Cloudy salt water pool after adding baking soda

[justinsmom719]

When asking for help with a pool you normally care for all by yourself you can't be too careful.

I asked my daughter to dissolve stabilizer and add it to the pool one night when I wasn't home. She added a huge amount of baking soda. :-( My salt water has always been near perfect other than low chlorine on occasion and now it looks like a big white cloud. Any suggestions for correction?

[Watermom]

Post a current set of water testing results taken with a drops-based kit. (No test strips.)

What type of filter do you have?

[PoolDoc]

Cloudiness, immediately after adding baking soda, is probably precipitated calcium carbonate (lime dust).

1. Provide test results per Mom above.

2. If your pH is above 7.4, lower it to near 7.0

3. Run your filter 24/7

4. If you're using calcium hypochlorite, switch to PLAIN 8.25% household bleach.

[ membership upgraded ]

[justinsmom719]

I have been using test strips. Will stop and get the actual drop tester on my way home today and then post the results.

Sorry, it is an Intex metal frame 16x48 pool with a 1500 GPH filter and separate Krystal Clear SWG.

[PoolDoc]

Here's some stuff we often tell people - that is relevant to your situation:

+ The OEM cartridges in Intex / Summer Escapes / etc. filters are not high quality. The Intex manuals recommend replacing them completely every 2 weeks. A BETTER option is to replace them permanently with 2 - 3 Unicel or Filbur cartridges, and rotating them through a cleaning solution. Properly maintained, these cartridges should last all season AND filter better. So even if they cost more per cartridge, they cost less per season! Learn to maintain them, by reading this post, Cleaning-your-Cartridge-Filter-wiithout-Damaging-It! (http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?18044)

But, purchasing them is tricky. Amazon does not consistently stock them, and some of the 3rd party sellers are charging high prices and/or high shipping. So, check the Amazon link, but watch out for the prices and shipping costs.

It would be nice if you could just buy them elsewhere, but many of the online pool stores are listing Pleatco or other Asian made low quality filters, as "Unicel C-4607 type" or "fits Unicel C-4607". So shop carefully!

Here are the Amazon links:

Unicel cartridges: @ Amazon

Unicel C-4607 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex A or C) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000BNPRC2/poolbooks)
Unicel C-5315 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex B Filter (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0039X2XZK/poolbooks)
Unicel C-3302 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex E) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0040T54NA/poolbooks/)

Filbur cartridges: @ Amazon

Filbur FC-3710 Antimicrobial Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex A or C) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B007F8T4KW/poolbooks/)
Filbur FC-3752 Antimicrobial Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex B) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002BUM8KM/poolbooks/)
Filbur FC-3751 Antimicrobial Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex E) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00564Q680/poolbooks/)

[justinsmom719]

Ok. I ran the filter overnight and added household bleach and the cloudy has gotten better so that I can see the pattern on the floor of the liner slightly. Still a bit to go.

Readings are
FC. So yellow I can't match it to a reading.
pH 7.2
TA 120
TH 200
Cya 30

[PoolDoc]

Great!

[justinsmom719]

Is the high chlorine because of the bleach?
I was able to order a couple of the Filbur cartridges.
Should I add even more bleach or just give it more time?

[PoolDoc]

+ Bleach raises your chlorine.

+ Cloudy green needs more chlorine; cloudy blue or gray needs more filtering.

+ Regardless, run your filter as much as possible, preferably 24/7

[justinsmom719]

Thank You.
I was going to purchase the sand filter this year. I hope it works better since we just upgraded the pool size for next year now and I found out that is what comes with the 18' we ordered.
You have brought me peace of mind. I was heartbroken and lost.

[PoolDoc]

Glad we could help.