question about adding chemicals

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Here's a page that another members showed me once I was first starting with the BBB process. Calmed my wife's nerves a ton....and made her chuckle too with the wording.
http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/best-gu ... chart.html

As for your results.....I would think (although I'm not 100% sure) that adding some fresh water after you've taken the test would toss the results off. I'll let others chime in on this one. I just re-read the thread some and saw the "questions" about the CYA levels on 4-5 and the amount of stabilizer you had added. It's been several days' since you had done this and it maybe a good idea to run another test to get an accurate CYA result. There's a chance that you've been shocking at to low of a level causing the process to take longer than it should. A TRUE CYA result at this time can help us determine this.
 
Hadn't thought of that!! Wasn't planning on going home at lunch today, but you may have just changed my mind on that. The other part of that, and I may have needed to mention this earlier, is that I haven't been able to test CYA with true sunlight yet, so this may be my chance.
 
Alright so did another CYA with plenty of sunlight and it read around 75. I have put in a lot of water since my last test, so maybe that's why it's come down a little. But my water is clearing up a little. I can see down the side of the liner a little further this evening than I have been able to and I think the foam wasn't as bad when I got home from work. Still staying the course.
 
Alright gang, I'm starting to really get frustrated. My FC seems to be holding overnight, and my CC is also where it needs to be. I'm brushing and backwashing as needed, and I'm keeping the pool at shock for now. But I still have foam and I don't feel like my water is clearing up any. It's been a week now and I haven't really seen much improvement since like the 4th day. It has been a little cool this week, especially at night, but I really think the water should be clearing faster. I'm seriously considering adding some water clarifier tomorrow. Talk me off the ledge or give me something else to try. Thanks for listening.
 
Try adding a pound or two of DE in the skimmer with the pump on. The DE will go into the sand filter and make a coating on top of the sand. Watch the pressure carefully as it will likely jump up within about 1 to 4 hours.

Backwash thoroughly when the pressure goes up, and add another pound of DE through the skimmer.

What size pump and filter do you have?

What is you filter pressure after backwashing?

At what pressure do you backwash?

pool-school/add_de_to_a_sand_filter
 
1. Am I correct in assuming it's safe to put the DE in while the FC is at shock level? Can I get it at Lowe's?
2. My pump is an Emerson Model T55CXCJN-1348 2.0 HP 3450 RPM. Filter is Hayward Pro Series Model S244T 300 LBS.
3. At the begining of this process I was holding at 30psi and I would backwash whenever it got up to about 38. I did that everyday for the first 3 or 4 days. I posted earlier that the pressure had gone down. It's currently holding between 25-27. It's been that way for the last few days and I haven't backwashed during that period.
4. As for the CH I was told that my original test wasn't good because there was no way my CH could be 0, but that it didn't matter at this point. So I have not tested again. Is there something I should be looking for with this?
 
I would still disregard CH...plenty of time to work on that after you get your pool clear.

If you have foaming, it implies there is something in your pool that the chlorine still needs to oxidize.

If your psi has not moved in the last few days, then the DE may help. It has to be done carefully and you have to watch your psi carefully. You can put it in any time.

Try the clarifier if you want. Probably around 10% or less of people clearing a pool have some luck with a clarifier. Most don't so we don't encourage you to use it. You may be one of the 10%, however.

So, in a 24 hour period, you see no improvement in your water clarity at all and your psi has not changed....correct?

You're running your pump 24/7......correct
 

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I know that you said the foam needs to be taken care of, so I'm still holding at shock level. It has improved some since some of the first pictures that I posted, but not much in the last day or two.

I can't really see any improvement in the last 48 hours and the psi hasn't changed by more than 1 or 2 in that frame. Yes, my pump is running constantly.
 
I can't really see any improvement in the last 48 hours and the psi hasn't changed by more than 1 or 2 in that frame.
Click to expand...
But it has changed, even if just a little, apparently. That is an indication of progress.

It's hard to advise what to do at this point but it is your call. Your own patience has quite a bit of influence. The clarifier will not hurt a thing (maybe your wallet a little) and, again, it has occasionally produce reportedly dramatic results.

Some of the slowness can be attributed to your filter. It is really too small for a pool that size so it naturally cannot clear a 33k pool as quickly as it could a 15-20k pool (which is about the correct size for it)

I'd backwash again and see if some junk comes out.....that is certain progress.
 
Ok, thanks guys. I feel a little better. I may get some clarifier then and see if that helps before I try the DE. I didn't know that about the filter but it makes sense. The pool size I calculated last year based on the pool calculator, and like everything else, I could've gotten that wrong too.

I bought the house last summer and had a new liner installed in July. Since I didn't know anything much last year, and it frustrated me to no end trying to learn this stuff, I didn't do much with the water except make sure it had chlorine. And even that slipped some later in the season. So this is my first full year with the pool, and no I have not opened the filter to look at it. Perhaps I should, even if it's just for educational purposes.
 
EDIT: Disregard my channeling idea, I did some searching and there really have been no "rashes" of it :oops: and Duraleigh reminded me that channeling is very rare. linen

I would check your filter for channeling. Coincidence I am sure, but we have seen a rash of that lately.
 
And just like that, the foam is gone!! Put some bleach in yesterday morning to make it through the day. Wasn't able to check FC last night or brush all day yesterday. Checked this morning and my FC was at 17. Put enough bleach in to bring me up to 25 to get through the day. Foam this morning just like yesterday. Been working in the front on landscaping with the wifey and just walked by the pool.....POOF about 99% of the foam is GONE. Haven't had a chance to get any clarifier, so maybe I'll give it till Monday before I do that. Just wanted to give you guys the update....I'm stoked.

Also, does this mean I can bring the FC down to normal levels now?
 
Did you only lose 1FC overnight
Is your CC under 0.5
Is your water clear

If all three are yes then let the FC fall down to normal levels and go swimming.


edit...Can you post a set of test results please?
 
FC has been holding well overnight for a few days. CC was 0 this morning. No my water isn't clear, but I thought if the first two were ok, then the filter does the rest. Guess not....o well off to the store to buy more bleach. First return trip I've had to make though.

What test results do you want specifically? I'll test FC tonight and again in the morning, you want that, or a test on everything?
 

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