We had a sparkling clear pool for about a day after getting metal issues cleared up after refill. Hubs put the solar cover on overnight and we woke up to no FC and cloudy water with a yellow-greenish tint. Solar cover is off and going to the dump..new cheapy on order. We have been slamming the pool every hour on the hour keeping FC at slam level of 25 (should be 24 based on our cya of 65-70). During the heat of the day it would not hold..dropping as much as 12 ppm in an hour. Now that we have some cloud cover FC held at 25 for a little over an hour. Water is still cloudy but more of a greyish blue color now. We are running out of reagent for FC test (K-2006) but I ordered more this afternoon from your store. Hope we can get this thing done soon....waiting for clear water, CC of less than 1 (it has been .5 since we started), then OCLT test. Do I have this right? We have used 14 bottles of 8.25% 121 oz so far and we will keep at it. I will post test results in the morning.
I'm back - Cloudy yellow-greenish pool but metal under some control for now
- Thread starter southwestpool
- Start date
Sounds like you're on the right path. I would suggest you brush the pool daily and sweep the pool at least every other day til it clears.
As far as the solar cover goes, I doubt it was the cause of the algae outbreak. Your FC would have had to of been low for it to turn over night like that and not hold at SLAM level.
As far as the solar cover goes, I doubt it was the cause of the algae outbreak. Your FC would have had to of been low for it to turn over night like that and not hold at SLAM level.
Casey, I agree with you about the solar cover, probably not the culprit but something is going on because we were not able to hold chlorine at all and the lovely greenish-yellow color again after getting the pool to crystal clear for a day.
I got up to test his morning before sun hit the pool. Last night about midnight we added a little more bleach even though we were at 26 ppm so it would hold overnight. Color of the pool is kind of a greyish green now and still cloudy. FC this morning is 32 ppm, a little overshoot of our 24 ppm goal, with CC 0. I will test again later this morning once the sun hits. The slam continues!
I have a question if anyone can answer it for me. Once we are done with this slam, most likely we will have some metal staining. Once we get through this slam, do you think we will be able to lower the FC, do an ascorbic acid treatment, and then get the FC back up to normal levels without risking the water getting cloudy again or any other problems? We do have Polyquat 60 on hand for this when it is time.
We are almost out of reagent to test FC out of the K-2006 kit so we have been using the 5 ml sample size to test. I have more on order from TFTestkit but we might have to move to just the color test out of a DPD test kit that I got from Leslie's. We are now topping off with house water (softened), no more well water for this pool for a while. We are seeing some traces of metal but we have Metal Control in the pool and it seems to be keeping it at bay for now. My little towel I have in the water in front of the return is collecting some.
Our story in order of the way it happened. First photo is where we started and last photo is where we are at now during slam process:
I got up to test his morning before sun hit the pool. Last night about midnight we added a little more bleach even though we were at 26 ppm so it would hold overnight. Color of the pool is kind of a greyish green now and still cloudy. FC this morning is 32 ppm, a little overshoot of our 24 ppm goal, with CC 0. I will test again later this morning once the sun hits. The slam continues!
I have a question if anyone can answer it for me. Once we are done with this slam, most likely we will have some metal staining. Once we get through this slam, do you think we will be able to lower the FC, do an ascorbic acid treatment, and then get the FC back up to normal levels without risking the water getting cloudy again or any other problems? We do have Polyquat 60 on hand for this when it is time.
We are almost out of reagent to test FC out of the K-2006 kit so we have been using the 5 ml sample size to test. I have more on order from TFTestkit but we might have to move to just the color test out of a DPD test kit that I got from Leslie's. We are now topping off with house water (softened), no more well water for this pool for a while. We are seeing some traces of metal but we have Metal Control in the pool and it seems to be keeping it at bay for now. My little towel I have in the water in front of the return is collecting some.
Our story in order of the way it happened. First photo is where we started and last photo is where we are at now during slam process:
Another quick question. Here is a photo of my wonderful steps. When we took them out of the pool to clean under them when refilling they were a disgusting mess, yellow stuff, white snotty looking stuff. For those of you who have these kinds of steps in your AG pools, do you take them out when you shut down the pool every year? I think we should have because I think this is where our trouble started. It seems that the water does not circulate under these steps very well and they are a trap for the yucky stuff. I sure will miss them because I don't think they are going back in the pool. Any suggestions for a similar step that does not trap the yuck as bad as these?
