I cannot get rid of this slight haze

Rose38478

Member
Aug 17, 2019
22
Tennessee
Back story, opened to a swamp. I had a leaf cover only on over winter, didn't drop my vacuum etc like I should have (in my defense we had a go live software situation where I was working 70+ hours a week). Anyway, green down the walls, on the floor though the water itself wasn't green.

Cleaned her up, balanced my chemicals, slammed her until I had no overnight chlorine loss and my CC is zero. I did put a bit of algae remover in on the advice of the pool guy that came out to fix my leaky pipe.

But now I just cannot for the life of me get this slight haze out of my water. I know it looks clear but I know my pool and it's not all the way clear. I am in the south and we do have the "pollenating" going on to the point my black car has a yellow haze on it. The pic attached isn't great. You can, indeed, see the bottom across the pool. It's just a faint.......haze. My son and neighbor agree. Slightly cloudy.

Do I need a clarifier for the first time? Will it help? Or do I just start slamming it again?

FC: 6
CC: 0
PH: 7.4
ALK: 70
CH: 100
CYA: 50
 

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If you have a sand filter it takes a long long time to clear the haze from algae and sometimes pollen. The clarifier will eventually gum up and ruin the sand in the filter, I have no idea what it would do to a DE or cartridge filter. If it’s still cloudy keep slamming. Also adding DE to the sand filter (if that’s what you have) helps, but you will have to backwash a lot more.
 
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For sure no more algaecide or clarifiers.

If it were my pool and hazy, I would:
1. Bump up the chlorine. At CYA of 50, your target is 6-8 and you are at the very bottom of that range. Get it up to 8-10 just in case its algae.
2. Do an OCLT to see if you have algae
3. Keep an eye on your sand filter and backwash when you need
 
For sure no more algaecide or clarifiers.

If it were my pool and hazy, I would:
1. Bump up the chlorine. At CYA of 50, your target is 6-8 and you are at the very bottom of that range. Get it up to 8-10 just in case its algae.
2. Do an OCLT to see if you have algae
3. Keep an eye on your sand filter and backwash when you need
I have no OCLT I've been diligently checking. No combined chlorine, I've been vacuuming regularly, especially with the high winds we've had down here. Maybe I need to backwash every day and not just when my pressure drops a bit?
 
If you have a sand filter it takes a long long time to clear the haze from algae and sometimes pollen. The clarifier will eventually gum up and ruin the sand in the filter, I have no idea what it would do to a DE or cartridge filter. If it’s still cloudy keep slamming. Also adding DE to the sand filter (if that’s what you have) helps, but you will have to backwash a lot more.
Ok that's what I wanted to know. I didn't think a clarifier was the right move here. I was very hesitant and you confirmed that. I think I'll go back to slamming for a week and see if that helps.
 
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Rose,
Passing The Overnight Chlorine Loss Test is only 1 of the three criteria needed to end the
SLAM Process.
I suspect you simply aren’t finished.
I would resume slam and possibly try adding a little pool grade de to your filter if you will be around to backwash as needed.
IMG_2695.jpeg
 
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Back in the day when I had an undersized sand filter, and two giant white pines that extended over the pool, I can assure you that pollen clearing took a LONG time. (I got a new filter, and cut down the monster trees!)
Follow the continued SLAM advice as noted, just to be sure.
Sand filters are good down to 20-100 micron particles, pine pollen is 60-100 microns. And apparently you are still getting more added each day. So there could be a moderate amount not being captured as it goes through the filter. It all depends on the amount of sand, the design of the filter, whether the design-sized sand has been used, and the amount of water going through the filter each day. Don't be too hasty to backwash - the dirt it captures actually improves the filtration. As will addition of DE. Let your pressure gauge be your guide, and don't backwash until it is 25% above what your clean pressure was.
 
I have no OCLT I've been diligently checking. No combined chlorine, I've been vacuuming regularly, especially with the high winds we've had down here. Maybe I need to backwash every day and not just when my pressure drops a bit?
Good news on the OCLT. I do not have a sand filter, but I've seen reports that they actually filter better when slightly dirty. As odd as it sounds, backwashing every day could be counterproductive.
 
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Back in the day when I had an undersized sand filter, and two giant white pines that extended over the pool, I can assure you that pollen clearing took a LONG time. (I got a new filter, and cut down the monster trees!)
Follow the continued SLAM advice as noted, just to be sure.
Sand filters are good down to 20-100 micron particles, pine pollen is 60-100 microns. And apparently you are still getting more added each day. So there could be a moderate amount not being captured as it goes through the filter. It all depends on the amount of sand, the design of the filter, whether the design-sized sand has been used, and the amount of water going through the filter each day. Don't be too hasty to backwash - the dirt it captures actually improves the filtration. As will addition of DE. Let your pressure gauge be your guide, and don't backwash until it is 25% above what your clean pressure was.
Here in the mid south area they reported on the radio last week that the pollen count was the highest its ever been since they started keeping track of it! I definitely believe it. It’s been brutal here in Tennessee and Mississippi.
 
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Back in the day when I had an undersized sand filter, and two giant white pines that extended over the pool, I can assure you that pollen clearing took a LONG time. (I got a new filter, and cut down the monster trees!)
Follow the continued SLAM advice as noted, just to be sure.
Sand filters are good down to 20-100 micron particles, pine pollen is 60-100 microns. And apparently you are still getting more added each day. So there could be a moderate amount not being captured as it goes through the filter. It all depends on the amount of sand, the design of the filter, whether the design-sized sand has been used, and the amount of water going through the filter each day. Don't be too hasty to backwash - the dirt it captures actually improves the filtration. As will addition of DE. Let your pressure gauge be your guide, and don't backwash until it is 25% above what your clean pressure was.
Thank you!
 
That is a copper algaecide. Do not use any more.

It should not create hazy water. However it could have stained the pool walls. Be sure what you are seeing is actual hazy water and not stained pool walls.
 
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That is a copper algaecide. Do not use any more.

It should not create hazy water. However it could have stained the pool walls. Be sure what you are seeing is actual hazy water and not stained pool walls.
Ok thank you. I don't see any staining on the walls. Just that slight haze which I'm slamming again. Again, thank you for all your help.