Getting desperate, should I floc?

[lapzanpool]

My filter has been running 24x7 for almost 3 weeks and I have to spray down my filter at least 3 times per day (and still can't keep up with it). I opened the pool late ( 7/1) and the algae had taken over. There is so much debris in the pool that it is taking forever to clear up. The filter is getting so clogged that it is impeding the flow of water ( that is why I'm cleaning 3 or more times a day). I'm beginning to think it might be easier to floc at this point and vacuum to waste, then top off pool as needed.

Any suggestions?

 

[JohnT]

What color is the water and what is your chemistry looking like, particularly combined chlorine?

 

[lapzanpool]

Yesterday AM the water was very cloudy, kind of grayish. I have black pebble tec. Then I swept the shallow end and stirred up some algae and it turn green (as expected). This AM it is back to being cloudy and grayish. The weird thing is, since I got my test kit (k-2006) on Saturday, the CC only reads about 1 ppm. It has been consistent. That seems strange to me. I figured between the shocking and sweeping, there should be some fluctuation in the CC. The FC reading changes as I'd expect. Last night I had a FC reading of 17 and this AM it was 14, so there is still OM that it is working on, but I would have thought the CC would have gone up.

TA 120
PH 7.2
CYA 37 (there about)
CH 180
FC 14

 

[Bama Rambler]

You need to maintain shock level until you have 1ppm FC or less loss overnight and your CC's are .5ppm or less.
And when I say maintain shock level that means testing and adding as often as once per hour.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Floc won't work if you still have live algae (sounds to me like you do.)

 

[lapzanpool]

Does it make sense that the CC is staying at 1 ppm? Shouldn't there be some variability?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

No, not necessarily. I know you are frustrated and losing POP, but hang in there, keep the shocking course. You'll get there.

 

[lapzanpool]

I realize the floc want kill the algae, but wouldn't getting many of the suspended particles out of the way (to the bottom of the pool and vacuuming) help to better circulate the water, by reducing the need to clean the filter so frequently? I'm also thinking that if floc will help to get some of the suspended particles out of the way, I could see where residual pockets of algae remain. The deep end of the pool is just over 10 feet and I can't currently see a thing. It is difficult to be sure that I'm brushing everywhere. If I could see the bottom of the pool I'd have a better chance of get anything I'm missing. Don't get me wrong, I'm not heck bent on using floc, I'd rather not. I'm just willing to try anything that will get this pool clean. At this point, if I can't get it clean within the next week or so, I might as well close it. Given the short swimming season where I live (New England).

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I hear you. I've just read one too many stories of folks who have used floc before the algae was dead and ended up with a problem worse than before.

You could try turning the filter off, and letting it settle and then vac to waste sans the floc.

This is a cart filter? You can vac to waste - do you have a "recirculate" setting that can bypass the filter?

 

[JasonLion]

There isn't really any point to using floc before the algae is all dead. Floc can clear things up very quickly after the algae is all dead. If you have passed an overnight FC loss test, there is some value in trying floc.

 

[lapzanpool]

I hear you. I've just read one too many stories of folks who have used floc before the algae was dead and ended up with a problem worse than before.

You could try turning the filter off, and letting it settle and then vac to waste sans the floc.

This is a cart filter? You can vac to waste - do you have a "recirculate" setting that can bypass the filter?

Yes, this is a cart. The only vacuum to waste option is (via the filter) is opening the drain on the filter. However, I have another pump that is connected to my returns and leaf trapper system that I can disconnect and use to vacuum the pool.