Newbie to the site, cloudy pool

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Pump is running 24/7, and the pressure is significant enough to cause a pretty decent current in the pool. I have maintained full shock level since Friday 4/13/2012 at 2000. Saturday 4/14/2012, I was away from home all day, and the FC's fell to 11, but since Saturday evening on 4/15/2012, I have kept it above 24. I check the pool 3-4 times a day. Last night I had the FC at 25, and this morning it had fallen to 22. So, before I left to come to work, I cranked it back up to 25. I brushed, vacuumed, and then removed the ladders and pressure washed them as well.

The green slime was just a thin line at the water level on the edge of the pool. There is no algae growing in matts or anything like that. Water is clear but turbid. I can almost see the bottom of the pool this morning vacuuming. I could see the vacuum, but not the bottom. Which is substantial, because prior to this Shock treatment, I could barely see the first step on the ladder. Now I can see all 3 steps. The water is clearing. The greenish/yellow slime that popped up overnight was a new development, which is why I asked.
 
It might be pollen, the pine pollen hit in March, but it looks like we're now getting the oak pollen going. Maybe you're right. FCs are holding pretty good, even during the day. My CC's have fallen from 3 at initial shock to 1.5 or less. I got color shift with 2 drops, went to 3 to be sure. I think my CC's are really at 1 now. So now, every night, I pull a ONCLT. I'm getting ready to go pull my just before bed measurement in a minute. My brush, vacuum, and activity this morning stirred up a lot of fine particulate in the pool this morning. Filter has pulled most of that out throughout today. I still keep hoping the pool will just go crystal at any moment. It is definitely getting closer.
 
There are these white spots on the bottom of my pool, and I can faintly see them, and I was wrong...there are 4 steps. I could see 3 yesterday, and the 4th came into view today. CC's are getting much lower!! I got the magnetic stirrer today, and it sure makes life easier. The pool is definitely CLEARING!!!!!!!! Still holding shock. Thanks again!!!
 
I've checked all the chemicals I have ever used in the pool in the last 4 years, and none of them are calcium. Could a lack of calcium be causing cloudiness in the water. The water clarity seems to be not improving as much in the last day, seems to be holding this slight fog. Bottom is visible, but only faintly. FC's have been falling off much less, except for during the daytime sunlight. My CC's are down to 1 or less. Still not passing OCLT. I lose about 3-4 ppm almost every night for the last few days. I tried the CH test with the new mixer, and have the same results, which is no color shift at all. Should I add some calcium while shocking, or is this totally a non-issue?
 
I pressure washed the ladder, and then scrubbed all surfaces of it with straight bleach. This included removing the end caps as well. It was a very thorough cleaning of the ladder. There were lots of crevaces where algae may have been hiding, and there was some slime in those crevaces prior to the cleaning. I'm still holding shock, trying to persevere here. This is day 7.
 

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Tom, probably the biggest issue with losing patience is what would you do next? You can always go to the pool store and they will suggest a "magic bullet" that will fix you right up but, over time, we have learned they seldom work.

So, if you really NEED to do something else, I don't know what it would be.
 
Since I can now faintly see the bottom of the pool, there were a couple of big dark splotches that the vacuum wouldn't pick up. So, I climbed in and pulled them out. Two big pieces of tree bark, both slick with slime, maybe that was some of the holdup on CCs dropping. I brushed and vacuumed massively today, which slightly stirred stuff up, but for once I can now honestly say, that there are no leaves, stems, bark, trash, etc. on the bottom of my pool. The only thing in the pool at this moment is water. That water is much clearer than it was a week ago when I could barely make out the first step under 2 inches of water. I can now see the bottom of the ladder, the bottom of the pool, including the seams, and things are looking good. Hopefully a few more days, and it will be dazzling again, and hasn't been there since last July. Keeping the faith in the shock.

Also, pulled a massive clean on all existing filters today, normal wash, then soap wash, then normal wash. I didn't do the acid dip, but those suckers all look nice and new clean right now.
 
Ok, I am very close to passing OCLT. I am losing about 2 ppm overnight, and my CCs are barely 1. The second drop took the liquid to clear.

Question: How clear does the pool have to be? My pool water is clean and clear, there is a light haze that looks more like carbonation than particulate. The water is not yet crytal. If my CCs fall below .5 and my FCs fall to 1 or less, how crystal clear is crystal clear? Right now, I can clearly see the bottom of the pool, but I have seen it better in the past. I'm not getting impatient, I'll hold the pool in shock for another week, it has been pretty simple lately. My pool has now been in TFP Shock for 11 days.

If my pH was way up, I figured that could be causing this residual haze, which won't rectify until I can measure pH. Advice?

Tom
 
If my pH was way up, I figured that could be causing this residual haze
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No, pH should have no effect. Additionally, it is doubtful your pH would change much in that time frame.

The ultimate decision maker for the clear water is you. Once you are happy, you can call it. However, that you are losing 2ppm of FC overnite implies you still have organics in your pool that the FC is working on.

I would hold it up there another little while and see if you can't get the overnight FC consumption down to the 1.0 we suggest.
 
I'm staying in shock until I meet TFP guidelines. Kids are getting impatient here, want to swim. I read that you guys would swim in pool at shock level, but I've been telling the kids to stay out of it. Kids are a bit of an understatement, since mine are a bit older now...but still kids none the less. Plus, adding that load to what the chlorine is already doing might make my job of maintaining shock more difficult. I will maintain shock until I pass OCLT they way it is described here, I just wasn't sure how "crystal" clear was interpreted. Some people might think my pool is now "crystal" clear. I think it could get a wee tad bit better. I haven't changed filters in 3 days now, and sustaining clean pressure on filters. Its looking swimmingly, which is truly amazing......considering where it was in February. My neighbor looked at it and said, "I think you'd be better off dumping that thing and buying a new pool." I knew I could get it clean and clear, because I pulled it off last year. My filter and pump are the bomb. The chemistry stuff is where I was lacking. I was only testing pH, and the only way I could get chlorine was pucks. Life is so much easier and cheaper this way.
 
TomTinNC said:
I'm staying in shock until I meet TFP guidelines. Kids are getting impatient here, want to swim. I read that you guys would swim in pool at shock level, but I've been telling the kids to stay out of it. Kids are a bit of an understatement, since mine are a bit older now...but still kids none the less. Plus, adding that load to what the chlorine is already doing might make my job of maintaining shock more difficult. I will maintain shock until I pass OCLT they way it is described here, I just wasn't sure how "crystal" clear was interpreted. Some people might think my pool is now "crystal" clear. I think it could get a wee tad bit better. I haven't changed filters in 3 days now, and sustaining clean pressure on filters. Its looking swimmingly, which is truly amazing......considering where it was in February. My neighbor looked at it and said, "I think you'd be better off dumping that thing and buying a new pool." I knew I could get it clean and clear, because I pulled it off last year. My filter and pump are the bomb. The chemistry stuff is where I was lacking. I was only testing pH, and the only way I could get chlorine was pucks. Life is so much easier and cheaper this way.
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I only indulge myself with buying a few additional chemicals beyond chlorine and acid. One is liquid CYA (for ease), aquafinesse pools pucks (solved a slime problem for me) and the other is a particulate aggregator that is blue liquid in a clear bottle - Leslies calls it ultra-bright. I find it helps to clear the water faster by clumping all the particles floating about. That - and making sure my filter doesn't need a backwash from clearing such a large load. Even if I haven't hit the max filter pressure, I will backwash a bit sooner as it helps to clear the water faster. Not sure why but it works for me. :whoot:
 

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