still cloudy after floc

[shloft]

I've been reading a lot on here and I know now that floc is not recommended. However, I unfortunately already used it and it's not clearing up! I have a 27' round AG. We had a hole in our winter cover so when we opened the pool it was very green! We added algecide, and LOTS of chlorine. The FC levels are high and have been reading high for about a week now, the Ph also very high. The people at the pool store told us to add some meratic acid to lower the Ph, which we did and now the Ph is a little low. Everything else is good though. Our water however has been so cloudy that we haven't been able to see two feet into the water yet! First we were told it was the chemical imbalance, but that's taken care of....then we were told to use a clarifier, so we did and still no change.

So yesterday we went to a different pool store, brought in a sample and they told us to add to some water from our hose to bring the ph levels up and to add a floc. So we did this, let the pool run for about 90min and shut it off. Got up this morning and no change at all. Now we see the stuff floating in the water. We have a 1hp sand filter, we have tried to vaccum what we can to waste, but with not being able to see the bottom of the pool and the fact that we can still see stuff floating it seems pointless.

My question is...will it hurt my filter to run it with the floc floating in the pool? That and what do you think we need to do to get clear water. The lady at the first pool store said "this might just be a year you have a cloudy pool" I don't want to settle for that. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Shloft

 

[JohnT]

Welcome to TFP.

No, it won't hurt your filter to run it with the floc. With the cloudy water, run it 24/7.

If you could posts your test results, we can give you better advice. Especially better than the pool store that advised you to lower your pH while your chlorine was high. They apparently don't know that high chlorine levels will make the pH read artificially high.

 

[shloft]

Ugh....I wish I knew that about the pH before I wasted time and money on that. We only use the AquaCheck test strips to test, but from what I can read on it the pH is higher than 6.2 but lower than 6.8 (color wise on the strip it looks closer to the 6.8 level)..... ppm FC is 10.... ppm TA is right around 80 maybe a little more.....ppm Stabilizer reads 30-50 (strip says ideal). Those are the only things the strip reads.

We did start the filter as soon as we got your response.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

We'll need drop test results - can you get to the pool store for a full set?
You can't trust strips for their readings - too inaccurate.
We need
FC
CC
PH
TA
CH
CYA

Its possible that despite adding all that chlorine you didn't complete the shock process and that's why it's still clouding, which would explain why the flocking didn't work.

You really should have your own test kit

 

[shloft]

Okay...I have done another test and here are the results I have. CYA 105, TA 99, PH 7.2, FC 3.3, TC I also got 3.3, My test doesn't have a CH, but it had a total hardness. I assume this is the same thing although I could be wrong. Anyway, the Total Hardness is at 253.

Thanks for all of your help

 

[duraleigh]

Since JohnT answered your floc question, I'll answer this one.....

and what do you think we need to do to get clear water.

Your CYA (stabillizer) is too high to successfully manage your pool and get your water clear.

You will need to drain some of your pool to reduce your CYA down to about 50 and then you can bring the FC up to shock level and, if you hold it up there, it will clear your pool. It may take a few days, but that will clear your pool.

The problem you have been having is the CYA is so high it is making your chlorine ineffective. You would need massive, massive doses of chlorine to clear it with the CYA that high but if you'll get the CYA down to 40-50 (sorry, draining and refilling partially a couple of times is the only way) the chlorine will be effective and clear your pool nicely.