cloudy mess

My pool had a leak right after closing that lowered the water 10 inches. The mesh safety cover sank with weight of snow and didn't make it to land on the water without pulling the anchors out of my beautiful (formerly) mahogany pool surround. When I pulled it off, it was a lot of leaves and the usual mess I had without a safety cover! I didn't do anything while I asked around to see if someone would look to fix the leak. Everyone said to clean it up first, then they'll look.

So, I started by adding water. And lots and lots of bleach. I am now a fill level for a week, and I added 15 gallons of 12% (3 5 gallon carboys), that cleaned my dark green, almost black to light green cloudy overnight. I was hopeful.

It's been a week and it is not much better. I've had to regenerate (bump) the filter many times. I pulled it apart and soaked to clean the fingers. I've added a lot of bleach. It is still not clearing up.

I'm sure this is b/c of the filter getting so clogged up, and no one is home to bump during the day. It is only getting a few hours without clogging on weekdays, and somewhat more during the weekend. I will be changing the DE tomorrow AM once more (did this on Sunday too after bumping 8-10 times on Sat and only getting a half hour after each time). I am running out of patience. Someone just tell me I am doing the right thing. I tested me water yesterday, and don't have the results handy, but they are all in range.

Also, I was told that the bags of "shock" powder are 65% chlorine, so they are "the same as the 5 gallons of 12%" I am a math person, and that makes no sense to me. Does anyone know what those bags actually do as far as raising the CL?

- betty d.

If it's still green, then you still have algae, and you need to keep your pool at shock level (that level depends on your CYA level--I'm assuming you have zero CYA, so that means keeping your chlorine at 12-15 ppm) by testing and adding more chlorine 2-3 times daily until it's cloudy blue. After that, the filter is gonna have to get the dead algae out--so it's going to take some work to keep the filter going. You might try turning the pump off, letting the stuff settle to the bottom of the pool, and then vacuming to waste to bypass the filter--otherwise, it's going to be a matter of babysitting the filter until it gets all the dead stuff out. You're doing the right thing, though--I understand how frustrating it is...just keep it up!

The bags of shock could either be cal-hypo (which adds calcium to your pool in addition to chlorine) or dichlor (which adds chlorine and CYA). They certainly don't have the same effect on my pool as "5 gallons of 12%", so I'm not sure where that came from. Stay the course with the bleach, and hang in there!!

Janet

Thanks for the quick response. It is a blue, cloudy mess - no green left. I have my aquabot pretty much running 12 hours a day, so it is picking up the dead stuff. I was going to retire my aquabot b/c the power supply was not working, so I spent $200 on a new power supply. But, tonight there is a thunder storm, and everything is off.

My CYA was 10 yesterday, and I have 4 pounds ready to add. I am going for level of 30.

I'm backwashing the DE and adding new, clean DE in the AM after the storm is over. Someone who works with my disabled son Mon-Thurs says it looks better than Thursday, but I'm not seeing it! I hope she is right and it is clearing up. If I can see the main drain before the end of the week, I'll be happy!

Since it is not green, I will just keep the chlorine at normal levels. At least I will not be wasting $$ on extra bleach! That is good info that I suspected, but didn't want to risk not shocking. It is just Pool Owner Patience to battle now!

- betty d.