I would recommend taking the steps out when closing the pool.
You can scrub the steps down with a mixture of 50% household bleach and 50% water, no need to get rid of the steps.
You can scrub the steps down with a mixture of 50% household bleach and 50% water, no need to get rid of the steps.
7/25/14:
7:30 am: FC 2-4, pH 7.4, CYA 70. Pool is clear but with metal staining.
Acsorbic Acid treatment, let pool sit at 0 FC for about 4 hours. Pool was blue, clear and beautiful
11:30 am: FC = 0 added 64 oz of bleach.
2:20 pm: FC =0 added 97 oz of bleach. Added 8 oz of Algae Control
8:30 pm: FC=0 added 72 oz of bleach to bring up to 3 ppm
9:50 pm: FC =4 added 48 oz of bleach.
Put solar cover on for the night.
7/26/14
Removed solar cover. Pool looked yellowish-green and cloudy.
9:30 am FC 1.5, pH 7.4, TA 225, CYA 65, CH 350.
10:20 am: FC .5. Added 84 oz of bleach
11:10 am: FC 1.0. Added 84 oz of bleach
12:20 pm: Started slamming using 8.25% bleach. Added 606 oz of bleach to get to FC 29 (overkill)
1:20 pm: FC 22.5. Added 60 oz of bleach to get to 25 ppm.
2:30 pm: FC 12.5. Added 302 oz of bleach
3:45 pm: FC 20. Added 121 oz of bleach
4:55 pm: FC 21. Added 121 oz of bleach.
6:15 pm: FC 25.5. Did not add bleach.
7:15 pm: FC 19. Added 145 oz of bleach.
8:30 pm: FC 28. Did not add bleach. Running out of test kit chemical for FC. Started testing with 5 ml sample instead of 10 ml.
10:15 pm: Just did test with DPD kit, color match, looked >20 did not add bleach.
11:20 pm: FC 26. Did not add bleach (5 ml sample).
12:20 pm: Went with prior FC of 26, added bleach to get FC to 29 to stay overnight.
7/27/14: Water is greyish green, still cloudy. Metal under control.
6:15 am: FC 32, CC 0 (5 ml sample). Did not add bleach.
8:00 am: Vac and backwashed filter, added house water to top off.
10:15 am: FC 16 (5 ml sample), CYA 60. Added 217 oz of bleach to get FC back up to 25. (Wanting to get that CYA down as we backwash and top off with softened house water. CYA test is kind of a subjective test...do I see the dot or don't I? Hubby and I both got 60 this morning so we are going with that.)
7:30 am: FC 2-4, pH 7.4, CYA 70. Pool is clear but with metal staining.
Acsorbic Acid treatment, let pool sit at 0 FC for about 4 hours. Pool was blue, clear and beautiful
11:30 am: FC = 0 added 64 oz of bleach.
2:20 pm: FC =0 added 97 oz of bleach. Added 8 oz of Algae Control
8:30 pm: FC=0 added 72 oz of bleach to bring up to 3 ppm
9:50 pm: FC =4 added 48 oz of bleach.
Put solar cover on for the night.
7/26/14
Removed solar cover. Pool looked yellowish-green and cloudy.
9:30 am FC 1.5, pH 7.4, TA 225, CYA 65, CH 350.
10:20 am: FC .5. Added 84 oz of bleach
11:10 am: FC 1.0. Added 84 oz of bleach
12:20 pm: Started slamming using 8.25% bleach. Added 606 oz of bleach to get to FC 29 (overkill)
1:20 pm: FC 22.5. Added 60 oz of bleach to get to 25 ppm.
2:30 pm: FC 12.5. Added 302 oz of bleach
3:45 pm: FC 20. Added 121 oz of bleach
4:55 pm: FC 21. Added 121 oz of bleach.
6:15 pm: FC 25.5. Did not add bleach.
