Constant cloudy pool

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FaithMurray

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Jun 11, 2018
16
Carrizo Springs, Texas
I'm new here, I apologize if it's been posted before. I'm posting from my mobile. I've read a few articles but not much exactly related to my issue.

We have a summer waves 14ft pool with standard pump, filter, vacuum, and skimmer.

Here's some background. 2 weeks ago, neighbor invited 2 of his buddies to take a dive in our pool uninvited to us. Two days later, green swamp pool.

We shocked the pool when we found out about their uninvited excursion and the pool water turned cloudy.

Today, it's still cloudy.

We've done eveything except complete draining and refilling.

I'm very financially limited. All the test kits recommended are a bit out of my pockets reach. I'm using a 3 in 1 test kit for pH and chlorine.

High pH has always been our issue, keeping it down is a major headache. This morning, it test 8.0+ added 1-1/2 cup pH down and tested it again 30 minutes ago, 7.2. Chlorine stable at 3.

I know its not much info, granted I barely have a test kit.

Side note, everytime we vacuum the pool, the pool skimmer get filled with leaves twice a day. Water that comes back into pool from the discharge also cloudy. On occasion, a monster white cloud shoots out into the pool. And yes, there is a type c filter in the pump.

Take a moment and chuckle, but should I just start over, drain and refill, or invest more money on chemicals?

I've balanced pH and chlorine, added water clarifiers, vacuumed every 4 hours, let water sit still for 24 hours (hoping everything would settle), ran pump 5 days straight (cleaning filter and balancing pool) still the same.

What do i do?
 
Welcome to TFP...

The first thing you need to do is get a test kit. We recommend the TF100 from TFTestKits.net or the Taylor K-2006C. All you will need for this is Chlorine & CYA (stabilizer). Muriatic Acid and Borax to manage PH on a periodic basis as needed.

In the meantime, clear you pool of debris using pool tools such as a brush, vacuum, pool net , etc. If your pool is really dirty, it is recommended that you vacuum to waste to avoid clogging up your filter. By scooping out as much junk on the surface as well as on the bottom (you can blindly use your pool net to get as much as possible), you’re allowing your chlorine do to its job on the algae. If green now, add about a half a gallon of 10% liquid chlorine until you get your kit. That will add close to 5 ppm FC per day.

Here are some interesting articles...

Pool School - Read This BEFORE You Post
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Pool School - How to Chlorinate Your Pool
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart

Once you get your kit, test for the following and post your numbers here...
FC - Free Chlorine
CC - Combined Chlorine
PH - Acidity/Basicity
TA - Total Alkalinity
CH - Calcium Hardness
CYA - Cyanuric Acid

P.S. Add your signature to your profile... see mine for an example...
 
The only chemicals you may need to invest in are probably bleach/liquid chlorine, muriatic acid, and possibly stabilizer (CYA). How long has the water been in your pool? Do you use powdered shock and/or chlorine pucks? These add stabilizer to your pool and it doesn't go away unless you dump water. Too much and your chlorine becomes ineffective at "normal" levels. The only solution is to dump some or all of your water. You do need some CYA/stabilizer because it also protects the chlorine but too much is not good.

The money you save from not buying chemicals and magic potions from a pool store will easily pay for one of the recommended test kits and that will give you full control of your easy to maintain, beautiful clear pool.
 
Please review the links in Post #2. It does NOT recommend using pucks. Solid chlorine has its place, but not here for regular maintenance.

Take care.
 
Based on everything you've said FaithMurray, and the "who knows what" those buddies added to your water during their little fun-fest :party:, I'd probably start over as well. New water may simply be your least costly course of action at this time, and you've made your budget constraints clear. At some point later, we'd enjoy showing you the TFP ropes with a better test kit and maintaining the same water, but for now ….. it's your call. Let us know what else we can do to help ….. or confuse you. :crazy:

By the way ….. welcome! :wave:
 
Hi, Faith. Yep, if new water is going to be your least costly option, that’s the way I would go. But do stop spending money on chemicals you don’t need, and hopefully you can save up and get a decent test kit at some point.

I do have some good news - Pool School is free! You can access it at the top of the page, or download the ebook at no cost on either Google Play or iBooks.

The other thing I would do IF you feel safe in doing so is to let neighbor know what his shenanigans have cost you. I’m rude enough to say, “ hey, you caused the issue, you should help pay to fix it” but I know that isn’t always a good idea, depending on circumstances!
 
