Day 17 update: Cloudypoolitis...... the opposite of sparklypoolitis 
That is the 3rd step however!!!
That is the 3rd step however!!!
Clueless! New to forum
- Thread starter jhkh
- Start date
Okay, second suggestion to deep clean the sand filter. There is no telling what is in there or it may be channeled!
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/73192-Deep-Cleaning-a-Sand-Filter
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/73192-Deep-Cleaning-a-Sand-Filter
Current numbers:
FC = 13 (I have been keeping the FC level up to 19 for the past 10 days, so this reading is right after a heavy rain but before I added the next dose of bleach)
CC = .5
pH = 7.5
TA = 130
CYA = 27
Also, Butterfly, my son & I just emptied, cleaned out, inspected & filled the filter with 300 lbs of new sand last summer. Would I expect problems with that already??
FC = 13 (I have been keeping the FC level up to 19 for the past 10 days, so this reading is right after a heavy rain but before I added the next dose of bleach)
CC = .5
pH = 7.5
TA = 130
CYA = 27
Also, Butterfly, my son & I just emptied, cleaned out, inspected & filled the filter with 300 lbs of new sand last summer. Would I expect problems with that already??
Day 18: I want to deep clean the filter next, but I'm not sure I can do it by myself..... wish me luck!!!
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I did mine all by myself last summer. It was a lot of work BUT I made a mistake that cost me time and effort. I will tell you what it was so you can avoid it!
When I was pushing the hose down into the sand to make sure I was stirring it up good and getting all of the bugs and stuff up and out I unseated the center tube That meant I had to take all of the sand out so I could reset it. I SHOULD have thought of here to help me but I was in the moment and just started hand scooping the sand out and into my wheelbarrow. I did NOT even think of using a shop vac It would have been so much easier and faster.
SO make sure you do not unseat your tube when you clean and you should have a easy time of it.
Good luck!
Kim
When I was pushing the hose down into the sand to make sure I was stirring it up good and getting all of the bugs and stuff up and out I unseated the center tube
That meant I had to take all of the sand out so I could reset it. I SHOULD have thought of here to help me but I was in the moment and just started hand scooping the sand out and into my wheelbarrow. I did NOT even think of using a shop vac It would have been so much easier and faster.SO make sure you do not unseat your tube when you clean and you should have a easy time of it.
Good luck!
Kim
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Did mine recently, not that bad just take your time.
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Wait a minute ... you just changed sand recently didn't you ?? If so there wouldn't be any benefit to trying to deep clean it.
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I've been slapped around before for this but if you are really frustrated and just have to see the bottom you could use a floc. I was the same way after the second week and I broke down and tossed in a bottle of BioGard PowerFloc, let it circulate a bit and then shut the pump down for a day. It did work to clump up the little stuff in the pool and vacuumed to waste and went back to SLAM.
It isn't recommended, you should be able to do without it but it's a shortcut you might consider. I'm sure the HTH at Walmart or ... would be less expensive but I've only used the BioGard and didn't have any ill effects.
Before and after photos. Right before I added it and 23 hrs later after vacuuming it. The after isn't that good a photo as I was able to see the deep end drain which I hadn't seen since last year !!
It isn't recommended, you should be able to do without it but it's a shortcut you might consider. I'm sure the HTH at Walmart or ... would be less expensive but I've only used the BioGard and didn't have any ill effects.
Before and after photos. Right before I added it and 23 hrs later after vacuuming it. The after isn't that good a photo as I was able to see the deep end drain which I hadn't seen since last year !!
Attachments
Day 19 update: Feeling pretty discouraged Coming up on 3 weeks & 80 gallons of bleach If there are no other suggestions, I'm going to go ahead and try the floc. Progress is dreadfully slow at this point!!
Coming up on 3 weeks & 80 gallons of bleach If there are no other suggestions, I'm going to go ahead and try the floc. Progress is dreadfully slow at this point!!
OK, well I am new to the pool stuff, and I also had a cloudy pool and now it's crystal. I now follow the BBB. But here is what worked for me overnight. I hate to say that it's a clarifier, but that's what it is. I got it from Lowe's. Do you have Lowe's in your neck of woods. I was amazed by this thing. I added friday AM and had clear pool saturday AM. I will never let my pool get cloudy again due to using BBB. At the time, I had no idea what I should do and what I was doing. Read the dosage carefully. Initial dose is higher than maintenance dose, not that I will ever add it again if not needed. Good luck. It was rated 5 stars. Besides that, don't dump anything else in your pool, and I would not mess with FLOCC. Make sure you get the clarifier not the FLOCC.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_4692-1772-2...ier&pl=1¤tURL=?Ntt=clarifier&facetInfo=
http://www.lowes.com/pd_4692-1772-2...ier&pl=1¤tURL=?Ntt=clarifier&facetInfo=
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Everyone has an opinion and you are certainly entitled to yours but how about saying why you would not mess with floc or what mess there is with using a flocking agent
The reason why I would not use flocc is because you have to vacuum to waste. If you are SLAM-ing and trying to bring all the levels to normal, then losing water in my opinion is not good. Since he already waited over 2 weeks, I think something like the aquachem clarifier might help his sand filter trap the smaller stuff and maybe it will be an overnight success like I had. That's just my opinion, but he can use flocc if he wants, it's just more involved than clarifier.
