Need to Lower FC!

[Drugatolla]

Second year with this easy set pool... you guys helped out ALOT last year, so thanks in advance!

I left the pool up and covered over the winter, with minimal daily SWG and pump use (I'm in south Texas). Uncovered the pool last week and the water was clear except for some leaves at the bottom! My 6-way tester and the pool store numbers have been significantly different (which comes as no surprise to most of you I'm sure). So out of frustration this weekend I ordered the TF-100 kit plus salt test strips and borate test strips, which a few of you suggested I do last year! Here's are my first results using the new kit:

pH= 7.1
FC= 10.5
CC= 0
TA= 110
CH= 100
CYA= 75
Salt= 3690 (pool store said it was 3000, so I added salt to try to get to 3300!)
Borate= 0

I've been running the pump about 12 hours/day and the SWG for 3 hours/night (since Sunday) after shocking the pool with bleach last Thursday.

The pool could use a little more water, so I thought about adding more water tonight instead of emptying water to lower the salt level, leaving the SWG off, uncovering the pool and letting the pump run 24/7. I know the TA is a little high, but since the pH has been reading a little low, I haven't tried to lower it.

I'm hoping to let the kids swim this weekend, so please let me know if any of you agree with my plan of action, and any other advice would be appreciated!

 

[JasonLion]

I don't see any great need to do anything other than add a little water and perhaps turn down the SWG till the FC level comes down. Your FC, TA, and Salt levels are all a little high, and PH is a little low, but all of those things will tend to correct themselves over time. I don't see any reason to rush the process along.

 

[duraleigh]

Yes! Go swimming and enjoy the pool!

 

[Drugatolla]

Thanks for the comments. Added more water last night. The FC is still high this evening, but I'm just going to leave everything alone right now as you suggested. Hopefully the kids will be swimming this weekend!

 

[Drugatolla]

Got another question- hopefully someone sees it here without starting a new post...
As clear as my water is, and as good as the numbers are right now, I'm still getting brown "clumps" at the bottom of the pool. They easily vacuum up, but after the pool sits for a few hours, the stuff accumulates again at the bottom of the pool. I assume it's fine particles of dirt that are getting through my cheap cartridges. My wife thinks it's pollen, but the stuff shows up even after I cover the pool. I don't think it's algae, especially with the high FC and no CC readings I've been getting, but could I be wrong?
If it's fine dirt getting through my filter, any suggestions on getting this stuff out?

 

[JasonLion]

I think that it is probably pollen. Pollen can sometimes be suspended in the water and only settle to the bottom after a day or two, so unless you leave the pool covered for several days in a row, it could still be pollen.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

As you can probably tell, those cartridges don't work very well. As long as your FC is holding you should assume it's just pollen/dirt.