Milky pool water

[Chuck42]

We have had our pool about 25 years and other than an occasional little spot of algae here and there we've never had any issues and our water has always been sparkling. I recently visited our local pool store and have them test my water and they told me that my phosphates were too high after which they suggested I use a product called Phosfree. Since the addition of that material, now everytime I add shock to my pool the water instantly gets cloudy white almost milky looking. I've been dealing with this now for about 4 weeks. I have backwashed the pool sand filter several times and everytime I do the water coming out is just pure white. I keep thinking that if I filter it long enough it's going to eventually clear up and I'll get all that material out but so far that's not the case. I shocked the pool again this morning and the whole pool looks like milk bath. Any ideas?

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
PhosFree is a clarifier. You did not need a clarifier, just like you do not need to be concerned with Phosphates. Pool stores push it as it is a great money maker for them.
How do you test your water chemistry? If you are interested in TFPC, take a look at the following links.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry and consider reviewing the entire Pool School eBook.

 

[Chuck42]

I test with the old blue box test kit and strips, but supplement with testing at my local pool supply store. Our results usually pretty much agree.

 

[mknauss]

The cornerstone of TFPC is pool owner testing and only adding to the pool chemicals shown to be needed by that testing.

We would recommend you get a proper test kit. See Test Kits Compared. I suggest the TF-100 Test Kit ™

 

[Chuck42]

I appreciate your thoughts on testing and test kits and I will certainly investigate those. However, my top priority right now is to find a solution for my milky pool water. I am considering discharging 30,000 gallons from the pool and basically starting over, but I don't want to go down that road if there is an easy and effective fix.

 

[Donldson]

Proper testing IS the answer to your problem. Everything starts with reliable data to work with, and you are not working with reliable data. Once you get good data then you can fix this problem.

 

[Susiejax]

I agree with the advice you've been given so far. I too had milky water. Nothing I did that the pool $tore told me worked. In the meantime I wasted loads of money and effort. After learning the hows and whys of testing my own water, making my own choices about how to fix problems was easier and cheaper. Also, the problems now are rare. Pool stores are there for one thing and one thing only. Your money.

ps. Pool School is your first step! Good luck

 

[mknauss]

However, my top priority right now is to find a solution for my milky pool water.

Once you get a proper test kit, we can help you with that.

Good luck.