Cloudy Water

[Mtorres1]

I've read through so many forums and I "think" I'm on track but hoping a seasoned expert here can help me out. We have an summer waves elite 15x48 above ground with the standard filter/pump that came with. After last summer we drained all about half inch of water and of course over winter it got some algae growth. I skimmed nearly all out before we started adding water two days ago. Since opening, I have vacuumed three times a day, changed the filter once after the initial bulk of it was out, and I've hosed down the filter after each vaccum.

Chemical wise, I've used the HTC 3-n1 shocker on day one, day two I added half gallon of bleach, and today on day 3 8 added a gallon in the morning and a gallon this evening.

Unfortunately, I don't have the fancy test kit (I know I need one) until this Thursday. I have the three way drops and the test strips. According to both the test strips and the drops, my Chlorine and FC are high (which is intended since I'm trying to keep it high to kill of residual algae) but my stabilizer and alkalinity are low. Pictures of both are attached.

When I first went cloudy on morning two, I could see algae centered in the middle of the pool floor through the cloudy water. After much vacuuming, I can no longer see that. The water is cloudy but I can tell that big spot is no longer settling there.

My question is, since I don't have the fancy test kit, do I focus on keeping chlorine and FC high, and ph within normal limits (I'm currently 7.2)? Despite my CYA reading incredibly low on the test strips, my FC is still high- perhaps because it's 65 and cloudy here? Should I keep adding bleach daily and running filter 24/7?

 

[Mtorres1]

Reading from 3way: ph 7.2, chlorine bright orange above 5, br above 10.

Resding from test test strips: chlorine 10, free chlorine 10, ph 7.2, alkalinity 0, CYA 0

 

[funandsun]

Did you ever get your test kit? How is the pool coming along?

 

[Catanzaro]

Welcome to TFP! Your algae was there at the end of the summer, stalled during the winter months and started up again in the warm weather. Because you have an above ground pool, it is very important to brush the pool often and keep the pool at proper chlorine levels based on your CYA at all times. Circulation may be an issue and the pump may also have to run a little longer.

Please stop using all the extra products that are not necessary. All you need is CYA, Baking Soda, Bleach, Borax and Acid to lower PH (not all pools). You can use the tablets from time to time (away on vacation and to increase stabilizer), but most people here at the forum use the powdered stabilizer in a sock method.

I will not begin to recommend anything until accurate test results are posted. Also, please add your signature. What is the standard/filter pump? Please explain.