Cloudy water (see this on a lot, don't ya)

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jimnruthie

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Apr 14, 2009
18
This is my first season using BBB, bought the TFP test kit and am using it. Read Pool School and Turning your Swamp into Oasis.

Upon uncovering (mesh cover), pool was green, green, green (a bad pollen year with lots of oaks and pines around pool area).

Started pump and ran it 24/7. After getting ph = 7.2 and TA = 110, starting shocking while adding CYA in sock/skimmer - CYA was 0. Used about 45 lbs of Calcium Hypoclorite (left over from last season) to start with - Ca level was 270 so I wasn't worried about using it first. Then switched to 6% bleach. My target FC shock level was 10. Brushed sides and bottom, ran Polaris. Got the green out in about 2-3 days following Turning your Swamp into Oasis instructions. Numbers were great (FC: 3-5, TC: <.5, pH: 7.2, TA: 100
Ca: 290), except CYA still not above 10 - but I wasn't losing that much FC in the daylight and was holding steady at night. I'm still bringing the CYA up slowly. (Pool store lady said to go ahead and shock with low CYA).

After another 3-4 days, my gray-white couldiness was not dissipating and Sand Filter back pressure was not rising any more. Tried a clarifer (left over from last season). No effect. Tried another clarifier with flock and it maybe helped a little - but while vaccing to waste I kicked up some more pockets of algae. AHA! Went back to shock level of FC, brushed and vacced like a madman. After one day, FC holding shock level overnight, with CC <.5. BUT......

Pump still running after 2-3 days and cloudiness STILL not getting better. Numbers tonight - FC: 3, TC: <.5, pH: 7.2, TA: 90 Ca: 290 CYA: <15.

If anyone is still with me after reading this novella, any ideas? Oh yeah, I replaced the sand 2 years ago. I'm thinking about replacing the top 1/3 of the sand to see if that will help.

Thanks.
 
Jimnruthie,

Hey. Welcome.

You do not have enough chlorine in your pool.

Shocking is a process....not a one time event. You must bring your FC to shock level and hold it there until.....
1. Your pool water is sparkling
2. Your CC's are .5ppm or less
3. You can hold your FC overnight without losing more than 1ppm.


Bring your FC back up to 15 or so and keep it ther until your pool is clear.

The sand is irrelevant......chlorine will clear your pool.
 
Well I do agree with Dave on the criteria for shocking, but not necessarily the part about the sand being irrelevant. In all fairness to the OP, they stated the FC held overnight, more than once.

Sand filters CAN take longer to clear up dead algae and there are ways to aid filtration. It takes lots of POP in this situation, and time to let the filter do it's job - it can take a week or longer. That being said, are you 100% certain the algae is dead and the FC loss overnight is less than 1ppm? Because if there is a chance you still have organics consuming the chlorine that will surely contribute to the cloudiness.

With your "L" shape, and no bottom drain, adequate circulation can be an issue when clearing the pool. I assume you have a deepend? Make sure your returns are pointed down and in a direction that aids in circulation. Are you still running the polaris? Are you certain there is no organic matter on the bottom? Are you brushing daily?

If you are at all in doubt, it may be wise to heed Dave's advice and keep it at shock level until it is sparkly.
 
Thanks for all the replies! Been a busy day or I would have responded sooner.

mom- the DE trick sounds like a good idea.

duraleigh- i had #2 and #3; didn't realize #1 was needed before reducing FC to maintenance level. Guess I read "Swamp to Oasis" wrong. Will keep FC @ 15 until water is clear.

mom- you are right, FC did hold overnight for multiple nights. RE some pockets of algae holding out, I guess it is possible. My first post on this site was about some serious wrinkling in my deep end - it would probably be a good hiding place. I'm brushing my arse off.

Bfly- my Triton sand filter is so old that I can't read anything off the nameplate. It is about four feet high by about three feet in diameter. Does 500# sound right. I'm not sure.

Again, thanks for the help all.
 
Mom- I added some DE to my sand filter this evening. It only took 1/2 cup to raise the backpressure by one psi, instead of the typical 1-2 cups in the link you provided. Does this indicate some kind of problem with my filter?

My FC level dropped from 12 to 7 over the day today (I was at work and couldn't add bleach). Brought it back up tonight and will be home all day tomorrow to keep a closer eye on it. CYA is still at 20, but I 'put a sock in it' tonight! My CC is always reading less than .5.

Thanks for the help.
 
just my .02....hold FC at 15 until clear and be patient...

But just an observation...I have never used Calcium hypochlorite...but 45 pounds seems like an awful a lot...assuming 73% calcium hypo...that is like 100 gallons of 6%...seems like an awful lot of calcium
 
I think you should get your CYA level up to at least 30. If you do that you won't lose nearly as much FC to sunlight.

If the algae is all dead, it can still take the filter a week or more to clear up the water. If the algae is all dead and the filter is working you should see a visible, possibly small, improvement in the water each day.
 

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