Geez pool is still cloudy.

[scarywoody]

FC: 14 (shocked a couple days ago)
CC: 0.4
PH: 7.1
CYA: 39
Alk: 110
CaL HRD: 228

as of last thursday....According to my ps223 the ph was 6.8 and the pool store said 7.1. I added some borax and some old ph increaser over a few days and it keeps testing 6.8ish.

FC was 8 today.....The issue is I can still abrely see the bottom of the shallow end. It doesn't seem to be clearing up much at all. I've been running the pump non stop for like 3 weeks and have shocked and kept the cc up for about 2 weeks (pool sat unpumped and unchemicalized for about 7 months :D ). Should it be taking this long? Could the low ph readings be trying to tell me something?

20K gallon gunite pool. thanks

[duraleigh]

Woody,

Your numbers at the top of your post look like pool store test results.

Do you have current test results with the PS233? If so, please post those......that'll help a lot.

I believe you are simply not holding your Cl levels high enough and long enough. Give us a set of current test results from the PS233 and we'll help you get your water clear....it'll be easier than you think.

[CarlD]

And see if you can describe the cloudiness: White, green, brown, gray. They can all mean different things.

Since you have the PS233 (a GREAT kit) there's no reason to use pool store testing--your tests are more accurate.
(for example, my Sunday tests--20k, vinyl, 79 deg water:
FC:1.5,CC:0,TC:1.5,pH:7.6,TA:90,Ca:70,CYA=30--FC should be 3 minimum, raised FC routinely. I trust my tests.)

You may have algae, you may have dead algae, you may have other particulates.

Check your filter--is cloudy water coming OUT of it? (easy to see when you backwash) If so, you need to increase the filtering or fix something wrong in the filter. You can also try skimmer socks (they are really inexpensive and work nicely) to start filtering right there. I caught TONS of pollen in mine. If you have a sand filter you can add a cup of DE through the skimmer--that increases filtering--DE is cheap, too. There's also something call a "slimebag" that catches stuff, I believe, at the return. It's pricey, but people swear by it. The filter bags on Dolphins and AquaBots are also very fine filters--so a robotic cleaner can filter your pool nicely.

All possibilities. I generally use the skimmer sock and the DE in my sand filter routinely and I am happy with both.

[scarywoody]

ok i'll get some current ps223 results today. I'd have to say the pool looks a blueish green. It holds chlorine well.....I can see the bottom of the shallow end and there is a lot of dead algae there.

[scarywoody]

ps223 test results

FC 5.5
CC 1

alk 130

calhard 220

cya 30

ph 6.8

When I was out there it does look more clear, but its soooo sloooow. I think the #s look ok...should I try to bring the FC back up and hold it until it starts to clear more? Maybe bring the PH up with some borax?

[duraleigh]

Hi, woody,

I can't tell you how helpful it is to see good numbers posted up...Thanks!

Yeah, bring your FC right back up to 15 or so and try your best to KEEP IT THERE 'til your water clears up. Test and add Cl as often as you can...3 times a day is really effective.

At the same time put in some borax to get the pH up around 7.2 or so.

If you'll keep that Cl level at 15 as often as you can, I think your gonna see some speedup in your clearing process.:)

[scarywoody]

cool thanks for the advice. I'll do a blind vacuum this week and try to get a bunch of that dead algae off the bottom. Maybe that stuff keeps stirring up from the circulation.

[scarywoody]

well its clearing up more...I can see down the sidewalls today. This weekend a good vacuuming is in order. I still can'lt seem to get my ph up. Since it read 6.8 I've added 2 boxes of borax and 4 lbs of ph increaser left over froma couple years ago....still reading 6.8 ???

[Sherra]

6.8 is the lowest pH level a lot of kits will show (probably yours too??), so it could be a lot below 6.8 and that's why you're not showing an increase.

[scarywoody]

Yeah I was thinking that and when i took a sample of pool water into my pool store...they said my Ph was 7.1. I added a box of borax since then and I'm still reading 6.8. Maybe I'll try to find my test strips and see what they think. I'll take another sample to the pool store and see if they get a higher reading than 7.1.

[scarywoody]

just an update today i could see the bottom clearly, so i did the some sweep and vacuum. Got most of the dead algae out. Pool is looking blue :) thanks for the help.