How do you know when your filter is the problem?

[Jubenez]

Hello,
This is my 3rd or 4th year using the troublefreepool.com method on my 33k gal in ground vinyl pool and I've been very successful at maintaining a crystal clear pool. This year, however, I have been slamming for 11 days now and still can't see the bottom of the shallow. The pool is blue but milky. The cc has been testing at .5 or 0. I'm brushing daily and maintaining appropriate FC per the CYA chart. I have seen 0 progesss in water clarity. I have a sand filter and we have deep cleaned the sand (it wasn't too bad) and it did not feel clumpy or gunky. I have tries DE filter aid. I broke down and tried clarifier, all to no avail. The DE aid method caused eventual increase in pump pressure requiring backwash, so I assume the filter is working as it should? I did 4 rounds with the aid, using it until backwash required. Nothing has made a difference. I'm considering floc but not excited about the thought of it. Really frustrated with of all the brushing etc and seeing no improvement. I'm used to a slow startup as it usually takes a few weeks of this method to clear the pool, but there was always obvious progress. Am I missing something?

Thank you!

 

[Jubenez]

Just to add that my PH and alkalinity are within range as well.

 

[Texas Splash]

Could you humor us with a full set of test results anyways please? Also refrain the use of floc or any other pool gimmicks. You might post a pic of the water. If your water is unreasonably cloudy, I can't help but feel like there's some algae hiding. Do you have main drains? If so, have you pulled the cover(s) to inspect? What about a light niche? Pulled the light out if you have one? No hollow ladders or steps in the pool?

 

[Jubenez]

Sure, thanks for responding!
FC 12
CYA 30
PH 7.2
TA 100

We do have a drain, how do you go about inspecting it? It's in the 8 ft deep end. We have a light that i have scrubbed the exterior of with the pool brush. No recessed steps or anything else. Ladder has not been installed for the season.

Thanks!

 

[Texas Splash]

We do have a drain, how do you go about inspecting it?

Someone has to draw the short straw and go down there. The light you refer to, is it one of those standard large hallogen lights, mounted to a niche (cavity) with a retaining ring? If so, you'll want to turn off power to the light, remove it, and leave it on the decking and clean that niche. The niche and drain covers (underneath) can definitely hide some algae.

 

[Bperry]

What kind of clarifier did you put in and how much? Sounds like that stuff coagulates particles floating in the water which may make it look cloudy.

 

[Jubenez]

Clarifier brand was Utikem, something my husband picked up locally. Used about 12 oz per instruction.

When you say examine the drain, you mean dive down and feel it out? There's probably no seeing it thru the clouds. Oh good lordy that water is cold lol.

I know the drain is not clogged because i turned the skimmer input off to test it.

 

[Jubenez]

And yes on the light, I will remove and inspect. That can really be a cause of cloudy pool? I had no idea!

 

[Texas Splash]

That can really be a cause of cloudy pool?

Absolutely. Water goes behind the light to keep it cool. The water gets stagnant and you would be surprised what we've seen from some pool owners.

 

[Jubenez]

Okay, I just removed the light. There was a tiny bit of algae on the inner rim of the light. The place it attaches to looks clean as far as I can tell. I ran the brush over it.

 

[Texas Splash]

That's good. You should probably leave the light out for a day or two to allow chlorine to really sanitize that area in the niche. Hopefully your light cord is long enough. Be sure the light breaker is OFF so no one turns it on accidentally and burns-out the bulb.

 

[Jubenez]

I understand why floc is not recommended in general. But if I do it properly, I feel like we will not be wasting so many days of swimming. I know how long my pool takes to go from cloudy to clear and we are looking at weeks IF it starts clearing up now. That would put me minimum 4 weeks of open pool and pump running with no use. If the general advice is that it won't work then I'll skip it. But I'm willing to spend the time and water replacement if I can move on with my life

 

[Texas Splash]

If you wish to use floc, that is 100% up to you. From a TFP perspective, we avoid it whenever possible. Only few exceptions. But certainly your call. Be sure to never let it hit the sand. Also remember that floc does not kill algae, so just like the live stuff you found behind the light this morning, there could be more somewhere which is why the water might be slow to clear. In the end ... your pool your choice. We just try to coach you along through the SLAM Process.

 

[Jubenez]

Thank you for the feedback.
Would polyquat kill the "hidden" algae?

 

[Jubenez]

If you wish to use floc, that is 100% up to you. From a TFP perspective, we avoid it whenever possible. Only few exceptions. But certainly your call. Be sure to never let it hit the sand. Also remember that floc does not kill algae, so just like the live stuff you found behind the light this morning, there could be more somewhere which is why the water might be slow to clear. In the end ... your pool your choice. We just try to coach you along through the SLAM Process.

I do appreciate this. It has probably kept me as well as many others from jumping on the floc train without proper understanding and consideration. Still undecided. But thanks for the info!

 

[SDor]

I had this problem one year, and it was fixed by doing a filter deep clean. I guess you've already done that. Prior to learning of the deep clean, I limped through a couple years of adding synthetic DE. After the deep clean, clear water.

The question that needs to be answered is whether the filter is working, but the algae is still busy reproducing, or if the filter is bad and it is just dead algae in the pool. The overnight chlorine drop test will answer this. If your FC level drops overnight more than 0.5, then your pool still has an active algae infection. In this case, I'd consider increasing the chlorine level. Maybe your CYA test is wrong? Maybe your FC test is bad? Maybe you have mustard algae hiding somewhere. The test kit reagents do go bad over time.

If the chlorine doesn't drop overnight, then the algae infection is dead, and your filter is most likely the problem. Maybe some of the internal fins are broken. Maybe another deep clean is in order.... Maybe your sand level is too low (although this begs the question of where did the sand go?). Don't fall for the "replace the sand because it is worn out" idea the pool store might suggest. Sand doesn't wear out. But it can get gunky and dirty.

 

[Jubenez]

I had this problem one year, and it was fixed by doing a filter deep clean. I guess you've already done that. Prior to learning of the deep clean, I limped through a couple years of adding synthetic DE. After the deep clean, clear water.

The question that needs to be answered is whether the filter is working, but the algae is still busy reproducing, or if the filter is bad and it is just dead algae in the pool. The overnight chlorine drop test will answer this. If your FC level drops overnight more than 0.5, then your pool still has an active algae infection. In this case, I'd consider increasing the chlorine level. Maybe your CYA test is wrong? Maybe your FC test is bad? Maybe you have mustard algae hiding somewhere. The test kit reagents do go bad over time.

If the chlorine doesn't drop overnight, then the algae infection is dead, and your filter is most likely the problem. Maybe some of the internal fins are broken. Maybe another deep clean is in order.... Maybe your sand level is too low (although this begs the question of where did the sand go?). Don't fall for the "replace the sand because it is worn out" idea the pool store might suggest. Sand doesn't wear out. But it can get gunky and dirty.

I will try the overnight test tonight and go from there! Thanks!

 

[Jubenez]

Good news...it's starting to clear up without floc..
Bad news....sand is getting in thr pool..maybe we broke a lateral deep cleaning I'll start a new thread for this!

 

[Texas Splash]

Ahhhh man. One step forward and another one back. But at least you see some progress. One thing at a time I guess.

 

[Bperry]

Good news...it's starting to clear up without floc..
Bad news....sand is getting in thr pool..maybe we broke a lateral deep cleaning I'll start a new thread for this!

If it’s not piling up sand, I might keep going to see if you can get the water clean before breaking the filter down. Of course, if progress stops, then that’s not so useful idea anymore.