Help - major algae now cloudy pool

[xoroniox]

ok here is the situation the pool was left untreated for 2months no chlorine or anything, i came back from vacation and the pool was like a swamp nasty. i drained the pool and acid washed the entire diamondbrite pool then refilled the pool and super shocked it because there was still some algae left and green water. i had it @ 25ppm of chlorine for 2days, all the algae died and the water turned a nice blue. but it was VERY cloudy which is fine, i ran the pump and baracuda for 3 days straight while cleaning out the cartridge filter and basket at least twice a daily both were alwasy full and dirty. now i bought a bottle of flocculant because it is still cloudy added the floc yesterday @ 4pm left it overnight and this morning the pool looked a bit clearer i then manual vacuumed the pool and now i hooked up the baracuda to continue cleaning, but the pool still looks very cloudy! should i add another round of flocculant and continue to let the baracuda clean and continue to wash out the cartridge and pump basket? if so how long should it take until my pool will be crystal clear again?

right now pool is 2-3ppm chlorine & ph is 7.2. 15,000gallons inground diamond brite with 1hp hayward filter and 50sq 20micron cartridge filter, baracuda g3 cleaner.

thank you in advance for any help, Arron in Florida

[CarlD]

I would take the simple approach--run your chlorine level back up, keep it there, and run your filter 24/7, vacuuming to WASTE once a day. Clean your filter as needed, but do not drop chlorine levels until it's clean. Expect to take a week or two to clear it out. Adding floc just compounds and hides your problems. I would never have suggested floc in your situation.

Stick to bleach/liquid chlorine for now.

Consider putting in a skimmer sock as well. They run about 3 for $5 and they catch a TON of fine junk--I rinse it in a bucket of pool water and use it again.

You didn't say your CYA level (or I missed it), but that determines how high your chlorine needs to be for daily use, and for shocking.

I don't know the Barracuda, but if it's a type that uses a bag, like the return-side pressure, like the Polaris 65 and 165, the fine stuff may be passing through. Toss a handful or two of cotton balls into the bag and they'll catch it. If it's a skimmer-side vacuum, it's the same as hand-vacuuming--set your filter valve to waste when you run it to avoid clogging the filter up. Robotics actually filter finer than anything but DE filters, so you don't need to do anything if you have one of those.

[xoroniox]

thank you for your advice, ok so i will not add anymore floc and my cya i believe is 45 if i remember correctly does this sound right? anyway the barracuda g3 does not have a bag it hookes up to the simmer suction line so it goes directly to the filter just as a manual vacuum does, i will continue to add bleach and keep my chlorine high and continue to let the barrcuda vacuum 24/7 and clean the filter as needed until the pool is clear again. i was doing exactly that for 2-3days but i guess it just needs longer to get clear.

if you think of anything else or think i am going about this wrong please tell, appreciate your help.

Arron

[14me2]

When did you change your sand last? If everything else looks good, this could be the culprit.

[duraleigh]

When did you change your sand last? If everything else looks good, this could be the culprit.

Hi, 14me2,

Hmmmm, this "change the sand" issue has me puzzled.

Matt4x4 and others here are advocates of doing so, but I've never understood the logic. In fact, many of us think "old" Sand may filter even better than new. (I'm not so sure about that one but it's logic has some merit)

I think Xioronix's issue is with dead algae. If he'll keep filtering and keep his Cl levels up, I think he'll have clear water. (Actually, his other issue would be to change that username to something I could spell!! )

Dave S.

[CarlD]

Changing your sand is only appropriate if:
1) It's all gummed up from the other chemicals you added. If so, then, yes, change it.
2) if the algae bloom is deep into the sand itself, the only good solution may be to replace the sand--I gather it can be hard to kill if the sand itself is badly infested.

Otherwise, simply follow the standard algae-clearing plan:
1) keep FC at the recommended shock level for your CYA level. Use bleach or liquid chlorine, only. Keep pH in the 7.3-7.8 range, but try for the lower end (7.3-7.5).
2) Test FC 3x/day and adjust to keep it up.
3) Brush the pool every day to keep algae from bedding into the floor and walls
4) Run your filter 24/7. Clean/backwash everytime the pressure rises.
5) Vacuum TO WASTE everyday.
6) Don't add lots of pool-store junk in hopes of a quick-fix--ain't gonna happen.
7) Have lots and lots of patience and persistence. You are in for a week to 2 weeks of work. Be consistent and it will clear faster
8) AFTER your water is clear, you can add PolyQuat 60% to help keep it from happening again.

[waterbear]

Hmmmm, this "change the sand" issue has me puzzled.

Matt4x4 and others here are advocates of doing so, but I've never understood the logic. In fact, many of us think "old" Sand may filter even better than new. (I'm not so sure about that one but it's logic has some merit)


Dave S.

This issue I wonder about. Have never used a sand filter in a pool but have used sand as a mechanical filter medium in large aquariums. General concensus there is that the constant flowing of the water over the sand erodes the facets off the silica crystals and rounds and polishes them. It is believed that this leads to channeling and increases the minimum particle size that can be filtered by the medium making it less effecient. Don't know if the same factors will apply in a pool filter but I suspect they might. Anyone have some info either way? I am curious about the logic of not changing the sand. Why do you think old sand may filter better than new? (by the way, this info is not "fish stored"
because there are very few commercial sand filters for aquarums and most aquarists build their own)

[sryan]

CarlD...
I've never seen a "skimmer sock"...where do you find them? For the past few years I've been vacuuming almost everyday due to the fine silt that settles at the bottom of my AG pool. I brush, vacuum, clean/backwash my filter but the silt will settle about an hour after people are done swimming. I changed from sand to Zeolite since I was told that it would filter out finer particles...no help to me!

If you have any other suggestions please send them my way!!

Thanks,
SRyan