Brand New Pool Cloudy— Help I’m Desperate!

[PoolStored]

It is ALWAYS harder in the beginning. The deal is that you are getting an education by fire. Trust me, it get sooooo much easier, once you know what you are doing and why. With the SWCG, once you get it clear and follow recommended levels, there will be no more of this fussiness...I can't count the number of times people were ready to tear out and fill in their pool, only to finish the process with a clear pool come back thankful and happy to found us...

Trust me too, you are doing better than the average bear that shows up here...you are on top of it and will be successful...

I got another $1 you come back after this is all over, and tell me I'm right, and you are super happy.

 

[Royaloaker]

It is ALWAYS harder in the beginning. The deal is that you are getting an education by fire. Trust me, it get sooooo much easier, once you know what you are doing and why. With the SWCG, once you get it clear and follow recommended levels, there will be no more of this fussiness...I can't count the number of times people were ready to tear out and fill in their pool, only to finish the process with a clear pool come back thankful and happy to found us...

I got another $1 you come back after this is all over, and tell me I'm right, and you are super happy.

I hope u are right…just tested 22. Getting close. I’m running out of the R-0871 with more coming overnight. Test again at 11 or wait til morning?

 

[PoolStored]

Test and add at 11. Ignore the OCLT until the pool is clear. Then we OCLT.

And if this isn’t gonna work due to that little of an issue, I may as well blow my whole Dang pool up bc I’m at my wit’s end & so is my hubby.

I have an Age group world cycling record (don't tell anyone, I haven't let that cat out of the bag here before lol). On the top of my steer tube for my bike it says, "Be Intentional." So I'm going to share my wisdom with you.

"Be intentional" Know what you are doing and why. You have a beautiful pool, you have the brains to figure this out, you have the means. You have the best pool clearing site anywhere...(and me).

I'll tell you a little story. My cousin was on social media, complaining about having to give her son weekly shots, they hated it. The shots were necessary to prepare for heart surgery. I posted back, "Be Intentional." She piped back, "what does that have to do with anything?" I told her, "You have one of the best pediatric surgeons in the country telling you these shots will save your son's life, and you are complaining; next time you have to do the shot, be intentional and say to each other, we are doing this to save your life...celebrate that!" She came back and said, "we were intentional, and the experience was a 7/10." Changed her whole view.

Doing the test properly is not that difficult, and you will get better results. Doctor's medicine.

(or as my mother would say, "if you are going to do it, do it right").

 

[PoolStored]

We want a progress report!

 

[Royaloaker]

lol! I’ve been meaning to post all morning. WE CAN SEE THE SECOND STEP. Hoping that’s not just bc the filter is on low, but we’ve never seen it. Do my readings look normal? I haven’t had to add anything since last night. Dunno if that’s good or bad. Powder looks different. Haven’t had to backwash filter at all— it’s at a pretty low PSI (like 2!). We’ve been running our robot vacuum. And I called in sick today so I can do every 2 hours! Posting pics from yesterday vs today. What do you think?

 

[Royaloaker]

We want a progress report!

Can’t tell you how grateful we are for your help!! I have more questions:

1. I haven’t been running filter/pump on the spa (bc I can only do one or the other). Would it be ok to run it today? For how long? I’m keeping an eye on the chlorine levels, but I’m getting nervous.

2. Should we do manual vacuum in addition to robot? I’m scared to do bc we have to backwash after, and bc the pool is so small, we lose a good amount of water, so I’ll have to add from hose which may throw everything off!

 

[PoolStored]

it’s at a pretty low PSI (like 2!).

Remember, run your pump up to 80% to check filter pressure clean and filter pressure rise. I think you likely need to backwash. Backwash, run pump at 80% and note pressure. Return to low speed. Check pressure with pump at 80% every couple hours.

1. I haven’t been running filter/pump on the spa (bc I can only do one or the other). Would it be ok to run it today? For how long? I’m keeping an eye on the chlorine levels, but I’m getting nervous.

Yes, check your FC in the spa, add chlorine, run the pump for 1/2 hour, recheck...if FC is good go back to pool. You can go back and forth.

2. Should we do manual vacuum in addition to robot? I’m scared to do bc we have to backwash after, and bc the pool is so small, we lose a good amount of water, so I’ll have to add from hose which may throw everything off!

There is not should. Is the robot picking stuff up? What does it look like. When you try to pick the stuff up off the steps, what does it feel like?

 

[PoolStored]

Do my readings look normal?

Yes, you have a 3ppm loss so far. Totally normal. Your Target FC for 70 CYA for slam is 28.

I'd really like to know what that stuff on the steps feels like when you use your hand to grab some. Is it gritty? Can you collect any of it? Does it just poof?

 

[Royaloaker]

Remember, run your pump up to 80% to check filter pressure clean and filter pressure rise. I think you likely need to backwash. Backwash, run pump at 80% and note pressure. Return to low speed. Check pressure with pump at 80% every couple hours.

Crud, I missed this piece. Will do.

Yes, check your FC in the spa, add chlorine, run the pump for 1/2 hour, recheck...if FC is good go back to pool. You can go back and forth.

Ok thnx

There is not should. Is the robot picking stuff up? What does it look like. When you try to pick the stuff up off the steps, what does it feel like?

Wait, I’m not understanding what this means We should or shouldn’t do robot? You can’t pick the stuff up off the steps it’s literal dust it’s not gritty it just disappears immediately. Robot is picking up mostly construction dirt (bc we haven’t installed our landscaping yet, it’s pretty dirty still).

