overwhelmed lady with cloudy pool

[Conks4]

Hi TFPer's,
I've actually lurked around for a few years without joining. You have all been helping me for years! Last year we upgraded our little 12 foot 30 inch Intex to a 48", 15 foot intex. I have always just used the Bleach + algae killer + muriatic acid with great success however last year after we had a party with lots of little kids the pool turned green and we could never get it back just right. I purchased a sand filter to upgrade from the little one that came with the pool. My husband refused to set it up so late in the season. We just gave up and tossed a winterpill in and I threw a gallon of bleach in there once a week starting back in March. The water this spring was clear with some debris at the bottom. We scooped out debris, hooked up the new sand filter added 1000 gallons of fresh water and now the pool is totally cloudy. We have been filtering and backwashing for days. My husband put in mineral brilliance and shock, which we've never used before. Chemicals were showing balanced at one point but now the pool is blue and murky looking. I have a salt water converter and 120lbs of salt on standby for whenever we have the water clear and ready to switch. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tim5055]

Nope, not a SLAM. You can't SLAM with test strips and a 3 way test kit.

You didn't say what "shock" you used, but "shock" could be making things worse due to the additives. A SLAM is done with liquid chlorine.

We base our pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. To do that you need your own accurate test kit. Order a TF-100 Test Kit ™ and at least include the XL Option . That will give you what you need while you are clearing the pool, and probably enough reagents for a couple of years normal use.

While you wait for it to get delivered, you have a homework reading assignment. Start with these:

ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

There are several items things every pool owner should know about swimming pool water. We share details on the basics of Pool Water Chemistry.

www.troublefreepool.com

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain

We’ve all had to deal with a green pool. Clear algae from your pool with a SLAM! Read here to use shock level and maintain to clear your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[crocop]

Cant slam without a proper test kit...the one you have is not good.

 

[Conks4]

Cant slam without a proper test kit...the one you have is not good.

Can I not use the same one you do? I have that one as well. Not trying to Slam just stating that I thought it was similar. I have had a pool for 4 years and never used any other test kits. Don't love the idea of spending another $100 for a test kit.

 

[DeanP66]

A proper test kit is your #1 tool to maintain your pool. Those test strips won't cut it. They are unreliable. The TF-100 and Taylor K2006C are the only kits that use the FAS-DPD chlorine test. You add a scoop of powder to your sample which will turn pink if there is any chlorine in the pool. You then add drops and count until the pink turns completely clear. You divide by 2 and that gives you a very accurate FC reading. Other chlorine tests are just estimates and not very accurate, especially once you get above 5 ppm, which you need to do to SLAM your pool.

 

[Conks4]

Nope, not a SLAM. You can't SLAM with test strips and a 3 way test kit.

You didn't say what "shock" you used, but "shock" could be making things worse due to the additives. A SLAM is done with liquid chlorine.

We base our pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. To do that you need your own accurate test kit. Order a TF-100 Test Kit ™ and at least include the XL Option . That will give you what you need while you are clearing the pool, and probably enough reagents for a couple of years normal use.

While you wait for it to get delivered, you have a homework reading assignment. Start with these:

ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

There are several items things every pool owner should know about swimming pool water. We share details on the basics of Pool Water Chemistry.

www.troublefreepool.com

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain

We’ve all had to deal with a green pool. Clear algae from your pool with a SLAM! Read here to use shock level and maintain to clear your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

Sorry to confuse I just said I thought it was similar. I just want to clear up the cloudy water. I have used BBB for years always thought from my traditional pool friends that it was the same/similar concept. I have never before needed to SLAM. We added algae killer once last year after we were gone on vacation. Our water is so that we normally only use Bleach and muriatic acid. This year my husband bought a HTH 3 step pool opening kit, hth s step kit - Bing - Shopping, we did not use step 1, the stabilizer, we used the mineral brilliance and the shock treatment at the recommended ppm for our 4400 gallon pool.

 

[Conks4]

A proper test kit is your #1 tool to maintain your pool. Those test strips won't cut it. They are unreliable. The TF-100 and Taylor K2006C are the only kits that use the FAS-DPD chlorine test. You add a scoop of powder to your sample which will turn pink if there is any chlorine in the pool. You then add drops and count until the pink turns completely clear. You divide by 2 and that gives you a very accurate FC reading. Other chlorine tests are just estimates and not very accurate, especially once you get above 5 ppm, which you need to do to SLAM your pool.

We use the TF-1000 also, everything was balanced 2 days ago and water was still murky.

 

[tim5055]

We use the TF-1000 also, everything was balanced 2 days ago and water was still murky.

Mixing multiple methods for pool care with TFP methods is just another recipe for disaster. We never recommend "algae killer " or "3 step pool opening kit"

I'm kind of confused, first you said you don't want to buy "another" test kit, then you said you have a TF-100.

Lets see a full set of test results from a test kit, no strips. "everything was balanced" does not tell us anything that lets us hep you.

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA

If yohave a test kit have you performed an overnight chlorine loss test?

Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)

The Overnight Chlorine Loss Test tells if the SLAM is finished or if you need to start a SLAM. This article says how to do the OCLT.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Conks4]

Mixing multiple methods for pool care with TFP methods is just another recipe for disaster. We never recommend "algae killer " or "3 step pool opening kit"

I'm kind of confused, first you said you don't want to buy "another" test kit, then you said you have a TF-100.

Lets see a full set of test results from a test kit, no strips. "everything was balanced" does not tell us anything that lets us hep you.

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA

If yohave a test kit have you performed an overnight chlorine loss test?

Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)

The Overnight Chlorine Loss Test tells if the SLAM is finished or if you need to start a SLAM. This article says how to do the OCLT.

www.troublefreepool.com

My test kit beyond the 3 way and 6 is expired. This is what I got from it. This is in the early eveningand nothing has been added since last night.
To clarify the algaecide was a year ago and only used once after we were gone for 10 days.
We have a salt water converter to install once balanced. I already have the taylor k-1766 test kit. I wasn't on board with using the pool opening kit but my husband thought it would be quick. I have not done an overnight chlorine test.
FC 0
CC 0
pH 7.8
TA 130ppm
CH 250ppm
CYA 0

 

[akd]

I'm not sure how reliable these numbers are with an expired kit. If your CYA is indeed 0, you need to bring that up first for whatever chlorine you are adding to be effective before the sun can burn them off. Add a stabilizer to bring up the CYA and then SLAM. Doesn't seem like you are done with the slamming as there should be something still lurking in the water.