Cloudy water after adding chlorine?

[Kentros]

Hello! I'm new here! I've read several helpful posts here since we set up our pool in June, but we are having an issue I could use help with. We have a 16ft above ground Summer Waves pool (approximately 5,300 gallons). On Wednesday, I tested my water and my chlorine was low so I added one bottle of liquid chlorine like I usually do, all other components looked fine. Within 20 minutes, my son asked what was wrong with the pool. I looked and it was super cloudy, like so cloudy we couldn't seen the bottom of the liner or past the 3rd step on our ladder. I asked a friend, who has had a similar pool for years, and she told me to shock it and that two hours after that, it should be clearing. So I did. It didn't clear. The friend told me to add clarifier. So I did.

Fast forward to yesterday, Saturday. The water was mostly clear, but not sparkling like it had been. I tested the water this morning, Sunday, and everything was in normal ranges. I decided to vacuum the pool since I hadn't done it for a few days. I went to change the filter and when I stopped the pump, cloudy water was sitting inside the filter area. When I pulled the filter out, it was draining a milky like substance. I put the new filter in and it was fine. I hooked up the vacuum, which runs through the pump. As I got started, I noticed my return was shooting out cloudy water. The more I did, the cloudier it got. I went around the pool and did as much as I could, but it got to the point where I couldn't see anymore, so I stopped. I went to clean out the filter I had just removed and the top of it had a powdery residue on the top.

So, what could be going on? I obviously think that whatever made the water cloudy initially had settled on the bottom and then got stirred up while vacuuming and the pump recirculated it. But how can I fix this?

Thanks for any insight/help you might be able to give!

~Alison

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP! First thing I would ask is to see your test levels. We are happy to assist with water questions if your testing is done with a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C from YOU. We trust your testing with one of those kits more than anyone else or strips. So let's start with good test results.

As for the chlorine, what kind did you add exactly? Some have fabric products that mess-up pool water. Clarifier is almost never good to add since it can cause more problems later by clogging up the filter. But let's see some test results and tell us what type of chlorine you added and we should be able to help.

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Kentros]

Welcome to TFP! First thing I would ask is to see your test levels. We are happy to assist with water questions if your testing is done with a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C from YOU. We trust your testing with one of those kits more than anyone else or strips. So let's start with good test results.

As for the chlorine, what kind did you add exactly? Some have fabric products that mess-up pool water. Clarifier is almost never good to add since it can cause more problems later by clogging up the filter. But let's see some test results and tell us what type of chlorine you added and we should be able to help.

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

Thank you! The chlorine is CDS Liquid chlorinator. I buy it in a 4 pack from Rual King. It says it's 10%. I've been using this since we set the pool up with no problems until now. That was the last bottle in that box.

I don't have those test kits. Ive been using the HTH 6 way test strips and I also have the Clorox chlorine and pH liquid test kit. I'm reading a 1 for chlorine, 7.8 for pH, 180 for alkalinity, 200 for hardness, and CYA was 40.

 

[Texas Splash]

I know you probably only have a couple months left in the season, but test strips don't do you any favors. You'll want to get one of those kits for sure. But to help put things into perspective, to avoid algae you need to balance the FC to the CYA as noted on the FC/CYA Levels. When it (FC) gets too low .... algae. That's when we us the SLAM Process, but you have to have one of those test kits. You certainly want to have the water balanced properly before closing.

 

[TexEdmond]

1 for chlorine

That's a very low chlorine level for the amount of CYA. Our chart recommends no lower than 3ppm, with an ideal range of 5-7, safe to swim up to 15. With 1ppm of chlorine you're at great risk for algae growth.

7.8 for pH, 180 for alkalinity, 200 for hardness

That's pretty high for alkalinity and pH. Even at that low calcium hardness, the water might start looking milky because of calcium dust coming out of solution. The same thing happened with my pool when things started warming up this pool season. Muriatic Acid and a lot of waiting was my friend.

Plus one for a valid test kit. It'll pay for itself in the long run, and you'll be totally in control. You might consider the PoolMath app as well, it's completely changed my life.