Cloudy Green Pool - Vacuum and Brush?

[ccostan]

Hi,

My first post so please be gentle. :) - I have a 30,000 gallon in ground pool with a jandy 580 cartridge filter.

We just had the pool opened by 'pros' and 2 weeks later, I still have cloudy greenish water. At this point I have taken matters into my own hands and am testing regularly to keep the Free Clorine up (with test strips unfortunately - Ben's Kit seems a little imtimidating to me). My question is whether I should be actively brushing the sides and floor to the main drain or if I should allow the water to be still while clearing up the water? I still can not see the floor even in the shallow (3ft) end yet although the water did go from a REALLY BAD GREEN to a greenish tinted blue now in the 2 weeks. I have been running the filter 24/7 since. We are also in New york if that matters (tempatures and whatnot)

I had the water tested today by the pool store and they gave me 4 gallons of liquid 6% chlorine to pour in. 2 today and one tomorrow and one wednesday. (Today is saturday.) I also put 1/2 container of PH up and he has me putting in a whole container of alkiline on Wednesday. I also added 12 oz of clarifier to the pool surface.

Hopefully this is enough info for some solid advice. I have been lurking the forums trying to learn for about a year now (in prep for this summer) and feel like I might need a little more personalized advice. =)

I have such a Love / Hate relationship with this pool. Today is one of those days when I feel like it would be cheaper to fill it with Gold Coins ala Scrooge McDuck. :)

Thanks Again.
CARLO.

[duraleigh]

Chlorine will clear your pool. How much or when or what other things you need is all guesswork because I have no idea what your numbers for Chlorine, Ph, Alk, CH, and CYA are. Post up those numbers and we can give you some solid advice.

[aylad]

Like Dave said, post some test numbers (not strip results--take a sample to the pool store for testing, but DON'T buy anything else they want to sell you, unless it's a toy!), and we should be able to help you get your pool cleared up so your relationship stays a little more to the love side ! :)

In answer to your question, yes, you should have your pump running 24/7 and brush the pool well at least daily

Janet

[ccostan]

Thanks for the speedy answers. It is appreciated. I am truly trying to LEARN the ways of the pool so that someday, I can give back to the forum. Thanks again.

In an effort to help you help me and to help me learn, I have started a pool journal. Here are the details so far - I omitted the Cursing and crying entries.

5/28 - 8pm - FC 0, TA 40, PH 6.0 - Added 2 Bags of Shock. Clorinator filled with Tri-Ch set to 5 out of 7 on the dial.

5/28 - 10pm - FC 3.0, TA -40, PH 6.0

5/29 - 11AM - FC - 3.0, TA - 0, PH - 6.2, CYA - 0 - Added 3 lbs of PH UP (Last of the Pool Junk).

The Filter has been running 24/7 and the Chlorinator dial has been left at 5 out of 7 and is FILLED with 3 inch tri chlor pucks.
I also have 1 return jet connected to a fountain sprayer (to calm me so I don't lose it to Pool Madness). The pool is a Vinyl liner.

Thanks again for all the help!
CARLO.

Carlo @ IPM.com

[pairadocs]

Fellow Noob here - I had it the same way a few weeks ago, and now have perfect water and have learned tons all due to the help of veterans at this site.

I started out green brown, then went to blue but milk cloudy even at shallow end.

Here is what I did, and what you should kinda do:

Get a liquid/drop test kit - if not the super great kit from the sister site, at least a basic kit from a pool store for 20-30 bucks, but i'd still suggest the better kit from the sister site.

You need to test frequently, maybe 2-3 times daily, for at least ph, FC, TC, CYA. Testing for the other stuff helps even more, and best suggestions will be given to you from the veterans if you have ALL of the numbers and letters, not just some.

I can tell you that the sole reason my pool did not clear quicker was because I did not follow directions from aforementioned veterans at this site. Specifically, I did not test enough, and I continued to throw tons of powdered stuff called shock, super shock, into the pool, which just served to make my pool cloudier and requires even more brushing!

Also, I failed to do what I was told with the bleach/chlorine - I did not raise the level high enough to kill off all the bad bugs that are fighting back at my paltry attempts to add bleach.

In the end, once my pool would maintian a FC above 10, I had clear water. This took one week of my own stupidity and not doing what I was told by this site's members, and then took a mere 1-2 days and approx 30 gallons of bleach over those 1-2 days - added about 8-10 gallons 5% bleach at 3 different episodes about 8-12 hours apart, and whala, normal pool.

Bleach = chlorine, now go find some cheap stuff, a drop test kit, and add alot, cause you need it.

