Slightly cloudy pool

[rthorntn]

Update: on reading what I have posted here I'm thinking that there is still some living algae.

Hi All,

Please help you lovely people.

My SWG electrode connector corroded away and I only noticed when the pool unexpectedly went green, it was winter and we weren't using it, that's fixed. The pool is probably going on 30 years old, about 20 tiles have fallen off and there are a few patches of rust showing through the pebblecrete.

I shocked it 2 weeks ago, I was running the pump 24/7 and hosing down the filter pretty much every day, chlorine is now at 5ppm, ph 7.3, alk 70, calcium hardness 550 and cyanurate 100. Salt levels are fine.

I forgot to do the second part of the FAS-DPD test (I think that's CC, I will do that tomorrow morning), I haven't done an overnight test. Will do that tomorrow night.

Three days ago I used the vacuum on the pool floor and the filter had a lot of green gunk on it.

I just can't get the pool back to it's shiny self, I'm thinking it's calcium, there are a small amount of grey particles in the pool bottom. The cartridge filter cleaning is starting to get on my nerves.

I'm a bit stuck, it seems like the water is going to stay dull looking, I was thinking clarifier.

I can vacuum to waste but there are water restrictions here.

Thanks.
Richard

 

[setsailsoon]

Richard,

Welcome from Australia! Great to hear from you, and I'm sure we can help get your pool back in tip top shape very quickly.

You're well above the CYA recommended levels and not getting to the SLAM level of FC. I see you've been a member for a long time but it appears you may not "shocking" properly. We do not shock. We SLAM and it's not the same process at all. Just to confirm your are using the correct SLAM process, please view the following video:



Also, how are you getting your test results? Can you please post a photo and add brand and models to your equipment signature? This will help our experts get advice to you with fewer cycles of questions.

Good luck and hang in there, your pool condition is easily fixable with TFP methods.

Chris

 

[Texas Splash]

Richard, as Chris pointed out, your CYA is quite high. While a salt pool is recommended to have a CYA of 70-80, once you cross the 90-100 threshold it's hard to know for sure if that's accurate. To be sure, you should try a "diluted" CYA test as noted HERE to ensure it's not even higher than that. Once you know for sure, then you can determine if it's better to exchange some water before starting the SLAM Process to lower that CYA level. Then you can begin to balance the FC properly to the CYA as noted on the FC/CYA Levels.

Good luck!

 

[tim5055]

Richard,

For someone who has been a member here for close to 7 years I think you need to go back to the basics.

It's simple, you have algae. It's not calcium, it's not your tiles and it's not your filter. Magic potions like clarifier are not going to fix it.

Yo need to SLAM your pool. Now, to do the SLAM (unless you have a tanker truck full of liquid chlorine) you need to get that CYA down. 100 is the limit of the CYA test, so at this level we are unsure if it is 100 or some number well above 100. Don't equate “just a little over 100” to a number, the tube is not marked for such extrapolation. At this point I would recommend at least a 33% water exchange, but 50% would be better to get the CYA down to a reasonable level for the SLAM.

I would also ask, how did the CYA get so high? In addition to the salt water chlorine generator have you been using tabs or shock products?

 

[rthorntn]

Thanks everyone, going to process all of this.