Day 19 update: Feeling pretty discouraged
Hi, jhkh!
I'm on Day 22 of my first SLAM, and I can sure understand your frustration!! If you check out my thread, you'll see that my pool has gone from green to blue but has been stuck on cloudy since June 26th!!
I will be watching to see if you try a clarifier or flocc. You be the guinea pig
LOL, no seriously...I'm subscribing to your thread and hopefully we can learn from each other!It would be pretty amazing if that clarifier cleared his pool like it did mine within 24 hours. Maybe we would have BBBC lol jk.
Hey Darlene! I have been watching your thread too!! LOL
Thanks everyone for the suggestions I am so grateful for the help 
I'm not sure which method I will try, but am headed out to see what I can find to buy tomorrow. I don't have a vacuum for my pool, but did purchase the hose recently. So, just checking, I will still need to buy a vac head (with a brush for vinyl liner?) and a vac plate for the skimmer basket? If I just plug the hose into the skimmer bottom & vacuum with the multiport valve on waste, does the water still go through the pump basket? Does water always go through the pump basket (I have a very hard time opening it)?
Also, am I understanding that you don't have to vacuum with the clarifier but you do with the floc?
Thanks again for all the help everyone,
Joanne
Thanks everyone for the suggestions
I am so grateful for the help I'm not sure which method I will try, but am headed out to see what I can find to buy tomorrow. I don't have a vacuum for my pool, but did purchase the hose recently. So, just checking, I will still need to buy a vac head (with a brush for vinyl liner?) and a vac plate for the skimmer basket? If I just plug the hose into the skimmer bottom & vacuum with the multiport valve on waste, does the water still go through the pump basket? Does water always go through the pump basket (I have a very hard time opening it)?
Also, am I understanding that you don't have to vacuum with the clarifier but you do with the floc?
Thanks again for all the help everyone,
Joanne
I have not had any luck with a vac plate. It just never seems to get the suction needed or an air leak causes problems. I just take the skimmer basket out and plug the hose right into the hole.
The water does through the pump basket. I also have a hard time opening my pump basket top. I keep a small board there to gently hit the tabs on the lid. I cannot open it just using my hands.
Let us know how it goes!
Kim
The water does through the pump basket. I also have a hard time opening my pump basket top. I keep a small board there to gently hit the tabs on the lid. I cannot open it just using my hands.
Let us know how it goes!
Kim
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Kimkats, not sure what your pump basket hold downs look like but on my Hayward I used a little wheel bearing grease on the threads as I also had a hard time loosening them and getting them to smoothly tighten down without it. Oil would work too, grease lasts longer. I'd be worried about tapping them repeatedly.
Jhkh, Without a vac you would need to go with a clairifier as the floc has to be vacuumed out and has to go to waste. You don't want floc in your filter.
I use the plate to seal to my skimmer without problems. Might be your AG skimmer is just different enough it takes something special to seal properly. I wouldn't remove the basket at the skimmer or pump. They both protect the pumps impeller from something getting to it that it might not be able to handle.
The skimmer basket needs to be in place as there might be something in the pool (when opening) that gets through the hose but jams in an underground 90 and could be a nightmare to get out. With clear water you're less likely to suck something that big up but it's not worth the risk IMHO.
All it would take is someones clear or almost clear Gatorade cap getting in the vac and up the hose and ........
The pump is one way and anytime it's running it's pulling water through the basket in front of it. From there it usually goes to the multiport valve and then can either be sent out to waste without going through the filter or filtered or recirculated without being filtered.
Just in case, that multiport valve should only be turned when the pump is off and always rotated in the same direction, usually clockwise makes the most sense. The gasket under the handle wears in one direction and can tear if you start going both directions.
Jhkh, Without a vac you would need to go with a clairifier as the floc has to be vacuumed out and has to go to waste. You don't want floc in your filter.
I use the plate to seal to my skimmer without problems. Might be your AG skimmer is just different enough it takes something special to seal properly. I wouldn't remove the basket at the skimmer or pump. They both protect the pumps impeller from something getting to it that it might not be able to handle.
The skimmer basket needs to be in place as there might be something in the pool (when opening) that gets through the hose but jams in an underground 90 and could be a nightmare to get out. With clear water you're less likely to suck something that big up but it's not worth the risk IMHO.
All it would take is someones clear or almost clear Gatorade cap getting in the vac and up the hose and ........
The pump is one way and anytime it's running it's pulling water through the basket in front of it. From there it usually goes to the multiport valve and then can either be sent out to waste without going through the filter or filtered or recirculated without being filtered.
Just in case, that multiport valve should only be turned when the pump is off and always rotated in the same direction, usually clockwise makes the most sense. The gasket under the handle wears in one direction and can tear if you start going both directions.