Slightly cloudy water

[Moniyque]

I have a 10,000 gal above ground Pool. I have never had cloudy water before. This is our second year. What changed? Also, I see you guys recommend chlorine in the 5-7 range but everything else I’m reading says chlorine ove 4 is not safe, cancer causing, etc. I’m not challenging your recommendations, just trying to understand what these recommendations are based on and if they take into consideration long term human health.

These are the test results this morning. The pool pump has been running since 5 pm yesterday

FC 5
CC 0.5
pH 7
TA 20
CH 40
CYA 60

 

[mknauss]

Did you get the test kit last year? Be sure to add what you are using to test with in your signature. See https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/115-read-before-you-post

You should raise your TA to 70 ppm with baking soda. A TA of 20 can lead to an unstable pH.

How do you chlorinate.

To resolve cloudy water typically requires a SLAM Process. You can do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test tonight to see if it is organics in your water that is making it cloudy.

The FC recommended based on the [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA] is grounded in science. The pool industry does not recognize the FC/CYA relationship.
For more detailed information, review https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/558-Pool-Water-Chemistry

Take care.

 

[Richard320]

What we're taking into account -- and what the standard old-timey pool store recommendations aren't -- is this:


Click the picture to read the whole thread.

Following the line for zero CYA, you can see that the relationship between hypochlorite(bleach) and FC is almost 1:1, which is expected. So look at it where the vertical axis is 1. Now look across -- the lines representing higher CYA levels and higher chlorine levels are still lower than 1 all the way across to 8ish! The difference is the buffering (think of buffered aspirin -- full strength but cushioned, sort of, to protect your stomach -- action of the CYA. Commercial pools are often forbidden to have CYA, and that is where the archaic "1-3 is ideal" pool-store standard came from.

Then there's a secondary reason: ours works. If the pool-store recommendation was adequate, why do they recommend a weekly "shock"? Why do they push algaecides and phosphate removers? Belt-and-suspenders, is why. They know the recommended level of chlorine is insufficient to keep the pool clear and sanitary. And all those extra chemicals add to the bottom line!