Cant lose the cloudiness from Start Up.

RidingMann

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2019
45
Cumming, GA
Some of you will remember me from a few years ago. You all were very kind to me and walked me through a horrendous Baquacil to SW conversion.

Well, my mom (her pool) has loved every second of the new SW world but, this year she's having some issues with start up. The water just wont clear up. You can see the bottom in the shallow end, but it's cloudy in the deep end. Water is blue and appears clean, but it just wont get clear.

She had a new cell installed as preventative maintenance this spring - so that shouldn't be the issue.
The pump runs 24 hours and is backwashed regularly.
PH is... well, you all tell me. I cant land on a number.
PH.jpeg
FC is 2
Total Alkalinity is 50 (a bit low for a vinyl liner pool).
Salt is about 3500 ppm and SWG is on about 55% and runs 24/7

She cant get a CYA reading (mom is getting older, she may not be doing this test right). Says the tube gets full and the black dot is still clear to see. She has not added any CYA for a year or so.
I wanted the expert opinions before I started shooting in the dark.

One thing to note - Im in South Ga and my mom is in Virginia - so Im trying to help her by phone.

Thank you all for your knowledge in advance!
 
Needs to get some CYA in the pool and then raise the FC to SLAM. If that is not doable, get the 30 ppm CYA in the water and have her turn the SWCG to 100% and run pump 24 hours a day. It might get there. But best is to use bleach.

Then get the CYA to 60 ppm or so.

She can buy liquid CYA. It is expensive. Have her pour it into the skimmer very slowly. Normally do not recommend adding anything to skimmer, but the liquid CYA can have some solids and you really do not want them settling on the liner.
 
Needs to get some CYA in the pool and then raise the FC to SLAM. If that is not doable, get the 30 ppm CYA in the water and have her turn the SWCG to 100% and run pump 24 hours a day. It might get there. But best is to use bleach.

Then get the CYA to 60 ppm or so.

She can buy liquid CYA. It is expensive. Have her pour it into the skimmer very slowly. Normally do not recommend adding anything to skimmer, but the liquid CYA can have some solids and you really do not want them settling on the liner.
Gotcha - When I first converted from baquacil - I though I recalled folks on here telling me NOT to add CYA until it was "right".... I'll have her dose it with bleach and turn the SWG to 100%.
 
You need some CYA, 30 ppm is a good target, to protect the FC some. Right now, the sun is burning it off about as quick as the SWCG can create it.
 
You need some CYA, 30 ppm is a good target, to protect the FC some. Right now, the sun is burning it off about as quick as the SWCG can create it.
I questioned her CYA testing process - sounds like she'd doing it correctly. Wouldn't this mean CYA is too high? Her text to me-

"I do step 1, filling to bottom of label with pool water. Then, I filled same bottom to the top of the label with R-0013, mix.
I do step 2, get CYA view tube ( one with black dot in bottom) hold at waist level, and keep filling but I can see dot when the view tube is full."
 

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Yes, raise the CYA. I would add 30 ppm worth, Liquid or granular. If granular, use the sock method.

TA is not bad. If pH is stable, I would leave it.
 
Hi RidingMann...Welcome back!!
I agree with Marty, it sounds like she needs CYA in there first and foremost to maintain the FC. CYA does slowly degrade so has to be replenished now and then.

What's Mom doing to clear her pool- is she adding liquid chlorine? How is she testing?

Maddie :flower:
 
Hi RidingMann...Welcome back!!
I agree with Marty, it sounds like she needs CYA in there first and foremost to maintain the FC. CYA does slowly degrade so has to be replenished now and then.

What's Mom doing to clear her pool- is she adding liquid chlorine? How is she testing?

Maddie :flower:
She is using the test kit that you all recommended. I cant remember the name, but I remember buying it from a lady in NC online that you all suggested.
She has turned the SWG to 100% and is adding bleach. She put in 10 gallons today.
She added the CYA she had on hand (probably about 1lb) and plans to add more, but her local walmart didn't have any. She'll go tomorrow to another walmart in search for it.
She also added total alkalinity that she had on hand yesterday. Its probably not enough to get it above 100, but should help.

Good hearing from you!
 
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