Need help -- swampy smelling pool

[aburris]

So I have put all the chemicals I was supposed to in my pool and have retested the water a number of times. Everything says the levels are where they should be but the pool is so cloudy and nothing seems to be helping. There is also a weird odor to the water. It's kind of musty smelling almost. Can you please give me some pointers to try? my biggest problem is that it doesn't get a lot of sun, so I wasn't sure if that was the problem or not. Thank you.

[Watermom]

Hi and welcome to the Pool Forum!

Some questions for you:

-- What kind of pool and what is the volume?
-- What size of pump?
-- What kind and size is your filter?
-- Exactly what all have you put in the pool -- meaning ingredients and not just product names.
-- What kind of test kit do you have? Post some numbers.

If you only have test strips, that won't do. Around here we call them guess strips. 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 if you don't already have a drops-based test kit, 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]

Meanwhile:

1. Add PLAIN 8% household bleach at the rate of 1 gallon per 10,000 gallons of pool water EACH EVENING.
2. Get a cheap OTO / phenol red drops kit (at Walmart, while you get the bleach). First, test the pH. If it's between 7 & 8, forget about for now. Test the chlorine -- you want to keep the pool in the DARK yellow range, till you get the K2006 test kit.

3. Unless you need to adjust the pH (ask us how) do NOT put ANY other chemicals in the pool. Just bleach. Nothing else.

4. Make an inventory of any chemicals you have left, and post it here.

. . . membership upgraded.