New to pools; Water milky white, cloudy; with Iron

[GtrMan128]

Hello,

Hope you are all well. Unfortunately, I have been having lots of trouble with my above ground pool this year. A bit of history before I continue and I apologize for the long post but would like to be thorough:
1. I had the vinyl liner replaced and a water truck filled the pool half way.
2. I filled the pool with well water without a post filter which added metals (never had this issue last year but I believe I had to put in less water last year). Pool turned brown due to metals present (iron and copper I believe).
3. Used sequestrant (3 quarts of Bioguard Pool Magnet Plus, 1 quart each day and placed a CUlator in the skimmer basket with a skimmer sock which collected rust deposits), fading to green then cleared blue in a week.
4. Slammed pool with liquid sodium hypochlorite and it tuned green again. Used Pool Magnet Plus again and it cleared within a week again.
5. Instead of slamming the pool again, I slowly brought the chlorine level up to recommended levels (3ppm-4ppm)

Throughout this time I had been pool stored all over the place. I decided to purchase a Taylor K2006 test kit which I have been using and no longer rely on pool stores except to purchase chemicals needed.

While my pool has been balanced I have been dealing with a milky white pool lately and it's been very frustrating (my kid has been upset about it but thank the Lord she is understanding of the situation). I decided to add clarifier and it just made it worse (2 ounces mixed with pool water in a bucket before spreading around sides of pool) I have removed the skimmer sock to see if that helps. CUlator is still in the skimmer.

Using the Taylor K2006 Kit these are my current findings and are a little higher than before clarifier:
-Pool: 15x30, Oval, 10,600 gallons
-Cartridge filter, constantly cleaned with hose in jet mode (not too strong not too light) occasionally using Bioguard Filter Cleaner, 120ft filtration area, RX Clear 1hp pump,
-FC: 5.2ppm
-CC: test was pale pink, very unnoticeable.
-PH: 7.8ppm
-AK: 110
-CH: 180
-CYA: 40

I have also attached photos of how the pool looked a few days ago and how it looks now (photos don't do the cloudy photos justice but you'll notice that you won't be able to see the bottom:

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance for the help and I hope you're all having a great summer!

 

[Texas Splash]

Alright, let's get to it:
1 - No more clarifier or anything like that. Liquid chlorine is the tool of choice.
2 - Lower your pH with muriatic acid to about 7.2.
3 - Increase the FC to "16" which is considered your actual SLAM (FC) level per the FC/CYA Levels.

From that point on, do your best to maintain the FC of 16 and follow everything on the SLAM Process for best success.

 

[Texas Splash]

Pull the ladder and inspect very closely each and every step, rail, or pocket where water can get in. They are algae traps. Any spot you can disassemble or put your hands on, see if you can inject some chlorine into it.

During this time of elevated FC, the iron may react again. That's fine. Use some polyfill in the skimmer or route water through a bucket filled with polyfill to capture as much iron as you can. The you get out mechanically, the less iron headaches later.

 

[GtrMan128]

Awesome! Will do! Thanks Texas Splash! Just one question! Will that affect my sequestrant? I'm afraid my pool will turn brown/green again!

Edit: Just read your reply! Will do! Thanks!

 

[Texas Splash]

Oh, and for future FC testing, do it this way instead of the Taylor 25 ml way.

Grab a 10 ml water sample and add ONE generous scoop of powder. Mix until clear and divide result in half. Example, 24 drops to clear equals an FC of 12.

 

[Texas Splash]

Will that affect my sequestrant? I'm afraid my pool will turn brown/green again!

Chlorine will eventually eat-up sequestrant, and during the SLAM Process it may happen a bit sooner. Not much you can do though because you must treat for algae before metals. But if that should happen (iron reaction), the polyfill should help tremendously to the point you might not need a sequestrant later.

 

[Texas Splash]

And since it's a holiday period, people may ask if they can swim. The answer is YES as long as you do not exceed the SLAM FC level, which in your case is 16 based on that CYA of 40.

 

[GtrMan128]

Awesome! Thanks so much!

 

[GtrMan128]

And since it's a holiday period, people may ask if they can swim. The answer is YES as long as you do not exceed the SLAM FC level, which in your case is 16 based on that CYA of 40.

