Water still cloudy. Why? Please help!

[Kacalhoun]

Here are my test results

CYA 20
CL 5-10
CC 0.5
FC 3.5
PH 7.2
Alk 40

Can someone please tell me if my CYA being low the reason my water is still cloudy? What should I do to get my water clear again?

 

[duraleigh]

Your water can be cloudy for any of a hundred reasons so you have to start learning more so we can help you get it figured out.

Can you tell us your CH? If you know it is below 400, don't bother, but if you don't know that, test and post it up.

1. What are you using to chlorinate?

2. How old is that filter? Might be time for a new one. See any tears, holes, etc.

3. How does your pump sound? Like new? Getting good flow into the pool?

4. What are you using to vacuum your pool?

5. When was the last time you put any
CYA in the pool?

 

[Kacalhoun]

I was told not to worry too much about my CH because I have the pump that comes with the pool. All plastic, original pump that came with the pool. I added CYA a couple of days ago. I use the vacuum that also came with pool. The one that can either use a water hose or the pump itself. Just changed filter yesterday & pump sounds like it always does & has good flow. I am using great value bleach. And yes ch is below 400.

 

[RobbieH]

CH matters because if it's high, it can cause cloudiness. This has nothing to do with the pump or filter. But like he said, if you have CH in range, it doesn't matter.

 

[Kacalhoun]

Ok. I can see the bottom of the pool it's just not crystal clear. Can I go ahead & let the kids swim? Been working in this for 2 weeks & wld really like to start using our pool. Thank you.

 

[RobbieH]

What is the CL number? If it is TC, the math doesn't work.

 

[Kacalhoun]

CL is chlorine drop test & TC is 4. CH is 50.

 

[Kacalhoun]

Is it safe to let my kids swim? Or do I need to do more? Thanks for all the help.

 

[PAGirl]

How long do you run your pump?

 

[Kacalhoun]

24 hours a day for the past week an a half

 

[PAGirl]

I got my pool clearer with the stock pump using knee highs over the skimmer or if no skimmer, over the return. I may have efen olaced one over the cartridge at one point. It never got sparkly clear until I got a sand filter. But it got pretty nice with the cartridge.

 

[Kacalhoun]

It used to be sparkly clear until I got a bad case of algae build up. I could deal with the cloudiness for now (even though I would prefer to get it cleared) I just want it to be okay for my daughter to get in it. She has been waiting patiently for 2 weeks, but is now getting inpatient. Especially since 4 weeks ago it kept storming for 2 weeks & now I have been cleaning for 2 weeks. So in total it's been a month since she's been able to get in. So if you could please tell me how to get it completely clear & if it's ok for her to get in now? Thank you so very much.

 

[PAGirl]

If your numbers are good, I'd try the knee high panty house over the filter. It will help get out the little stuff.

Did you pass the overnight loss test?

 

[Kacalhoun]

Didn't quite understand how to do that. Can my daughter swim while I do the panty hose?

 

[kcindc]

Safety first when it comes to swimming. If it is too cloudy to see a swimmer in any part of the pool, it is unsafe to swim. If your free clorine FC is too high for your CYA, it is unsafe to swim. Unfortunately, your test results don't make sense, so we can't tell if your levels are safe.

Duraleigh asked questions, we need your answers to those questions in order to help guide you.

What test kit are you using to get your results? I ask because some of your results do not make sense. Test strips and pool store results are very unreliable. Without reliable test kit results, it is impossible to give advice to clear your pool. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/124-pool-test-kits-comparison

Once you get reliable test results from one of the recommended test kits, we can help you clear your pool and with the knowledge gained here, you will never have to worry about a cloudy pool again.

In the mean time, please read pool school and you could add a few cups of plain unscented bleach a day. This will keep algae from getting worse, but won't necessarily kill the algae. To get rid of algae, you will need a one of the recommended test kits and complete the SLAM process:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl

 

[Kacalhoun]

I did answer the questions in above post. I have the TF-100 & I have read pool school. Have been using unscented bleach. The answers to his questions are right below his post. I am following the directions to the test step by step and exactly as told. What about my results do not make sense?

 

[Butterfly]

Using your test kit, please post these test results for us:

FC
CC
CYA (if you have added CYA in the past week, rather than test, just tell us how much you added)
pH
TA

 

[zea3]

In your first post you listed chlorine as 5-10. That is a pretty big range, however for your CYA of 20 your FC target is 2-5ppm and slam level is 10ppm. As long as you are at or below slam level and you can see the bottom of the deepest part of the pool it should be safe to swim.

 

[Kacalhoun]

Okay. I tested again. I put about a cup of CYA a couple of days ago.

FC 3.5
CC 0.5
TA 400
PH 7.2

 

[Kacalhoun]

My test has a it listed as 5-10 & then it goes lower. In reply to zea