Help - brown stinky dark murky pool

[pairadocs]

Just opened it this year, second year of pool, and it is gross.

Can't see the bottom, thick brown, dark murky mess. Was covered with elephant cover all winter (Delaware) and professionaly closed by pool company.

Pool is 30,000 gallon, concrete, 2 yr old with DE filter.

water test at Leslies pool store:

Free Chlorine = 0, yes zero

ph 8.0

TA 120

Calcium hardness 190

CYA 25
TDS 500

My problem is that I don't know what to do next. First added 20 pounds of pH lowering stuff, then, later, added 4 bottles of bleach, 4 gallons. Then, later added 1/3 gallon of algaecide polyquat brown liquid stuff.

How quick for pool to look clearer? When can I see bottom?

Filter is running and chlorine pucks are in...

what next?

this forum is great, but there is so much to read that I get lost easily.

[KurtV]

Start by vaccuuming to waste the brown stuff on the bottom, adding enough muriatic acid or dry acid to get your pH down to between 7.2 and 7.8 (if using muriatic acid I'd start with about three cups, test a few hours later, and repeat as necessary), and get some chlorine in your pool. Repeat the vacuuming daily until clear.

The pucks you're using are probably tri-chlor and if they are they contain cyanuric acid (CYA aka stabilizer). That's OK but you need to monitor your CYA levels regularly if you're using those. You're likely to have a very high demand for chlorine because of all the junk in your pool. Most people here use ordinary, unscented household bleach to chlorinate with.

Regardless of what chlorination method you use, you need to raise your chlorine to shock levels until the pool will hold free chlorine overnight. Ben's Best Guess Table (http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=365) calls for 6-15 ppm for your CYA level. You can download BleachCalc, written by mwsmith, one of the members here, to determine how much bleach to add to get to your desired chlorine level (http://www.hal-pc.org/~mwsmith2/BleachCalc262.exe). If you go that route you should stop using the puck feeder while you're using bleach.

I'd shoot for about 10 ppm free chlorine if I were you (again, table recommends 6-15 ppm) and keep bringing it back to that level until it holds overnight. It's best if you can test several times per day (e.g. morning, after work, and right before going to bed) and add enough bleach to bring it back up to 10 ppm after each test (or whatever level you decide on).

Good luck.

[duraleigh]

Doc,

I am going to assume that test was after all the stuff you added. If not, you'll need to post new numbers and disregard what I say.

Download mwsmith2's calc from any of his posts and learn how to calc Cl using bleach and how much muriatic to add to lower your pH

Get some muriatic acid at Lowes/HD and keep your pH in the 7.2 - 7.6 range. Do that first.

You are going to need a truckload of bleach!! Bring your Cl level up to about 16--20ppm and KEEP IT THERE through the whole process. Run your pump 24/7. Don't be surprised if you don't have to add more Cl every 6 hours to get back up to 16-20ppm.

Constantly keeping your Cl at high levels will clear your pool. You will need to clean that DE filter many times during clean-up as the pressure builds.......I have a sand filter and can't advise you on that.

Keep a close eye on your pH. The calculator will tell you how much muriatic you need to lower it .2.

This process may take several days....it depends on how willing you are to test and add bleach as needed.

I understand what you say about getting lost....that's enough info for now. Get a test kit (not strips) that will test for pH, Cl (at least to 5ppm), and Alk for now. We'll adjust your other numbers later.

Trust this process. It may take longer than you like but you'll get there if you stick with it. Don't get distracted by peripheral issues or pool store products. This is all you'll need for now.

PS...Kurt and I posted at the same time....Kurt, I'm recommending the high Cl level because A) it's a concrete pool and B) If the water is that murky, the ppm will never get to it's target level. It will be consumed very rapidly and a dose of about 20 may only get to 15ppm and then start back down. Like Kurt said, I'd get rid of the pucks. they're simply a distraction an will eventually add too much CYA to your pool.

[CarlD]

To raise your FC 5.25ppm, you need 3 gallons of regular bleach. Therefore 4 wasn't enough. I would have added 9 gallons of regular bleach, or 1.5 gallons of 12% (if you can get fresh liquid chlorine).

You'll need to raise FC to 15 2 to 3 times a day.

[pairadocs]

To raise your FC 5.25ppm, you need 3 gallons of regular bleach. Therefore 4 wasn't enough. I would have added 9 gallons of regular bleach, or 1.5 gallons of 12% (if you can get fresh liquid chlorine).

You'll need to raise FC to 15 2 to 3 times a day.

Thank you all for the quick replies.

Carl - I added 4 gallons of regular household bleach. I guess I need 5 more. Will do and retest in tomorrow.

Duraleigh - the numbers I posted were actually before anything was added, so I did as you instructed, and disregarded what you posted.

Curt - I can't vacuum! because I can't see the bottom of the pool. INstead I tried brushing the side walls.

When will I be able to see the bottom?

What about algicide polyquat stuff?

What is this brown dark haze lingering top to bottom in my pool keeping me from seeing the bottom? Is it algae?

thanks again. I'll keep checking back and reading more. Will try to do the calc thing, but i'm not to optimistic that i will be successful in computing that stuff. I'm more of a tell-me-how-much-of-what-and-I'll-do-what-you-say kinda guy

[pairadocs]

Doc,


Download mwsmith2's calc from any of his posts and learn how to calc Cl using bleach and how much muriatic to add to lower your pH

Get some muriatic acid at Lowes/HD and keep your pH in the 7.2 - 7.6 range. Do that first.

.

I added 20 pounds of dryacid (sodium bisulfate) stuff from pool store first.

HOw does this compare to muriatic acid?

Should I switch to MA if the ph isn't holding in the range suggested on tomorrow's test?

Why is MA better when compared to the stuff I used?

Thanks again.

[duraleigh]

Doc,

None of your questions are pertinent if you are not able to calculate the correct quantities you need to clear your water.

[pairadocs]

Doc,

None of your questions are pertinent if you are not able to calculate the correct quantities you need to clear your water.

Gee, thanks - If I was able to do that, then I wouldn't be here on this forum looking for help. INstant mathematician this forum does not make, maybe you it did, but not me, not yet. I'm just looking for help, trying to learn from others who are helpful, and probably had the same questions as me initially.

[Watermom]

I wish I could give you an answer to your question about muriatic acid vs. sodium bisulfate, but I don't know anything about sodium bisulfate. However, I will say that you are definitely at the right place for some help. There are lots of people on this forum who are willing to help. Hopefully somebody will come along soon who will know the difference between the two. By the way, welcome to the forum.

[duraleigh]

Your reluctance to use the bleach calc implied to me you wouldn't be willing to do the work this would take. Read everything you can on this forum to start.

Since your test numbers were before you added the things in your first post, you'll need to post up some new numbers for Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine, pH, Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness and Cyanurid Acid. That'll give us a baseline that we all can work from.