Cloudy Pool

[Dirtboy6]

I tested my pool everything looks good but only thing is I can't get pool to clear up. It is a cloudy blue. I have a sand filter and using Bleach NO shock or CHLORINE... The sand in filter is 2 years old.. When I vac. pool I set to waste. It is a 33' above ground app 28,000 gal. I have been dealing with a cloudy pool since the first of March.. I have my own Taylor test kit and all levels are in. Thanks for looking and the help.

[aylad]

Hello, and welcome to the forum!!

We'll be glad to try to help, but we'd just be guessing without some more information..

Could you please post numbers for FC, TC or CC, pH, alk, CH, and CYA? Also, any other chemicals you might have added to the pool?

Thanks...

Janet

[Dirtboy6]

Just curious about my post. Why it is not there

[Dirtboy6]

TC - 4.0
pH - 7.4
alk - 100
CH 40
CYA 40

No other chemicals
Sand filter

[aylad]

Have you recently killed off an algae bloom? If so, then you probably just haven't given the filter enough time to clear the dead algae out of the water. Do you see anything shooting back into the pool from the returns?

Is the problem new, or has it been that way for awhile? Do you see sand in the bottom of the pool?

What size filter and pump do you have?

Janet

[aylad]

Just curious about my post. Why it is not there

New users' posts go into a queue once they're made, and they stay there until Ben or one of us 4 mods gets a chance to take a look at it and approve it before it goes onto the forum. Between the 5 of us, we're on the forum frequently all day (and sometimes during the night) so it shouldn't be long, once you've made a post ,before you see it on the forum.

Janet

[Dirtboy6]

FC - 5
TC - 5
pH - 7.4
alk - 100
CH - 40
CYA - 40

No other than bleach.. At this time I can't see the bottom due too the cloudy water. I believe I have dead algae that may be the cause. I run my pump 24/7 it is a sand dollar with a 1.5 hp pump.. This is the first year I have had this problem. The sand filter is in it's 3 year.. I backwash bout every 3 rd day. I also have a main drain. I run my manual vac. on waste and see a little green come out. I also have brushed the bottom of pool.

[PoolDoc]

I'm guessing you've got a system like this:
http://www.intheswim.com/Pool-Equipment/Filters-and-Pumps-for-Above-Ground-Pools/Pentair-Sand-Dollar-Sand-Filter-Systems-for-Above-Ground-Pools/
and probably an SD-80
http://pentairpool.com/pool-owner/products/filters-sand-sand-dollar-top-mount-filter-149.htm
and a Dynamo pump
http://pentairpool.com/pool-owner/products/pumps-aboveground-dynamo-pumps-46.htm

Is that right?

If so, your pump is too big for your filter . . . even if it came that way from the factory. People are impressed with big pumps (Me big man; I gotta gazillion HP pump) but not with big filter (my filter is so-o-o big, it takes 10 minutes just to get to the other side). See what I mean?

Anyhow, big pumps sell; big filters don't. On sand filters, when your filter is too big for the pump, everything is OK while everything is OK, but once you've got to do cleanup, watch out! The over sized pump pushes the dirt or dead algae all the way through the sand. Also, when you backwash an over sized pump tends to wash sand out of the filter, which then lets even MORE dirt through.

First thing: check your filter to make sure it's full of sand.
Second: do something to restrict the flow through your filter. At a lower flow rate the sand can begin to filter out the algae.

Quick and dirty test to see if my guess about your system is right? Buy a small bag of DE, and dump some into the skimmer. Then run around to wherever the water returns to the pool fastest. Wait 5 minutes. If you see white powder blow back into the pool, you've got filter problems like I've described.

PoolDoc

[Dirtboy6]

Yes I have a SD-60 sand filter.. 1.5 Dynamo pump.. In order to check my sand I have to cut the PVC to take the top off.

[PoolDoc]

Darn!

Double-darn, because if you've got an SD-60 with a 1.5HP pump, that filter is WAY over-driven. But, it will only cost a few dollars to do the DE test, so do that first just to be sure before you begin cutting.

PoolDoc

[Dirtboy6]

Is DE a brand or does it stand for something.. If I go to my LPS do I ask for DE?

