Beginner. Cloudy water.

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Sewyarbrough

0
May 20, 2018
8
Flora, MS
Hi all! I have read Pool School entirely. I understand what all the chemical levels are supposed to be and do. I just have the simple test strips as of this moment and they are so confusing to read. After reading some in the forum, I see the pool store snookered me. Purchased $367 worth of chemicals and have been following their instructions on adding them. The test strips never seem to read right. I still have about 3 more chemicals left to add. My water is clear but cloudy, which the pool store says is phosphates (which I have read is a load of crock). I am posting a picture of the test strip to see if I can get some help. I have a floating chlorinator but every test strip shows basically no chlorine. I have read about adding liquid chlorine or bleach, but I haven't seen how much to add anywhere. I know yall probably get tired of answering newbies questions. I appreciate all your help!
test strip 2.jpg
 
We have as much trouble reading those inaccurate strips as you do...even more so if looking at a "picture" of one. First question is, what 3 chemicals do you have left to add?
I'd say FC of 0 TC of 0 CC of 0 ph of over 8.2 TA (alkalinity) off the charts CYA (stabilizer) at least 150

My advice is to drain at least half the pool, refill, circulate and retest. THEN....order yourself a TF100 kit from http://www.tftestkits.net...............oh heck, go ahead and do that first!

The PoolMath button (5th from left at top of page) will tell you how much of what to add based on your gallons size. NOW is your test results and Target is what you adjust to.
 
TDS (total hardness) and phosphates are worthless to track.

First is to get a real test such as the TF-100 or Taylor K-2006c and get rid of the guess strips.

From the strips you have no chlorine. I would add 1 gal 10% liquid chlorine. Using Poolmath for you size pool it will raise Free Chlorine (FC) approx. 6.
If the strip is right your CYA (Stabilizer) is above 100. The TF-100/K2006c will give you a far more accurate number. If above 100 the only thing you can do is drain some water to lower.
 
Oh my... $367??? Ok, water under a bridge now, and we can get you straightened out.

First off, welcome! We're glad you found us. We were *all* newbies at one time or another so we have felt your pain. That said, we also need, nee require, a decent test kit that is accurate and provides an exact number instead of a "Guess-Strip" with a range. You can't treat a cloudy pool based on guess-strips.

The only two kits we like are the TF-100 or the C-version of the Taylor 2006. So you can buy the Taylor kit (K-2006C) online, or look at both at TFTestkits.net We need to know we're all speaking the same test kit language and can trust the results.

Then we'd ask that you tell us:
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA

Until you can tell us that I'd suggest adding a jug of *plain, unscented, non-thickened, non-germicidal labeled* bleach from the grocery store. A whole jug. And then brush the pool well. Do this daily while you wait for the kit.

Can you do this?

Maddie :flower:
 
Test kit finally came in!
Here are the results. It actually isn't very cloudy anymore. I haven't done anything to it in the last couple days. It's got a good bit of rain though, so maybe that helped.

Chlo: 0
Bro: 0
pH: 8
CH: 325
Alk: 210
CYA: < 20 (I could still see the black dot and the cylinder was full)

So what are yalls recommendations?
Thanks so much!!!
 
Add 30 ppm of CYA powder. Put it in a tube sock and tie it closed. Hang it in front of your pool return. Do not let it sit against your liner. When it is saturated, squeeze it, it will dissolve quickly.

Add enough muriatic acid to get to pH of 7.4. Circulate the pool 30 minutes and retest. Then use that number to get the amount of acid you need to add to get pH of 7.2

Add Chlorine to get to FC 12 for a SLAM Process. Test and dose every few hours.

Be sure you populate PoolMath with your test results above. The TA of 210 directly affects how much acid you will use to lower your pH.

Good luck!!
 
Okie dokie. I've added some bleach, dry acid, and dry stabilizer. Here are my results from today 2 times after adding more chemicals.

This morning at 10 am
FC- 5.5
CC- 0.5
pH- 7.4
TA- 220
CH- 275
CYA- 20

This afternoon after more acid and stabilizer
FC- 4
CC- 0.5
pH- 7.2
TA- 190
CYA- 40

The water is still a LITTLE cloudy. What could be causing this? Is there something I should add at this point?
Thanks so much!!
 
Did you complete the SLAM as shown in the link in Post #8? The first criteria of a successful SLAM is crystal clear water.

Revisit SLAM Process.

Take care.
 

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Now that you have the pH right, time to start your SLAM Process. Read through the process a few times so you understand then try to test/dose the pool as many times as you can (leave an hour between) but no less than twice a day until you pass the three criteria on the SLAM page. This process can take up to a couple weeks but since you're not full on green pond, probably won't take that long!
 
I haven't started the SLAM yet. I wanted to be sure the other levels were correct first. I'll start that now! I'm assuming at such high chlorine levels it will be unsafe to swim while slamming, correct? After the slam is complete, at what level can swimming be resumed?
Thanks!
 
Sewyarbrough said:
I haven't started the SLAM yet. I wanted to be sure the other levels were correct first. I'll start that now! I'm assuming at such high chlorine levels it will be unsafe to swim while slamming, correct? After the slam is complete, at what level can swimming be resumed?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

You can swim up to the Shock level for your CYA as long as you can see the bottom of the pool.
 
One change to the recommendation in Post #8 is you now have a CYA of 40 . That takes a higher FC for SLAM level. See [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]. You now need 16 ppm FC for SLAM.

Keep us updated!
 
So, I completed the SLAM and it is still cloudy &#55357;&#56852; It seems almost clear...until you get in and it seems that something is being stirred up which makes it really cloudy. We vacuum it regularly, but it seems something is still making it cloudy.
 
if it is still cloudy you didn't complete the SLAM.

To COMPLETE a SLAM you must:
Be entirely Clear
Lose less than 1ppm Over Night Chlorine Lost Test
Have less than 0.5ppm CC

Until its entirely clear, don't bother doing the OCLT.

Maddie :flower:
 
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