I cant resolve the Cloudy pool Water, help!

[Jbarnes1]

Our pool builder left us with an incomplete mess of a project and there are many things wrong including unbalanced pool water.
Current reading using a K-2006-salt test:
*Free Chlorine: 1.2
*Combined Chlorine: .2
*PH: 7.4
*TA:110
*Hardness: 90
*CYA: 0
*Salt: 3800

Our pool stays around 92ﾟ and is covered when not in use. The last few weeks we have noticed the water being slightly cloudy and despite adjusting chemical levels the cloudiness persists.
It appears that the cloudiness is caused by a lot of little bubbles? See attached picture. The bubbles are free floating everywhere and also along the walls.

 

[wireform]

JB
Welcome, your numbers don't look terrible although 2 things stand out. The CYA needs to be minimum 30 and you can raise that with granular stabilizer via the sock method hanging from a stick in front of an active return away from the wall, per poolmath that's about 7.5lbs as long as you're sure the pb didn't use any.
Your FC is in danger zone and needs to be treated now like a chlorine pool with a target of 4-6ppm. You should raise that per poolmath with liquid chlorine depending on the % strength you buy. Your signature is incomplete not showing a pump and or heater. The bubbles you show is fine stuff floating in the water still needing to be filtered out. Hopefully you didn't start a algae bloom which in the beginning stages can be present even with clear water. Once the water maintains the FC and a OCLT proves no algae present you'll then be able to raise the CYA to 50 since it's a covered pool and the season is winding down. You need to read the links below
Pool Care Basics
FC/CYA Levels
PoolMath
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
SLAM Process

 

[Jbarnes1]

Thank you so much for the response and help. I am still learning all of this on my own and was so proud of myself for learning the Taylor kit, correctly lowering the TA while also increasing PH through aeration and yet this cloudy water still persists. I had dumped 4 gallons of liquid instant conditioner in at the beginning of the summer and it made no difference to the CYA. I have yet to get it above 0. We have had a hard time increasing the free Chlorine as well, we shocked it about six weeks ago but any increase was temporary.
I added in our pump and heater/chiller(Jandy VS Flopro and Thermeau TH-126). Does that information change the plan of attack at all?

 

[Burke_B]

Per the "Effects of Adding" tool in PoolMath, 4 gals of liquid stabilizer in a 30K pool should have raised your CYA to 50. Are you certain you are performing the test correctly? CYA Testing - Further Reading

 

[Burke_B]

Also per PoolMath, it looks like you need to add about 5-6 quarts of 10% chlorine to get up to an acceptable FC level.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Thank you so much for the response and help. I am still learning all of this on my own and was so proud of myself for learning the Taylor kit, correctly lowering the TA while also increasing PH through aeration and yet this cloudy water still persists. I had dumped 4 gallons of liquid instant conditioner in at the beginning of the summer and it made no difference to the CYA. I have yet to get it above 0. We have had a hard time increasing the free Chlorine as well, we shocked it about six weeks ago but any increase was temporary.
I added in our pump and heater/chiller(Jandy VS Flopro and Thermeau TH-126). Does that information change the plan of attack at all?

Hey Jbarnes - A couple of quick comments:

• Congrats on the TA adjustment, lets do the same with your FC and CYA
• For CYA, it is odd that you dumped that much conditioner and you didn't see an increase. It could be a couple of things like bad testing or bad product. I would start with your testing and make sure you are getting consistent and accurate readings. If so, then I would buy more conditioner, preferably the granular left to dissolve slowly in a sock. Target getting 20-30 CYA at first.
• Your FC should then be in the 4-6 range so you need to add some chlorine ASAP.
• Also on your FC, you mentioned that the increase of shocking was temporary. FC is consumed on a daily basis, usually 2-4 ppm, so plan to replenish that amount on a daily basis.
• Good job on posting your equipment, but no change in the plan of attack

 

[HermanTX]

I had dumped 4 gallons of liquid instant conditioner in at the beginning of the summer and it made no difference to the CYA.

Do you have a picture of what this is or a link to where you purchased it. If this is 100% stabilizer it should have raised your CYA so either this is not CYA stabilizer or your testing is not accurate.

It makes sense that you cannot hold FC if you have zero CYA which is why the question on what was added.

