Cloudy Water

[w7ill4iam]

I have a 24ft above ground pool. Vinyl liner with Sand filter. I have tried the BBB method, but I can't get my pool clear. I had it tested yesterday
120ppm Stabilizer
7.2 Ph
1 Chlorine
120 alkalinity
I have vaccumed to waste 4 or 5 times. I want to put a hole in it right now. Please help.
I had it tested this morning
100ppm Stabilizer
7.0 Ph
0 Chlorine
100 alkalinity
I did nothing to it yesterday. The pool place was telling me 100 on Stablizer was to high and causing the cloudiness.

[Watermom]

A CYA reading of 100 is high but the thing about it is that it may actually be much higher than 100 since tests can't differentiate past that value. When you have high CYA, you have to run higher than normal chlorine levels or you have algae. (Read more about this in the Best Guess Chlorine Chart in my signature below.)

In your pool, each gallon of plain, unscented 6% household bleach will add about 5ppm of chlorine. Go ahead and add about 5 gallons. That should take you up to shock level of 25ppm. Run your pump 24/7 while you are trying to clear the pool and backwash only when the pressure rises 8-10psi over clean filter pressure.

But, before you do this, you should adjust your pH because pH readings are inaccurate at high chlorine levels. I'd suggest adding a half a box of 20 Mule Team Borax (laundry aisle at Walmart) slowly to the skimmer while the pump is running. After a couple of hours, retest it and redose until you get it around 7.4-7.6.

Do yourself a favor and get a good test kit so you don't have to depend on a pool store. We recommend the Taylor K-2006 or 2006C. Online available online -- check the testkit link in my signature. It will take a few days to get it. In the meantime, see if Walmart has a HTH 6-Way kit (NOT test strips) or at the very minimum, an OTO/Phenol Red (yellow and red drops) kit. This kit will only test chlorine levels to 5ppm but you can force it to go higher by a dilution method. More about that here: Testing Without a Good Kit

It isn't super accurate, but better than nothing. But, it is not meant to replace getting a good kit and if you have a high CYA pool, you MUST get the K-2006 or you are never going to be able to get the pool under control.

A lot to take in at once, I know, but hope this helps!

[PoolDoc]

High stabilizer does NOT cause cloudiness.

Low chlorine DOES cause cloudiness and is the likely source of YOUR problems. Of course, it could be something else:

100-reasons-for-cloudy-swimming-pool-water

Regardless: low chlorine in your pool WILL cause a problem soon, if it hasn't already. Add some NOW! A reasonable starting place on your pool would be 2 gallons (or (3) 96oz jugs) of PLAIN 6% household bleach.

[w7ill4iam]

Thanks for the help. I eventually drained half my pool and refilled and most of the cloudiness went away. The stabilizer is at 55 and I can hold chlorine. Thanks.

[aylad]

Make sure that you're holding it at least 5 ppm--as your stabilzer level increases, so must your maintenance chlorine level (see the "best guess chlorine chart" link in Watermom's sig for more info).