green pool turned white

[ubnoxus]

Hey guys we went on vacation for 18 days and came back to a green pool on 7/27/12.
I added:
4 gallons 12% chlorine and tested it an hour later, it was 0 ppm
4 gallons and tested an hour later and it was 1 ppm
4 more gallons and tested an hour later it was 3 ppm and started to look grayish blue
2 more gallons and tested an hour later it was 6 ppm and was cloudy white
the following morning tested all parameters as follows:
FC - 6
CC - 4
pH – 7.4
TA - 155
CH - 245
CYA - 45
filter pressure 12 psi
added 16 oz. of clearex 500 clarifier
checked the parameters again after lunch
FC - 6
CC - 2
pH – 7.6
TA - 150
CH - 245
CYA - 45
filter pressure 18 psi so I back-flushed

Filter has been running 24/7 since I started the process, the pool is still cloudy grayish white. I have been checking the parameters daily only change is the FC 5-6 and I have been adding another 1/2 gallon when it hits 5 to bring it back up. Pressure on the filter is about 15 psi so I have not back-flushed it again.
Any idea why it is not clearing up or what else I can do to help it?

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!

Sounds like you almost are following the shock process, but you need to be maintaining a shock FC level of 20ppm based on your CYA level ... see Pool School for more info.

Also you should clean the filter when the pressure goes up 20-25% of the clean pressure.

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

 

[Mesamav]

I had that problem way back in March when I opened my pool. Someone on here told me to add a cup or two of DE to the sand filter thruough the skimmer basket and all I can say is WOW! It really got my pool clear FAST. I saw a huge difference in just 2 hours. After 9 hours my water was clear and after just one day it was sparkling. So clear I could make out what kind of screw was holding the drain screen on. I'm talking CLEAR.
There is a price to pay though. I had to backwash 4 or 5 times. My filter pressure would go up drastically in a few hours but it finally got everything out of the water and now my filter pressure stays steady. I still add a cup of DE to the sand filter but I only have to backwash once every week or two.
Next to going with the BBB method, adding DE was the best thing anyone has recommended to me. My water is spotless and it's like that all the time.

 

[ubnoxus]

Thanks for the help guys, back-flushed the filter, added DE until my pressure came up a pound, and brought my FC to just over 20. Will watch it tonight and see what it does, appreciate the help.

 

[Richard320]

Thanks for the help guys, back-flushed the filter, added DE until my pressure came up a pound, and brought my FC to just over 20. Will watch it tonight and see what it does, appreciate the help.

Do just what you've done in the past, check it every couple hours and add more bleach, but this time aim for 20 instead of 6. That's the shock process; hold it at shock level until it's clear.

 

[ubnoxus]

Gave it 2 hours last night after I added the DE and pressure went up 3 lbs so I back-flushed and added DE, 4 hours later it was up 3 more lbs so I did it again and added DE, checked it about 4 am and it was up 2 lbs checked the FC, it was holding at 20, just checked it at 7:30 and it was up 3 lbs so I back-flushed and added DE and the FC is holding at exactly 20. Still cloudy but I can see my jets on the side now so a slight improvement.

 

[ubnoxus]

Sorry been a busy couple days, I can see the bottom of the pool finally. Water cleared to the current point in about 36 hours. Brushed it monday morning and vacuumed the bottom, the little bit of sediment that it stirred up was gone in a coupole hours. The water is still cloudy and has not changed in the last couple days. Back-flushed yesterday afternoon and added some DE back in to 13 lbs and today it is still at 13 lbs so I do not think there is anything left to filter out, any idea what is causing the water to be cloudy still?
FC - 16
CC - 0
pH – 7.6
TA - 150
CH - 295
CYA - 40

 

[onBalance]

I suggest reaching in and stir up the sand in filter tank, backwash, and then continue to add 2 cups of DE or Fibreclear to skimmer until clear.

 

[ubnoxus]

Stirred up the top of the sand, back-flushed, and added DE back in.

 

[ubnoxus]

The pool is cloudier since I stirred the filter, is that normal before it improves? When we bought the house it was a green swamp and the pool guy turned it around in 3 days to sparkling water. It has been crystal clear since until this episode. Do I need to drain and refill it possibly? Here were the readings from this morning
at 5am
FC - 17
CC - 0
pH – 7.5
TA - 150
CH - 295
CYA - 40

And at 2pm
FC - 16
CC - 0
pH – 7.5
TA - 150
CH - 295
CYA - 40

 

[ubnoxus]

Pool continued to get cloudier, a friend suggested I dial back the chlorine, shut down my chlorine injection last night and the pool is pretty clear today with an FC of 8. Will let it drop to 5 and turn it back on