7:15 pm: FC 19. Added 145 oz of bleach.
8:30 pm: FC 28. Did not add bleach. Running out of test kit chemical for FC. Started testing with 5 ml sample instead of 10 ml.
10:15 pm: Just did test with DPD kit, color match, looked >20 did not add bleach.
11:20 pm: FC 26. Did not add bleach (5 ml sample).
12:20 pm: Went with prior FC of 26, added bleach to get FC to 29 to stay overnight.
7/27/14: Water is greyish green, still cloudy. Metal under control.
6:15 am: FC 32, CC 0 (5 ml sample). Did not add bleach.
8:00 am: Vac and backwashed filter, added house water to top off.
10:15 am: FC 16 (5 ml sample), CYA 60. Added 217 oz of bleach to get FC back up to 25. (Wanting to get that CYA down as we backwash and top off with softened house water. CYA test is kind of a subjective test...do I see the dot or don't I? Hubby and I both got 60 this morning so we are going with that.)
Pool still greyish-blueish-greenish and cloudy but looks like it is getting clearer. We will continue to slam but difficulties with no R0871. Found some locally to tide us over until order from tftestkits arrives. Flying blind right now. Boy this is a process, isn't it? I am so tired of this pool right now but I am looking forward to success with the slam.
I empathize with the feelings of being tired of the pool... Keep at it, and you'll get that baby under control again! 
I so feel your pain! I got so tired of my first pool that the pool store helped me maintain (ruin) that when the liner "dry rotted" from the SUPER high CYA and we lost of of the water and most of the sand under it I just sold everything else! No more pool for me!
Then..............my husband, my sweet, sweet husband, said he missed the pool
Puppy eyes and all. I told him if we could find a better way than the pool store I would try it again. He found TFP. I ordered the test kit before I even ordered the pool to make sure I could do it. It was easy and kind of fun so............we have a new pool!
I have to say I LOVE the pool now. I can enjoy it because I am am hardly working on it with the TFP way!
Hugs! You can do it!
Kim
Then..............my husband, my sweet, sweet husband, said he missed the pool
Puppy eyes and all. I told him if we could find a better way than the pool store I would try it again. He found TFP. I ordered the test kit before I even ordered the pool to make sure I could do it. It was easy and kind of fun so............we have a new pool!I have to say I LOVE the pool now. I can enjoy it because I am am hardly working on it with the TFP way!
Hugs! You can do it!
Kim
Kim and myprysak82...thanks for the encouragement. We are staying the course. So far 35 bottles of 8.25% bleach. We are at a milky blue now. Lots and lots of white , floating, presumably dead, algae. We are going to try to do the OCLT test tonight. Not sure our sand filter is going to get that. We added some DE to help the sand filter a little. Fingers and toes crossed.
Do not bother doing the OCLT yet as you still have a ways to go. Wait until you have a almost clear pool where you can see the bottom.
Make sure to keep an eye on the filter after adding DE as it can cause quite a rise is pressure when it works. It has to be "babysat" while it works. If you cannot babysit it you can do a back wash to take it out.
You are getting there. If you take a pic of your pool with the net or brush as far down as you can see it each day you will be able to see the daily improvement.
Good luck! Keep us posted!
Kim
Make sure to keep an eye on the filter after adding DE as it can cause quite a rise is pressure when it works. It has to be "babysat" while it works. If you cannot babysit it you can do a back wash to take it out.
You are getting there. If you take a pic of your pool with the net or brush as far down as you can see it each day you will be able to see the daily improvement.
Good luck! Keep us posted!
Kim
I was just about to make the same suggestion Kim did, regarding the pictures. The ones I've been taking every day have been helping to keep me positive during the whole process. Also, +1 to her DE comment.Water blue but still cloudy. Going to hook up the 2nd sand filter to see if we can move this along.
Going to hook up the 2nd sand filter to see if we can move this along.
unkrock: <~~ I was looking for a cheerleader, but couldn't find one...so those guys are your cheering section instead. You can do eeeeeeet!7/29/14: 9:55 pm: 10 ml test, FC 26. 7/30/14 6:30 am: 10 ml test, FC 25.5 CC .5. Woot! Woot! 
