Open 13 days, still cloudy

[NaniSpinaka]

I am renting a house with a pool. Never had a pool before, so I'm learning as I go. Pool guys opened it for the first time in 5 years on May 3rd. It was black, but now it's blue. I can see the bottom until it slopes off to the deep end. It's still cloudy down there, but getting a bit better, I can now vaguely see the vacuum down there. The owner won't pay for any more pool service ($1700 already ) so I'm on my own if I want to get this pool clean because I'm not paying either. Last Friday I took a water sample to the store and this is what I got:

FC- 4.6
Total chlorine - 4.6
ph - 7.3
alkalinity - 106
cya - 52
hardness - 71

It's a salt water pool so do I need to raise my CYA to 70? The chart says 60 isn't recommended but I've also read that 50-80 is ok.

Should I just keep letting the filter do its thing? It's been running 24/7 since opening. Do I need to SLAM? I'm debating buying a test kit. I want one but also don't want to spend a ton of money on a pool that isn't mine. Anything else I can do to speed up this process?

Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!

You need to complete a SLAM Process. To do that, you need a proper test kit. Without it you will not be successful.

In your signature you show a 48000 gallon pool with IC20 SWCG. Check that. That SWCG would be useless with that volume pool.

Take care.

 

[NaniSpinaka]

ok checked sizes.... Its the IC40 SWG and the pool store receipt says 40,000 gallons.

 

[skimmerswimmer]

You can get the pool clean and clear, but it may take a loooooong time with a sand filter and a weak SWG with no additional chlorine added. It might actually get worse if you don't do anything differently. I agree with mknauss that the pool probably needs a proper SLAM (much higher chlorine levels maintained and regular accurate testing). This means extra expense via additional chlorine.

 

[NaniSpinaka]

I'm ok with the extra expense if I need to do it because at this point it's open and there's no going back in my opinion.

I'll order the test kit although they all seem to take a long time to arrive and I don't want to loose progress. Should I increase my CYA in the meantime?

 

[mknauss]

I would not increase your CYA based on a pool store test. That is the one test they rarely get right.

I would suggest adding 5 ppm of chlorine per day with LC/bleach while waiting for your test kit. That is 2 gallons of 10% LC per day.

When you get it cleaned up, your SWCG and pump will need to be run essentially 24 hours per day at 100% SWCG out put during the summer months. If you have a heavy bather load you will need to supplement with LC that day.

The SWCG is way undersized. It is tough to get a large enough residential SWCG for a pool that size.

Take care.

 

[DeanP66]

Just to clarify, you need to SLAM your pool and get it clear before having any thoughts of bringing your SWG online. It should be off. SWG's are not meant to raise your FC. They are slow and steady, so they are meant to help maintain your FC from your daily losses. So, when you SLAM, turn the SWG off, and dose with liquid chlorine only.

However, don't do anything other than adding 2 gallons of 10% daily until your test kit arrives and we can see some test results that we can trust. Pool stores are notorious for inaccurate test results, especially the CYA test. If your CYA test really is 60, you'll have to slam with FC at 24 and keep it there as often as possible by testing and redosing several times a day (minimum 3).

 

[NaniSpinaka]

Thank you. I got the 10% liquid chlorine and it's going in tonight. I'll also turn off my SWG. Should I continue to run the filter and vacuum? The pump has been going 24 hours a day and the vacuum 4 hours per day.

 

[kellyfair]

Sure. You want the pump running for a while to mix the chlorine in the water anyway.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

First, I want to confirm your pool volume. Where did that come from? Did you calculate it or just say 40k because that is the size of the SWG?
Second, I suggest you get the TF-100 with the XL option since we know you need to follow the SLAM Process process.
Since I am spending your money, the SpeedStir greatly helps with making the testing easier and more fun

 

[NaniSpinaka]

The pool guys told me it was 48,000 but when I took the water sample into the store that has serviced the pool and installed the SWG, etc. their records say 40,000.

 

[NaniSpinaka]

And because I don't want to do anything blindly because I'm actually trying to learn this - why 2 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine? I understand it's to add chlorine to the pool since my SWG is not running or producing sufficient amounts for the pool, but how do you come to this amount? What's the calculation? Thanks!!!

 

[mknauss]

I would suggest adding 5 ppm of chlorine per day with LC/bleach while waiting for your test kit. That is 2 gallons of 10% LC per day.

Use PoolMath via the link above or download the app.

Take care.

 

[splashpad]

And because I don't want to do anything blindly because I'm actually trying to learn this - why 2 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine? I understand it's to add chlorine to the pool since my SWG is not running or producing sufficient amounts for the pool, but how do you come to this amount? What's the calculation? Thanks!!!

PoolMath =))

The pool guys told me it was 48,000 but when I took the water sample into the store that has serviced the pool and installed the SWG, etc. their records say 40,000.

If you have a way to measure, get the pool's actual measurements, what shape is it? length, width, depth (is it one depth or shallow/deep)

Thank you. I got the 10% liquid chlorine and it's going in tonight. I'll also turn off my SWG. Should I continue to run the filter and vacuum? The pump has been going 24 hours a day and the vacuum 4 hours per day.