Is this 16ppm? Is it supposed to lower to 4ppm in the future or should it stay 16ppm? Sorry! So new to this !

I will also do it the 10mm way as you said for now on!

I am also purchasing the polyfill on amazon. Any recommendations?

 

[Texas Splash]

The FC will try to fall either by organics, the sun, or both. Do your best to maintain the FC of 16 work and life permitting. You should see a pattern start to flow after a while.

 

[Texas Splash]

For the polyfill, nothing specific I am aware of.

 

[Texas Splash]

 

[GtrMan128]

Just slammed it. I'll keep you posted within a few days of keeping it up! Thanks again Texas Splash!

 

[GtrMan128]

Good morning, Texas Splash! Hope all is well. Just an update on the SLAM process. That's how the pool looks now. Have been brushing the best i can see as well. Placed polyfill in the skimmer over a skimmer sock but I'm wondering if the metals were already taken out by the CULator as it doesnt seem so discolored as before when i first shocked it a few weeks ago. Might as well leave the polyfil in as it doesnt really affect the retirn flow or pump. I'll keep you updated!

 

[GtrMan128]

For the polyfill, nothing specific I am aware of.

Good morning Texas Splash. It's been a few days just updating. I've been checking FC and adding chlorine as needed, especially during the day as i have a couple of weeks off. Overnight I've been losing only about 1ppm of FC (this morning I ran out of reagent. Expecting more this afternoon). I've also been sweeping and vacuuming (vacuum used is in the photos attached) every morning and cleaning the filter morning and night while also checking the poly fil in the skimmer. Is it normal to still be in this stage as shown in the photos? Will that clear up in time? I still can't see the bottom.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Texas Splash]

Good morning. Not a great deal of change in the water from Monday to today huh? Let me ask a few questions:
- Can you confirm your latest CYA and FC? (when you get your reagent refill of course)
- When you clean the cart filter, how does it look?
- What brand of liquid chlorine are you using for the SLAM Process?
- Are you collecting anything in the polyfill?
- Nothing else in the pool correct? Ladder removed, etc.

 

[GtrMan128]

I'll def give you the FC this evening.

CYA is a bit under 30 at the moment. How can I raise that?

Cart filter gets yellowish orange over night and when cleaned out lots of orangy water. During the day it's not a lot.

I've purchased pool essentials from Walmart and hdx from home depot both with 10% sodium hypochlorite and 90% other ingredients (doesn't say). I have like 20 of those lol.

Poly fil just has dirt. When it gets too brown/black I change it. Did it only once, really.

Ladder and ladder mat were removed and sprayed heavily with chlorine.

 

[GtrMan128]

Good morning. Not a great deal of change in the water from Monday to today huh? Let me ask a few questions:
- Can you confirm your latest CYA and FC? (when you get your reagent refill of course)
- When you clean the cart filter, how does it look?
- What brand of liquid chlorine are you using for the SLAM Process?
- Are you collecting anything in the polyfill?
- Nothing else in the pool correct? Ladder removed, etc.

I'll def give you the FC this evening.

CYA is a bit under 30 at the moment. How can I raise that?

Cart filter gets yellowish orange over night and when cleaned out lots of orangy water. During the day it's not a lot.

I've purchased pool essentials from Walmart and hdx from home depot both with 10% sodium hypochlorite and 90% other ingredients (doesn't say). I have like 20 of those lol.

Poly fil just has dirt. When it gets too brown/black I change it. Did it only once, really.

Ladder and ladder mat were removed and sprayed heavily with chlorine.

 

[Texas Splash]

Chlorine is perfect. Orange in the filter would point towards more iron being removed, but I'm surprised no iron in the poly. For the CYA, use granular stabilizer. I would add about 10 ppm worth in a sock and pre-sock in the water for about 30 min. Then squeeze it all out near the return jets. You do want a good CYA of at least 30.

 

[GtrMan128]

Sounds good. I'll purchase some in about 2 hours and keep you posted!

Regarding the iron, the pool looks grayish green. It looks better than the first time I shocked it and it turned completely green . Could it still be killing algae? Or would it def be metal? (I'll take a photo tomorrow morning of the filter).

Do you think they'll be a light at the end of the tunnel by next week?