Dusty Bottom/Cloudy Water Issues

Hi Matt;

• Your chlorine from Leslies is 73% strength cal hypo -- it's good stuff for this purpose.
• You do NOT need to test your filter with DE; it's been catching algae, so it's working fine.
• You will improve your kill by BRUSHING all the areas where algae has appeared, even if you can't see algae there now.
• You should brush in the evenings AFTER adding chlorine.
• If you will raise borates in your pool to around 60 ppm, your pool will be more resistant to this type of algae.
• BUT, borates are something in addition, not a replacement for chlorine.

It's much easier to answer your questions, when we have the details about your pool in one place. We often 'waste' the first few posts back and forth collecting information. So, please complete our new Pool Chart form -- it takes about 30 seconds, but will save much more than that.

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If you are interested in the borate thing, you'll need about 20 boxes of 20 Mule Team borax, and about 6 gallons of acid - maybe $150. Don't do this if your pool is leaking, or if you are planning to drain it anytime soon. And, ask before you start. There are some other things to do.

Update for Jun 13: Water was at 15ppm at dusk last night. Just tested about 2 hours after sunrise. It is at 14ppm with <.5 CC.

HOWEVER, it is still moderately cloudy. I can see the bottom of the pool, but it is very murky and blue.

What needs to be done to get rid of the cloudiness? Let everything settle and vac?

Right now my pump is running 24 hrs/day.

Looks like you are making progress but since it has only been one day since you reported a 2ppm chlorine loss overnight and your pool is still cloudy, I'd keep the chlorine at shock level for another day and repeat the overnight test again tomorrow night.

Is your filter pressure rising? For now, keep your pump running 24/7.

I was out of town last night, but I had my teenager add enough chlorine to keep it superchlorinated until I get back. I'll run the test again tomorrow.

As to the pressure rising - the answer is "not really." For whatever reason, this tank has never showed increases in pressure over time when I use the filter. I flush lots and lots of brown and (occasionally) green gunk out of it when I do backwash, but the pressure never seems to rise. I've had two gagues on it, and they've both been this way. Not sure why.

Still at it.

I was at 16ppm at dusk last night, and I tested about an hour after sunrise and was at 12ppm.

Will repeat again tonight.

Yes. Since you lost that much chlorine overnight, you are still fighting something. Continue doing this. (Re-read post #6 above.) You also need to be checking your CC reading each morning. And, any morning that you have had too big of an overnight chlorine loss, add enough chlorine that morning to get the level back up to shock.

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Originally Posted by MattTexas

A little less cloudy, but there is a large buildup of brown-ish "dust" in the crevices of the floor.

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If this is occurring on vertical, rather than horizontal surfaces, it's mustard algae, not debris. It *may* be mustard algae, regardless.

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anyone have advice on whether I should put some DE in the skimmer basket to test the filter

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Yes, but only a few cups.

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and to help the filter catch smaller particles? I have zeo sand in my filter.

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No. This doesn't always work out well, and can cause problems in some cases.

Ben-

This is DEFINITELY on the pool floor, and its generally falling into crevices that are perpendicular to the water circulation pattern, i.e.

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They tend to be along the edge more than the center, but definitely on the floor of the pool.

I'm brushing it at dusk every evening - at the same time I chlorinate.

Pump still going 24 hrs.

- Matt

@PoolDoc-

You had earlier indicated I didn't need to test my filter because you believed it was "catching algae." I think you based this on my report that, when I backwash, I get green and or brown gunk.

Would there be any harm in trying the DE test just to be sure?

Thanks to everyone for the ongoing help!

There is no harm, but it really isn't necessary. If it is catching brown and green gunk and your filter pressure is rising, then it is working. If it wasn't working, it wouldn't be catching stuff because it would be blowing it through the filter and back into the pool and thus your pressure wouldn't be rising.