New Supporter With Cloudy Pool

[amccaul]

About a month ago I decided to open pool for season. We have a Leisure Riviera 34 fiberglass which holds about 15k gallons and this is the third year we have had it. It had some leaves and algae growth on bottom but after putting several bottles of bleach in the water cleared up. Unfortunately I had arm surgery to repair a torn bicep tendon and was not able to put sand filter back out. It stayed clear but weather got hot and algae grew turning pool green. A couple weeks later I was able to hook up filter and begin circulating water. It did not clear up and my wife thinking she was helping put one quart of HTH super Algaecide in pool. I have never used Wal Mart products but oh well...cannot make wife mad now and blame her more. It worked killing all algae but turned the pool water very cloudy. I have been filtering constantly since then and back washing twice a day. Well Monday I called and order a Taylor T-100 kit and speed stir from Dave. He was so helpful and talked to me for quite a while about pool...what a great example of businessman he is! Well I got the kit super fast and ran all tests. Pool is a little clearer but can only see down about two or three feet. Kids are in it and swimming but I would love to clear it up with any help from all the experts Dave said would lend a hand. Here are my levels:

15 PPM FC
0. PPM CC
15 PPM TC
425 CH
140 TA
7.5 PH
25 CYA

I am working on lowering PH to eliminate scale spots on pool after conversation with Dave. What else needs done to get this pool sparkling again? And sorry but I have no pool maintenance people within 75 miles...yes I am in the sticks in the Ozarks of Missouri.

 

[Casey]

Welcome to TFP.

You have no doubt gotten great advice from Dave and a wonderful product in the TF100 and speed stir. Your numbers right now are good as far as SLAM'ing goes. CH is getting up there but as long as you don't add cal hypo you should be able to get that down with regular back washing and splash out.

I would caution you though on letting children play in a very cloudy pool, especially if it has a deep end. I don't care if the children are fish or not, a cramp in the leg could be disasterous if one would go under in the deep end. How would you find them? I feel, personally, that you should reconsider but that is my opinion only. They are not my children but I would never allow that. It's just too dangerous in my opinion. I'll get off my mommy soap box now.

Keep the SLAM up and filtering 24/7 and brushing the pool!

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

My suggestion is to ignore the scale at the moment because the pH test reads false when FC is above 10. And maybe try this: Adding DE to your Sand Filter. Cellulose works, too. It doesn't take much of either, see if a neighbor will give you a couple cups.

 

[amccaul]

Casey you are right about them swimming in cloudy water...fortunately I can see to the bottom but it is blurry. Right now only swimming in three foot side and not allowed in deep end and only with me there as I am former police diver

Should I try and lower hardness quicker or let nature take its course as I backwash and refill...I plan on testing my well water tomorrow to see how hard it is too.

Richard once I add DE do I need to remove it from filter later? Also, do you know which type of store to find it in?

 

[Richard320]

Casey you are right about them swimming in cloudy water...fortunately I can see to the bottom but it is blurry. Right now only swimming in three foot side and not allowed in deep end and only with me there as I am former police diver

Should I try and lower hardness quicker or let nature take its course as I backwash and refill...I plan on testing my well water tomorrow to see how hard it is too.

Richard once I add DE do I need to remove it from filter later? Also, do you know which type of store to find it in?

The DE forms a layer on top of the sand. It will clog up pretty quick and have to be backwashed out. Then do it again.

Under a microscope, DE looks like kitchen sponges. The water flows through the holes, so it filters out superfine stuff. So it will clog up extremely fast. Don't add it and then go to work. Stick around and watch the pressure gauge.

Diatomaceous Earth is sold at pool stores or in the pool section of big box and hardware stores. Food grade DE is not the same. The DE replacement is cellulose; trade names are Fiberclear and Zeofiber and probably lots more. It will be in the pool section, too.

 

[amccaul]

Thanks Richard...will be heading to St. Louis tomorrow to find some!

 

[amccaul]

The DE forms a layer on top of the sand. It will clog up pretty quick and have to be backwashed out. Then do it again.

Under a microscope, DE looks like kitchen sponges. The water flows through the holes, so it filters out superfine stuff. So it will clog up extremely fast. Don't add it and then go to work. Stick around and watch the pressure gauge.

Diatomaceous Earth is sold at pool stores or in the pool section of big box and hardware stores. Food grade DE is not the same. The DE replacement is cellulose; trade names are Fiberclear and Zeofiber and probably lots more. It will be in the pool section, too.

I was able to find a pool store in St. Louis that had the DE and added it per directions in your link. I believe I will need to add the DE after each backwash but wanted to make sure that was correct? Never mind I see in your answer addresses that too...sorry I missed that

 

[Casey]

I don't know if you have any small Hardware Stores around you or not but they usually carry pool stuff like hoses and DE at the beginning of swim season. I can't remember if I saw some at Wally World or not but I think I have and you can also check Lowes too for pool stuff if they are closer. But since you already have it, you can keep that in mind. I always go by the swimming aisle to check what the local stored have. Sometimes I pick up CYA and sometimes I just grab toys to play around with.

 

[amccaul]

Thanks Casey...I checked local Wally World and they did not have it...went by Lowes and all they had was ant killer DE??? Just happened on the small pool store. First three hours and the pool is already clearing up and already had to backwash and add another cup of DE. Wish I tried this two weeks ago