Cannot clear my water

[ldltyl94]

Test kit - Taylor K2006
FC 30
CC .5
PH 7
ALK 40
CH 70
CYA 90

Please help!!

[CarlD]

There can be multiple causes. Is your water green and cloudy, green and clear or milky and cloudy, for example?
What kind of filter and pump do you have? Is the filter in proper working order?
Have you tried skimmer socks in your skimmer (cheap fix)?

[ldltyl94]

TWM 22" sand filter. Hayward powerflo matrix 1HP pump. The water is slightly green and cloudy. I've never tried a skimmer sock. The pump and filter seem to be working properly.

[CarlD]

Your numbers look like you should see an improvement. Are you:
1) Vacuuming to waste once each day?
2) Brushing your walls and floor once each day?
3) Checking your FC level at least 2x, preferably 3x/day?
4) Backwashing whenever your pressure rises?
5) Double-checking your measurements, particularly FC vs CYA levels?

I like the skimmer socks because they are cheap and can pull a whole lot of garbage out of your water quickly.
If you sand filter is filled with sand, not Zeolite, you can try adding some DE powder (about 1/3 cup) through the skimmer and see if that increases your filtering capability.

You have to kill the stuff in your pool, and you have to get it out. High FC is to kill it. Brushing knocks it loose from the walls and bottom so the chlorine can kill it. Vacuuming, skimmer socks, DE, frequent backwashing are all to get the stuff out.

[ldltyl94]

I am doing 3, 4 & 5 and will start 1 and 2 and try the DE. Thanks!!

[ldltyl94]

I'll also try the skimmer sock. Willing to try anything at this point.

[ldltyl94]

My FC is still up around 28 and the CC is .5. The water is still not showing any improvement. Any suggestions?

[CarlD]

It's possible there are two are things going on, but we're getting into the area where I'm not the expert.

1) The green. You MAY have a high metal content in the water. Take a sample to a pool store and ask them to test for metals. Do NOT let them talk you into adding more calcium (they'll absolutely INSIST with a CH of 70 you need it. You don't--your pool is vinyl and it's only for concrete/tile/plaster pools). If metals are high, there is a metal dissolver, a sequestrant to use. HEDP is the best stuff, like Jack's Magic (Pink). Then you'll need to let FC come 'way down before you use it. If it's metals, the high FC can cause the water to be green. HEDP dissolves the metal so it stays in suspension, but only water replacement actually gets it out--but the HEDP lets you live with it. Again, I'm not the expert on metals in water.

2) The cloudiness. If you do, indeed, have a high metal content, then you probably have something suspended that's too fine for the filter and even the skimmer socks. There are two things that then may help. You can try either a flocculant or clarifier, but not both. Personally, I like using PolyQuat. It's not only the best algaecide (besides chlorine), it also can act to clear water of suspended particles too small for filtering. There's also a gadget called a "Slime Bag" that goes over the return. They are a bit pricier, in the $50 range, but filter far finer than skimmer socks and people seem to have good luck with them.

There's one other possibility and that is that something else is going on that requires one of our chemistry experts, either Chem_Geek or PoolDoc himself, who's been out of touch since November. Again, we are out of my area a bit now as I'm neither the metals expert nor the special situations expert.

[FormerBromineUser]

Carl knows WAY better than I do about pool care, however, I would encourage you to keep the FC at shock level until you get the metals tests done and then decide how to proceed.

You said you were going to try the DE. Did you? If not, here's a link how to do it:
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php/3742