My pool is back at it again..

[no1ford]

To start from the beginning I had cloudy water, that I couldn't clear up. I used a floc (second time this season) and it cleared up beautifully overnight-I vaccumed to waste and refilled. I added more iron out and things were good for three days-then cloudy water again.
This time I am shocking. I have had it at shock level for 1 1/2 days now. It tuned from cloudy to milky-but no clearer. I can only see approx 1- 2 feet down. I put the iron out in on July 7th and slowly raised my chlorine.

Does anybody have any other suggestions?

18x 48 intex
CL--Really Orange (Walmart drop kit only goes to 5)
PH-7.2
Alk-200
Cya-30

[szampino]

- Same pool, same problem, did you get any responses?

I have not Flocked yet. Check my posts under Copper Iron

[no1ford]

No responses yet- Although this is my second year with this pool and my 5th year with an intex brand. This year has been awful!

I am having trouble with this. Am I correct that when my cl holds overnight I am towards the end of my shock. I have been using 3 to 4-3 qt 6% bleach bottles everyday, and I have a cya of 30. It is just getting eaten up-is that because it is fighting off something?

Do I maybe need more iron out? Would that cause the cloudiness after a few days of being gorgeous? I am so frustrated I feel like taking it down and getting the kids a new sprinkler!

[waterbear]

I want to give you an analogy. If you have a dog that makes a mess on the rug you can spray it with deoderizer and it won't smell....for a short while! The thing is, you have not cleaned up the mess and it is still sitting on your rug and the smell is going to come back!
The floc might clear the pool but you need to figure out why the pool is going cloudy and fix the problem. If your chlorine is not holding then you need to keep shocking and maybe increase the level you are shocking at. It sounds like you are battling algae and you have not killed it. It sounds like you are not holding a proper FC level in the pool and that is allowing algae to grow. What are your most recent set of test numbers? Post them and we will take it from there.

[no1ford]

Great analogy! How true!

Numbers as of tonight

Walmart drop kit

CL-Really dark orange (bright yellow is 5ppm)
Ph-7.2
Alk-210
Hardness-0
Cya-15-20 ( ok, now not to sound stupid, but I hadn't checked it since my last floc, vacuum to waste-so that is why it is lower.)
Should/ can I add more conditioner during shock session?

Well there are my numbers-any suggestions? All help appreciated greatly!

Won't algae make my pool green?

[waterbear]

The beginnings of an algae bloom are usually just cloudy water. Once the algae takes hold and there is enough of it the water will turn green. I would get the CYA up to about 40 ppm and shock the pool to about 12 ppm and KEEP IT THERE until the pool clears. The I would make sure the pool never went below 3 ppm FC. Test it every evening and add chlorine if necessary until you really get the feel for how much chlorine you need! (and do the same with the pH....test it every evening until you know exactly what it is doing in YOUR pool!)

BTW, your alk is a bit high....don't worry too much about it now but you might want to lower it a bit once you get the pool in better shape.

[waterbear]

every pool is different....some people can get their chlorine to hold and have the pool clear in a few days....others take weeks. No hard and fast rules here. What you need is a big bottle of POP (pool owner patience)!;) Just keep up the chlorine level and keep cleaning the filter until the FC is holding and the pool is clear.

[no1ford]

It is working!! I can see outline around the sides! Yeah! BUT it has turned a little green again. I will keep shocking until clear view of bottom and then lower my chlorine down some and maybe add more iron out. Sounds right or should I add the iron out now? Or is the green hue a normal part of clearing up while shocking?

Wow you guys are amazing! I had my doubts about shocking-now I totally see it works!

[no1ford]

I just vacuumed and scraped walls and now it is all cloudy again! I am guessing I have to keep doing that too until clear!! Still greenish though.

[waterbear]

in a word, yes...until you kill all the algae you need to keep it at shock level. If you do the pool will clear and your clorine demand will end.

[no1ford]

Yes-for the green too?

[waterbear]

in a word, yes.

[no1ford]

In my words---thank you!! :) :) :)

[waterbear]

If you find that after your chlorine is holding and the pool still has a green tint to it get it tested for metals. If they are present then add sequesterant.

[bradjo]

Todays update-- Can no longer see bottom and the pool has gotten greener. I had to add more water so the green is probably metals.
Mbar-I know you said you add iron out without lowering your chlorine-can I do that at shock level too?

Here's what I'd do, in this order ;)

(1) Listen to Evan

(2) Stop worrying about the turbidity of your water that is a secondary issue for the moment.

(3) Focus ALL your efforts on getting the chlorine to hold overnight. Focus on that and keep your pool firmly at or above shock level, all the time, until it holds overnight.

(4) Once your chlorine values remain the same overnight then test for iron or copper. If you have a pool store close by use them or if you believe this is going to be a continuing issue buy a kit to test iron/copper http://www.taylortechnologies.com/products_kitinfo.asp?&MarketID=1&KitID=2240

And Ben has an iron kit on his site here: http://www.poolsolutions.com/cart/kits.php (iron is what I'd expect from well water)

While you can probably sequester while chlorinating why spend money on sequestration if it's not that?

Further iron usually gives water a brownish cast and copper a green. But these are all red herrings until you get the chlorine demand resolved.
hth,
Jo

[no1ford]

I have had no change in the water since brushed the sides-so two days. It is so cloudy I can only see 1 or so feet down. I am listening to Evan-I just need support through it telling me this is totally normal!

Question-now don't get mad-but if I floc again and get my clear water-then can't I shock?

Will it do anything to "over shock"

[no1ford]

I think I will may do that.

[bradjo]

Has your chlorine held overnight yet?

[no1ford]

Yes-for three nights!

[waterbear]

If your FC is holding and constant then let your chlorine levels drop and then add sequesterant. If you are using a TSP based floc (most of them are) you are putting phosphates (algae food) into the water! If you want to continue to use floc after I have advised against it then there is really nothing more I can do to help you. You have also not posted any test numbers which makes it more difficult to know what is going on in your pool. You really should be reposted the most current results each time.