Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up top.

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Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

Yeah, garden hose, runs water through a nozzle, creating a venturi vacuum.
I hate it! But it's what I have right now till I get a new pump, which is also horrible. Good quality pool though, super thick liner, tough as nails!!

Vacuumed again today, got even more off the bottom, took a lot of work, soooo much easier doing an in-ground pool. lol
On this one, you have to lean over the sides to see the bottom edge, back and under the ring, plus you can't vacuum what is directly underneath you, not very well anyway.

But I did get a lot more out, drained out the excess water, brought it back up to shock & will have to vacuum it again later.
I'm betting I'll be done with shocking by morning. Not really sure what it's killing, unless it's white algae.
Cleaned the filter before I started, cleaned it again last night, just dirt in it. Fine dirt.
Unless that fine dirt is really brown algae, could be, as it's a bit stick and doesn't come up very easily.
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

Simple question, is there a brown algae that looks and acts like a fine dirt?
And does the below description sound like an algae to you?

What I thought was dirt on the floor of my pool may very well be algae. I'm thinking this because I vacuumed it up and hours later, more deposited around the edge and in divots of the liner. There's less, but it's there.

It's not light and fluffy, so it's hard to disturb with the vacuum, but passing over it seems to get it, save for a few trouble areas where it seems almost sticky, as the vacuum won't pull those up without vigorous work, some not even then. The trouble spots are like a brown, thin, sticky film. But still looks like fine dirt.
If it were dirt, I would think the nylon sock I put over the bag would have trapped it, but it won't trap algae, right?

Still shocking BTW, getting close.
Will vacuum after church.

Thanks all you awesome pool owners. :goodjob:
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

Both algae and dirt have various sizes. Algae can clump so can get caught in filter material in that state, but individual algae cells or short filaments or small clumps will not (at least not in normal filters -- 1 micron slime bag will catch more). Perhaps you could carefully capture some, let it settle in a jar, drain off the water, dry it out some and feel it. Slimy is algae, squishy is usually pollen, hard is dirt. A microscope is more definitive where algae looks like oblong cells that are translucent while pollen is solid, usually round, and often has spikes, while dirt is usually irregularly shaped and solid.
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

Chem Geek,
I'll definitely check that out & try to get a sample later today. The water is sooo cold I hate getting in it right now.

I have been shocking for about 1 - 1/2 days, the first night it consumed 3.5ppm out of 13 in an hour.
The next night, last night, it didn't consume anything in 1.5hrs after dark, before bed.
I was too dog tired to do an OCLT, but I bet I would have passed.

Tested this afternoon and of course it's down to 8ppm, so I brought it back up, 0 CCs.
But here's the thing, I dunked my head underwater from the side of the pool and it's so cloudy you can't see a thing, not even the bottom.
It's WORSE THAN EVER UNDERWATER. :(
Looks the same up top, still nice and clear.

I don't get it, do I keep shocking till it's clear underwater, or what?

These are my test results I posted from the 5th.
y_not said:
FC - 3.5
CC - 0
pH - 7.5/7.6
TA - 150
CYA - 30
CH - 250
Click to expand...

pH is now at 7.7, checked when it dropped below 10 while I was at a b-day party for 3hrs.
I'm sure the TA & CH hasn't changed much if any, the CYA probably went down a few points from vacuuming and draining off excess water. FC is being maintained at 13, it drops, I bring it up.
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

I finally got into the pool today to check out that stuff on the floor. It's definitely dust, a super, fine, dust, inorganic. Some spits out of the vacuum, hence more appears on the bottom of the pool later as it settles out of solution.
I vacuumed while in the pool and was able to get 90/95% of it.

Somewhat shows up in a photo from up top, couldn't get good shots prior to vacuuming, they were almost double vision, not blurry. Shutter speed was too fast to be blurry.

Brought back up to shock, still eating CL.

What is it oxidizing, what's the white cloud only visible underwater?
Could this be live algae.... but white? :?

Even speculations and hearsay are welcome.
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

I think the chlorine turns the dead algae white. Wondering if you could have mustard algae? The stock Intex filters can have trouble keeping the pool totally clear on a good day, as mentioned before.
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

It could be, I never like to rule anything out without certainty, life is like that I have found. :)
But I have taken care of an in-ground 40k gallon plaster pool that would get mustard algae and even the dreaded black algae. This looks nothing like it.

The wind is dead today, so far, I'll try to take some pics again.
It all settled and is back on the floor now. Less I think, which is nice!

We kinda get dust storms here, so I'm betting that's what it is.
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

y_not said:
I finally got into the pool today to check out that stuff on the floor. It's definitely dust, a super, fine, dust, inorganic. Some spits out of the vacuum, hence more appears on the bottom of the pool later as it settles out of solution.
I vacuumed while in the pool and was able to get 90/95% of it.

Somewhat shows up in a photo from up top, couldn't get good shots prior to vacuuming, they were almost double vision, not blurry. Shutter speed was too fast to be blurry.

Brought back up to shock, still eating CL.

What is it oxidizing, what's the white cloud only visible underwater?
Could this be live algae.... but white? :?

Even speculations and hearsay are welcome.
Click to expand...

Only organics and a few select chemical would result in higher than normal chlorine use. I can't imagine the dust is bringing them in - and since algae can be a white dusty looking mess when killed... I would run the OCLT and I would also try skimmer socks or something like them to see what it catches.
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

Been shocking this whole time, on day 3 now IIRC, have to check to be sure.
Lost only .5ppm in 2hrs before bed, but what's happening is it drops down to between 8 & 9ppm from the 13ppm I keep it at for shock, 12ppm is min. shock. That's where it falls before I get to it the next day. Sleep problems, don't ask! HAHA

Then I keep it up all day, so it's a little slower going I imagine, when I hit it hard again, I loose a lot, 3.5-4ppm, then less as the day goes on into the night.

