Hi, just getting started--cloudy pool

Hello everyone,

I am the proud owner of a 15,000 gallon above ground pool. Can't wait to go swimming, but it is taking a while for the pool to get clear.

Here are the numbers I have using a 5-way drop kit:

Cl: 12.0 (?--I'm ballparking it based on amber color of reaction)
pH: 7.2
Total alkalinity: 120
CYA: 100 (I had to use a test strip for this)

I have balanced out my pH and my alkalinity by using acid and aerating. I know I need to add more shock, but I am afraid of bleaching my liner. How long does this process normally take? I have scooped out 99% of big debris and need to vacuum.

I must say that the cover fell in over the winter (this winter was our first winter in our house), and I neglected the pool after that. It was swampy green and you couldn't see an inch down. It has come a long way in a month.

Thanks to all!

EDIT: I forgot to add that I can see the bottom fairly well. It IS coming along, slowly but surely.

First off, Buy a K-2006 (if you go through the link in the mod's sigs or How to Get the Right Testkits for your Pool the Pool Forum gets a few shekels to keep the lights on). It'll be the best pool care spend you'll make.

To turn swamp water clear in 2-3 days you need to use Dropout or something similar. You put your filter on recirculate, pour the dropout in the water, turn off pump after 2 hours, wait 24 hours then vacuum to waste. The dropout will cause the algae particles suspended in the water to stick together and fall to the bottom of the pool where they can be vacuumed to waste (you will need to overfill your pool because you are draining the pool while you vacuum). It works best when the ph is a little on the high side 7.8 or so. Good luck!

Okay, my TF-100 test kit came in the mail today, and here are the numbers:

PH: 7.2
TA: 320
FC: 42
CC: 2
CYA: 140 (?--didn't take much to cloud up the dot)

It was fairly clear, just hazy. So at husband's urging, went by pool store, let them run the numbers, added 26 lbs of bicarb and waited. Pool was still hazy, so added whole bottle of Powerfloc and followed instructions. Now pool looks worse! Now cloudy and can barely see bottom, whereas before I could see the bottom fairly well. It's about 16 hours in, so I'm still hopeful.

Grrrr...I would like to go swimming sometime soon...grrrr

P.S. can I be added to the regular forums now please? :D

I suggest you stop dumping stuff into your pool. 26lbs of bicarb sounds sounds beyond the pale to me, but it does explain the TA of 320 - you'll have to fix that at some point. Floc is of limited usefulness and can readily make things worse.
I see you've purchased a TF-100 which indicates to me that you are also asking for advice on TFP. I don't read TFP nor do I know what's in the TF-100 but I do know that they generally follow the method of poolcare taught here. I also know that trying to following the advice given by different sources often yields poor results.

As Dave noted, your pool store has just demonstrated the common pattern of selling you stuff you didn't need (baking soda) and having you use it to screw up your pool even more. This is VERY, VERY common.

Since you've put in floc and massively overdosed on bicarb, your best bet may be to turn your pump off for 36 hours, and see if the cloud will settle. (That's what flocs do . . . when they work.)

Well, I have decided just to wait and see. I am testing my water every day, and not adding anything unless MY test results SAY the pool needs this or that--and then intentionally under-adding X or Y until I get balances correct. I can't vacuum or backwash either, since I need a new valve assembly on my Pentair filter. Apparently, I was supposed to turn the valve handle clockwise only (sorry, did not know that, pardon my ignorance).

It seems that the haziness/cloudiness will clear up. I just have to be patient; that is not my forte.

Anyway, I found a valve assembly on Amazon, and I think I can DIY.

Now to convince my husband that we don't need to go by the pool store for stuff.

Thanks for your advice and encouragement!

You really ought to try to let the floc settle, with no circulation.

Most flocs are DESIGNED to work that way; running them through the filter can 'break' the flocced agglomerations, and cause them to work in reverse . . . KEEPING the goo in the water. I hope you haven't already gotten to that point.