Cloudy Water, High TA, Low Chlorine, and clueless pool owner

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M

mvient

0
Sep 7, 2007
5
Hey everyone.
So heres the deal, We have a 25000 gallon pool 3 feet in the shallow and 10 ft in the deep it is 17W X 42L, in ground gunite pool covered with plaster. My pool was finished in early November 2006. we took care of it throughout the winter and hired a pool guy to take care of it during the summer. He took over in June and we fired him in July because our pool wasn't being cared for properly. Always really cloudy no chlorine at all, he just wasn't doing what was needed and not to mention the algae infection that he left us with. My husband and I scrubbed and got all the algae off the walls and now it is free of algae BUT the pool is slightly cloudy. It was really bad to where you couldn't see the drains at the bottom but now you can see them it is just a little foggy. We shocked the pool a few times added tons of chlorine but it is still cloudy still not as bad as a few weeks ago. Here are my numbers:

160 TA
0 FC
1 TC
1 CC
7.2 PH
87* Pool Temp

I need to know what I can do to get my pool back to it's beautiful crystal clear water!! My hubby and I have no problem maintaining the pools chemicals. But as soon as we leave it to someone else and they messed it up we are clueless on how to get it back to where it was. The pool company balanced the water for us in the beginning and we maintained it for 8 months. So please help!! I want to swim in it before the summer is over!!!



Under water Pictures of the water:

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pics018.jpg


Above the water pictures:

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pics019.jpg



Those are dirt spots in the bottom of the pool. Our Navigator stopped working a couple days ago and they just fixed it today so it hasn't had the chance to run yet. =)

Also, we have been adding tons of chlorine but it isn't showing up in the test. So I don't know if it is just disappearing or what. We live in AZ, it that helps at all. =)
 
Welcome to the forum.

Chlorine is a consumable item. Just the smallest amount of algae bloom (which you have) will consume your chlorine almost as rapidly as you put it in......UNLESS...

You put in more chlorine....lot's of it. You'll need about 10 gallons of 6% clorox to bring your pool up to 25ppm. If you put that in in the evening, based on the pictures you posted, your water may well be clear in 24 hours. However, there's a good chance most of your chlorine will be gone again so you must do the same thing tomorrow eveing...bring your chlorine up to around 25 each evening until your pool is crystal clear. During this proces (and it is a process...not a one-time dosage) run your pump 24/7 and backwash as necessary. Your pool will clear.

You don't list a key test result CYA (stabilizer) If you can provide that, we can give you a little more accurate advice. If you have no CYA, report that, too and we'll tell you how to get it in your pool. Without it, the Sun will quickly consume whatever chlorine the algae has not already consumed.

Post back with questions and we'll all help get you back swimming before you know it.
 
Hi and welcome! I'm in AZ, as well.

If your pool is white plaster - I'm pretty sure you still have an algae problem by the color of the water in the pics.

What are you using to test? Strips, OTO, FAS/DPD or pool store testing?

One important test that you did not include is the CYA (stabilizer).

What have you been using to chlorinate and shock? - Please list the ingredients and not the brand name.

You say you've shocked and added tons of chlorine, but you didn't say how much and how often.

Chlorine needs to be maintained regularly. It sounds like you may have had quite an algae growth at first and perhaps are not shocking high enough to kill it all.

Get your CYA (cyanuaric acid) level tested - it may be too low or more often, it's way too high and requires very high levels to Shock and maintain. I suspect yours is probably very high.

Get some liquid chlorine (can be standard chlorox 6% or higher % if you buy it at the pool store)
It should take about 10 gallons of chlorox for your pool volume to bring your FC to 25 ppm.

Keep it at 25 ppm day and night until it holds at 24 - 25 ppm overnight. So, you may be adding more chlorine 2 or 3 times a day to keep it that high for several days. Keep your pump running 7/24 and backwash if necessary, until it clears up.

Once your chlorine holds overnight, you can begin to let it fall to a normal FC and give small doses every day or so to keep it in that range. Watch your pH so it doesn't go too high and add muriatic acid to keep it at 7.2 while you are clearing the water.
 
Ahh, a cartridge filter isn't backwashed, per se. You occassionally need to remove the cartridge/s and hose them down or even soak them in a solution to clean them. Some use dishwasher powder in water to soak them.

Oh, and take a sample of your water to Leslies to have them test for CYA and such.
 
Oh Okay. Yeah We take them out and use high water pressure to wash all four of the cartridges about once a month. I will take a water sample to Leslie's tomorrow and bring back the numbers. =)
 
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