Cloudy days after slam

[ILM]

I shocked my pool 5 days ago, FC level up to 25. Filter has been running 24 hr. Water has cleared slightly but remains too cloudy to see more than about 3' deep. FC level dropped after first day and brought FC level back up to current level of 18ppm.

FC = 18
CC = 0
Ph = 7.8
TA = 130
CH = 50
CYA = 40

Any suggestions?

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum.

The only way to guarantee a crystal clear pool is the SLAM process. Have you read that article in Pool School?

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

What we teach is not the common Pour & Pray method of pool maintenance. Maybe you know that since at least you have a good test kit

I suggest you review the ShockLevelAndMAINTAIN Process like Dave mentioned.

 

[Jabooh1]

As Jason said... Technically your not done yet. Keep the FC level up till:

A. CC is 0.5 or lower; AND
B. You pass an OCLT (ie overnight FC loss test shows a loss of 1.0 ppm or less); AND
C. And the water is clear.
When all three are true, you are done SLAMing and can allow the FC to drift down to normal levels.

 

[ILM]

I have re-read the Slam procedures and have brought the FC back to Slam levels. I think i quit a little too soon. Thanks, will keep you posted.

 

[Patrick_B]

Good deal. Just keep at it, because it usually takes a while.

 

[ILM]

I've kept at it the past four days. FC has been dropping roughly 1ppm per night and the other readings have remained pretty stable. The water is clearing because i can now see the profile of the bottom drain but it's clearing slooooowly. Two questions, (1) Is there anything to speed the process? (2) My CH level is really low, is this a concern? I don't want to work on too many things at once.
Current readings;
FC = 16
CC = .5 (or less)
PH = 7.7
TA = 120
CH = 50
CYA = 45 ish. This is hard to determine by using the 'dot' test on the Taylor K-2006 test kit. My eye sight is not the best but i can make out the outline of the 'dot' at 40.

Thanks.

 

[duraleigh]

I don't want to work on too many things at once.

I can't tell you how smart that is!! Far too many newbies try to correct their pools all at once and get hopelessly confused.

The answer is' "No. The low CH can be addressed much later and will have no effect on your SLAM process."

The SLAM takes a good deal of Pool Owner Patience (POP) so keep doing what you are doing......keep your FC up and backwash as needed. It sounds like you are nearing the end where the efficiency of your filter will determine just how long it takes to be crystal clear.

 

[Geelow]

Yep. Keep it slammed and the filter clean. Clarifier will speed it up.

 

[Patrick_B]

Yep. Keep it slammed and the filter clean. Clarifier will speed it up.

The addition of clarifier is something we usually tell people to stay away from. It is something we almost never suggest using. This case would be no different. Using clarifiers can make the problem worse.

 

[jblizzle]

I agree with Patrick, clarifiers are hit and miss at best.

If you want to help your sand filter clear up the cloudiness (sounds like the chlorine has just about taken care of the algae), you may want to try adding a little DE to your filter: Add DE to a Sand Filter

 

[Geelow]

Interesting works for me every time.

 

[duraleigh]

Interesting works for me every time.

over the years, the feedback we get from folks who have tried clarifiers is very spotty. I would guess and say it is less than 50% success rate. For that reason, and because we know a pool can get crystal clear without clarifiers, we don't encourage it's use.

We teach minimalism for your pool water.......don't put anything in your pool you don't need or are not certain of the result.

 

[Geelow]

I only use clarifier if it needs to be cleared quickly with 24 hr runs. Agree with not putting many products in your pool.

 

[ILM]

......keep your FC up and backwash as needed. It sounds like you are nearing the end where the efficiency of your filter will determine just how long it takes to be crystal clear.

I've been told that the dirtier a sand filter the better it filter and to backwash only when the return pressure drops significantly. True or False? When to backwash?

Thanks.

 

[jblizzle]

We recommend backwashing when the pressure reading rises 20-25% over the clean pressure. If you wait much beyond that, the flow rates will be greatly reduced.

 

[chem geek]

I only use clarifier if it needs to be cleared quickly with 24 hr runs. Agree with not putting many products in your pool.

The issue is that it doesn't work in every pool because it depends what is in the pool. For a technical explanation, read this document and you will understand that the dosage and specific chemical mix is critical for success whereas standard instructions for pool products use an "average" amount but may be too low or too high for what is actually needed. This thread is written by a TFP member who works in the water treatment industry and discusses the issue. See also HEDP Overdose and Clouding, Slightly Cloudy Water, Pool Stain Treatment cloudiness cure?, and Major chemical setback with Water Clarifier where the latter had the combination of a polymeric metal sequestrant with a polymeric clarifier/algicide to create a precipitated mess.

I successfully used a clarifier once when I needed fast clearing after a phosphate treatment (see this post for why that experiment was done). It's not something we tell people never to do, but something we can't generally recommend either.