Cloudy water (opaque)

Bobswe · May 31, 2020

Opened my 16x32 inground pool last week. Pool had a tint of green but I could see the bottom of the pool deep end. I usually give it a vacuum before I add the chemicals because I know I need to backwash. Upon vacuuming, the pool became cloudy. I brought the ph to 7.2, TA to 90, CYA to 20 and shocked it but good. The pool turned blue within an hour or two but the water stayed cloudy (opaque). It has been a week of a cloudy pool and am frustrated. I run the filter at least 8 hours a day. I attached a before picture and 2 pictures since. Suggestions?

JohnT · May 31, 2020

You probably should be running the filter 24/7 until it clears up. I’d guess you have a sand filter, and they are slow and steady at clearing things up.

Donldson · May 31, 2020

What precisely does, "shocked it but good" mean? What did you add? How much did you add? Over what time frame did you add it? What have you added since then?

Bobswe · May 31, 2020

Donldson said:
What precisely does, "shocked it but good" mean? What did you add? How much did you add? Over what time frame did you add it? What have you added since then?

I added 2 gallons of Liquid Shock. Fc still read 0 after 30 minutes. I added 3 lbs of powdered pool shock thinking I need to raise the CYA anyway. After 30 minutes it only read 8ppm so I added 2 more gallons of LIquid shock. The PPM then read extremely high (I use TF 100 test kit). Over the course of a full week I did adjust the FC to 4ppm. I do have a sand filter. Since the first day I have used Chlorine pucks because I am trying to raise the CYA to 30. I do have the TF 100 test kit and use Liquid chlorine during the summer.

bmoreswim · May 31, 2020

You need to perform the SLAM Process. Follow it very specifically. Ask questions. Just to clarify, the tint of green you saw originally was algae. It didn’t get eradicated and is now manifesting as cloudy water. Cloudy water is almost always algae. Running the pump 24/7 is part of the SLAM protocol as is adjusting pH to 7.2 - 7.5. But read it 3 times and follow it in detail. Often folks determine that some steps are optional for them. Doesn’t usually go well.

Bobswe · May 31, 2020

bmoreswim said:
You need to perform the SLAM Process. Follow it very specifically. Ask questions. Just to clarify, the tint of green you saw originally was algae. It didn’t get eradicated and is now manifesting as cloudy water. Cloudy water is almost always algae. Running the pump 24/7 is part of the SLAM protocol as is adjusting pH to 7.2 - 7.5. But read it 3 times and follow it in detail. Often folks determine that some steps are optional for them. Doesn’t usually go well.

When I test the pool using my TF 100 test kit I show accurate FC readings and no algae when I put in the R-0003 drops. And I do check that each time. I thought that’s what that test determines? It’s always been pretty accurate for me.

Donldson · May 31, 2020

R-0003 is not an algae test! It is a Combined Chlorine test, a chlorine byproduct created when Free Chlorine reacts with ammonia. Algae doesn't produce ammonia, so the presence or absence of CC has no bearing to the presence or absence of algae.

pypeke · May 31, 2020

Run the pump 24 hours, too.

Bobswe · Jun 1, 2020

Donldson said:
R-0003 is not an algae test! It is a Combined Chlorine test, a chlorine byproduct created when Free Chlorine reacts with ammonia. Algae doesn't produce ammonia, so the presence or absence of CC has no bearing to the presence or absence of algae.

Thank you, that was a misconception I had. You guys & gals are all great.