at it, then if you still see the dot with a glance, add some more. Keep going until you can't see the dot at a glance. If you stare at the sample, you will still see the dot. Always round up, so a little over 30 is really a 40ppm result.

- - - Updated - - -

If you are computer handy, I would create an excel spreadsheet to your liking to keep track. This way, as you test, everything is documented. There is always a timeline that will show, and you can forecast any potential problems.

Pool Logger tracks your test results and chemical additions, and shows you graphs for all your tests. Way easier than your own spreadsheet, especially if you're not good with Excel.

 

[Catanzaro]

Pool Logger tracks your test results and chemical additions, and shows you graphs for all your tests. Way easier than your own spreadsheet, especially if you're not good with Excel.

Excellent idea. The excel sheet has changed many times over. I like excel for the pattern, but for most people, a smart phone would be better. Also, I work from home making this easier to go test, write and transfer. Other reasons include sending a blank version to friends after they purchase the TF-100 Kit. It is like a gift from me to them for being smart! LOL

 

[Wineutopia]

Ok got up early this morning and used my tf100 for the first time (love this kit) before the kids got up. Here are my readings:

FC 0.5
PH 7.2
TA 80
CH 400
CYA 100

I have been using the pucks all summer so I would assume that is why the cya is so high ( I also have been reading that 100 is the cap and it could be higher than that, no I haven't diluted and retested). I have been reading and it appears people drain their pool to get that cya number down. We are getting closer to the end of the season here. Any recommendations? Drain and refill this year, ride it out and drain and refill spring, or winterize in a month and retest in spring? Thanks again for all the help.

P.s. Pool is still crystal clear!