If need be, PM me or reply to this thread, and I will help, but I am not as good as the others. My best suggestion is to search for my previous posts by clicking on my username or using search function, and read my posts, and then do the exact opposite of what I did:D

Really, it is very simple, bleach is life.

rjf

Oh yeah, keep brushing, and running the filter 24/7 and probably get rid of the pucks for now, but let a veteran confirm that suggestion.

[ccostan]

Thanks ParaDocs,

I am going to go out now and pick up some PLAIN Clorox Bleach (4 - 5 Jugs) and wait to hear for some specific recommendations for adding it.

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

Carlo.

[pairadocs]

Thanks ParaDocs,

I am going to go out now and pick up some PLAIN Clorox Bleach (4 - 5 Jugs) and wait to hear for some specific recommendations for adding it.

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

Carlo.

You'll need to post today's current water test values. At the very least, go to a pool store, if one is open (Leslie's is open today in Delaware) and get a test kit made by Taylor, cost is $25 and it test for many things, ph, FC, TC, Alk, etc.

You'll need to post your FC levels at the very least, to determine how much bleach to add.

In my experience, you'll need to add all 6 bottles, several times over the next several days, until pool is clear. As I said before, it took me 30 + gallons of bleach, but it fixed it in 2 days time, and that was by testing to keep the FC above 10 until it cleared - that is the crucial part. Don't go up and down with FC - no yoyoing up and down, hold at 10+.

rjf

[ccostan]

Well I have joined the ranks of Bleach users. :) - I poured 5 gallons of 5.25% bleach ($1.69 a Gallon @ PathMark) which according to the bleach Calc will raise my FC ppm to 12. Tested an hour later and FC is above 10. Added the last of the pool store ALK to bring that up since mine was at 40 ppm. Brushed the entire pool down and will wait til morning. If the FC goes back down, I have another 6 Jugs in the Shed to add. I'll keep you posted. I definately want to add to the Bleach success stories.

Thanks for all the support!
CARLO.

[ccostan]

So it is the next morning and nothing has changed (even a LITTLE).. I am getting VERY fustrated at this point and the wife is losing faith.

Here are the diary logs (Again Minus the Crying and Cursing.)

5/29 11am - PH 6.2,FC 3.0, TA 40, CYA 0 - Added 3lbs of PH UP.
5/29 1:30pm - PH 6.4, FC 2.0, TA 40, CYA 0
5/29 5PM - PH 6.0, FC 2.0, TA 40, CYA 0 - Added 5 GALLONS Bleach 5.25%
5/29 8:30pm - PH 6.0 FC 10+, TA 40, CYA 0
5/30 1am - PH 6.0, FC 10+, TA 40, CYA 0
5/30 9am - PH 6.0, FC 10+, TA 40, CYA 0
5/30 12PM - PH 6.0, FC 10+, TA 40, CYA 0.

Nothing is changing in terms of color but I do have the strong smell of chlorine but the FC remains above 10. I'm puzzled. I am going to Lowes RIGHT now to get a more accurate drop tester. I'll be ordering Bens but need to clear up this pool now. A picture is worth a 1000 words so I have attached one of the pool in it's current state. http://www.fordst.com/images/Pictures/EBay/Pool1.JPG

Please help!
CARLO.
Carlo @ ipm.com

30,000 IG Vinyl pool Currently Green. :(
Brooklyn, NY.

[pairadocs]

you've probably already learned this by now, but your numbers are off and you need to modify things.

ph is too low

cya is nonexistent, too low.

I'll let the elders tell you what to do.
I know they'll say to get a better test kit with liquid drops, and then recheck your numbers because they are strange.

once your numbers are right, for enough time - hours to days, your pool will be OK. The first P in P-o-o-l stands for Patience, i've learned.

is that your pool vac tubing that is visible in the picture?

[ccostan]

Yeah I definately know I need a better tester and have been searching for a good one at QUITE a few stores. They all seem to have strips here in Brooklyn, NY. I also looked to order Bens but the Order page only lists Pre ordering the ps234 with a 2 - 4 week delivery time. :(

As far as the PH and CYA - I was under the impression (and PLEASE correct me if I am wrong) that I should be concentrating on the FC levels. I though Higher PH levels made Chlorine less effective and the Higher the CYA, the more chlorine I would need. I figured once I got the pool unGreened, I would fix the other levels. Could this method be hurting my efforts?

I think what you see in the pool is a little 20 buck PVC 'sprinkler' attached to one of the return jets. Very Soothing in these troubled times.

Really - Thanks for all your help and advice. I just added 4 1/2 lbs of Mule Borax to the pool and will retest in about 2 hours when the sun starts to retreat. I figure I will also be adding more Bleach to the water as well after testing. I'll post the results that I get. - I'm off to one last Hardware store to AT LEAST get something to measure CC which may help fill in some holes in my pool picture.

A very sincere thanks.
CARLO.