 

[Royaloaker]

Yes, you have a 3ppm loss so far. Totally normal. Your Target FC for 70 CYA for slam is 28.

Remember I adjusted my CYA to 60 bc I think I did the test wrong the first time. I did it twice yesterday and got 60 both times so TFP calc said 24.

 

[PoolStored]

We had the back and forth on the CYA test. Go ahead and repeat the test.

Stand outdoors. Sun to your back. Fill to the first line. Hold at your waist in the shade of your body. GLANCE down the tube. If it looks like the picture "end test" below, at A GLANCE, you are done. Take the number next to the line and add 10. That is your CYA. Still see the dot, fill to the next line, if it looks like the picture, take the number from that line and add 10. Repeat until it looks like the pic below, take the number at the line, then add 10.

Wait, I’m not understanding what this means We should or shouldn’t do robot? You can’t pick the stuff up off the steps it’s literal dust it’s not gritty it just disappears immediately. Robot is picking up mostly construction dirt (bc we haven’t installed our landscaping yet, it’s pretty dirty still).

This is a biiiiig clue. It is likely dead algae. I think you had/have algae and your cell running kept it from growing, but not enough to kill it all. Slam will get it. Great news.

Run the robot. Does the robot not pick up the dead algae? What robot do you have (it is not in your signature)? Do you have fine filters for the robot, if you do put them on.

We may need to get to the point of using the vacuum...let's give it a day. Keep running the robot and keep brushing to get the stuff suspended and filtered.

Let me know on the pressure rise and how long it takes. I may give you another idea if we don't make significant progress.

 

[Royaloaker]

We had the back and forth on the CYA test. Go ahead and repeat the test.

Stand outdoors. Sun to your back. Fill to the first line. Hold at your waist in the shade of your body. GLANCE down the tube. If it looks like the picture "end test" below, at A GLANCE, you are done. Take the number next to the line and add 10. That is your CYA. Still see the dot, fill to the next line, if it looks like the picture, take the number from that line and add 10. Repeat until it looks like the pic below, take the number at the line, then add 10.

I missed the +10 part (I’m sorry!). Still overwhelming but it’s getting easier.

This is a biiiiig clue. It is likely dead algae. I think you had/have algae and your cell running kept it from growing, but not enough to kill it all. Slam will get it. Great news.

Run the robot. Does the robot not pick up the dead algae? What robot do you have (it is not in your signature)? Do you have fine filters for the robot, if you do put them on.

Hubby said it’s backfill dirt, “white flakes” (calcium deposits?), and gravel.

We may need to get to the point of using the vacuum...let's give it a day. Keep running the robot and keep brushing to get the stuff suspended and filtered.

Ok

Let me know on the pressure rise and how long it takes. I may give you another idea if we don't make significant progress.

It’s been on 80% for like 15 minutes, and it’s only at 10.5ish (just under 11) psi. Our normal psi after backwashing is 10. That seems odd that there’s not more Crud getting caught, doesn’t it?

 

[Royaloaker]

Run the robot. Does the robot not pick up the dead algae? What robot do you have (it is not in your signature)? Do you have fine filters for the robot, if you do put them on.

WYBOT A1 and I just added to my signature. There were no separate fine filters included, but I can see if they sell separately & purchase.

 

[PoolStored]

It’s been on 80% for like 15 minutes, and it’s only at 10.5ish (just under 11) psi. Our normal psi after backwashing is 10. That seems odd that there’s not more Crud getting caught, doesn’t it?

Ok, get some POOL DE. Only pool DE. We can add it to help filtering.

Add DE to a Sand Filter

A clean pool filter will increase the efficiency of your pool! ... your filter are to backwash it, clean the manifolds and grids, and add new DE.

www.troublefreepool.com

I missed the +10 part (I’m sorry!). Still overwhelming but it’s getting easier.

And you should do it outdoors. Let me know the result, or put it in your log. Doing it correctly is important for SLAM and for maintaining FC daily.

 

[Royaloaker]

Is this ok to get?

 

[PoolStored]

Yep! Ace probably has it!

 

[PoolStored]

When you add DE, you want to be careful. It is a carcinogen if breathed. Get an N95 mask when you go to ACE.

You also want to watch your pressure carefully. When you add it, run your pump at 80% to note the 1psi increase.

I would check your pressures every hour when you first add it, it may climb quickly as the DE is working.

 

[PoolStored]

BTW, for normal operations, you do not have to mess with DE. Sand filter should work just fine.

 

[Royaloaker]

Ok this makes ZERO sense. CYA is coming out as 80! Plus 10 is 90! I swear I did it the same way yesterday inside & outside twice. The only thing I did differently this time is add the 10. Why??

 

[PoolStored]

Why 80 or why the 10?

The test is a turbidity test and is dependent on light. Very roughly speaking, direct overhead sunlight is around 100,000 lux, strong indirect light (i.e. shaded from the sun) is around 10,000 lux, an overcast sky is around 1000-5000 lux but varies on how overcast (which is why a bright white cloud overcast is still OK), indoors is usually < 1000 even in a bright kitchen (more typically 500 lux).

It will always show low in indoor light, because there isn't enough light bouncing off the turbid material in the test.

The reason for the 10 is the following. You see the dot at 60. You don't see the dot at 50. That means it transitioned to being obscured between 50 and 60, so your CYA is somewhere between 50 and 60. We don't know where, so we round up.