Cloudy Water

[healeys2387]

I first posted to this forum about 3 years ago (before the forum crash) and was extremely pleased with the help I received in recovering my pool from the algae that was taking it over. I haven't had any trouble since then, but I need more help.

I have a 24' AG pool with a Hayward sand filter that runs 24/7 and have the following readings:
FC: 4
CYA: Less than 20 (My tube only calibrates to 20, but the water fills the tube and you can still see the bottom)
pH: 7.8
Alk: 130

When we started preparing the pool for use, we had a huge algae problem. We shocked it using liquid bleach for about 8-10 days and seemed to recover from that, only to move to cloudy (not green) water. After researching on the forum, we tried adding a small amount of DE (1/2 cup) to our sand filter and after 3 days, we could actually see the bottom, but the water remained slightly cloudy. At this time, we had lost a lot of return pressure on the filter and backwashed. After that we added another 1/2 cup of DE and are waiting to see what happens. Today we can see all but the last few inches of the pool as it remains slightly cloudy.

Please look at my numbers and see if we only need to be patient and let the chemicals do their work, or is there another adjustment we need to make.

Also, it is difficult to keep our chlorine level at a 4. We are adding 2 gallons of bleach everyday or two, and our level bottoms out every time. The water temp is only 70-75 degrees.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Watermom]

What is your calcium hardness reading? Are you testing with a drops-based kit? Also, to help you keep some chlorine in the pool, I'd bump the cya level up to 30-40. But, adjust it slowly so you don't overshoot your target. (Have you added any cya recently?)

[duraleigh]

Hi,

I'm sounding like a stuck record today.....I would use a large dose of Cl. You don't say the size of your pool, but it still sounds like your Cl is being consumed by something other than sunlight. Based on your general description of your Cl application, it sounds like you've stopped short before you got out all the algae.

Bring your Cl all the way up to about 15ppm and then keep returning it to that number for the next few days. That means you must check more than once each day. I think you'll have clear water after that. It's also a cheap fix.....then you can look at DE or another issue if that fails. :)

[healeys2387]

I'm testing with the kit I bought through this forum last time (PS133) that we have just refilled with FAS DPD#1 and FAS DPD#2.

How do I "bump the CYA level up to 30-40"? Last time we sought advice, we were using chlorine tablets and our CYA level was sky high. Being too low is a new problem for us.

I didn't know you needed to test hardness with an AG vinyl lined pool. I tested the hardness tonight using a Aqua Chem drops based kit. After adding solution A, the directions say that a violet color indicates the presence of hardness. My water was barely even tinted. After that you are supposed to add drops of solution B until a blue color is reached. Because my water was barely tinted, no amoung of solution B drops turns the water blue.

I hope I've answered your questions. I appreciate your prompt reply AND your advice!

[LostboyinVA]

If you are using a Kit bought from here, then a full tube on a CYA test and you can still see the black dot means you have no measurable CYA.

One of the few ways to lower CYA is to let you pool get the condition you opened to. Go to the Pool store, Lowes, possibly Walmart and buy Stabalizer, this is CYA. Add the recommended amount on the bottle to get you to your preferred level based on the gallons in you pool.

I have a saltwater pool I prefer to run 40-50PPM CYA, others like something closer to 20-30 or 30-40. When I add CYA I put it in an old nylon stocking from the wife and hang it in the skimmer until it disolves. Other wise it just winds up in the filter and you backwash it out if you don't give it a week or so to disolve.

In the meantime you need to get a sustainable FC reading above 10 and keep it there unitl all the algae and cloudiness are gone and if possible a day or 2 beyond. Keeping a minimal Chlorine level of 4FC or less is just inviting the algae to startup again. The DE in the filter is helping you filter out the dead algea that is causing your cloudiness, but you current CL reading with no CYA means you are at risk of a new algea outbreak at any time.

[LostboyinVA]

Was reading elsewhere on the boards. PoolDoc always explains these things the best. Take a look at this thread for more information on your CYA loss: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=1001.

[IceT1]

Question pls: What is DE and where do I obtain this? I also have sand filter, IG vinyl and cloudy water after keeping the Cl high. Thks.

[RocKKer]

DE = Diatomaceous Earth

Here is link which describes what it is:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

From the link:
"The most common use (68%) of diatomaceous earth is a filter medium, especially for swimming pools. Diatomaceous earth has a high porosity because it is made of microscopically small coffin-like hollow particles. It is used in chemistry as a filtration aid to filter very fine particles that would otherwise pass or clog the filter paper. It is also used to filter water and other liquids such as beer. It can also filter syrups and sugar. Other industries such as paper, paints, ceramics, soap, and detergents use it as a filling material."


So for pools we use as a filter medium. For sand filters you can add a small amount which increases it's ability to filter smaller partcles. Here is a post describing how to do it:

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=515

scroll down to post #6.

You can purchase DE at most stores that carry pool supplies or online.

[healeys2387]

Not much improvement yet. Any suggestions?

[Poolidiot]

Healeys,
I had a problem like you are talking about last year, my numbers looked good but the water was cloudy, was suggested to me(on this forum)to use a dose of clarifier (it will clump the small particals together to make it easier to filter out) Well i tried this and in a day or two my water was crystal clear. So I would try this if I was you, unless one of the posters on here that are smarter then me,(which is most of them :) ) tells you i am nuts. Hope this helps

[chriss14]

what is De that you added to the filter