Newbie with Issues!!!!!

[aylad]

Hi Andrea, and welcome to the forum!!

The very first thing you need to do is to stop throwing things "at" the pool at the advice of the pool store. It's not getting you anywhere, and it's making your situation worse.

The second thing you need to do is to call the pool company that was taking care of the pool and see if they were using Baquacil or Soft Swim instead of chlorine to maintain the pool. The symptoms you describe are the same as what happens when you put chlorine into a Bacquacil pool. And if that's the case, what you're going to need to do is to hammer it with bleach to maintain at least 15 ppm of chlorine until the conversion to chlorine is complete. If not, then with a CYA of 45, then you need to stop using the tabs altogether, and still bump your chlorine up to 15 ppm, adding more chlorine as often as possible to keep it at or above 15 ppm, and running the filter 24/7 until it clears. Keep an eye on your filter pressure and backwash it as needed--if it's a Baq pool, it'll need to be cleaned often.

Either way, we can help you get it cleared up, but don't add any more of the pool store's additives--just chlorine, either bleach or cal-hypo--no dichlor. If you choose to use powdered shock, read the ingredient label and only buy it if the ingredient is calcium hypochlorite (need to test for a calcium hardness level, too).

Let us know what you find out, and I know that we can help you get it cleared up again in time for swim season!!

Janet

[AndreaA]

Ok. Talked with the guy that maintained pool (first time I spoke with him). He said they never used either of those products on this pool and is now suggesting that we have metals in the water. He wants me to come to the store and purchase a metal remover. This might be true b/c I did dump spring water in the pool (trying to recycle) which was probably STUPID. But I have a natural spring under my pool and I have to pump the water from under the liner every few days... Well this water is crystal clear so I thought it wouldn't hurt.. Well after I did that I did see that I had little sparkles floating in the water :-( Let me know whatcha think. Thanks so much!!!

[chem geek]

If it has mostly remained a fairly clear green, it could be that there was a lot of copper in the pool and the high chlorine level along with high pH caused the copper to precipitate. The copper could have come from a copper-based algaecide. Can you please describe the color of the pool in more detail? Is it a clear green or is it very cloudy?

[AndreaA]

It's very cloudy. The green changes from dark to light but it's still really hard to see the bottom of the deep end (8ft). I can tell there is a lot of small particles (not getting caught in the filter floating around. Water is very VERY cloudy when swept or vacuumed on filter. I have wasted so many times that I have killed the fish in the creek ( my waste goes to a creek).

[AndreaA]

Also, purchased a Taylor 2006 today. I'm getting very ticked with my home depot kit-- ARG!! Hopefully it will arrive soon!!!

[aylad]

If the problem is metals, then you'll need a sequestrant to hold the metals in solution. They wont be removed, but will at least stay in suspension. Can you get a sample to the pool store and ask them to check for metals?

Janet

[AndreaA]

I think you may be right. I do not have a good kit yet but I've added enough bleach to the water (per this website) that I believe my water is staying at shock level between 12 and 15. With the FC level staying so high the water is even more cloudy. But I also have a sand like dust on the bottom of the pool and when swept it throws a big dirty cloud but I have not wasted in several days therefore it might just be dirty cause we live in GA and everything is blooming here. Does it matter if my FC levels are high when I add the metal sequestrant? Also my steps are an orange color does that mean a certain type of metal? And if I do add this how much should I use? Thank you so much for all your help :-)

[aylad]

I'm thinking the orange will indicate iron. I am not the metals expert on the forum, but if you'll go to the metals forum, there are many posts by Marie (mbar), who is probably the most experienced metals person on the forum, next to Ben. You should be able to get most of your questions answered by reading those posts, but if not, come back and post them. In the meantime, Marie should be stopping by soon and I'm sure can help you out, if that is indeed the problem.

Get the water tested if you can, and repost your results here--that will really help us zero in on what you need to do.....and just out of curiousity, take a trichlor tab and rub in on the orange on the steps, and let us know if it lifts the stain.

Janet