Cloudy Water

Jump to latest Follow Reply
J

jonathan8610

Active member
Jul 10, 2019
25
Connecticut
Tested pool this morning:

FC - 0
TC - 0
pH - 6.8
TA - 90
CH - 50
CYA - 0

Had metals in the pool and currently sequestering them with Metal Magic. Pool has been running 24/7 and the water is blue but you cannot see to the bottom. Pool store told me there were phosphates present in the water. Based on some research, I've read that this could be from the Metal Magic. However I also read that adding phosphate remover would negate the effects of the Metal Magic so not sure what to do there. Wondering if the low chlorine and pH is the issue or the phosphates. I'd also like to bring the chlorine and pH levels up in the water but want to do it carefully since I am afraid to shock the pool which will oxidize the metals. I typically add liquid chlorine to the pool. Should I do this in incremental doses until I can get the chlorine levels to around 2-3 ppm?
 
Yes, I've been trying to research and read as much as possible including Pool School so I don't need to rely on the pool store. I figure in a typical pool with no metals you would SLAM and run the filter until the pool clears up, however I am trying to figure out the best process to get the chlorine and pH to optimal levels considering I have metals in the water, though they are currently sequestered with Metal Magic.
 
As far as your pool, how long have you had it? What test kit are you using? Successful pool care begins with a proper, lab grade test kit. We highly suggest the TF-100 which has Taylor reagents. We do not use nor trust the test strips. Pool store testing is wholly unreliable. So first thing, get a proper test kit, run the full series of tests, and report your results.

From the above test results though, I see you have no CYA, which is critical for a well-balanced pool. You also show no chlorine. This is going to cause a lot of problems very quickly. Use pool math for your pool volume to see how much chlorine you need to add. Keep in mind, your chlorine level is a function of your CYA level. So make sure you read and understand the CYA/Chlorine chart.
 
I've had the pool for about 10 years. I have AquaChek Pool Test Strips. Thanks for sending a recommendation for a test kit, I will purchase a proper test kit and run the full series of tests and report on the results.

Based on the notion of test strips being unreliable, I'm unsure if my CYA is truly 0. I am using 3'' trichlor tablets in a floating dispenser so I feel like there may actually be CYA in the water. So I'll run the tests before adding any sort of stabilizer to the water.

In the meantime, while I wait for the test kit to ship, what should I do about the chlorine? I know I need to add some to the water but is there a recommended amount I should aim for considering the metals in the water? I'm afraid to shock the water and oxidize the metals.

I ran the calculations in Pool Math and it says I should add 77 oz. of 10% liquid chlorine to get to 3 ppm. Is that a good starting point or should I hold off on doing anything before running the tests?
 
While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running.
 
I went on the conservative side and added enough liquid chlorine to get to 3 ppm FC and my pool cleared up but turned light green. I added another 2 bottles of Metal Magic to sequester the metals. I guess I should be aiming to keep the chlorine at 1-2 ppm? I'm trying to find the sweet spot where I can keep the metals sequestered but also keep some chlorine in the water.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply