I have a raft full of problems or maybe just one?

Jun 8, 2011
6
Hi all, I have a raft full of problems or maybe just one?

I have a 15’Dia x 3’deep, above ground liner pool, about ¾ in ground, with a building of fencing panels/plastic and with a plastic roof. The plastic is clear with a blue tint to prevent UV. This was basically put into place beginning of last season. :-D

I use Triclosene Sodium shock and trichloroisocyanuric acid tablets. Previously (last 8 years) this is all I have required. :goodjob:

Mid last year I had an algae bloom of epic proportions, I got it under control by increasing the chlorine level and a lot of hard work. Closed the pool and opened it about 2 months ago, the water was clear but with a green bottom, Vacuuming would not remove it, only brushing and guess what another algae bloom of epic proportions! Lots of chlorine and lots of hard work was alas in vain and to be honest I even emptied and restarted but within a week the algae bloom returned. :cry:

Here in the UK things are not as cheap as in the US so Ok! Lets buy some Polyquaternary Algaecide, (1lt for about $45). Added about ¾ and after 2 days the pool went milky. Before adding the Algaecide the PH was 7.2 and the chlorine was off the scale.

Here’s my problem (at last), The water is still slightly milky and when flushing off my filter it is a milky light green shade? Also I am having problems maintaining PH – the water keeps going acidic? And my chlorine is still off the scale even accounting for 2 partial empties and refills. :?

Yes I know I need a complete testing kit but again they are expensive this side of the pond and she who will remain nameless is already questioning ‘what’s it costing’. :rant:

My guess is the ‘UV filtering’ plastic is not helping and the pool is acting as an indoor pool and I need to learn different techniques.

In the meantime HELP! :cry:
 
Thankyou Richard, I understand about test results being needed but I am in the market for best guess senarios if possible?

I am making a consertive effort to bring the PH up (gradually) last test was 7.0, but it seems that as I bring it up the milkyer it is becoming.
 
All my data

DPD1/free chlorine = >6mg/lt (eventually bleaching out)
PH = 7.4 (took 1kg of ‘contains sodium carbonate’ (no concentration given) to get there)

Water becoming more cloudy, cannot now see bottom.

Pump on continuous (10” filter tube), when flushed off it is a milky light green

No scum in skimmer

Water temp 20deg C - Current outside temp 14, Highest today 15, highest 3 days ago 24, lowest last night 6.

Heated by means of compost (although this is on its 2nd phase)

Quantity of water 4000 gallons

Stuff added as per previous posts above

Water can be channeled via small water fall (holes in tube) which I have had on for a few hours to try and remove some Cl

I have had this pool since 2003 and this has completely stumped me!
 
The PH test might not be working because of high chlorine levels. If so, your attempts to adjust the PH may have gotten the PH way out of range. If the PH is way out of range high, you might have calcium clouding, but that is impossible to know without PH, TA, and CH levels. Milky water is also common after you kill algae, but before it has all be filtered out. I wasn't clear if you just had algae or not, though apparently not?

Leaving the pool covered for long periods of time tends to lead to CC problems. Milky water isn't a common result of leaving the pool covered, or of adding algaecide.
 
Update

This morning it was still cloudy.

PH, 7.6/7.8
Cl, bleaching
Temp, 19Deg C (excellent because it dropped to about 8/10 in the night)

Bull by the horns time so I drained 25% out (would have been more but the drains blocked) and refilled.

Still cloudy but not so bad. PH, 7.6 Cl, bleaching.

Added PH minus and water cleared? Not sparkling but I could see the bottom including some sand! PH, 7.4, Cl, 1.5 mg/lt.

I have not added any tablets or shock for about 10 days. So something had come out of solution inc chlorine and as soon as it went back unto solution my free chlorine dropped, which means I do have a lot of combined chlorine.

So what do you suggest now?
 
That green color looks more like the green of copper oxidation than algae to me.

Algaecide causes this, no?

(no expert here, but I have read loads and I have seen my fair share of copper oxidation which comes in that hue of green)
 
Better test results would tell us exactly what was happening. Looking at your pictures, it looks like a mild case of calcium clouding. I think you said that the water cleared up some as you lowered the PH? If so, continue lowering the PH little by little, making sure not to lower it below 7.2. It should ten come up again slowly on it's own, at which point you can lower it again.
 

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I still have not added any chlorine of any description.

I left it a couple of days and vacuumed some light dust/scum off the bottom (not a lot). The pool is clear but not sparkling.

The PH has dropped to 7.2 and the FCL is now 5.0 mg/lt. Unfortunately we have had a few cold days so the pool temp as dropped to 16 Deg C and there is no way I’m going in at that temp.

I am validating the tests by doing them twice. My thoughts tell me to wait for the FCL to drop before adding trichloro tablets.
 
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