This is what I'd try, and anything that settles to the bottom vacuum out to waste.
Regards,
E
Pool still cloudy
- Thread starter Noobpool
- Start date
This is what I'd try, and anything that settles to the bottom vacuum out to waste.
Regards,
E
Just to post the opposing viewpoint - TFP generally discourages FLOC usage for various reasons, especially the lack of a guarantee it actually helps with the significant chance of filter getting real messy and needing cleanup. Luckily you have sand, so as long as you can vac to waste and backwash - cleanup is *usually* doable for most users. Just be sure you research FLOC on this site well before making the choice to experiment with it. And to be clear - a working sand filter can and will give you crystal clear water given enough time kept at shock FC and backwashed/brushed/vac when needed. adding de using TFP procedure, if you have a safe disposal plan, is essentially without risks and can be even faster than FLOC. That all being said, your pool, your call. We're here no matter what you decide, just so long as you don't hold TFP accountable for any FLOCfallout since it isn't a TFP approved route.
Update: I have been battling rain for 5 days now. Maintaining chlorine and not having the pool overflow have been pretty much the focus of my home life. Today I came home and when I looked outside the pool was sparkling and was very visually appealing compared to the dull patina it has been. I can see the bottom of the shallow end until it starts the drop to my deep end. It appears that the bottom of the pool is covered in a white powder. I can see it streaks where it has been vacuumed. If I had to hazard a guess it would be the 100lbs of sodium bicarb the pool store had me add last fall(50) and this spring(50)before I found TFP. I have Saturday morning earmarked to vacuum further. Can I add pool skimmer sock(I would use a piece of panty hose) to collect this aggregate or just continue to vacuum to waste without worrying about it since it is going to bypass the filter? I plan to use Saturday to redo the de to my sand filter as well. Obviously after I vacuum it all out. Sorry for the solid run on nature of this.
How about a new set of test results? Are you still SLAMing? When was the last Overnight Chlorine Loss Test? Did you pass?
I will run more tests tonight. I am still maintaining slam. 28 ppm I have not run a oclt since the last time I mentioned it. Yes the pool passed. Just staying cloudy but slowly getting better since I am starting to see bottom and get a lot of sparkle on the surface water
TA is a bit high but figured I would get slam finished and leveled to normal before I wrestled anything else. Cya I am hoping will naturally drop due to the sheer volume of rain we get. I added 2 gallons of 10% just now which pool math says will put me back at 28.
That all looks fine. And it sounds like the pool is making good progress now. It is unlikely that it is baking soda, it readily dissolves. Dead algae would be my first guess. Vacuuming and skimmer socks sounds like a good plan.
Ok vacuumed and pantyhosed. Skimmer basket gave up the ghost but most definitely it is not sodium bicarb. Y'all know your business ? It appears to be bleached out algae. Since I could see the bottom of my shallow end I also learned all the vacuuming I had been doing was way to fast. Seems like a slow steady pace was most effective. Only concern now is when I finally got done vacuuming I left it on drain to waste for a Couple of minutes after I disconnected the vacuum to clear the lines of but when I went back into filter mode I got a steady much cloudier stream from my return jets back into the pool. Is that normal?
did you do a backwash as well in that process? If so, the proper backwash procedure is: backwash 2 full mins or longer until clear, pump off, switch to rinse, pump on until clear, pump off, switch to backwash, pump on until clear, pump off, switch to rinse, pump on until clear, pump off, switch back to filter or recirculate if you don't want filtering for some reason, pump back on and then you're done "backwashing". I didn't know that until TFP 
- - - Updated - - -
- - - Updated - - -
learned that the hard way too - you can get away with faster if there isn't much to suck up, but when you've got leaves, sand, dust, pollen, or dead algae, you have to go extremely slow so all the solids ride on a waterslide all the way to the filter where they clog things up nicely. If you go too fast, they clog up the hose or merely don't have time to be sucked in. Either way, slow and stead wins the race. put on the audiobook, radio, music, or listen to the birds. Just don't drop a phone in the pool, it's been done before and need not be repeated.
I did not backwash since I was at 8psi which is my base. But yes I saw that in pool school. I am learning it all since I am new to pool ownership. So I am going to vacuum the poo out of it which might also marginally lower my cya since I lower water level so much. Hopefully I am on the downhill side.
Perhaps just doing a very brief "rinse" after vac to waste will solve this by better flushing the plumbing before returning to filter. if not, we'll need pooldv to chime in on his thoughts.
- - - Updated - - -
Just curious, how clearly can you see the floor now?
I have vacuumed 4 times. 2x Saturday and 2x Sunday. It is getting better but I go through water like crazy. First picture is algae waste right where my pool drops off to the deep end. The 2nd is where you can barely see the floor drain.
Good looking progress. Just to add some hope, my pool was just as cloudy as yours. After draining 30% to get rid of the CYA, several gallons of bleach, regular sweeping and vacuuming, and some DE in the sand filter (I swear that stuff is magic) and in 4 days it went from as cloudy as possible to being able to see the entire contours of the pool in the deep end including a perfectly visible main drain.
My only advice would just be to backwash often because of the amount of debris the DE will catch with all the vacuuming. The problem with cloudy pools (at least in my case) is they hide the sheer amount of organic material that will consume your chlorine until it is removed.
My only advice would just be to backwash often because of the amount of debris the DE will catch with all the vacuuming. The problem with cloudy pools (at least in my case) is they hide the sheer amount of organic material that will consume your chlorine until it is removed.
Congrats on it getting better! Since your pool is so far along, you can vac on filter, not to waste. I agree, if you want to try to speed things along, you can research adding DE to your sand filter and see if you're willing to put in the extra cost and effort for babysitting that. Your sand filter will get this crystal clear, but no way of knowing how long it will take. Cellulose Fiber is another alternative to DE, a comparison is here, it is better for some people's situations.
- - - Updated - - -
Also,
let's make sure this isn't a chemistry issue.
I have only been maintaining FC/CC testing since I have such a high level of chlorine needed. I need to order more reagent for CYA because I am certain that has to be lower by now between all the rain the past 2 weeks plus all the water lost vacuuming to waste. here are more pictures under noon sun instead of by dawns early light first is main drain more visible in person. The sun's glare hides a lot. Then corner demarcations with main drain and lastly the shallow end. Gorgeous white clouds in the reflection but clear view of the liner design. I am going to try more DE. To get last little bit clear. My daughter turns 2 on the 20th so we plan to have folks over.
EDIT : CC does not color when I add 5 drops of the reagent. Other than that what is listed there in pool math is all I have been testing for.
EDIT : CC does not color when I add 5 drops of the reagent. Other than that what is listed there in pool math is all I have been testing for.
Your de link always sends me to a post about cabbers pool. I am not sure if that is because I am using tapatalk app or what.Congrats on it getting better! Since your pool is so far along, you can vac on filter, not to waste. I agree, if you want to try to speed things along, you can research adding DE to your sand filter and see if you're willing to put in the extra cost and effort for babysitting that. Your sand filter will get this crystal clear, but no way of knowing how long it will take. Cellulose Fiber is another alternative to DE, a comparison is here, it is better for some people's situations.
- - - Updated - - -
Also,
Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter
Yes. I can not access pool school through the tapatalk app
You can pause testing PH, TA, and CH until after the SLAM. Just use 70 CYA for the rest of the slam and save reagents to do a test 2 days before the party so you get FC right for that.