Thank you pool doc!! Your the best.....

[PoolDoc]

It's important to remember, when you're cleaning a swamp, that you need to brush your pool (even if you can't see the bottom) to expose any algae and algae piles to the chemicals. Just remember to have high levels of chlorine when you do so, so the exposed algae can't suddenly take over the pool.

[Lawrosa]

OK.

So It rained last night pretty hard. Went out to check Cl levels.

Cl 12 from a 16 last night ( raised to 16)

Vacuumed and brushed sides.

I noticed I can see the hose down to the bottom of the pool. Cannot see the vacuum head though. So I would say I am clearing up.

Now here is the question that someone that knows these things can answer. Last year my pool had the same situation. The funny thing is last year it cleared up after a rain. Odd huh?

The only thing I can think is the rain drops raised the PH with the splashing and aeration? But would the rain of been acidic and countered that? I don't think is was a dilution factor, since it only raise the level of the water 3-4".

Anyway I cleaned the cart and am running on high speed, plus continuing to keep at shock levels.

I am also wondering after I test my CYA when the pool clears, when will it be OK to add it? I don't want to revert back to a cloudy pool. I think the answer will be when the Cl holds overnight and a .5 or less of CC.

Sound right?

Thanks all for your time so far. You guys are great.

Mike NJ

[PoolDoc]

Cl 12 from a 16 last night ( raised to 16)
. . . .
The funny thing is last year it cleared up after a rain. Odd huh?

Probably just a coincidence.

I am also wondering after I test my CYA when the pool clears, when will it be OK to add it? I don't want to revert back to a cloudy pool. I think the answer will be when the Cl holds overnight and a .5 or less of CC.

Yeah, you can start adding CYA, once you can hold chlorine levels overnight.

[Lawrosa]

It will be two weeks today and still cloudy, but clearing. It's very slow. I can see the head of the vacuum now but still cloudy. I have been through exactly 34 gallons of bleach as of this morning for a 6k gallon pool. That is keeping the pool at shock levels for the whole two weeks.

I am posting this so that it may help others. Am I doing the right thing? IDK. I guess I am getting there right???.....LOL

Mike NJ

[PoolDoc]

I haven't seen complete test results, so I'm not really sure if you are making the progress you should.

Regarding filtering, if your filter is not stopping up pretty rapidly, I'd switch to the cartridge . . . and run on low, 24/7.

We're also seeing some filtering problems due to crummy cartridge filters. Apparently OEM, Unicel, and Filbur cartridges are OK. Pleatco, no name Chinese, and private label -- not so much. In some cases, Unicel actually MAKES the OEM cartridge . . . and sells the same cartridge under its own name for less.

This site:
haywardcartridges.com/hayward-cartridges/cx1100re-hayward-cartridge
offers a super deal -- the retail price is below my wholesaler's cost! But, I'm very, very skeptical. The more I dig into this, the more evidence I'm finding of cartridges being sold that aren't what they seem to claim . . . and you have to look VERY hard to find the weasel words or disclaimers.

I'm pretty sure this IS a genuine Unicel:

Unicel C-8610 Replacement Filter Cartridge for 100 Square Foot Hayward CX1100RE @ Amazon

If it won't bust your budget, you might want to go ahead and get one, and put it in. If it does no better, well now you've got a spare cartridge. But, if it DOES clean better, you know that at least part of the problem is that your "Unicel" cartridge wasn't really one.

One other issue: if you pull your existing cartridge, and the pleats have collapsed against each other, do NOT put a new cartridge in, until you've made sure that you won't be over-pressuring it. High pressure (>10 psi change from clean pressure) can collapse the pleats and turn a 100sft cartridge into a bad 20sft cartridge! A single overpressure run can essentially destroy a cartridge. You'd be better to clean at 5 - 6 psi change; your cartridge will last longer.

In your situation, you almost certainly will NOT over-pressure a cartridge, while running on low!

[Lawrosa]

OK Ben here is what I got.

TC 15
CC 0 ( I just tested this today and thats what I got. 5 drops of the oo3 reagent did not make the 10ml sample turn pink. Stayed clear)
PH 7.5
Alk 40 ( First time I checked it today. Added about 70 oz by measure of baking soda today to raise.)
CYA 30. ( I am guilty of adding CYA when I opened to get this 30ppm. So that may have added to my issue but its at 30.)
Hardness 17.1 ppm. ( I test this with the Hach 5b total hardness test kit I use to test my well water hardness. Its powder based.)

I have been running two filters in series on low speed. Cart first then sand. The cart filter is a new unicel from purchase last year from amazon. The sand is newer also. I am not really catching anything. The pressure rose 1/2 psi to 1 psi maybe.

I am using K mart brand 6% bleach or pathmark food store 5.25% This is the k mart. The one I got has 33% more for free and is 128 fl oz.

$1.66 gallon. I bought the whole shelf.



Its blurry but says 6%



The pathmark home basics stuff has no percentage and is always $1.65. I assume its 5.25% from what my tests show on Cl levels.



Let me know what other info you need.

Mike NJ

[PoolDoc]

It took me a long time to go through this thread.

1. Remove the sand filter.
2. Run the pump ONLY on low speed.
3. Add chlorine ONLY in the evening. Brush the pool after adding chlorine.
4. Don't add ANY thing else UNLESS you need to add borax to raise the pH or acid to lower it: if the pH is between 7 and 8, leave it alone.
5. EITHER add DE to test your filter OR get a new Unicel.
6. Do NOT clean the filter unless you are seeing at least a 3# increase on low speed.
6. Report AM FC and CC AND filter pressure 1x per day; no other reports.

I really wish you'd get a new cartridge, if you can. Do the DE or a new Unicel -- MUST have Unicel name on packaging! I'm finding many, many cartridges are NOT what they are sold as.

Also, the next time you clean the cartridge, please photograph it -- outside, inside tube, caps.

Good luck!