As noted by others, it is best to purchase liquid chlorine to quickly increase FC to prevent any potential algae breakout.

 

[Jbarnes1]

Thanks everyone! I'm not sure why the original 4 gallons of stabilizer at the beginning of the summer didn't do anything. I added 3 gallons of the same stabilizer yesterday and it did increase CYA to just above 30.
We are at 6 gallons of liquid chlorine now and with a little drop this afternoon I added more tonight to bring it to 15. I will retest first thing in the morning and see what the reading is.
The cloudiness has slightly cleared but I still looks just like tiny bubbles to me. They even pop and disappear when they reach the surface of the water. Is that what algae looks like?
I attached pictures of the stabilizer, chlorine, the slam readings I have been getting, and the before and after so far of the "bubbles".

 

[HermanTX]

Thanks for the pictures. The liquid chlorine is good - 10% as you indicated. Each gallon of LC will raise your FC by 3.3ppm for your 30,000 gallons pool. Continue to use it to maintain your FC at SLAM level.

The liquid stabilizer shown indicates only 35% CYA so that is why it probably did not increase your CYA significantly. If it was 100% CYA then it would have increased your CYA by 12ppm per gallon but because it is only 35% it raised it 4ppm per gallon. I am using Pool Math app to do the calculations. It assumes 100% CYA so that is the data I provided.

In future it is best to use granular stabilizer as it is 100% although it takes a little longer to dissolve and increase CYA in the pool.

Hard to tell on the bubbles based on the picture. Is your Jandy SWCG off during your SLAM? A SWCG will make tiny bubbles in the return.

 

[PoolStored]

Bubble formation is related to the amount of soap-like substances in the water and is inhibited by water hardness (calcium and magnesium).

I would raise your CH to 150 and see if it goes away.

 

[Jbarnes1]

Thanks for the help. The SWG has been off since starting the SLAM process. I finally finished the process today but still see these small bubbles.

 

[Jbarnes1]

It is much clearer than when I started. I am starting to think there may be another issue.
We have had issues with 3 out of 5 of the returns shooting bubbles/air into the pool and we were told it was the SWG. Well the SWG has been off for days while completing SLAM and I saw no difference in bubbles/air out of jets.
You can see the amount of bubbles on the wall and vacuum cord and in the water last night in the attached picture.
I couldn't upload a video but in the picture you can see how much air is being pumped out.
Any ideas?

 

[duraleigh]

Pump running, can you see bubbles through the clear lid of the pump basket?

 

[Jbarnes1]

Yes pump is running and I can see bubbles.
We have always been able to see bubbles in the pump but last summer didn't have issues with jets shooting bubbles into the pool. I wish I could attach videos showing the different speeds at which the bubbles shoot out and what the pump looks like running.

 

[wireform]

Sometimes to clear bubbles you need to run full speed for a bit then go to the lower speed, that's a low rpm issue Sometimes but in your case it seems to be a suction side leak aka air intrusion.

 

[Jbarnes1]

We have tried running at different speeds with no success.
What would the next steps be to try to clear the air?
Here is our setup.
I don't know if it is relevant or not but our chiller/heater had never chilled. It throws the code HP3 everytime:
Low water fl ow TO the unit or faulty high pressure control. Check
water fl ow. Backwash fi lter and/or heater. The unit will show HP3
after 3 HP faults. This will stop your heater for protection.
And also we have had sand in our pool all summer.....I am assuming they broke a lateral when opening it in the spring.

 

[Jbarnes1]

Videos of pump and air coming out of the jet.
We have 5 jets and bubbles only come out of 3.

 

[HermanTX]

Appears to be a suction side leak. Have you checked the drain plugs on your pump? You have 2. Unscrew them, lubricate them and put back in. Don't overtighten. Also, lubricate the pump basket oring. What is plumbing before the pump that could leak? Any valves or check valves?

 

[duraleigh]

Suction Side Air Leaks

If you see air bubbles coming out of the return lines in your pool, you likely have a leak. Some signs that a suction side plumbing leak has occurred include: Read more

www.troublefreepool.com

Read the article above. That is where the air is coming from. Find that leak and the air bubbles will stop.......both in the pump basket and coming from the3 returns.