Cloudy Please help

[mrszaff]

I originally put this post in the wrong spot...sorry

We have had issues in the past with metal in the water so when I opened the pool a week ago I proactively added Jacks Blue Stuff for metal and 32 oz. polyquot. I could see the bottom it was not green but had a clear film on walls, I put 2 tri chlor pucks in filter and ran 24/7, it became cloudy immediately so I added 2-4 bottles of bleach every night and blue clarifier. Now its a beautiful blue but I cannot see the deep end drain, yesterday I added 8 gallon bottles of liquid shock (sodium hypochlorite 12.5) and another polyquot 60, I still had a low FC level.

So today here are my numbers . fc 2, tac 5 cya 0,ta 80, ph 7.0

The pool store told me ...to add soda ash which i did today and a bag of leslies powder powder plus (calcium hydrochlorite 73%) and to add clarifier tomorrow I backwashed a few days ago, it wasn't green, no metal stains so far .

how can i clear this pool, please help thanks

[FormerBromineUser]

Can you test your CYA with a home testkit?

Your chlorine is burning off with no CYA.

[mrszaff]

Fc 6.0 cc 5 cya 0 ta 80 ph 7.3

[FormerBromineUser]

I didn't phrase my question well. Sorry. What testkit are you using? It says 2000.
Anyway, I would add about 4 lbs. of CYA. See where you are in a couple of days. If you think you may need to backwash within the next 48 hours, do that first.

[mrszaff]

Taylor k- 2006 , I will get the CA in the morning , thanks. So no more shock for now?

[FormerBromineUser]

Was your CYA test solution cloudy at all? Let us know.

If it was, just add 3#. And no, don't add more chlorine until you drop down to 3ish until you get the CYA in there.

[FormerBromineUser]

Also, don't waste any more money on algaecide. You only need it when you close your pool for the winter.

[mrszaff]

The cya test was not cloudy at all, thank you!

[FormerBromineUser]

Okay. Then that means your CYA is close to zero. Add the 4#. How is your FC now?

[mrszaff]

I will do another reading now...

[FormerBromineUser]

Just FC/CC

[mrszaff]

Fc 5.6

[mrszaff]

Cc 1.0

[mrszaff]

FC 5.6, cc 1.0 , is the cya that I'm adding powder or liquid?

[FormerBromineUser]

K. another question. Are you using a 25ml pool sample? It looks like you are. From now on, use a 10ml sample for FC/CYA. The directions are on the inside lid of your kit. Just count the drops and divide by 2 when using the 10ml.

Arg. Don't like that CC value. BUT don't add more chlorine until you get that CYA into the pool.

Instead of going to Leslie's, you can buy CYA (cyanuric acid) much cheaper at Menard's, Home Depot, Lowe's, etc. Look for as close to 100% cyanuric acid as you can find.

[mrszaff]

the last reading was from 10ml sample

[FormerBromineUser]

As for CYA, granular is significantly cheaper, but can take 2-3 days to dissolve and show up on your test. Liquid registers within 2 hours. It's up to you and your budget.

[mrszaff]

I will get the liquid then, thanks, at this point I just need it clear asap

[FormerBromineUser]

K. You may only find liquid at Leslie's. google your big box stores just in case. If you do go to Leslie's, DO NOT take a water sample in! If you go liquid CYA, add about 75 ounces. (1-1/2G).

[mrszaff]

thank you for the help! I will post new readings tomorrow !!! i am hopeful now....

[FormerBromineUser]

We gotcha covered! Night.

[mrszaff]

I bought the dry cya because the liquid said monosodium cyranurate monohydrate 35percent and I wasnt sure about that, I added about half the 4 pound bucket mixed with water to the skimmer as per the directions, will add the rest tonight and retest the water tomorrow. thank you

[FormerBromineUser]

Okay. Tomorrow we will "assume" your CYA is 30. So tomorrow, take your FC up to 12 and keep it there by testing and addi g 2-3 times a day. This chart shows that your shock level is about 12. http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/best-guess-swimming-pool-chlorine-chart.html#a

[mrszaff]

ok i will keep you posted, enjoy the weekend!

[mrszaff]

my cya is 30 this afternoon but my cc =4 fc=1.5 I bought 2 cases of liquid shock and I will add 2 gallons tonight

[FormerBromineUser]

Be sure and do more in the morning. You probably will need another dose tonight depending on when you add that first dose. You have done a shock procedure before, right? I don't want to tell you things you already know!

[mrszaff]

I will add 2 more tonight and check it again in the AM before adding 2 more. still no sign of clearing but I remain hopeful, thanks!

[FormerBromineUser]

A couple of things.

One: the CYA you added will not make the pool clear. We added that so that your chlorine will be protected from the sun. It's the chlorine that will clear your pool.