Turn off SWCG, Yes run both the filter & vacuum as you are doing

I would not increase your CYA based on a pool store test. That is the one test they rarely get right.

+1! Don't use pucks, sticks, tablets or stabilized shock in any form either. (those add CYA as well)

I would suggest adding 5 ppm of chlorine per day with LC/bleach while waiting for your test kit. That is 2 gallons of 10% LC per day.

PoolMath Input your pool gals (assumed 40000 at this point) with Free Chlorine (FC) Now/0 Target/5 and the calculator will show you how many gal of liquid chlorine/bleach that takes (be sure to notice the percentage of bleach used in the calculations)

I'm ok with the extra expense if I need to do it because at this point it's open and there's no going back in my opinion.

It will be MUCH cheaper in the long (and short) run!

I'll order the test kit although they all seem to take a long time to arrive and I don't want to loose progress. Should I increase my CYA in the meantime?

Do not increase the CYA! Just follow @mknauss advice, add enough liquid chlorine/bleach to the pool every day (until the test arrives) to presumably add FC 5

 

[NaniSpinaka]

And 5ppm chlorine because that will eventually be my target after I get the water clear?

 

[splashpad]

And 5ppm chlorine because that will eventually be my target after I get the water clear?

It's a "safe" (or average) FC number, until we know exactly how much CYA is in the water.

 

[NaniSpinaka]

I just measured my pool - 49ft long, 23ft wide, 3 feet in the shallow end and I'm guessing 8 in the deep but it has sloping sides so I'm not quite sure. Anyways assuming 8 ft I get 46,000+ and assuming 9ft deep I get 50,000+. Yikes! Do those numbers seem accurate? I think the 48,000 the pool guys told me must have been correct.

- - - Updated - - -

Also I should mention that the previous owner used mineral springs but thats too much $$$ for me.. Anyways I see on the bill from the pool company they just used salt to open it not the mineral springs.

 

[mknauss]

Be sure to use the average depth. If shallow is 3 and deep is 8, average will be around 5 or 6.

Once you get the water chemistry settled, you can zero in on volume using testing and dosing with LC. Test your FC, add a specific amount of LC based on PoolMath, mix for 30 minutes, test your FC, and adjust your volume to get the results to match.

Take care.

 

[NaniSpinaka]

I'm confident it's 48,000 gallons, that's what I get in my calculations and it's on the records at the pool store. According to the service technician at the pool store the previous owners didn't have trouble keeping the chlorine level high enough, but well, I don't trust that and I know I can deal with that down the road with liquid chlorine if need be to get me through this season.

But now I have some other issues:
1. My salt is low, 2070. Should I increase it before SLAM? We've gotten several inches of rain this week and it's forecasted to continue into the weekend, should I wait until after it passes and I drain the excess water to re-test the salt level and adjust then instead of doing it today?
2. I think I have a broken lateral. I'm seeing a bit of sand on the steps in front of the returns and in the vacuum bag. Not a ton, maybe a few tablespoons total on the steps and the stuff in the vacuum bag feels a little gritty. I have to wait on the owner's approval before fixing it, so....does it make sense to SLAM before doing this? I know we will have a better idea once the test kit arrives Monday, just trying to plan my weekend/week ahead to fit it all in and if there's no point doing the SLAM before fixing the lateral I'd like to know now. Is there any chance of a clear pool before getting this fixed? The owner is slow to move on stuff unfortunately.

 

[splashpad]

I'm confident it's 48,000 gallons, that's what I get in my calculations and it's on the records at the pool store. According to the service technician at the pool store the previous owners didn't have trouble keeping the chlorine level high enough, but well, I don't trust that and I know I can deal with that down the road with liquid chlorine if need be to get me through this season.

Sounds like a plan!

But now I have some other issues:
1. My salt is low, 2070. Should I increase it before SLAM? We've gotten several inches of rain this week and it's forecasted to continue into the weekend, should I wait until after it passes and I drain the excess water to re-test the salt level and adjust then instead of doing it today?

This is not necessary for the SLAM Process, I would wait.

2. I think I have a broken lateral. I'm seeing a bit of sand on the steps in front of the returns and in the vacuum bag. Not a ton, maybe a few tablespoons total on the steps and the stuff in the vacuum bag feels a little gritty. I have to wait on the owner's approval before fixing it, so....does it make sense to SLAM before doing this? I know we will have a better idea once the test kit arrives Monday, just trying to plan my weekend/week ahead to fit it all in and if there's no point doing the SLAM before fixing the lateral I'd like to know now. Is there any chance of a clear pool before getting this fixed? The owner is slow to move on stuff unfortunately.

Is the vacuum itself weighted with sand by chance? It's interesting it's on the steps, I would think it would be in the deep ends (near/under returns, but I've never had a sand leak to deal with ~yet) Is there any "sandy" areas around the pool?