Cloudy.. impatient

[sunlove]

It will get better the longer you run the filter You've only been at it for 4 days. It could take weeks to get it totally clear....it will get there.

[chuck9997]

I hope someone will notice this thread again,.. and comment I am a bit concerned... Its been SHOCK level.. and adding bleach day and night for 10 or 11 days. STILL CLOUDY.. any other suggestions?
getting tired of spending $10 a day for bleach.

tonight:
todays readings:
FC 15ppm
CC just a trace .5
PH 7.2
CYA 30-40
ALK 80

I have done this for about 5 years.. and always get clear water by day 3 or 4.. what is the problem?

[BigDave]

You have measureable CC so you need to maintain shock level - there's still a fight in there. Have you measured how much FC you lose overnight? Is your filter pressure climbing? Have you had to backwash it? (only when pressure rises 8-10 above clean)

Don't know why this year is different, maybe the warm winter. Lots of people are opening with huge chlorine demand this year, likely from bioconversion of CYA to ammonia.

(is bioconversion a word?)

[chuck9997]

thanks for the response BigDave.. from last night lost 3ppm FC. Filter pressure is ok.. Through the process.. I have backwashed a couple of times.

I will stay with it..
raised back to 15ppm this AM
using 6% bleach (182 ounce jugs).. each should raise about 6ppm. Its a 24ft round AG pool. (about 14000 gallons)

So.. am I shooting for 0 CC? Would a slight CC reading (1ppm this morning) cause the cloudiness?

The water is pretty clean.. nice. I have been in the pool (even at shock level) to sweep, etc. Just not clear. I put the little robot car vacuum in yesterday... and could just barely see it on the bottom of the pool.

[BigDave]

Yep, the goal is 0 CC. We say less than 0.5ppm CC because that is the resolution of the Taylor FAS-DPD test with a 10ml sample.

Are you adding bleach to get to 15ppm and then it drifts below? Perhaps you should dose enough so the FC is at least 15ppm the next time you test.

CC doesn't cause cloudiness, it's probably dead algae. Did you backwash because pressure went up 8-10? Dirty filters filter better, avoid backwashing before you have to.

[chuck9997]

yes adding to get up to 15ppm.. actually with what I added this AM.. should be at about 17ppm - 18ppm. I will do my best.. its hard to babysit the pool... gotta go to work. My wife just doesn't know how to test, etc. She will add bleach for me.. but.. not taking any readings. I will have her add half a 182 ounce jug about every 3 hrs.. and hope for the best. I might be able to sneak away from work around noon and check the pool.

So the CC shouldn't make it cloudy? Wow.. wish I could get it clear.

thanks again.

[BigDave]

The filter should clear the cloud. If the filter pressure is not rising, let us know.
We need to get past the chlorine demand before we discuss anything else.
Patience...

[sabres07]

The only comment I can add here is that you have to follow what they are saying to do TO THE LETTER. I was in your shoes about a week ago where my water was blue but cloudy. I was feeling impatient too but I stayed the course and followed the advice given here TO THE LETTER and I was rewarded with perfectly clear pool water. Keep at it!

[Guppy]

I hope someone will notice this thread again,.. and comment I am a bit concerned... Its been SHOCK level.. and adding bleach day and night for 10 or 11 days. STILL CLOUDY.. any other suggestions?
getting tired of spending $10 a day for bleach.

tonight:
todays readings:
FC 15ppm
CC just a trace .5
PH 7.2
CYA 30-40
ALK 80

I have done this for about 5 years.. and always get clear water by day 3 or 4.. what is the problem?

Hi Chuck- It took me 3 weeks to get my pool clear. I've been following the teachings of this site for 6-7 years and last year was the first time I had issues with cloudy water over an extended period of time. It usually took me 3-4 days, like you, to get it clear by shocking and running the pump 24/7. I too believe the issue this year (at least for me) was the lack of winter (80 plus degrees in March), and a load of oak leaves in my pool (my neighbors monster oaks are coming down some night!). At any rate, you'll get there, just stay the course. Did I mention it took me THREE WEEKS to get my pool clear? Just hang in there.

[chuck9997]

Hi Chuck- It took me 3 weeks to get my pool clear. I've been following the teachings of this site for 6-7 years and last year was the first time I had issues with cloudy water over an extended period of time. It usually took me 3-4 days, like you, to get it clear by shocking and running the pump 24/7. I too believe the issue this year (at least for me) was the lack of winter (80 plus degrees in March), and a load of oak leaves in my pool (my neighbors monster oaks are coming down some night!). At any rate, you'll get there, just stay the course. Did I mention it took me THREE WEEKS to get my pool clear? Just hang in there.

very similar situation as myself.. thanks for responding. Do you mind telling me how it finally worked out? I am algae free and am letting the FC drift down a little. I have always been the kind of pool owner who ran the FC a little higher than needed.. probably just a mind game I play with myself. I am running the pump all the time.. have a skimmer sock in place and a little DE in the sand filter.

I really think the pool is clearing.. but its soooooo slow. did you use anything other than filtration? Any skimmer socks, DE, clarifiers?.. etc??