What is the right thing now? Closing cloudy?

[Zwrickers]

Hi. I need to close my pool ASAP, no more than 5 days from now due to temps of 22 F. Edit: it will be 24 F tomorrow night so maybe need to close tomorrow? It's 40 F day and 28 F nights now but my water is 50 F and I cover the pump overnight and run all night. (I don't think I can swing mid 20s F safely. Not sure, if water is still 50F or 40F.)

Testing today:
pH. 7.5
FC. 4
CC. <0.5
CYA. reads 65 due to cloudy water but is 20 ish max
CH 125
TA 100

I opened only 6 wks ago, developed an algae bloom, treated it, yet water is still cloudy weeks later. I had a pH (off charts) above 8 after opening and with fresh hard water fill, developed white dusty scale on vinyl liner esp at waterline. It wouldn't brush off. Once I got pH down to 7.2 and balanced, the scale is coming off but not totally...much better though.

At this point I dont know whether to buy a new filter cartridge, run all week, vacuum daily...or just close. I never had cloudy water in 3 years. I don't know if cloudiness is calcium scale, dead algae, or both. I haven't run OCLT recently but will tonight. Here are some pics. Please advise. Thx.

 

[Texas Splash]

Unless you are prepared to perform a SLAM Process fully through its completion as designed, you might as well close. A new filter isn't going to remove algae. You can open as early as possible in 2023 and start a SLAM Process then.

 

[Zwrickers]

Unless you are prepared to perform a SLAM Process fully through its completion as designed, you might as well close. A new filter isn't going to remove algae. You can open as early as possible in 2023 and start a SLAM Process then.

Pat, do you think the cloudiness is all from the algae? Could there be a calcium scale problem too? I have such regrets now, even though I had some emergencies to tend to this fall.

What is the worst that could happen if I close now......opening to a green pool? Liner could be harmed? Something else???/

 

[Texas Splash]

Your CH level is not high at all, so I would not think of calcium issues. The cloudy water looks to be algae related. The fact you mentioned opening only 6 weeks ago would seem to confirm that as well. During the swim season we might recommend an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test first, but in such cold water now I think it's all a mute point. What you do now depends much on your weather and time available. If you close now, I would increase teh FC to SLAM level anyways. Definitely make sure you have a good CYA reading though so you know what FC level to hit. The condition of your water shouldn't impact your actual CYA reading. If you can maintain the elevated FC level for a couple days you might see some improvement in that cold water. If not, the worst thing is a green pool next spring. Maybe a few stubborn organic stains, but that's about it. The earlier you open the better.