Water still blue and cloudy, lots of white floaties.
Backwashed this morning, backwash water was like milk. The ole sand filter is trying its best but just can't quite get there to clear the water. Now what? Should we keep the slam going? We have a CYA of a little less than 60 so we have been keeping the FC at 24 or a little higher. I will post a full battery of tests in a little while. I almost hate to ask but....Floc?
Side note: I want to put my wedding cake steps back in when we get to that point. I just love them (there is a picture of them further up in this thread.) I have been reading posts from people with these steps and it seems that they can be managed. I like the PVC pipe with Quikrete idea to weight them down because they are a bear to get out of the pool weighted down with sand. My question is to those of you who do this, do you also attach them to the side rail as well or is the weighting sufficient with just the PVC pipe to keep them from floating away? I will have to convince the boss man though.....he is step shy now after all of our algae issues. It would be nice to be able to move them to clean underneath.
Water still blue and cloudy, lots of white floaties.
Backwashed this morning, backwash water was like milk. The ole sand filter is trying its best but just can't quite get there to clear the water. Now what? Should we keep the slam going? We have a CYA of a little less than 60 so we have been keeping the FC at 24 or a little higher. I will post a full battery of tests in a little while. I almost hate to ask but....Floc?Side note: I want to put my wedding cake steps back in when we get to that point. I just love them (there is a picture of them further up in this thread.) I have been reading posts from people with these steps and it seems that they can be managed. I like the PVC pipe with Quikrete idea to weight them down because they are a bear to get out of the pool weighted down with sand. My question is to those of you who do this, do you also attach them to the side rail as well or is the weighting sufficient with just the PVC pipe to keep them from floating away? I will have to convince the boss man though.....he is step shy now after all of our algae issues. It would be nice to be able to move them to clean underneath.
Pretty sure (from reading and my own swamp issues) that the more experienced folks will tell you to keep up the SLAM until you pass all 3 criteria...including the sparkling water part. Have you been adding DE to the filter to try and help it pick up the smaller bits? It requires a lot of babysitting, but may get you there a bit more quickly. I know it's super frustrating to have to wait for the filter, especially when your case of POP seems to be on backorder. LOL I'm in the same boat you are, as far as waiting for the filter to clear it up...I keep wanting to give in to my old ways and use some clarifier, but everyone reassures me that the filter WILL get it clear, we just need time and patience (seriously, where IS that case of POP when I need it???).
I can't speak to the weighting with the steps, but just reassure said boss man that as long as you put the steps back in clean and scrubbed, and you keep your FC high enough that algae can't get a foothold in the pool in the first place, your stairs won't give you any issues (they really are lovely!).
Have you been adding DE to the filter to try and help it pick up the smaller bits? It requires a lot of babysitting, but may get you there a bit more quickly. I know it's super frustrating to have to wait for the filter, especially when your case of POP seems to be on backorder. LOL I'm in the same boat you are, as far as waiting for the filter to clear it up...I keep wanting to give in to my old ways and use some clarifier, but everyone reassures me that the filter WILL get it clear, we just need time and patience (seriously, where IS that case of POP when I need it???). I can't speak to the weighting with the steps, but just reassure said boss man that as long as you put the steps back in clean and scrubbed, and you keep your FC high enough that algae can't get a foothold in the pool in the first place, your stairs won't give you any issues (they really are lovely!).
:
:
All three criteria need be met before you're finished with the SLAM. Congrats on the overnight test but with the water still cloudy, you should continue SLAM levels with your chlorine and keep on testing.
And yes, your steps are very nice!
:All three criteria need be met before you're finished with the SLAM. Congrats on the overnight test but with the water still cloudy, you should continue SLAM levels with your chlorine and keep on testing.
And yes, your steps are very nice!
Okay, okay...back up to slam level we go! The good news is that CYA is down to 50 with all of the backwashing and refilling (with soft house water) so I only have to go to 20 now. I do love my steps. We really let them go, full of metal too so I am scrubbing with ascorbic acid and popping the parts and pieces into a bleach bath. They will come out when we shut the pool down from here on out (providing they make their way back in).