I didn't expect this many answers. Thanks to everyone posting. I'm going to try and answer what i can.

I think pool is ~3350gal.

I use Clorox Pool&Spa shock for vinyl (powdered). I also use the "slow release" pucks by Clorox Pool&Spa. PH reducer is powdered and also by you know who, Clorox Pool&Spa. Test kit is 3in1 tests for pH, chlorine and bromine by, you guessed it.

Just test my pool now and pH is 7.6 chlorine at or below 0.5 (yellow is almost non existant.

I've already read a few articles as well here. Love the community and feedback, i just seem lost and stumped. As for a test kit, i saw a few posters saying the k-1000. Is it passable? Amazon currently has it within my budget (i looked at other kits and over 30 scares me).

Personally, i don't want to drain and refill but it is at the end of things to do.

I love the idea of confronting the neighbor but, the son, who invited his guests into our pool, is dead broke and probably was the one who stole our weedeater. Thats another topic in of itself :calm:

Quick question, i live in southwest texas where the mesquite trees are abundant. Currently our tree is flowering and the flowers are falling in our pool. Could mesquite pollen be the culprit? Or the 100+ degree weather we've had these past weeks?

Also, if everything is balanced, can we still take a dive?

PS: Ill update my sig. :wink:
 

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Hello Faith...

I would just stick with Chlorine & CYA (stabilizer). And Muriatic Acid and Borax to manage PH on a periodic basis as needed. I'm not sure how much more the Pool&Spa cost, but I'm guessing it is more than just plain bleach, muriatic acid and borax. Not sure.

With Chlorine at or below 0.5 (by using your own test kit), you should bring the up. That's if you decide not to drain and refill your pool, which I think would be the cheapest thing to do. However, if you don't go that route, and I don't know your current CYA level, it's hard to give you a range of what that Chlorine range should be. Nevertheless, if your pool is green now, add about a half a gallon of 10% liquid chlorine until and test again. Try to get your FC up to a minimum of 5.

View this link to see Test Kits Compared

Again, draining and refilling may the the cheapest rout to go as many have suggested.

Be careful confronting your neighbors. I don't know what the circumstances are but if the son is stealing things from your home (amongst others), you should have someone with you if you decide to confront the neighbors.

In addition, I know that heat would consume your chlorine at a faster rate; this is why you should test your chlorine level every day and make sure it's at a minimum of 5. You don't want your chlorine to fall FAR below that number because that's how algae start to find room in your pool. Again, you may just want to drain and refill your pool. As far as the mesquite trees, I'll let someone chime in here in a few minutes to give you more information on that. I just know that these are a constant source of pool debris. Thus, you will need to vacuum and also use skim net for your pool more often than those who don't have those trees.
 
My husband found the issue. Anyone who has a stock Summer Waves Elite 14ft pool will know what I'm gonna say.

There's a gap between the motor outlet and the housing where the return hose connects. We believe that gap is reason for the pool to be balanced but cloudy and why when we vacuum, dirtier water shoots back into the pool.

Thanks everyone for the feedback and info.
 
My update to "constantly cloudy pool"

I'm still a novice here but i feel like i should update those who gave us suggestions to our inquiry on our cloudy pool.

We decided to do a complete drain and refill of our pool. I read a few posts that recommend to adjust pH and chlorine, we did that. Five days after drain and refill, we're happy to say we have a clear pool, longer than the first time. :party:

We downloaded the Pool School eBook, put our granular shock away and invested in 8% bleach. Got a gallon of muriatic acid. A big bag of baking soda as well.

A buddy of my husband said our alkalinity was probably too high, and that may be the reason why we had to add 1-1/2 to 2 cups of acid per night and 5 to 7 cups of bleach (4% btw).

Now we're adding 3/4 cups of MA to keep our pH at about 7.2 (from 7.6 or 7.8 before adding) and about 2 cups of 8% bleach to keep chlorine between 1 and 4 all day.

It was a costly adventure. But with the Pool School and Pool Math found here, we're still learning.

We also have a savings plan to get the K-2006 test kit and hopefully a 12" or 16" sand filter (will be back on that one). ;-)

Thanks to everyone who helped. As well as for the posts that helped (too many to say but they are somewhere here lol).

:lovetfp:
 
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