White Cloudy Water - Filter or Chemistry?

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M

MichaelGarrison

0
May 13, 2017
12
Orlando, FL
I'm new to TFP forums but I've been reading them a while. I'll start out by saying that I haven't started doing everything thats recommended here yet, but I'm working on it. I don't yet have the recommended test kits, etc., but I'll get there.

I've been fighting a cloudy white water for about 3 weeks now.

I live in FL. No screen enclosure.
18000 Gallon Pool w/Spa
Built in early 2016.
Hayward Variable Speed Pump
Hayward Star Clear 1750 Cartridge Filter

I've had on and off algae for 3 or 4 months and a ph which always read high.
About 3 weeks ago, I used algaecide, got everything brushed off the walls, cleaned the filter 4x that week and I was left with a slightly cloudy white water. I added enough acid down between 7.5 and 7.8.
Everyday I had low chlorine. It dawned on me finally that I should add more chlorine tabs--went to 4-3" tabs and I've had a steady chlorine level around 2-3 since.
I got annoyed that things hadn't cleared up after 2 weeks so I added a flocculant (sorry I won't do it again). First night, nothing fell out. Next 3 nights, though, plenty fell out which I vacuumed every night and cleaned the filter.
The fourth day, nothing new on the pool floor. The last thing I hadn't tried was shocking the pool, so I did that yesterday morning.

Here's the chemistry from a few minutes ago:
ph between (7.5 and 7.8) I'm colorblind.
Chlorine (OTO-50) 5+
FC (test strips) 10+
TC (test strips) 10+
TA: 100

The last thing I can think of is the filter. Its got a crack on the top and bottom, not from the inside to the outside though; the crack is forming in a circle shape separating the inner structure from the outer structure. Overall, though the filter looks pretty good.

The pressure had been holding around 20 for a while, but then, all of the sudden after a cleaning it dropped to around 17. I think its because I started using an AquaComb to clean the filter, but I'm not 100% sure.

I'm open to any advice. Thanks.

Michael Garrison
18000 Gal Chlorine Pool
Built in 2016
 
I'm open to any advice. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Glad to hear that! Now got to TFTestkits.net and order yourself a TF100 test kit so we can accurately test your pool. Strips are worthless and OTO maxes out at 5. You're gonna need the fas-dpd chlorine test kit to SLAM your pool and rid it of algae. You don't even give us a CYA number. It's critical in a SLAM and those tabs constantly add it. You cna't keep your FC high enough for it to overcome an algae bloom. Yank them and use plain liquid bleach. Expect a half drain even before you can slam it. What keeps "falling out" is probably dead white algae. Welcome.
 
Thanks for the reply.
I'm definitely getting the test kit and I just read up on the process to SLAM the pool.
You're recommending I drain my pool because you think there is too much CYA in it? I was not too keen on draining my pool at first because we have a well, but if its the only way to lower the CYA, I may have to.
I stopped using liquid chlorine because I had to put in so much of it all the time, and the pool store is not close. Also, my ph level was always high and I figured adding liquid chlorine was contributing to that.
Assuming I get to the 'maintain' stage, how much chlorine should I expect to add and how often?
 
Quick update...I found that I am getting some debris return from my filter, so it looks like those cracks in my cartridge are causing a problem.
I also ordered a proper test kit so I will be checking and fixing the CYA next weekend.

Back to a question I asked earlier though, how much chlorine is typically needed to keep a pool at the recommended levels? Am I going to be adding chlorine daily, and how much? Obviously it will vary, but what is typical?
 
You will need to add chlorine daily. May not need to add at that pace in the winter but you will in Florida more than in other areas of the country. Typical FC loss per day is 2-4 ppm. Use PoolMath to see how much that is.

You can help us by filling out your signature.Pool School - Read This BEFORE You Post

Take care.
 
In the process of refilling my pool after almost a 1/2 drain. Got my new test kit and CYA was ~120. Hopefully I'm down to 60 after the refill.

I added a new filter cartridge as well which dropped my pressure from ~20 down to 13. I was surprised at that because I've never seen the pressure any less than ~16, even when we first got the pool.

I'm stocked up on liquid chlorine which I'll be adding tonight. I want to see the water pre-chlorination under the light to see if the filter or the chlorination was the main problem...anybody want my last bottle of algaecide?
 
Definitely check your CYA again after the drain and refill, because the CYA test maxes out at 100. If it's higher than that on the test, it could be MUCH higher. If your next test is near 100 again, perform the diluted CYA test by using a sample of half pool water and half tap water. Mix it up, empty half of it, add your CYA solution and mix, and finally double the results of the test to get your true number.
 

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Just a follow up for anyone interested: I finished the half drain and the CYA is down to ~70. I will check CYA again at the end of the summer. It's Florida; I'll have to drain my pool several times.

My water has cleared up quite a bit. I really believe its from the new filter, though. I'm no longer getting dirt returned through the pool.

I've learned a lot here on TFP and I'll only be adding bleach and acid the rest of the summer to see how it goes.

Today's Readings:
FC 7.5
CC 0
PH 7.8
TA 160

CYA 70 (Monday)
CA 150 (Monday)
 
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