First timer with AG pool that won't clear up

[Cflynn22]

First time homeowner with new pool and struggling to get the water looking correct. I have a Hayward sand filter. Pool is an above ground and I can not seem to get the pool to clear up. Local pool company had me put in 5 gallons of liquid chlorine. Any suggestions? The water is not green but yet just an aqua color. I was instructed not to vacuum as of yet. Please help!!!

[Watermom]

Hi and welcome to the Pool Forum!

We'll need some additional info to be able to help.

1. What is the volume of your pool?
2. What size pump and what size is your filter? (How much sand does it hold?)
3. Exactly what all have you added to the pool, meaning ingredients and not just product names like 'shock.'
4. Was the pool green before you added the chlorine? Is it still cloudy now?
5. What is the source of your fill water?
6. Do you have a drops-based test kit? If so, what kind? Post current numbers.

If you don't have a good drops-based test kit:
The test kit that we think is by far the best is the Taylor K2006 or 2006C (better buy). Not available locally but you can get it through this link that takes you to Amazon: http://pool9.net/tk/

But, in the meantime, go to Walmart and see if they have the HTH 6-Way drops-based kit (no test strips!) and get that. If they don't, get an OTO/Phenol Red kit (yellow and red drops) instead. Use it to test and then post your numbers. Also while you are at WallyWorld, get several jugs of their generic 8.25% bleach and a couple of boxes of 20 Mule Team Borax (laundry aisle).

Repost with requested info and then someone here can try and help you.

(Until you registration is completed, you won't be able to see the rest of the forum while you are logged in. So, copy that link and then paste it into a browser window after you log out.)

[PoolDoc]

Local pool company had me put in 5 gallons of liquid chlorine. Any suggestions? The water is not green but yet just an aqua color. I was instructed not to vacuum as of yet.

+ Putting in the chlorine was good. If there's still any green left, do it again.

+ If there are piles of algae on the floor, vacuum them to WASTE, and not back to the pool.

+ Get a cheap local OTO / phenol red drops kit. Check your pH BEFORE adding more bleach. If it's between 7 and 8, forget about it for now. Keep your chlorine DARK yellow (off scale) till the algae is gone (no green, just gray). You can't test pH when the chlorine is off scale, however. Skip chlorine doses if the color ever reaches orange. See http://pool9.net/oto/

+ If it's been more than a week without clearing you probably have the common oversized pump matched to an undersized filter. This causes 2 problems. First the high pressure drives the algae THROUGH the filter. Second, the high flow on backwash carries sand out of the filter, so you have less and less sand to filter with.

Find your pump and filter make and model numbers and I'll take a look after you complete this form: http://pool9.net/pf-equip-form/
The thread number needed on the form is "24488".