Cloudy white water

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J

Jldeleon

Silver Supporter
Jun 29, 2019
31
Muskego, WI
OK...had a green pool. 32,500 gallons above ground.
Lots of money at the pool store which included stabilizer, muriatic acid, shock, two different algae treatments...then found this site. Have a Frogger with tablet cartridge attached to sand filter. Replaced the sand in the filter last season.
I’ve been slamming. Ph was 8.6 initially. I started this on either Friday or Saturday (today is Wednesday).
Ph 7.2 (got adjusted to this # before working to the FC levels)
CYA 28
FC 1.4 (at start) - dosed til test strip gave us FC of >10

Pool went from green to cloudy white now (white since Monday). We’re back at work so the frequency of chlorine adds is a challenge.
I am using both test strips and an HTH 6 way test kit.
CYA using manual kit, landed between 40-50-Aquacheck test strip I would say reported “low”.
Per the Aquacheck test strip, i would say that both the total colorine and the free chlorine look to be somewhere between the 1-3 in coloration. Total chlorine in the manual kit originally i would say matched 1-2, so consistent with the test strip.

Tomorrow is the 4th...I did just put in clarifier in the hopes of some more movement. I know I should be hitting it hard with shock, but would also like to be able to swim tomorrow...lots of sun the past two days has been hitting the chlorine. And from what I think i have learned on this site, the fact that my FC and TC seem to be nearly equal, the white cloudiness is likely still algae which is consuming the chlorine.

So...if i also think that as long as the CYA and FC fall in line on the chart from this site, i could probably hit her hard with chlorine tonight and likely swim tomorrow no problem.
 
Welcome to TFP! If your FC is at or below SLAM level for your CYA (which of course is saying you have above the target level) and you can see the bottom of the pool in the deep end, for safety purposes, it is safe to swim in. Would I? No. But that’s just me. I’m only swim in clear pool water.

You mentioned you’ve been around the site. Have you ordered a recommended test kit? Following our approach to pool management requires it. You are welcome to buy them wherever but that’s what is holding you back right now.
 
OK...
Using Taylor K2006 test kit:
FC - 8
CC - 1.5
PH - 7.2
Alkalinity (110-140) giving a range here b/c the sample was definitely fully pink at 110, just not sure if it’s supposed to be more intense red. Thinking I need the 140 # based on what I’m reading...
Calcium (350-440) again...range b/c i’m not sure if the full change to a light purplish vs. more bluish matters...thinking I may need to retest b/c of metals based on these instructions...?
CYA gonna say 60 - but I can’t believe there is not a more precise test than reading a black dot...our eyes can really deceive us as to whether the dot we know is there is there...ugh.

We did shock last night b/c old test strips showed low chlorine...though I’m trusting that this new test kit will help with answers.

Best I can tell, need to lower my Alkalinty...which says to do so with Muriatic Acid (based on my interpretation of this book, that would be 2 gallons of muriatic acid to reduce alkalinity from 140 to 90 (i.e. by 50 ppm) Concern here is that will reduce the ph, which is already on the low side.

After applying muriatic, then I assume I retest the water (with hopes of alkalinity being in-line). If alkalinity is good, adjust the ph (by adding soda ash...current reading before adjusting alkalinity would say add 1.92 lb). I’m stating this b/c I assume i do not apply the correction table amounts without first testing in between? Or would I do these at the same time...

Still cloudy water...hand disappears from site before you reach your elbow.

Thanks,
Jackie
 
Welcome to the forum!
Your pH is 7.2. Do not add any acid. TA is not a parameter to be concerned about in your situation. It will come down over time as you manage your pH.

You need to follow the SLAM Process. Use the SLAM level FC or 24 ppm as shown in FC/CYA Levels

Add liquid chlorine (use PoolMath for how much) to get to 24 ppm FC. Run your pump 24/7 and test and add LC every few hours to start.
 
If you have the K2006 kit, with small bottles of reagent, order additional FAS-DPD and CYA reagent now. You will need it. Visit TFTestkits.net for refills.
 
Well...my concern is this...i was slamming previously...and while i realize i may not have had the best test kit, and that TFP doesn’t trust pool store results...pool store results were equivalent to test strips and an HTH test kit i bought. I was slamming since the 1st, and while i may have been off target for some periods, i’m Certain i had to have been over the slam target (which I understand provides no additional benefit) for at least 4-5 days with no change at all in water clarity.
 
Your pool is cloudy, having gone from green to cloudy. So you have algae still in your pool. It's not some other cloudiness issue. The SLAM process takes POP (pool owner patience). Sometimes it can take up to a few weeks 2/3 to go from green to crystal clear. But that only works if you maintain the process consistently. I encourage you to tow the line on the SLAM process.
 

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You should not have added that much. Adjusting TA is not done that way. You need to raise your pH now. See if you can test the pH, though I suspect it will come up yellow.
 
You need a lot. Just to raise from 6.8 to 7.5 you need 17 lbs of borax.

Add what you have, aerate, go buy more borax.
 
Added 16 lbs of Borax...yellow is definitely moving. One of my test kits shows 6.8 as the lowest value it tests and it’s just shy of that (leaning toward orange vs. yellow). Alkalinity still looking like 90 to me...possibly 100...but I don’t really think the color deepened from the 9th to the 10th drop.

I don’t want to overshoot the ph...going to aerate again for 30 min and grab more borax. Assuming when I hit ph of 7 i can start by slam? Should not start it lower than 7 (even though I read that the liquid chlorine has ph in it)...?
 
Once you can read the pH on your drop tester (6.8) you can stop the borax and go with SLAM. The high TA will help the pH rise.

No more monster acid adds!
 
All I have to tell you guys is that if this doesn't work, my husband will never let me live it down...so you better be right. :) I'm counting on you!
But...I also find it unacceptable that the pool store says replacing the sand last year will basically cause it to be cloudy the entire season?!
 

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