In fact, I was just over at DudaDiesel figuring out what size filter bag I want. Hoping I can zip-tie it to my return. It's nowhere near a standard fitting.
 

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Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

OK everyone, PICTURES, PICTURES!!! :D

The 1st two were taken prior to vacuuming. The second 2 today, after vacuuming. Note, these are all through roughly 3.5ft of water, you can see how clear it is. Stick your head in and you can't see a thing.

*I can't demonstrate the latter because I don't have an underwater camera. But just imagine a nice white, evening, thick fog with headlights on.

Overhead shot showing clarity. Ash from fires in center, on right side of photo.
IMG_4142.jpg


The dust, a bit of a rainbow refraction from the wind caused ripples.
IMG_4143.jpg


More dust, taken in calm conditions so less refraction.
IMG_4170.jpg


An overhead shot in calm conditions, showing clarity.
IMG_4171.jpg


Thoughts??
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

Ok, I looked at your first post and have to ask this ... have you looked under the water while wearing goggles? It is generally pretty difficult to look at things underwater with "bare" eyes since it messes with your eyes ability to focus. Your water looks very clear to me.

... Or maybe I am missing your question/point ;)
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

jblizzle said:
Ok, I looked at your first post and have to ask this ... have you looked under the water while wearing goggles? It is generally pretty difficult to look at things underwater with "bare" eyes since it messes with your eyes ability to focus. Your water looks very clear to me.

... Or maybe I am missing your question/point ;)
Click to expand...

Hmmmm, nope, haven't.
I know that when I swam in my aunt's pool, the 40k gallon 43 yr. old plaster IGP, that I could see quite well underwater without goggles.
I know in my pool, at the start of the season, seeing underwater was doable, just a little double vision effect, but you could see toys and people's legs and such. Now, you can't, it's like a blizzard under there!!!

I have learned my whole life to not use them and it works pretty well. Can't say as I recall if goggles were any clearer, maybe a little. But it's more of a preference and that goggles are a total PITA! Always fogging up, getting full of water, straps breaking, marks on face, etc... Never been a fan because of those things.

I would check it out, but I don't have a pair and I really don't want to just buy a cheapo pair, I'd rather get something good. In the meantime, I'll see if I can find a suitable clear container to stuff my eyes in underwater, one that won't distort much.

My other question was whether that stuff on the bottom looked like algae or dirt. See above for the past few threads on that.
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

UnderWaterVanya said:
Put a cheap camera in a doubled ziplock bag and take a picture...
Click to expand...

That thought had crossed my mind, but all I have is this overly expensive full lens DSLR Cannon.

I'll have to see if I can borrow one, I gave away the cheapos I had, I just won't tell them what I'm doing. ;)
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

Here's a thought.... A lot of people mention their pool looks nice and clear until they shine a light on it at night. If you have a high powered flashlight try shining it in the water to see if you see any matter floating. It might shine some light on the situation, pun intended.
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

LOL, no pun intended huh? RIGHT!! ;)

Yeah, I actually do that regularly, because I'm weird. No, I do it because I have to adjust the skimmer whenever the temp changes, due to the inflatable PVC ring, so I have to go out there at night after the temp drops and monkey with it.

I was actually checking that out the other night, specifically, nothing abnormal, looks about like my aunt's pool did at night, she didn't have a functioning pool light and I don't even have one, period. From what I can tell, the only stuff floating around is on top, junk the skimmer is too lame to collect fast enough. Just little tiny particles.

As far as down below, it looks clear, just kinda dark, like the light goes to the bottom, that is obvious, but it's just a vast, deep expanse so to speak.
It actually kinda looks green, like a slight green tint. But that's probably from the white light reflecting off the blue translucent sides and the blue/white faux tiled bottom.

Good idea though.
BTW, it's like one of those 9-led flashlights you get at the auto parts store, anodized, machined aluminum. I got mine at Harbor Freight, for FWEEE!! :D
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

y_not said:
My other question was whether that stuff on the bottom looked like algae or dirt. See above for the past few threads on that.
Click to expand...
To me it looks more like fine dirt. It seems too dark and brown for either green or yellow/mustard algae and it's clumped and spread out as if from circulation rather than from growth. I'd suspect a filtration problem. A Slime Bag or any bag over a return (like the one you got from DudaDiesel) that would catch this stuff would help figure it out -- if you sweep things up to get to the filter and it comes out the return into the bag, then there's a problem with the filter or plumbing not going only to the filter (i.e. some bypassing).
 
Re: Cloudy underwater, maintaining FC, TC same. Crystaly up

Thanks Chem Geek, btw, what's your first name so I don't have to call you Chem Geek?
Mine is Tony. :)

Yes, it definitely seems to blow around and settle in all the divots and imperfection spots in the liner, seams, wrinkles and such.
I wouldn't doubt that it's blowing out the cartridge, although the cart. looks awfully dirty and full of this same kind of stuff, but embedded in the filter medium of the pleats, hard to tell for sure, but same color though.
So I think it's more an issue of the dust blowing in there and the pump is too weak to move the water enough to suck it all up before it settles, or stir up the bottom after it has settled.

I'm definitely buying a bag from DudaDiesel, what an odd name, LOL
Probably buy 2, use one on the vac and the other on the return. I'm excited and anxious to see what comes of that.
Does a 1 micron bag trap calcium in solution, or salts in solution? My guess is no, but worth an ask.
 

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