Cloudy Pool

[Lora Karabatsos]

Help!!!!My pool is cloudy. I have shocked a couple of times. we have ordered the Taylor K2006 test kit and it should be here Wednesday. I have tested the water but only with a Salt Scapes test strip. Below are the results although I know they are not the most accurate.

total hardness - OK high 250
TC - OK 1
FC - 0
Ph - OK 7.2
TA - OK 120
CYA - very Low

We have a salt generator. The pool has been shocked twice and algaecide was added because there are some spots of black algae. We run our pump 24/7. When you go to pool places they all tell you something different. The past two winters here have been abnormally warm which has caused more algae than in the past. Please help!!!!!

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

You're making a good start. You ordered a test kit.

First the bad news: that SWG will never ever be able to generate enough chlorine to kill the algae. You might as well shut it off and switch to bleach for the duration of a SLAM and then fire it back up when the pool is clear and sparkling.

Until the test kit arrives and you test and get some results we can trust, add a jug of plain 8.25% household bleach to the pool every day. It won't improve, but it should stall things.

Spend the time between now and the test kit's arrival studying pool school. Start at ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry Then SLAM Process Take a look at the other chemistry pages and familiarize yourself with what's inside the Extended Test Kit Instructions, just in case you get some weird readings on the tests.

When you feel like this switch off to some lighter reading. Open the links and scroll through and look at the pictures.

 

[Lora Karabatsos]

I guess I'm off to buy bleach. Thanks for the quick response. I am with useless info from pool stores. lol

 

[Lora Karabatsos]

Okay Richard320, I got my kit and have tested the water. I have put bleach in the water every day until the test came in like you instructed. It actually made a difference in the appearance of the water. Here are the results from the new test kit.

FC- 1
CC - 1.5
PH - 7.7
TA - 90
CH - 250
CYA - 35

I have also been a good student and read the ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry and SLAM. With these new readings what is next? Also, I have quite the conundrum. I am going out f town for a week so how do I keep things good until I get back, or is that possible?

 

[Richard320]

Well.... that complicates things.

First thing to do is reduce pH to 7.2. You need that no matter what.

Your CYA level is good (call it 40) and so is the CH so no draining is called for.

And beyond that it's just a matter of a lot of bleach and a lot of brushing and vacuuming. How long do you have before you leave? That is sort of a key factor. There's no point in dumping huge amounts of bleach in and then leaving midway only to have it all come back. The huge majority of the algae can get killed off in a couple days. If you're not leaving until Monday, you could easily get things to the blue but cloudy stage before you go and leave the SWG running while you're gone.

 

[Lora Karabatsos]

Im actually leaving tomorrow but I have someone staying here that could dump bleach in the pool. It is already clear and i can see the bottom its just still cloudy. I definitely dont want it green again. Should I go ahead and add Muriatic acid to lower the PH?

 

[Richard320]

Im actually leaving tomorrow but I have someone staying here that could dump bleach in the pool. It is already clear and i can see the bottom its just still cloudy. I definitely dont want it green again. Should I go ahead and add Muriatic acid to lower the PH?

Yes. Definitely.

Is your housesitter competent to study the SLAM article and do it for you? Wouldn't you like to come home to a sparkling pool?

 

[Lora Karabatsos]

Ill go do the acid now. The house guest actually lives here for now and he's 20 so he's competent. Maybe I'll tell him do it or else. lol I will have to test him tonight and see If I think he can handle. If not should I have him put bleach in? I will be gone until the 18th.

 

[Richard320]

Ill go do the acid now. The house guest actually lives here for now and he's 20 so he's competent. Maybe I'll tell him do it or else. lol I will have to test him tonight and see If I think he can handle. If not should I have him put bleach in? I will be gone until the 18th.

Definitely need bleach no matter what.

 

[Lora Karabatsos]

Would he do bleach every day since I will be gone for 9 days and should I turn the SWG back on before I leave?

 

[Richard320]

Would he do bleach every day since I will be gone for 9 days and should I turn the SWG back on before I leave?

If he's SLAMming, 3 or 4 times a day. Usually the SWG stays off in a SLAM, but in your case it might be useful to maintain the FC levels between bleach doses.

 

[Lora Karabatsos]

If he doesnt have time to SLAM then should he just add one jug a day and brush the pool. I will turn on the SWG if he doesnt SLAM.

 

[Richard320]

If he doesnt have time to SLAM then should he just add one jug a day and brush the pool. I will turn on the SWG if he doesnt SLAM.

Okay

 

[Lora Karabatsos]

Hello Richard. I'm back from vacation. Had to get rid of some pneumonia before attacking the pool but things are actually pretty good. Here are my current numbers:

FC .6
CC - .8

PH - 7.2
TA - 100
CH - 275
CYA - 40
Salt - 3.1

The cell on my salt generator is giving me an error message even though it has been cleaned. Someone is coming to check it this week. I'm guessing this is why I can't keep free chlorine. If I need to SLAM I'm not sure what my Shock FC level should be for SWCG Pools with a reading of 40. The lowest the chart goes to for SWCG is 60. Am i missing something?

 

[Richard320]

You SLAM Process with bleach, so you use the bleach pool chart.