First post, cloudy water

[chelamurphy]

Intex 5,000 gallon (16x4). Standard filter that came with it (purchased at Target).
Live in LA and for the first 6 weeks of summer all of our levels were perfect. Went out of town and got green algae.
Used high doses of KemTek chlorinating granules which I use regularly but don't think I was using enough. So I shocked with KemTek, vacuumed, then started adding a gallon of bleach morning and night to get rid of the green (4 cycles so far). Water is blue now for 2 mornings straight but still can't see the bottom. FC and TC are high (super saturated color off the chart on the test strips) and no, I don't have the 6-way test kit you recommend, just the cheap drop kit. How will this cloudy water go away?

[BigDave]

Can you dump and refill?

[chelamurphy]

I drained about a third of it and started adding new water back in this morning but can't say how much it helped. Hate to dump with the drought right now, but I can if there's no other solution. Sad face.

[BigDave]

There are other solutions, but, if you are unwilling to buy the $20 test kit much less the $60 test kit, draining may all be the most efficient option.

Let us know what you want to do.

[CarlD]

If the algae is dead, you get rid of the cloudy water by filtering it out. But with an Intex the filter may take a long time to filter it. I expect in your part of the country, the water you propose to replace may cost as much, if not more, that the test kits.