Two, your goal is to get your FC up to 12 and keep it there. An initial dose of 2 gallons is good.
After that, though, test your FC the next time. Add enough to get your FC back up to 12. Repeat.

Here's your dosage:
If your chlorine is 10%: add 3C for every 1ppm increase you need
If your chlorine is 12.5%: add 2C, 3oz for every 1ppm increase you need

[mrszaff]

so far today alone I have added 5 gallons of 12.5 and 2 gallons of regular generic bleach, I will try again tomorrow.

[FormerBromineUser]

Okay. Just don't go too far past 12 as you don't want to bleach your liner.

With 8.25%, you need 3-1/2C to raise by 1ppm.

You might want to do a recheck tomorrow of your CYA just in case not all of it was dissolved by today.

[mrszaff]

this morning's reading cc=3 FC=4 alk= 60 ph=7.3 cya ia a little less than 30

I thought I saw the outline of the drain but its raining and I wasn't sure... I am adding another gallon now and I will repeat at lunch time

[FormerBromineUser]

To get from an FC of 3 to your shock level of 12, you should have added almost 2 gallons of 8.25%. Are you using those bleach calculations I posted above? What FC/CC did you get at lunchtime?

[mrszaff]

I added 1 gallon of 12.5% this morning after my initial reading and then at 12 noon added another gallon of 12.5 %, now 4 hours later my numbers have dropped to FC 2.0 CC 2.5 I am adding a third gallon now and probably more before bed time. I really am perplexed, pool is still blue and cloudy.

[FormerBromineUser]

You still have a lot of CC's in there. Your chlorine is fighting hard and is getting used up. Don't stop testing and adding chlorine AND put another 1/2G of 12.5% in there. You need to get that FC up to 12. Otherwise the bad guys have the advantage. 1 gallon puts your FC at 8.5. You really need to get it to 12ppm.

[mrszaff]

ok I added another gallon, i will test it late tonight before adding more. I just went to the store to buy plain bleach, im out of 12% FIlter is running 24/7 and thank you!

[FormerBromineUser]

You must not like math....!

For 8.25%:
12 minus (-) current tested FC = #ppm needed.
Then
#ppm needed times (x) 3.5 cups of bleach = how many cups to add.

There are 4 cups to a quart and 16 cups to a gallon.

[mrszaff]

I haven't added the bleach yet ...and its only 5% not 8, but anyway after adding everything I have so far, my reading is not even close to 12 yet.
I love math, lol ...I teach it all day to 10 year olds.
I really do appreciate your help, I'm just getting anxious because I have been fighting this cloud for 10 days now. I will post my new numbers tonight or tomorrow. Thanks again!

[FormerBromineUser]

Hahaha about teaching math!

Since we know this:
If your chlorine is 10%: add 3C for every 1ppm increase you need
If your chlorine is 12.5%: add 2C, 3oz for every 1ppm increase you need
Then 5% would be 6C or 1.5Q

I don't know what you were doing for some of the last 10 days, but if you brush the pool and KEEP your FC at 12 (or even a tad over), by testing and adding as often as you can, your pool WILL clear.

EDIT: I just reread the thread. I neglected to suggest that you remove the pucks. Let's get them out if they're still in there.

[mrszaff]

Ok thank you! I will remove the pucks and post numbers tomorrow. Thanks again

[mrszaff]

my numbers this morning fc=1.5 cc= .5
I can make out the drain its just not crystal clear yet, but its an improvement for sure. I will keep adding bleach and I will vacuum today.

I haven't let anyone use the pool, what do you think? thank you!

[FormerBromineUser]

Glad your CC's are coming down; that's good. If you can see a swimmer in trouble, you can swim at FC of 12 but wear old suits. Keep it at 12 as often as you can.

[mrszaff]

at 4pm ...getting better, fc=5.5 cc=.5, adding more bleach

[FormerBromineUser]

Maybe you can check in a half hour and make sure you hit 12.

[mrszaff]

fc= 9.5 cc=.5, i will add a little more

[FormerBromineUser]

Is there a date code on that bleach? Like a 5 digit number that has a 16 in it?

[mrszaff]

16145

[FormerBromineUser]

Okay. So it was bottled on May 24. That's fine. You're storing it out of the sun, right?

I just would think that if you're aiming for 12 and only get 9 a half hour later, either the bleach is off or your pool is REALLY hungry!

How are your reagents holding out?

[mrszaff]

I think it's a hungry pool, reagents are good. I have been buying bleach everyday, so no need to store it very long but it's in the house. I will test again tonight, restocked my Taylor kit from Amazon last week.

[FormerBromineUser]

Glad you have plenty of reagents. I think it might be a good idea to test after you add tonight so that you are sure you hit 12 for the overnight hours where the shock level FC can really work hard without fighting the sun.

[mrszaff]

It's at 12 now , I'll check in the morning again thanks