I need your help. Cloudiness has not changed over a week & a half !

[Catanzaro]

Gx:

I only add salt when the salt level is low. I have my own Taylor kit and do not rely on the diagnostics of the board reading, which is always 400-500 ppm higher. Add usually a few bags per year as I drain the pool to close for the winter. This year, I will keep my levels high and not drain, allow for rain water to top off. The most I spent on salt is about $15 per year.

If you have white steps, look at the water and clarity on the steps inside of the liner in the pool as you will be able to gauge the water clarity even better. You can also remove and place in a clean flower vase, again to visually see the clarity of the water. If unclear, then you have something going on out of the ordinary.

Have you tried using a DE alternative? Thanks!

 

[Catanzaro]

Again, I am leaning towards filtration issues and why this is taking so long. You have quite a large pool, and a pump/filter combination - plus returns and skimmers in the same area. By no means am I stating that your system is under sized, but my 15K pool has a 2 hp. pump with a 350 lb. sand filter, 2" plumbing + 8 returns, 2 skimmers and a main drain, which is probably over kill in my situation.

My friend has an AGP in where he tried the rotating return eyeballs and lost complete pressure, so if you rule out metals or copper, then clearly you are back to a filtering issue, which could easily be circulation related given your chemistry is in check. Try using the DE alternative, like Fiber Clear as you will not be sorry. If you do, keep an eye on the pressure as well.

 

[Gx]

I am trying to find any explanation, perhaps adding salt only one day after the "Instant Conditioner", which I've not done before. That's why I asked when you added salt.

The water is not clear. Moreover, IT HAS NOT CHANGED AT ALL IN 15 DAYS OF SLAM.

 

[Catanzaro]

I am trying to find any explanation, perhaps adding salt only one day after the "Instant Conditioner", which I've not done before. That's why I asked when you added salt.

The water is not clear. Moreover, IT HAS NOT CHANGED AT ALL IN 15 DAYS OF SLAM.

The salt/conditioner combination has nothing to do with clarity of water. Please look into adding DE alternative (Fiber Clear) and deep cleaning your sand filter. How old is the filter/sand combination? How old is the pool? Thank you.

 

[Gx]

I have "deep cleaned" the sand, as I stated.
The sand is 4 years old, as I have stated.

The pool is ~9 years old.

 

[jblizzle]

Seems like most be a filter problem at this point. Back to basics. Is the filter valve set to filter and not recirculate? Is the water dirty at all when you backwash? Is the pressure rising over time?

 

[Gx]

Seems like most be a filter problem at this point. Back to basics. Is the filter valve set to filter and not recirculate? Is the water dirty at all when you backwash? Is the pressure rising over time?

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, it's as if I'm not filtering at all.
I thought of the same thing(s), & checked that the valve is set to filter.
Yes, the water is noticeably dirty when backwashing. Yes, the pressure is rising slowly.
It all seems normal, except that you can't see the bottom of the pool.
The water actually looks good. If you didn't know it's supposed to be clear, you'd probably think it's fine.

I am now 16 days, & ~90gal 'clorox' into SLAM !
CYA is ~50, pH appears to be holding at ~7.3 , TA steady at 80.
One other data point, I could never get the K-1000 nor K-1001 chlorine tests to give sane reading just last year.

new K-1000/K-1001 both reading very high vs TF-100 FAS/DPD

This is my 6th season with this pool. Previously, the K-1000 & K-1001 very closely matched the results from the TF-100 DPD powder test (& AquaCheck strips). My pool has been quite stable for years, so I traditionally only do the DPD powder test weekly. This year, both the K-1000 & K-1001 are...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[jblizzle]

OK, so the filter is doing its job, sounds like it is just going to take more time.
How have your OCLT gone?

 

[Gx]

OK, so the filter is doing its job, sounds like it is just going to take more time.
How have your OCLT gone?

Thanks for the reply.

I've not been doing accurate OCLT, as the water is so cloudy.
However, I was losing very little FC overnight, like from 24 down to 22.
The weather here has been quite a roller coaster the past ~month.

Surely I have/had a chemical issue of some sort.
I can't imagine going through this every year. I'll have to buy a truck to transport chlorine.

 

[Gx]

18 days, ~$300 liquid chlorine, no change !

I notice that my CH is 30 , which is MUCH lower than expected. Does that turn on a light for anyone?
Surely, a chemical explanation is easier at this point.
pH is now 7.5

My DE came with the house, so I got some new.
When I put it in, the pressure raised significantly, but, after two days of that, the water still hasn't changed at all.
Curiously, the pressure drifted back down some ...

 

[jimbowrench]

What stands out to me is if you've gone through 90+ gallons of bleach, something has consumed all that chlorine. If you aren't exposing all the water and all surfaces of the pool to chlorine, you will never get it under control. Could it be a circulation issue? If algae is growing and dying at the same rate, you will never filter out the dead algae.

 

[Catanzaro]

Can you please upload some pictures of the pool and water? If you added DE to the filter, your pressure should have risen 1 PSI. This will help trap particles and fine small microscopic debris in your sand filter. Even if you added DE, and have channeling in your sand filter, then the only thing that will help you at this point is either a DEEP cleaning or sand replacement.

You never answered the question on how old the system is or the sand? Have you ever used any type of clarifiers, etc.? Thank you.

 

[Catanzaro]

Any luck on uploading some pictures? What about the sand and or deep cleaning? Have you given any thought to this possible solution. Thank you.