Cloudy Pool Water - Could use some help

[Watermom]

How is the filter pressure doing? Backwash when it goes 8-10 psi over clean filter pressure. You might try some skimmer socks and also adding a little DE to your sand filter. Info in this thread:

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=3742

Sounds like you may be on the home stretch! Keep hammering it with bleach. You are doing a good job.

[bcooper27]

Filter pressure is remaining pretty steady as to where it should be. I'll keep my eyes on it and backwash if it gets too high.

I tested at 3pm and the levels were as follows:

FC = 17.0 ppm
CC = 0
pH = 7.4 (yippee!)

I put in (2) more 96oz bottles of bleach to keep the shock level. I'll continue doing that until it clears up. The good news is that I think I'm starting to see the bottom of the pool liner. Still a ways to go though.

I'm trying to read as much as possible to stick with the BBB method as I think it's great. I admit I neglected things the first two seasons and I'm determined to get a good process down to keep the pool in great condition. It's actually pretty fun checking levels and staying on top of things so that's good too (although my wife and kids are starting to call me "bleach boy" for some unknown reason!) Maybe it's the bleached stained shirt I'm wearing......which by the way was one of my favorite shirts until I forgot about how things SPLASH when you put them in the pool!

Does anyone have a routine you use during the week for adding chemicals, brushing, vacuuming, etc that they could recommend? Or maybe there's a post I haven't found yet.

I'll continue to check and post results until I'm 100% clear and good. Hopefully this also helps someone else too.

[Watermom]

I usually turn my pump on aroung 11:00 or so in the morning and also the solar panel. It runs throughout the day until the sun starts to go down and then I turn the solar panel off. As far as testing, I just spend about 5 minutes each evening when we get out of the pool checking cl and pH and adding bleach. Usually I end up adding 2 or 3 quarts of bleach. Then, I let the pump run for an hour or two and then shut it off for the night.

After I open the pool in the spring and get the levels where I want them (namely cya), I only run a full set of numbers a couple of times a season. But I have been doing this a long time and know my pool. My pool is consistently maintained thus I don't have problems.

I bought a Wanda the Whale vac this spring and I throw her in 2 or 3 times a week. Usually in the morning and let her do her thing for a couple of hours and then take her out before we get in to swim. We use our pool more in the evenings than in the heat of the day.

It takes awhile to "get to know" your pool, but as you do and you learn what works for your pool, your routine will become simple and quick as well. Good maintenance can head off most problems.

[bcooper27]

Good Morning everyone! Just wanted to check in and give you the latest on the condition of my pool. Here are the test levels from this morning:

FC = 15.0 ppm
CC = .2 ppm
pH = 7.4
ALK = 120
Calcium = 290

The FC number maintains itself overnight so that's a good thing. The pool is still not sparkling yet. Still a bit cloudy but I can definitely see the bottom. I keep wondering whether maintaining the high shock level will eventually make the water crystal clear or whether there's something else I can do.

At what level of FC is it safe to swim? I know the kids and wife are dying to get in the pool but I want it to be safe.

We're getting there.

[Watermom]

I just scanned quickly back through this entire thread. It appears (unless I missed it) that you haven't had a CC reading over 0.4 for 2 or 3 days now. Is that correct? Was last night the first night that you didn't lose cl overnight? If so, how much cl did you lose overnight the night before?

Did you try the DE powder and the skimmer socks? I think they might really help.
Are you running the pump 24/7?
Before you reply, retest and post another set of chlorine readings and answer the other questions. It may be, depending on your readings and some of the answers you give, that you may be ok to swim this weekend in old suits that you don't care if they fade some. But, I want to see your reply first before I make any suggestions or recommendations.

[bcooper27]

Hello...

Here are the cl readings for 1:00pm:

FC = 10.6 ppm
CC = 0

I tested the water on Thursday 7/1 at 7:30pm and the FC was 19.6 (cc=0) and I tested again Friday 7/2 at 5:30am before work and the FC was 12.4 (cc=.2). One note is that Thursday evening (at about 10pm) I did put in another (2) 182oz bottles of bleach to keep shock level through Friday since I knew I would be gone most of Friday. So if the idea is not lose hardly any FC overnight, I would say that is not happening. As you can see I went from FC of 15.0 this morning at 10am to 10.6 at 1pm so there is definitely loss there. Whether that's a function of not having higher CYA values or what I don't know.

I didn't try the DE idea yet but will definitely look into it. The pump has been running 24x7 for probably 4-5 days now. This morning at about 11am I decided to vacuum the pool for the first time as I was able to see to the bottom where there was a lot of old brown leaves clumped up. That's all clean now. I also did a backwash right after vacuuming until the water ran clean and then got the pump back on now filtering as normal.

Let me know if you have any other questions. And thank you for the help, especially on a holiday weekend.

-Brian

[Watermom]

So, last night was the first night with no chlorine loss. The night before, you still lost a substantial amount.

Already lost 5 today although your cya level is low so much of that is probably lost to the sun. Why don't you keep the cl high all day today and see if you go another night with no chlorine loss and see if you are still getting CC readings no higher than 0.5. If tomorrow morning shows no overnight loss and still good CC reading, then go swim tomorrow. Swimming with low cya and fc of about 10 is OK but, like I said, wear old swimsuits.

If you have big loss overnight and CC over 0.5, I'd keep it at shock levels again tomorrow and try again for maybe Monday. You do not want your family swimming in water that is not safe.

Can you go someplace today and try and get some DE? I think it might help and tomorrow is Sunday and Monday is July 4th so pool stores probably won't be open either day.

Also, tell me again so I don't have to reread the entire thread. How much dichlor in total did you put in this pool? And, in addition to the dichlor, did you buy any cya and put that in? If so, how much. When was the last time you added either dichlor or cya and when was the last time you tested cya level and what was it?

[bcooper27]

This afternoon we went to the pool place and picked up some skimmer socks and DE. I put the sock on and also added some DE per the directions. That was about 1.5 hrs ago.

The only dichlor I've added since opening was the 1lb bag which I believe was last Sunday if I'm not mistaken. Outside of that (and the clarifier which was early this past week) the only thing I've added to the pool is bleach and borax.

I did purchase stabilizer as well at the pool store as I had none in stock. However I've not put any of that in just yet. The last time I checked CYA was a few days ago (maybe Tues/Wed.) I'll check all the levels again after dinner and post them shortly after.

Thx!

[bcooper27]

7/3 - 6:15pm water test results:

FC = 9.0 ppm
CC = 0
pH = 7.2
Alk = 100
Calcium = 220
CYA = 20-30

For the CYA I filled the tube to the very top (less than 30) and I had a hard time seeing the black spot so I assumed it was in the 20-30 range.

[Watermom]

CC still 0! That is a good thing. How is the water clarity? Any improvement today? Go ahead and add some bleach tonight to take it up to about 12-15. Hopefully, it will all still be there in the morning and the CC will still be 0.

Watch your filter pressure since you added DE. You only want a 1psi rise in pressure.