Pool chemistry seems right, I just can’t get the haze out. Please help.

alexb333

Member
May 21, 2023
22
Pennsylvania
Pool Size
13500
Surface
Fiberglass
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Autopilot Digital PPC1 (RC-35)
Hi everyone, new member, first time posting. I am struggling to get my water crystal clear. Pool is 5 years old, fiberglass. I replaced the sand in the filter this week as my final attempt at something.

-PH is 7.6 (a little too high still but ok)
-Cya- 80
-Chlorine is 15 and combined is 15(I’ve been shocking the heck out of it for 3 weeks)
-Calcium is 260 which is a little high but not bad. Adding water to help drop it
-Phosphates are 600 which is high, hoping adding water and draining water a little each day will bring back down. Also been using a phosphate remover weekly in a pool juice chemical.
-Alkalinity is 87
-Saturation Index is normal

You can see in the one picture it’s hard to see the pool cleaner on the bottom. I’ve done everything I can think of. I get the water tested every two days and have added every product I’m told too. I’ve added filter cleaner, I’ve added a pool rescue product, shock by the truck load, you name it. I’m at the point that I willing to empty the pool and risk it collapsing on itself to refill it with fresh water because I can’t bring myself to let anyone swim in something that looks like this. I’ve put more money into this pool in 6 weeks than I did in 4 years combined. The pool was crystal clear when I opened it in the spring and the minute I started trying to get the water chemistry correct this happened. Lastly, pump has been running 24/7 for 5 weeks now.

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Welcome to TFP! :wave: Somethng tells me those test rtesults are not from a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C performed at home correct? You really need to test your own water. It makes all the difference. I doubt your FC and CC levels are both 15 or there is a really big problem. CSI doesn't apply to our FG pools unless you have a waterline.

More than anything, I would recommend using one of those test kits to perform an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. I suspect you are battling an algae bloom and just don't' know it yet.
 
Welcome to TFP! :wave: Somethng tells me those test rtesults are not from a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C performed at home correct? You really need to test your own water. It makes all the difference. I doubt your FC and CC levels are both 15 or there is a really big problem. CSI doesn't apply to our FG pools unless you have a waterline.

More than anything, I would recommend using one of those test kits to perform an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. I suspect you are battling an algae bloom and just don't' know it yet.
I have been taking my water in for testing so yes I am not using a at home test kit. I had a chlorine demand test performed as well and followed those directions. At season open I had a high imbalance between FC and Combined so we shocked it until those numbers equaled and FC and Combined have stayed consistent.

As a newbie, wouldn’t the continued rounds of high shocking solve a algae bloom? Also, when the pool was opened it was crystal clear. I have only had this problem since I shocked it. I haven’t ever had algae that I am aware of yet in this pool as I get my water tested weekly and have the chemicals added as needed to maintain.

If this is algae, that would be great to at least have an answer. What’s the best way to determine or should I just add something in awhile?
 
Thanks for the kit recommendations. I just order the 2006c kit.

So if I am understanding everything correctly, with a cya of 80, I want to get my FC to 31 using the calculator on this site? What liquid chlorine should I use? Does it matter? I saw a calculator to figure out how much to use on here as well.
 
Welcome to the forum.
Can you list out what you have added?
Sure.

I started the season with a scale remover in an attempt to try and fix my fiberglass pool scaling issue. Looks terrible and it’s only 5 years old now. After reading on the forum seems pretty common on fiberglass and I might have to just give that fight up and focus on proper balance going forward.

All products other than the scale remover are BioGuard brand. I’ve added 45lbs of
 
Sorry my app seems to be glitching.

I added 45lbs of shock, low n slo to balance PH, 6 oz weekly of pool juice, 3lbs of stabilizer, then 50oz of pool complete 911, then I changed the 300lbs of sand in the filter, then 4 cups of Sparkle up. All in this order, each at the recommendations of the pool store.
 
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Some good reading while waiting on your test kit.
Pool Care Basics
 
Yikes. What a mess of pool store junk.

Your cloudy water could easily be from that mess.
Get your test kit and stop using all that.
Crud I am thinking the same thing now. Any way to reverse this other than draining?

Is the pool safe for the kids to swim while the cloudiness is there?
 
As long as you can see the bottom of the deep end. It might irritate their eyes or result in itchy skin. But no long term effects.
Yea I can see the bottom, just hazy. In a mason jar water looks beautiful. Thanks for sharing those articles, I read them and understand. Glad I found the group.

One person above suggested a possible algae issue. To rule that out, what should I do? Should I Slam the pool even though I have been shocking already? Full transparency I didn’t know what I know now after reading this site so who knows if I did it right but at that time my cya was 30 so I believe I had more than enough FC level.
 
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Wait for your test kit. Do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test when you get it.
Perfect, thanks again for the quick article explanation too. I told my wife last week I was so over the pool I was filling it in with dirt but I feel I have some direction here now.

In your experience, If the cloudiness is just due to adding all these chemicals, especially the gobs of clarifiers, and there is no algae, will the haziness clear on its own quickly or should I start draining and refilling in batches. I live on a well that can’t support filling, and I keep my pool covered at all times because of young children so I don’t get any real water introduced from rain so I would bring in a tanker which I’m fine with if that might be the best course to clear the water as fast as possible.

Again, thank you.
 
It should clear depending on filter type. Please fill out your signature.

Are you using your SWCG? I would be sure it is creating 3-4 ppm FC per day right now.
 
I told my wife last week I was so over the pool I was filling it in with dirt but I feel I have some direction here now.
Yeah, I was close to that point when I was "Pool Stored" for $1500 and had a swamp. Now I'm a TFP guide. Trust the process. Trust the folks here. I spend VERY little time on pool maintenance with all the info here, and spend less that $100 a year. Salt and stabilizer is about it...maybe some baking soda. I open in the spring to a crystal clear pool, and I have not had a day where the pool wasn't clear and ready for a swim while it open.

Proof? Check this out. Link-->How Clear is TFP Clear?
 
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Yeah, I was close to that point when I was "Pool Stored" for $1500 and had a swamp. Now I'm a TFP guide. Trust the process. Trust the folks here. I spend VERY little time on pool maintenance with all the info here, and spend less that $100 a year. Salt and stabilizer is about it...maybe some baking soda. I open in the spring to a crystal clear pool, and I have not had a day where the pool wasn't clear and ready for a swim while it open.

Proof? Check this out. Link-->How Clear is TFP Clear?
I wish I would have found this before I wasted a grand and made my water cloudy. It was perfectly clear except for the million worms at the bottom. I’ll do an OCLT once I get my kit, and let my pump run non stop in an effort to clear my water. Otherwise I’ll drain half way and refill twice. Either way, so happy to have some real direction. I haven’t had a single problem until this year but for whatever reason it went haywire this year.

Now if I could only figure out how to fix my fiberglass that went from a perfect dark blue to discolored… doesn’t seem like there is a good way back from that.
 
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