- Aug 4, 2009
- 32
Both threads have been merged into one topic.
I have been fighting a algea bloom and pretty sure I have that under control. I am trying to get my cloudy pool cleared up at this point. I have looked back in the forum about 2 months looking for connected threads and have found several discussions that touch on related problems.
This will be come around to a filter thing in a minute so bear with me.
Currently with pool closed
FC 26.5 (just shocked it hard last eve)
PH 7.5?
ALK 80
Cal 250
CYA 40
Here is where I am at this point. About 10 days ago found my CYA numbers had reached the 90 range so drained 1/2 the pool and refilled. Brought all numbers back to ideal ranges. I was keeping chlorine (trichlor) in the 1-3 range and dumping 1 pound of cal hypo in each evening for a little bump. After a few days started to get the green algea tint. Every morning would find yellow grey loose stuff on the botton so I would vacume. Next morning same deal. Vacumed every morning for 6 days and did not seem to making any improvement. I took off cover to filter and decided sand level was a little low. I added 50 lbs filter sand. Filter did not seem to be holding the dead stuff and pool still had a green tint. Took off cover again after checking owner manual for recommended sand level and found it still may be slightly low so added another 50 lbs of sand. Afterwards measured freeboard and found I might be slightly high but closed up the filter and resumed 24 hr filtering. 2 days ago I shocked with 5 lbs cal hypo. Each lb should bring my 25k gal up a smidge over 3ppm. So I should have been in the 18 ppm range including the existing FC. Next morning, still green. Not bad green, you could still seee the bottom but not good either. By the end of the day of course, pool would be a little greener still. Finally last night after researching through the forum here decided I was not getting FC chlorine high enough in my shocks to break through. Found the CYA/FC chart and reshocked with 10 lbs cal hypo. This morning, green is gone but now the pool is very cloudy. Cannot see the brush in 3 1/2 feet of water. I check PH numbers and found it to be 8.0. This made sense to me because I know that cal hypo will raise PH. I added 22 oz of Muriatic acid. Then while reading more posts learned that PH numbers can be screwed up by high Chorine. So not clear where I am there exactly. Reading now shows 7.5 but the chlorine levels in sunny hot mid afternoon are still very high. I am guessing low 20's.
I suspected that the sand filter (finally getting to the point) was channeling. Took a rubber mallet and gently tapped on filter. My wife was brushing the pool and saw a large cloud of crud hit the pool from the jets. Hmmmm. Interesting. Took cover off of the filter and did the running hose trick working though the sand to flush stuff out the top of the filter and hopefully eleiminate and existing channels in the sand. Restarted filter and dumped more clarifier into pool and am waiting for the magic to happen. If its getting clearer its a slow deal. Has been about 3-4 hours and no noticable change yet.
THe filter was new in spring 2002 and the sand has not been changed. Of course I did add 100 lbs that has been mixed though the top 8-10 inches with the water hose.
Does anyone see anything I have missed. Our pool is in our campground business and I need to get this thing clear and clean. My campers are starting to talk about a revolution :-D
I have been fighting a algea bloom and pretty sure I have that under control. I am trying to get my cloudy pool cleared up at this point. I have looked back in the forum about 2 months looking for connected threads and have found several discussions that touch on related problems.
This will be come around to a filter thing in a minute so bear with me.
Currently with pool closed
FC 26.5 (just shocked it hard last eve)
PH 7.5?
ALK 80
Cal 250
CYA 40
Here is where I am at this point. About 10 days ago found my CYA numbers had reached the 90 range so drained 1/2 the pool and refilled. Brought all numbers back to ideal ranges. I was keeping chlorine (trichlor) in the 1-3 range and dumping 1 pound of cal hypo in each evening for a little bump. After a few days started to get the green algea tint. Every morning would find yellow grey loose stuff on the botton so I would vacume. Next morning same deal. Vacumed every morning for 6 days and did not seem to making any improvement. I took off cover to filter and decided sand level was a little low. I added 50 lbs filter sand. Filter did not seem to be holding the dead stuff and pool still had a green tint. Took off cover again after checking owner manual for recommended sand level and found it still may be slightly low so added another 50 lbs of sand. Afterwards measured freeboard and found I might be slightly high but closed up the filter and resumed 24 hr filtering. 2 days ago I shocked with 5 lbs cal hypo. Each lb should bring my 25k gal up a smidge over 3ppm. So I should have been in the 18 ppm range including the existing FC. Next morning, still green. Not bad green, you could still seee the bottom but not good either. By the end of the day of course, pool would be a little greener still. Finally last night after researching through the forum here decided I was not getting FC chlorine high enough in my shocks to break through. Found the CYA/FC chart and reshocked with 10 lbs cal hypo. This morning, green is gone but now the pool is very cloudy. Cannot see the brush in 3 1/2 feet of water. I check PH numbers and found it to be 8.0. This made sense to me because I know that cal hypo will raise PH. I added 22 oz of Muriatic acid. Then while reading more posts learned that PH numbers can be screwed up by high Chorine. So not clear where I am there exactly. Reading now shows 7.5 but the chlorine levels in sunny hot mid afternoon are still very high. I am guessing low 20's.
I suspected that the sand filter (finally getting to the point) was channeling. Took a rubber mallet and gently tapped on filter. My wife was brushing the pool and saw a large cloud of crud hit the pool from the jets. Hmmmm. Interesting. Took cover off of the filter and did the running hose trick working though the sand to flush stuff out the top of the filter and hopefully eleiminate and existing channels in the sand. Restarted filter and dumped more clarifier into pool and am waiting for the magic to happen. If its getting clearer its a slow deal. Has been about 3-4 hours and no noticable change yet.
THe filter was new in spring 2002 and the sand has not been changed. Of course I did add 100 lbs that has been mixed though the top 8-10 inches with the water hose.
Does anyone see anything I have missed. Our pool is in our campground business and I need to get this thing clear and clean. My campers are starting to talk about a revolution :-D