my water is clearing but still cloudy

[waste]

ms, was it an algae problem you shocked for? more importantly:
What kind of filter do you have? Because it sounds like you are getting 'bypass' through the filter (though a bad gasket in a multiport is also possible) if you are seeing cloudy water entering via the returns while vacing.
If you'd let me and the others on the forum know this, someone here will surely get to the bottom of it and help you cure your issue. (though water chem #s are always nice).
Welcome to the forum gnu bees (paradox( ) and mspool) BTW Hi Marie

[mspool]

I have a sand filter. my pool is 27,ooo gall. my pool was clear when we first moved into the house in november. the chlorine levels were very high. I let the chlorine drop to about 2 or 3, sometime in april. the water was getting a little cloudy at that point. I added cal. hypo. to the pool for chlorine then it immediately got cloudy and stayed cloudy. this is around april. I kept up my routine of vacuuming, adding soda ash and an algaecide and something called pool perfect and then the cal. hypo. the water never cleared. then I found this forum and stopped adding everything switched to bleach. realized my stabilizer was at 95-100 because I also had the pucks in a feeder. also stopped using those. got my levels up to 25ppm with bleach. it has cleared but cannot see the bottom in the deep end. I am going to hold the chlorine at 25ppm for a couple more days and see what happens. if it does not clear completely then should I add floc? Yes, I did get an algae bloom about a month ago, before I found this forum. My thought was that this white stuff is so fine that the sand does not stop it as the vacuum is picking it up off the floor. and then it is coming right back out through the jets. but what do I know I am really clueless at this point. Maybe something with the filter but I thought I would rule out other causes before going there.

[mbar]

Actually you are not clueless, you are learning how to listen to your pool - we have all been there. Now that you have found this forum, you will be able to keep your water crystal clear with bleach, baking soda and borax. You don't need anything else - once you get all of your numbers balanced you will find that it takes a couple of minutes a day to keep up with the water, and if you keep up with the water you won't get algae, so you won't even have to shock.

First I would try some DE in your filter. Put about a lb of it right in the skimmer. It should cover the top of the sand, and will give you better filtration to get out the fine stuff. Remember to add more DE after you backwash. If it still isn't clearing (I think it will) then you can add flock, or a clarifier. It is just that the less you put into your water, the eaiser it is to maintain, because everything you add is doing something and it just gets all messed up. I would keep the chlorine high for a few more days just to be sure all the algae is dead. You are on the right track!

[mspool]

What is de for the filter and where do I get it? I have ordered ben's test kit meanwhile all I have is aquachem from walmart. it says that I can't test for ph ta or hardness until I get my chlorine down to 5. soooo I only have test numbers from before I shocked the pool. I will try the de if I can find it anywhere around here.... smallish town but there are a few pool stores. I am also planning to keep the chlorine at 25ppm for at least 3 more days????? does this sound right.

[mbar]

DE is diatomaceous earth - it is made for the DE filters. You can get it at a pool store, or walmart. It is a very gritty filter medium. You would only need a small bag. If you go to a pool store, can you get a water test? It would be good to see if your chlorine is holding, but a couple of more days of high chlorine won't hurt - you will really know too, if the water clears up with the DE, then the algae is most likely dead.

[rtpatter]

It definitely sounds like you have more of a filter problem than a chemical problem. I would try a little clarifier or add a small amount of DE to the filter and see if you have any improvement. If this works then you can add a little more until it clears. Running high CL for a few days won't hurt but if your FC is holding steady overnight then it probably isn't doing much good either.

[mspool]

I have a sand filter. Is de ok to add to the skimmer if you have a sand filter. Its not going to mess up the sand is it?