Thanks

[aylad]

It stands for diatomaceous earth. They'll know what you want. If they don't, then you need to run screaming from their doorstep! :)

Janet

[Watermom]

Buy the smallest bag you can find.

[Dirtboy6]

Thanks everyone!!!!!! I went by LPS and they only have a 25 lb. bag.. I passed.. I opened my filter pot next to the pump and saw I had a lot of trash.. I hate to say but it was about 1.5 inches thick... I cleaned it out and will give it a couple of days to see what happens.. If anyone wants to whoop me I deserve it.. I am still on the hunt of DE to check filter..

[aylad]

Well, it will be interesting to see what happens--the sad thing is, the extra trash in the filter basket may have actually been helping your pump to not overdrive your filter. At any rate, let it run for a day or two, see if you get anything coming out of the returns, and see if the pool clears up any. You might try the pool department at WalMart for the DE--seems to me last year they were actually selling it in smaller bags in our area.

Janet

[Dirtboy6]

Thanks again for the info.. I will say this when I turned my pump to filter I did see a cloudy substance shoot through the return for about 3 sec. than the return went clear if that makes since..

[Dirtboy6]

Ok I changed the sand in the filter yesterday... I cleaned out everything good woke up this morning and still cloudy..

TC - 5
Ph - 7.2
TA - 100
CYA - 35

[Watermom]

Did you ever try the DE in your filter as Ben suggested? It can help to filter out things that a sand filter may not be able to trap. It will also help you determine if your pump is just blowing stuff through your filter without actually filtering. I hate to say it, but it may just be that your pump is just too powerful and is pushing everything right through your filter instead of trapping anything. Run your pump 24/7 while you are trying to clear the water and watch your filter pressure. If it rises 8-10 psi over your clean filter pressure, backwash, otherwise don't. Keep adequate chlorine levels and only use bleach. Watch that your pH doesn't drop. It is ok at 7.2 but you don't want it any lower than 7.0.

Take a look at this link about cloudy water. Especially note #4.

100 Reasons for Cloudy Swimming Pool Water (http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/100-reasons-for-cloudy-swimming-pool-water.html)

[Dirtboy6]

I never found any DE.. I will say this today looks better I can see the bottom now just a little bit. At first I could only see about 1.5 to 2 foot down pool is 52". I am running filter 24/7. The pressure gauge is broke it is my second one to go through. Do I need to get another? The return is very powerful. I put 4 big jugs of chlorine in last night my TC is on 9.0 I checked it again today with a pH of 7.5. Thanks for your time and help... We will get through this the main thing now is patience part.. I will read the link you sent... Once again thanks....

[Watermom]

You do need to replace the pressure gauge. Fortunately, they are pretty cheap. Yes to patience but I still think if you could find some DE somewhere, it would be a good idea to try it. Sometimes I think you can find it at places other than pool stores, like maybe Lowe's or Home Depot. Good luck.

[Dirtboy6]

Update..

I turned my filter pump off for 3 days.. I noticed everyday the water was looking better. Today I vac. to waste. There was dead algae in the bottom of the pool I got most of it till water level got to the point I didn't want to hurt my pump. I filled it back up with water and now running in filter mode. Water is just a little cloudy now. All levels look good alk is 130 <--- high calcium is 0 which should be no biggie. I still have not got any DE yet but still trying.. Would the cause of dead algae be one of my cloudy reason and just settled to the bottom of pool..

[PoolDoc]

"I still have not got any DE yet but still trying.. "
Go ahead, and get the 25# -- it's not that much, and you need to check your filter. Once you get a working filter, you can use it to help clean up next time. But, I'm really suspicious that you do not, currently, have a filter in good order.

"Would the cause of dead algae be one of my cloudy reason and just settled to the bottom of pool.. "

Yes, and if your filter is non-functional, you could definitely remove it more, by letting it settle and then vacuuming to waste, than you could by filtering.

BUT, YOU'RE GONNA NEED A WORKING FILTER!! (Hint, hint ;-) If you don't get one working, you're gonna be unhappy every time you have a party, or a bunch of kids over, or what not . . . to say nothing of what will happen if you get a bit of algae. It's much easier to clean up a pool now, with cool water and few or no swimmers, than it is in mid June.

Ben

[Dirtboy6]

Thanks, Ben.. I'll get the DE