Feel like I'm making progress, but water won't clear

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futility

futility

0
Jun 18, 2014
11
Pacific NW
Pool came with house, best guess is it's not been maintained or run regularly for 3 or more years. It was dark green with chunks of algae floating around. Pine tree next door. Started removing pine needles with net.

Initialy added some algicide and ran filter, primarily to keep mosquitoes at bay. This changed the color to aqua for a while then it started to get green again.

Changed the sand in the filter, laterals look fine.

Got a simple test kit (Chlorine & Ph) and some dry 'shocker' as well as regular dry chlorine treatment. Hit the pool with the shock, kept chlorine level high with dry chlorine treatment. Removed about 100 gallons of debris and green sludge from bottom of pool using nets, garden hose vacuum and leaf trap/skimmer hose. Also added 'clear blue' at pool store reccomendation... pool has lots of foam: think I've got a suction side air leak that is making either the clear blue or the algicide foam :-/

At this point when I use the net or vacuums I'm no longer get anything green out of the pool and have to vacuum for quite a while to get much solid debris in the leaf trap. Chlorine seems to stay pretty solid... like no change overnight.

Still can't see more than 18" down. Water is cloudy grey. I've run the filter for weeks now, backwashing at least daily. Water remains cloudy. I've started adding DE to the filter skimmer after backwashing hoping to speed clarification. Pressure rises, but still no discernible change in the water clarity.

Finally got and used the TF-100. Here are the current stats:

FC - 5.5 ppm
CC - 1.0 ppm
TC - 6.5 ppm
CH - 125 ppm
TA - 50
CYA- 30
pH - 7.2

Wondering what I can do to get the water to clear up more quickly?
 
First of all, if you keep going to the pool store you will spend all summer with a green pool and an empty wallet. You've got the test kit so now you can attack the pool properly.

Get as much dirt and debris out of the pool as you can. Your shock level for CYA of 30 is 12. You need to get your chlorine level up to 12 and keep it there by testing and adding as necessary. The details are in the link Abigail provided. You will need frequent additions in the early stages. Test every hour or so in the early stages. The organics will consume the chlorine quickly. If you keep ahead of it, it WILL work. Good luck!
 
Good morning! You are at the right place. Your pool should get so clear you can read heads/tails on a coin on the bottom of the pool!

You have taken a great first step-getting a good test kit and posting here!

Now find your best source of bleach/chlorine and get some.

Abigail is so right in you needing to SLAM. It will take some time to clear up BUT it can be done following SLAM procedures.

Good luck and let us know how it is going. Don't forget to take and post pics. You will not believe how just a picture will show you how it is going.

Kim
 
Abigail K said:
Welcome to TFP!

Congratulations on getting the TF-100!
I'd recommend you start SLAMming if you haven't already done so - SLAM is 12FC for 30CYA.
Most likely, the foam is algaecide.
Click to expand...

Thanks Abigail. Anything I can do to stop the foaming, or will it eventually subside? I got a little overzealous with the algicide I guess :-/

Thanks guys. FC & CC were the same this AM (5.5 & 1 ppm respectively) so that seems like a good thing. I've been slamming unscientificly (limited measurement accuracy) for about 2 weeks. Now with TF-100 I can do a better job. I added 180+ oz of 6% bleach this AM (1.5 containers.) Which should get me up to 12 FC.

Backwashed again and did my 3/4 cup DE into the skimmer (mixed with water of course.) Sure hope to see some improvement soon.

I haven't been seeking Pool Store advice since the first go, just picking things up there I can't get otherwise (like DE and parts for the tools that were mostly broken when we moved in.)
 
Abigail K said:
Welcome to TFP!

Congratulations on getting the TF-100!
I'd recommend you start SLAMming if you haven't already done so - SLAM is 12FC for 30CYA.
Most likely, the foam is algaecide.
Click to expand...

I think I got too enthusiastic with the algicide.... how long does it take to stop foaming so much?

I've been doing an 'unscientific SLAM' using a basic FC/pH test kit and the shock treatment/dry chlorine fro mthe pool store... and now bleach. Since I did my first TF-100 test yesterday I can be more accurate about it. This morning FC and CC were the same as last night so I added 180 oz of bleach to get FC up to 12 ppm.

I haven't been to the pool store any more except for DE and parts for all the broken pool care gear we got with the place.

I'll keep brushing and trying to get more stuff out. Don;t really get much any more doing it blindly so was hoping for increasing clarity to be able to see what I'm still chasing down there.
 
futility said:
I think I got too enthusiastic with the algicide.... how long does it take to stop foaming so much?
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome to TFP! Guess you learned your lesson the hard way with the algaecide! It really is the best "gimmick" the pool stores sell. Best thing you can do is throw it away! Save those "pucks" for when you go on vacation, depending on your CYA you may want to chuck them too. This site is one of best resources for maintaining your pool and water. Make sure you read all through pool school and ask a lot of questions. I know you won't regret finding us!!
 
HI futility,
as others mentined, get your FC to 12 and do all you can to keep it there. Dose chlorine as often as you possibly can to get it back up to 12.
The foam will clear up on its own in a couple days, maybe little more maybe little less.

You wont need to test for anything else until your pool is cleared up of algae. For now, just keep slamming. Hit it and hit it hard. The harder you hit it for the first couple of days, the quicker progress will be made.
 

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Also, I don't think there's any need to be adding DE yet. I would wait until the final stages and if it isn't clear to your liking you can add DE to get the final clarity you want. Right now it will cause your filter to clog quicker than necessary at this stage. In other words you will have to backwash more often than necessary. There's no harm in what you're doing, but if it were me I would leave the DE out for now.
 
Keeping it at 12 or higher. We swam in it yesterday for a bit anyway since it was 95 degrees!

It's been foaming for weeks now, probably made worse by an apparent suction side leak. I'm adding DE when Iknow I'll be around to backwash.

being patient.... it's doing pretty well, I'm adding just two or three 121 oz jugs of 8.25% bleach a day now. Have a party in about 10 days, hope it looks better then :)
 
Pool shaping up, but in trouble now: suddenly it's draining! main drain cover was broken, bunch of bricks/rocks in there. I pried one out with a pole and a few hours later I've lost 6" of water. could the rocks have been holding a plug in? I don;t know how to stop it. Pool is from 19878. drain looks like a skimmer basket, can;t make out what is down there. are they designed to be opperated from above with a pole? so I have to swim down to turn it off? can I put a rubber welcome mat over it to stop the flow until I figure it out? would be a shame to lose all the water I just spent a month cleaning!!!
 
If you can make sure the mat does not get sucked in I get it would work at least to slow down the water. My main drain is just a basket with a hole for the pvc pipe to take the water to the pump. I do have a cutoff valve outside the pool to shut it off.

Good luck!

Kim
 
Thanks kimkats! I Discovered the plug for the Hydrostatic release and screwed it back in (with my head 12' under water, gaw!) This seems to have solved the problem. Now back to the tail end of shock and balancing. I should have a new round of test results and some pictures soon so I can get advice on what must be done, what should be done, etc.
 
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