Water is not clear

[rocbuddah7]

Hi,

I opened up my pool two weeks ago and I'm struggling to get my pool crystal clear.
I can see the bottom on the shallow end (3 ft) and even the middle section, but I can't see the bottom of the deep end(9 ft).
Here are my readings from my T100 test kit.

FC - 3.5
CC - 0.5
TC - 4
PH = 7.5
TA = 90
CH = 100
CYA = 30

These numbers look good based on the reference charts. You guys have any suggestions for me?
Thanks.

 

[Azgirl71]

Are you running the filter 24/7? If not I would try that and if you don't see a difference then I would go ahead and SLAM to get the water crystal clear.

 

[Divin Dave]

Are these your readings directly after opening the pool, or have you adjusted them at all?

I bet is that FC was low when you opened it and the sunlight caused the algae to grow. If its already growing enough to have cloudy water, then maintaining a recommended FC level is not going to stop it.

If you cant see the bottom of the pool, then clearly either something (algae) is growing in the water, or calcium has precipitated, which is pretty much an impossibility with CH of 100.

I recommend you SLAM the pool until its crystal clear, and after that, maintain the recommended levels.

 

[duraleigh]

Is your filter running at the correct psi? I assume you have backwashed, right?

AZgirl and Divin'Dave have it covered, I think. If you are sure you are filtering and vacuuming and brushing properly, then SlAMming your pool will likely result in a very quick completion to crystal clear. Make sure you follow the SLAM right on through to the OCLT. Post back if you need assistance.

 

[Defgufman]

A quick SLAM seems to be the answer.

 

[Richard320]

That's Shock Level And Maintain. The M is the key. Click the image for the How-to.

A couple megadoses of bleach spaced a few days apart isn't going to fix things. It would be like getting a prescription for antibiotics and gulping the whole bottle at once, rather than taking a pill every four hours until they're gone. And like antibiotics, you have to keep it up even after the worst symptoms have disappeared.

 

[rocbuddah7]

That's Shock Level And Maintain. The M is the key. Click the image for the How-to.

A couple megadoses of bleach spaced a few days apart isn't going to fix things. It would be like getting a prescription for antibiotics and gulping the whole bottle at once, rather than taking a pill every four hours until they're gone. And like antibiotics, you have to keep it up even after the worst symptoms have disappeared.

Ok I'll try to maintain it because when they first opened the pool then threw in 8 gallons. I waited a couple days then threw in another 8 gallons.
Then two more days and I threw in 12 gallons. Then realized my FC was up to 22, so left it alone for 3-4 days.
Now that I have my kit I'll keep it at the SLAM level.

Thanks for the help.

 

[rocbuddah7]

I have one more question for my knowledge on maintaining pools.
After I tested that my FC was 22, I let the sun take its course to lower the FC a bit.
One of those nights I decided to do a over night FC test. I tested after sun down my FC
and then tested again first thing in the morning and the Difference in FC was 1.0.
So I thought my pool was free of anything that can be eating up my FC.
But clearly these something in my pool to keep me from seeing the bottom of the deep end.?????

 

[Azgirl71]

Until your pool is crystal clear you need to keep FC up at SLAM levels.

 

[Casey]

You did not pass the OCLT which is losing .5ppm of FC or less. You failed it when you lost 1ppm FC.

Overnight FC Loss Test

 

[Task]

The requirements for a completed SLAM are:

CC < .5ppm
Losing 1ppm or less of FC overnight
Crystal clear water

You've got the first two requirements, you just need to get the water clear. Keep SLAMMING

 

[fisherman]

Hello, is this pool new to you? I am local too in the chicago area. For whatever reason, this was a "dirty" winter. My pool was hazy/cloudy on opending. It tool about 48 hours of continuous filtering with DE added and multiple backwashed to get whatever it was out. First half day I was backwashing every 2-3 hours. I did not neet to SLAM this spring, but I also opend 2nd week of April when the water was too cold to support life.
There is a pool school article on adding DE - it might help you assuming that you pass the tests. If you are loosing Chlorine overnight you have issues other than just finely suspended junk in the pool.

 

[rocbuddah7]

ok, came back home with 15 gallons of bleach, lets see if I can do this right this time.
My CYA is 30.

12:30pm
FC - 0.5
CC - 0.5

added 3.3 gallons of 8.5% bleach.

3pm
FC - 14.0 This should be in SLAM levels
CC - 0.5

Will check again at 5pm.

 

[rocbuddah7]

4:30pm
FC - 12.0
CC - 1.0

will add another 69 oz to raise FC to 14 just to be sure.

 

[Azgirl71]

Keep at it. You are doing great!

 

[rocbuddah7]

5:30pm
FC - 14.0
CC - 0.5

8:30 pm
FC - 12.0
CC - 0

added some more bleach for the evening
9:30
FC - 16.0
CC - 0

Let's hope it's clear tomorrow morning.

 

[Azgirl71]

Hoping when you get up with the sun that your FC is 16.

 

[rocbuddah7]

6:30am

FC - 15.0
CC - 0.5

I'm guessing I should keep SLAMing?

 

[Azgirl71]

6:30am

FC - 15.0
CC - 0.5

I'm guessing I should keep SLAMing?

You only lost 1ppm
So technically you pass since the water is also crystal clear.
However, that being said I would go another day of SLAMing and see if you can get 0 ppm loss tonight.

 

[rocbuddah7]

9:00 am

FC - 13.0
CC - 0.5

adding some more bleach, I can see my polaris on the bottom of the deep end now. So I think it's getting there. still not crystal clear, but much better than before.