Getting the clear water back...

Jump to latest Follow Reply
T

TN94z

Well-known member
May 15, 2012
350
Henderson, TN
Okay, so I don't really know where to post this topic. I am going to start here since it may or may not involve algae.

This is our second year as pool owners and it has really been great up until a few weeks ago. Our chemical levels generally stay pretty steady. A few weeks ago I noticed a lot more dirt in our pool than usual. I could not figure out what the issue was. It hadn't even rained. So I am at home during the day one week and I hear a kid on a four wheeler on a cleared lot next door. I run outside and he is stirring up a ton of dust. I found the owner and asked to him to tell the kid to stop. The kid hasn't been back. But my pool ended up with a ton of dirt in it. For the past 2-3 weeks, we have done nothing by vacuum to waste, refill water, vacuum to waster, refill....etc....

Now we got it fairly clean (or so we thought), and I come home one day and notice that my wife had not turned the filter on (we generally turn it on in the mornings before work and turn it off in the evenings when we get home). The next day she vacuums to filter but when she gets done, she never lets the pump run the rest of the day. This happened like 3 days in a row. I finally told her that she has got to allow the pump to run.

Now we have so much dirt in the pool it's RIDICULOUS!! You can't even see the bottom of the deep end because the water is so dirty. Almost a greenish tint to it (but it's mainly from the water being so dirty I believe). I added Floc (or drop out I think is what this was called) 2 nights ago. I vacuumed to waste last night and it got a lot of the dirt up but we still have some vacuuming to go. I am stuck....I don't know what to do. What is my next course of action??
 
Will do. I haven't had it tested the last couple of weeks because we have been trying to get all of this dirt out. I had just added chemicals before all of this happened. I will post up results as soon as I get some more current ones. Sorry.
 
Yep, get those test results and we can help. Your FC has been low I bet,and you are seeing the start of an algae bloom quite likely. Testing FC is essential and two weeks will get you green for sure. Just curious why you vac to waste only, instead of filtering.
 
Brushpup said:
Yep, get those test results and we can help. Your FC has been low I bet,and you are seeing the start of an algae bloom quite likely. Testing FC is essential and two weeks will get you green for sure. Just curious why you vac to waste only, instead of filtering.
Click to expand...


I will get it tested first thing tomorrow. As for the vacuuming, we normally just vacuum to filter but this dirt is so fine that if makes it's way back into the pool via the returns if we don't send it to waste. I remember when we first had it installed, we got a lot of this dirt in the pool and would vacuum in to filter and never could get it out. When I did some research, I read the best way to get that out is to waste. That's not our normal process with routine vacuums.

I have thought about buying some of the bags to put over the returns, but the ones I looked at were kind of expensive and we have 4 returns in our pool
 
Is it possible that the kids you asked to go away is now stopping by to throw dirt over the fence and into the pool? Try adding a simple tarp over the pool to see if you have an issue with the kid throwing dirt.
 
techguy said:
Is it possible that the kids you asked to go away is now stopping by to throw dirt over the fence and into the pool? Try adding a simple tarp over the pool to see if you have an issue with the kid throwing dirt.
Click to expand...

I don't think so. The kid isn't really malicious. He didn't even realize that riding on that lot was doing anything. He wasn't doing it on purpose. That and my wife only works like 3 nights a week and she is home most days. I have thought about some kind of cover for next year along with some bags for the returns, but we will see.
 
Brushpup said:
Well, you might try some DE in the filter. I know the slime bags are high, but they worked like a champ for me. There are instructions for adding DE to sand filters in Pool School.
Click to expand...

Thanks!! I just did some reading on that and I may end up doing that next year for sure. It sounds like it may help my system out aside from this issue.

I'm still thinking about the slime bags. Have you noticed any wear on the bags or anything? How long have you had them? I don't mind spending the money as long as they will last a good while
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
While the bags may help remove some of the dirt. There is still the large question as to whether your water is balanced or not and allowing algae to start. Pool Store test results are not worth what you pay for them (which is usually $0). Order one of the Recommended Test Kits and take control of the pool ... as it sounds like you are may be relying on the pool store.
 
True, I missed my chance...

If you are investing in Slime Bags... you need to buy a test kit FIRST.

With a test kit, you can simply avoid the need to use a SlimeBag by effectively managing your pool by doing your own testing and making decisions based on fact... and not what is overstocked on the shelf this week.
 
jblizzle said:
While the bags may help remove some of the dirt. There is still the large question as to whether your water is balanced or not and allowing algae to start. Pool Store test results are not worth what you pay for them (which is usually $0). Order one of the Recommended Test Kits and take control of the pool ... as it sounds like you are may be relying on the pool store.
Click to expand...


I've got a test kit guys. I never seem to get very accurate results (I'm saying it's my fault, not the kit). I will use my test kit tonight and post my findings and see what you guys think.
 
TN94z said:
jblizzle said:
While the bags may help remove some of the dirt. There is still the large question as to whether your water is balanced or not and allowing algae to start. Pool Store test results are not worth what you pay for them (which is usually $0). Order one of the Recommended Test Kits and take control of the pool ... as it sounds like you are may be relying on the pool store.
Click to expand...


I've got a test kit guys. I never seem to get very accurate results (I'm saying it's my fault, not the kit). I will use my test kit tonight and post my findings and see what you guys think.
Click to expand...

What kind of test kit do you have? If you don't have the TF100, you don't have a test kit. :)
 
Tanner M said:
TN94z said:
jblizzle said:
While the bags may help remove some of the dirt. There is still the large question as to whether your water is balanced or not and allowing algae to start. Pool Store test results are not worth what you pay for them (which is usually $0). Order one of the Recommended Test Kits and take control of the pool ... as it sounds like you are may be relying on the pool store.
Click to expand...


I've got a test kit guys. I never seem to get very accurate results (I'm saying it's my fault, not the kit). I will use my test kit tonight and post my findings and see what you guys think.
Click to expand...

What kind of test kit do you have? If you don't have the TF100, you don't have a test kit. :)
Click to expand...


I have the TF100. It was one of the first things I bought once the pool was installed
 
LOL ... who says the digital system has been properly maintained and calibrated???
And if all it is doing is reading the color off or a worthless test strip that is not believable anyway, why trust it?

Trust your own good test kit. The results are more accurate and generally repeatable.
 
Pool store results are very inconsistent, which is why we recommend you do your own testing. The computerized tests are often just electronic strips readers which are useless.

Please post a full set of tf-100 results and post if you have any problems with any of the tests.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply