Pool still cloudy

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Flimflam22

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May 17, 2017
125
New york
I started opening my pool as of Sunday and it was pretty green and full of algae. I have been shocking and running pump ( mostly filter but when I'm away for extended time just circulate so filter doesn't clog) its been 5 days and its still very cloudy and I haven't had this happen before. Right now I'm still shocking with these readings

Cya. 40
Fc. 12
Ph. Haven't checked it as of today.
Pool is roughly 17000 gallons
I've been brushing and vacuuming but more brushing than anything. The chlorine does not drop by much overnight so i don't think there is a crazy amount of algae now. Any ideas?
 
When you wait until almost July to open the pool you're going to have significant algae. That's just the price paid for not opening early, nothing more. It's going to take time to clear up, especially if you aren't able to filter 24/7. Stick with the SLAM Process and it will clear up, but a major algae clean up like this will take more than a few days.
 
Donldson said:
When you wait until almost July to open the pool you're going to have significant algae. That's just the price paid for not opening early, nothing more. It's going to take time to clear up, especially if you aren't able to filter 24/7. Stick with the SLAM Process and it will clear up, but a major algae clean up like this will take more than a few days.
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I thought the fact that the chlorine was holding overnight was a good sign that most of the algae was removed.
 
There are three criteria to declaring the SLAM Process finished for a reason. People have a tendency to put too much stock in one or two parameters when the 3rd is nowhere near complete. Don't fall in to that trap. You have cloudy water because there's stuff in your water and some of it is definitely still alive. Again, this is not unusual for pools opened this late in the season. Stick with the process and it will clear up.
 
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Donldson said:
There are three criteria to declaring the SLAM Process finished for a reason. People have a tendency to put too much stock in one or two parameters when the 3rd is nowhere near complete. Don't fall in to that trap. You have cloudy water because there's stuff in your water and some of it is definitely still alive. Again, this is not unusual for pools opened this late in the season. Stick with the process and it will clear up.
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Well it has been well over a week and still cloudy. I've opened my pools late before but never thjs issue with cloudiness. Only difference this year was a different cya put in and I used the pucks to keep chlorine level high but that may have added extra chemicals to pool so I took it out 4 days ago but still cloudy. I don't hnderstand is there any other levels I should read to see if there is an issue?
 
What you experienced before was luck, the exception and not the expectation. TFP recommends opening before the water reaches 60 degrees for this very reason. With the above average heat of the past several months this is exactly the kind of swamp we would expect someone to be dealing with opening this late in the season.

You can add some DE to the filter to help speed things along, but you have to be available to monitor the filter as it will fill up quickly.
 
Donldson said:
What you experienced before was luck, the exception and not the expectation. TFP recommends opening before the water reaches 60 degrees for this very reason. With the above average heat of the past several months this is exactly the kind of swamp we would expect someone to be dealing with opening this late in the season.

You can add some DE to the filter to help speed things along, but you have to be available to monitor the filter as it will fill up quickly.
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Ok ill pick some up today. How much is recommended?
 

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Flim Flam:

As Donaldson mentioned to you before, luck has been on your side. For me, I am guessing when you closed your pools, the CYA/FC ratio was off, and it was not closed properly. Also, circulation has a lot to do with clearing up a pool, in addition to the cover used. For my pool, if I closed the pool the first week of September and Opened up the pool today, algae would be present even with a solid tarp. However, based on my design (lucky I guess), the pool would clear up in about 5 days because of how quickly things move.

Please provide a little more detail and a complete set of test results. There is so much information missing here that it is difficult to understand what is going on. I would also take a picture of the same area at the same time daily to show progress. A timeline of testing is also very important. The SLAM process takes time, needs proper testing and monitoring.

You can add DE to the sand filter or use Fiber Clear, which I use for extra filtering and clarity. Again, it is the testing and timeline that will show you if you care making progress. If your chlorine consumption is decreasing along with the combined chlorine, then clearly you are almost to the finish line. Personally, I would not add DE until you are almost to the end, which will require only Back Washing daily or every other day. Good luck and keep us posted. Thank you.
 
Catanzaro said:
Flim Flam:

As Donaldson mentioned to you before, luck has been on your side. For me, I am guessing when you closed your pools, the CYA/FC ratio was off, and it was not closed properly. Also, circulation has a lot to do with clearing up a pool, in addition to the cover used. For my pool, if I closed the pool the first week of September and Opened up the pool today, algae would be present even with a solid tarp. However, based on my design (lucky I guess), the pool would clear up in about 5 days because of how quickly things move.

Please provide a little more detail and a complete set of test results. There is so much information missing here that it is difficult to understand what is going on. I would also take a picture of the same area at the same time daily to show progress. A timeline of testing is also very important. The SLAM process takes time, needs proper testing and monitoring.

You can add DE to the sand filter or use Fiber Clear, which I use for extra filtering and clarity. Again, it is the testing and timeline that will show you if you care making progress. If your chlorine consumption is decreasing along with the combined chlorine, then clearly you are almost to the finish line. Personally, I would not add DE until you are almost to the end, which will require only Back Washing daily or every other day. Good luck and keep us posted. Thank you.
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The chlroine levels are not dropping much at all overnight. I haven't done an overnight test bc its still cloudy so it seems useless. Cya is about 45.
Been having fc at about 15. Hardness is I wanna say 250-300. Its been 2 weeks and it still is cloudy. It gets very slightly clearer every day. I can see all 4 steps now but not bottom of pool. I've opened around same time each year but never taking 2 weeks to get clear.
 
Can you upload a picture of your sand filter? If you are having issues, then the sand filter may need a deep cleaning. If you have used "magic potions" or clarifiers, there is a possibility you may have to replace the sand. I know you are stating that the past has been way different, but without concrete and detailed data and not knowing your pool, it is hard to judge. Also, please describe the main drain/skimmer/return set up in the pool. What type of plumbing, size sand filter, pump, and how far the equipment is?

My 2" plumbing and combination moves water very quickly. The heater will drop 1 degree within 30-60 seconds when I open the main drain valve up while heating up the pool. A lot of variables with a pool.
 
Catanzaro said:
Can you upload a picture of your sand filter? If you are having issues, then the sand filter may need a deep cleaning. If you have used "magic potions" or clarifiers, there is a possibility you may have to replace the sand. I know you are stating that the past has been way different, but without concrete and detailed data and not knowing your pool, it is hard to judge. Also, please describe the main drain/skimmer/return set up in the pool. What type of plumbing, size sand filter, pump, and how far the equipment is?

My 2" plumbing and combination moves water very quickly. The heater will drop 1 degree within 30-60 seconds when I open the main drain valve up while heating up the pool. A lot of variables with a pool.
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Have no put qny magic chemicals in. Was using mostly liquid chlorine and this year tried keeping fc up by using pucks in a floating device but thought that might have been making it cloudy so took it out 5 days ago. There's main drain with 2 skimmers. 2 return jets. Been vacuuming and brushing when i can but I still don't know why its taking so long. No green at all just cloudy.
 

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I am betting that your filter is not working properly, meaning that the sand will need a deep cleaning. If you are the original owner of the pool, then this is your first item on the list. Lastly, you have not mentioned if you are testing with a recommended test kit. One item we have not seen is test results. If you spent 14 days at the proper SLAM levels with test results from a recommended kit, and did not veer off the process, then I would say it is your sand. Please advise if you are using a test kit or how you are testing your water. What about additions of chlorine? How much, when, what are your levels, how often do you test, when do you add, etc. Thanks!
 
I am using tf-100 test kit.

Fc 15
Cya 45
Ch 250
Ph 7.5

Been adding liquid chlorine morning afternoon and night if needed but I've only needed to put it in once a day now to keep level up. How would I go about cleaning out the filter? Do I have to replace all the sand? I am not the originally owner btw.
 
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