Need advice on cloudy water from better people than I

[alwaysreadytoswim]

Hi all!
3rd year owning the pool inherited from the previous owners. It is a 27` round x 4.5' deep above ground pool (18,000 gallons)

At the end of the year last year I had an algae problem and left it as it was the end of the season anyway. Covered pool. Opened it up this year to some super cloudy and nasty water, it wasn't green but it had lots of debris etc.

Didn't have any CYA in the pool when I uncovered it so I shocked it with a full box of power powder plus from leslie's (only pool store close by)
Got CYA levels up to 40 then switched to chlor brite(doesnt add CYA)

Water is clean, but super cloudy. I can't see past about a foot or so down into the pool. I have added a bottle of Pool medic from leslies as I have neighbors with maple trees (BLAST THEM!) That seem to aim their seeds in my pool with deadly accuracy. Scooped all of them out but I am still battling cloudiness.

Sand Filtered
Purex Triton Meteor 20" Filter with 1.5" HP pump (is this sufficient for my pool size?)
Just replaced the sand last year with Leslies #20 silica sand
1 Skimmer and 1 Return


I have a poolmaster test kit with the liquid drops however it does not do CH.
FC: 1.5
CC: 2.2ish
PH: 7.4
TA: 90
CH: Not sure. (SORRY!) I have a taylor kit on the way...(We do have hard water)
CYA: 40

I read through some similar posts asking this and people are telling them to SLAM it. With that in mind - I would have to add 6 gallons of bleach to raise it to 16. It also says you have to keep it at that for awhile.

My somewhat rhetorical question:
Would you spend ~$150 on bleach or would you just drain the pool and start over? I can refill the pool for cheaper than that however I would throw a lot of money away if I do so and my frugal inner self would be very mad.

Thoughts?
Suggestions?
I would sure appreciate a second opinion from someone who has been here, fixed that.
Thank you so much!

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

Since you have hard water already, and Leslies Power Powder is Calcium Hypochlorite, I wouldn't do anything until I had a CH reading. If it's high, you'll need to drain a bunch anyway, clear or cloudy. Why treat it only to have to dump it?

Don't worry about Phosphates. Especially not now. Phos-free even says not to add it if there's algae in the water! And you sure have something in the water with that high CC reading. Read the last line in the instructions. Most pool store people don't see that little caveat and people end up with murky chemical soup and gummed up filters.

Oxybrite is just Potassium Monopersulate. It tends to interfere with the CC test. I would avoid it for that reason.

If you keep the water, stick with bleach. If the hardness is way up there, drain a bunch. Vacuum to waste and get rid of anything on the bottom at the same time.

 

[alwaysreadytoswim]

Ok, I ordered a phosphate test kit from taylor regardless and I have the taylor 2006 test kit on the way as well. Supposed to get here on Tuesday and I will post my results for phosphates and calcium hardness that way we have a complete picture of what's going on. Thank you!

 

[tim5055]

As Richard said, ignore Phosphates. your decision as to drain or use chlorine to clear it up.

 

[GuinnessPhish]

For the record, Chlor Brite does add CYA....it's dichlor, which is stabilized chlorine:

http://www.lesliespool.com/leslies-...-multipack-bags/chlor-brite-granular-bags.htm

"This granular chlorine has an added UV inhibitor which slows down the process of the sun burning off chlorine in your pool and keeps it sanitized longer."

 

[tim5055]

For the record, Chlor Brite does add CYA....it's dichlor, which is stabilized chlorine:

http://www.lesliespool.com/leslies-...-multipack-bags/chlor-brite-granular-bags.htm

"This granular chlorine has an added UV inhibitor which slows down the process of the sun burning off chlorine in your pool and keeps it sanitized longer."

missed that, thanks!

 

[alwaysreadytoswim]

So if chlor-brite adds CYA and my pucks add CYA to the water, if it starts getting too high what do I use? Bleach?

OK, so I received my Taylor 2006 test kit today. My calcium hardness levels are 100 ppm. FC:1 CC:3 PH: 7.4 TA: 90 CYA: 45
Water still no change. It is still super cloudy.
Another question: I bought this chlorinator this year

http://www.amazon.com/Clearwater-Au...eywords=in+line+chlorinator+above+ground+pool

I have (3) 3" pucks in there and have it set to max flow (I have tested the flow and it is flowing though the unit fine) and I still am not getting decent chlorine levels in the pool as you can see above or maybe I am missing something.

So cloudy water...any ideas? Chlorinator ideas? Right kind of shock to use without adding CYA when it is at a proper level?

Thank you so much!

 

[tim5055]

Read the directions on SLAMing your pool in the How To section of Pool School and follow that procedure completely to the end.

* CC is 0.5 or lower;
* You pass an OCLT (ie overnight FC loss test shows a loss of 1.0 ppm or less);
* The water is clear.

When all three are true, you are done SLAMing and can allow the FC to drift down to normal levels.

Bleach or liquid chlorine is what you need to use, but I'm not sure about the availability of liquid chlorine in NE. Usually it's only the warm pool states FL, TX, AZ.

With CYA 45 you are near the top end of our recommendations for CYA, so time to retire the chlorinator, at least for this year.

 

[alwaysreadytoswim]

OK - One last question. I drained the pool and at the very bottom(I could finally see) I found my issue. I found a a lot of dead algae piles my robo-vacuum missed along with A LOT of bird droppings(when I emptied my leaf canister it was disgusting) I have a couple of fake owls on the deck to scare away the birds(we move them a couple times a week) Is there anything else I can do to keep the birds away from the pool? Thanks!

 

[pooldv]

Floating alligator in the pool? Dogs.

Although regular brushing, emptying your cleaner, testing and maintaining your chlorine level according to your CYA level, Chlorine CYA Chart should be able to keep up, you'll just use more chlorine.