cloudy after killing algae

I've been lurking here for a few weeks trying to learn how to deal with the algae bloom I had in our Intex 15X36 pool. After struggling with the chlorine tabs and the Wally World algecide, I nuked the pool with bleach (1gal so the chlorine level went to a claculated 24PPM). Killed the algae, but am now battling the cloudy pool, trying to get it cleared up. The chlorine dropped to around 5PPm the day after the nuke.

I've been maintining a high chlorine level of over 5PPM. The Wally World test kit is vague and only goes up to 5PPM and recommends 1.5 PPM. I've been swapping filters every other day and brushed the pool for the first two days to get the algae gone. The algae is still gone, but the pool is also still cloudy.

I nuked the pool last wednesday, it is now monday, and the pool looks to be slightly less cloudy,though it's hard to tell. My little boy is looking forward to getting back in the pool, but I won't let him until I get the cloudy water cleared up.

How do I get rid of the cloudy water? Do I need to drain the pool and start over? I hate to waist all that water.

Hi, You are doing the right things to kill the algae and probably have killed it. Now you must filter out the dead algae. Unfortunately the intex pools have weak filters so it may take a long time to clear it. Keep your chlorine level up so as not to allow the algea to return and keep the filter on 24/7. In time it will clear. Depending on how cloudy it is it probably might be ok to swim your choice.
Ken

Allowing the Algae to settle out to the bottom and then vacuuming it is what I would say that you should do at this point. Those intex pools have sad vacuums though from the sounds of it though so I suppose that you may just have to filter it...

Thanks. Maybe I haven't given it enough time.

The intex vacuum works ok if you run around the inside of the pool to create a vortex, let all the debris settle in the middle, then run the vacuum over it to suck all the debris into the little sock.

The filter is fairly weak and cloggs up with white slime, which I assume is dead algae, and I swap filters once a day, hosing off the filter I pulled out.

I have been keeping my cover on the pool, trying to keep the chlorine loss at a minimum, plus we've been having some rain

Ph has been hard to pinpoint since it goes up every time I add bleach. it has usually registered in the low 7's. It's hard to tell with the Aqua Chem test kit. The kit doesn't give enough resolution to pinpoint exact number. It should be fine to keep me in the ballpark and keep our Intex pool sanitized.

So keep brushing, swapping filters daily, maintain chlorine levels, and this cloudiness should go away within a week or so?

I have the same problem with my intex 18x48. I have run the filter 24/7 for a week now and it has cleared slightly but still cloudy at the bottom. From reading this site I found a great recommendation for the poolbuster. I just got it today so I hope it will clear the water since the vacuum for the intex will not. I'll let you know how it works!

Shannon

Hi I would leave the cover off while shocking and keeping higher chlorine levels as some of the gunk you are killing leaves the pool as gas. it would be alright to cover it at night but it helps to let the bad stuff gas off.
Ken

You can also siphon vacuum to waste to get the fine stuff off the bottom. There are several posts in the Intex area that tell how to do this.