Cloudy but chemistry is balanced

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Fool4pool

0
May 8, 2018
30
Delafield, WI
FC 8.0
CC 0
CYA 50
PH 7.4
TA 80

Water is not green, just cloudy. Has been crystal clear all season until now. We've had a ton of rain lately so thinking that may be the cause?

Not losing FC overnight, so really confused why its cloudy and if slamming is the answer? Also backwashed filter, not sure where to go from here?
 
If the pool passes OCLT, then I would not suspect algae. Sand filters have their limit on removing debris so you might try adding a little DE to the filter to see if things clear up. Another option is to shut off the pump for several hours and see if things settle to the floor. Then vacuum to waste.
 
mas985 said:
If the pool passes OCLT, then I would not suspect algae. Sand filters have their limit on removing debris so you might try adding a little DE to the filter to see if things clear up. Another option is to shut off the pump for several hours and see if things settle to the floor. Then vacuum to waste.
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I just got done slamming
Figured it cant hurt, worst case I don't need to add chlorine for a while. If that doesn't work I will shut down the pump for a full day and see if everything settles to the bottom.
 
If you just had algae and performed a SLAM, then that is probably dead algae which many sand filters cannot filter out. DE is probably the best option.
 
So I tried adding DE, only took a little over 1/4 cup for pressure to rise by 1. However, it then quickly went up 8-10. Backwashed, did it again with same result. Only took 15-30 minutes.

Problem is, At this rate I would be doing this all day long, maybe for several days? Just not practical.

So, I did it. I used floc. It actually worked perfectly, made it 95% better. So I tried again hoping to get it back to crystal clear. Didnt work this time, no globs, not even small ones.

So how could there be nothing left in the water that the floc didnt catch, yet water is still a bit cloudy?

Very frustrated! Followed to all summer with crystal clear water, and I want it back before I have the guy close it.
 
Yes, same issue with the DE. Pressure rises rapidly. Not sure I'm doing it right though, is pressure rising due to amount of de I'm adding is too much, or is it collecting debris right away causing it to go up. And could the filter just pass it right through back into water? Not sure if that's even possible but that stuff is very fine powder.
 
How much DE are you adding? Should be about 1 cup at time until you get the 1 PSI rise. The PSI rise due to the debris should take longer. Sounds like there may still be a lot of stuff in the water that needs to get filtered out.
 
So I let it settle again, vacuum to waste. Still like 90/95% clear. Blue, but just has a bit of milky haze. So I backwash and added more DE. Only took 1/4 cup for pressure to rise 1. Just like the first time I used DE. That was at 6:00, now 10:30 and pressure has gone from 17 to 25. I know that's high, but want to leave pump running all night to catch everything.

Otherwise seems like I'm in the cycle of adding DE, pressure rises, backwash, repeat many times a day. So am I ok letting pump run for a longer period of time even at higher pressure?
 

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We recommend you backwash your filter when your pressure rises by 25% above clean pressure. Your flow rate through the filter begins to drop dramatically when go beyond that.
 
Are you still using DE and is the filter pressure still rising? If so keep it going. This is a process and takes time.
 
Thanks, impatient here. It is slowly improving. Vacuum and brush every day, de anf backwash 3 times a time, and have let my pump run 16 hours a day instead of 10-12. Let in run 24 hours one day.

I'm just used to the instant results of slam, spoiled. I do feel there must be something out there that works to catch fine particles. At the skimmer, at the pump, or the return jets. Then I can be prepared for the next time.
 
The best thing you can do is to prevent algae in the first place. I have owned my pool for over 13 years now and have had maybe 1-2 algae blooms. Keep your FC levels in the correct range and you can avoid these problems all together.
 
Earlier you said you performed a slam so I assumed it was because of algae. Before the water turned cloudy, did it have slight green tint?
 
I'm at a loss. Not sure if its algae or not, and if it is not sure if it's dead. A bit of research it MAY be mustard algae if its algae at all. Brownish yellow dust on pool floor.

But I have never let FC drop below minimum, so in theory I shouldn't have any. I have vacuumed to waste 3 times now and it sc always back the next day. Have added de to filter like 10 times, and water is still a little cloudy. Thinking of slamming again, but even if that works, not sure how to get rid of the stuff on the floor. Like I said, I'm at a loss here.
 
Thank you Mark, I think I have it figured out as water is back to clear, 0 cc, and passed Oclt. So I'm assuming what I thought was dirt was actually dead algae and the cloudiness was live algae?

Rookie mistake called cockiness, lol. Did not do oclt after my original slam, it was clear so got too confident/ lazy to do oclt. Lesson learned!!

Was also attacking the wrong problem for almost a week. Thought it was fine dirt I needed to clear out. Never dealt with algae, and all the pictures I see of pools with algae are so green it's obvious. Had no idea that just cloudy white water can be algae.
 
Fool4pool said:
Thank you Mark, I think I have it figured out as water is back to clear, 0 cc, and passed Oclt. So I'm assuming what I thought was dirt was actually dead algae and the cloudiness was live algae?
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Yes!

Rookie mistake called cockiness, lol.
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Your not the first and likely not the last.
 

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