Water "Color" Problems!! Ready to give up!!

[PoolDoc]

I here now. Finally. I hope. Lemme re-read the thread and get it back into my mind. We've been egg-shooting since I last posted, and that tends to strip all rational thought:

[PoolDoc]

Ok.

Send the pictures (including current ones) to poolforum@gmail.com
Test your pool water, and post the results
and . . . then we'll get started.

[sbrouillette]

Ok, I emailed the pictures. My results today are:
Total Chlorine - 3
pH -8.2
TA - 310
Hardness - 370
CYA - Dot didn't disappear

Water is cloudy and light green.

[PoolDoc]

Pictures:

After filling, and adding chlorine:



One week later:

[PoolDoc]

You've cleared up a LOT, just with chlorination and filtration. I'm a little reluctant to start you on a process that may clear up with water faster, but leave you with a lot of dissolved iron to remove from that water.

If you're getting reddish brown sediment on the filter, I'd be inclined to keep chlorinating and filtering. If you're not running your pump 24/7, do so.

You probably realize your pH and alkalinity are high, and your calcium is high-ish. If you want to try something, that may help you accelerate the iron clean-up AND fix your calcium and possibly even your alkalinity level, I'd suggest doing that, than using all the other stuff. You can use those things later, if you have stains, or next year, when you fill.

Here's what I'm talking about. Your pH, alkalinity and calcium are high enough to precipitate calcium carbonate. In fact, I'm guessing that's already happening, as aeration pushes your pH up. That calcium carbonate is forming slowly enough so that it's being filtered out . . . and probably taking some iron with it. The conventional thing to do would be to lower the pH and alkalinity. But, that's going to re-dissolve some of that iron. If, instead, you ADD alkalinity, you may be able to drop out even more calcium carbonate AND more iron. Doing it that way will remove the iron from your pool, with no additional steps. You may STILL find, once the pool's completely clear, that you have stains. If so, we can back up and remove those.

Regardless, do these things:
1. Use dichlor, not bleach to maintain chlorine levels in the 1 - 3 range. That way, you are adding BOTH chlorine and stabilizer.
2. With a PF of 27, a bottle of polyquat contains 1.4 lbs of 100% polyquat x 27 or 38 ppm in your pool. An effective dose is 2 - 3 ppm, or about 1/4 cup. Use this every three days, till the pool is clear. This will ALSO improve filtration.

If you want to try the alkalinity removal technique, buy a box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz at Walmart. Collect a sample of pool water in the largest clear glass container (like a water pitcher) you have. Add a tablespoon of washing soda, and mix. If the water gets cloudy, you're in business. What you can then do is add 2 cup doses of washing soda to your skimmer, in the evening, and leave the pump running all night. What you should see is a filter that's stopping up or filling up quickly, with a combination of calcium and iron. Every time you clean it, you've removed some of that stuff.

Cautions:
1. If you find that the pool is still cloudier in the AM, after running all night, skip a dose the following night.
2. After two doses, retest your pH, calcium and alkalinity, to see how they've changed.
3. You'll probably get some sediment on the bottom that you'll need to vacuum. (You probably already have some, but this will add more.)
4. Add a cup, in the first dose, and wait 30 minutes before adding the 2nd cup. If anything EXCEPT the water getting cloudier, happens, skip the rest of the dose and let me know.

Also, please fill out the pool chart, so I know a little more about your pool:

Pool Chart Entry Form
Pool Chart Results

Mainly, I want to know what kind of filter you have.

Also, I looked over your chemical list. We'll figure out how to use those things up, later. But, don't use ANY of them now.

[PoolDoc]

Hm-mh. Did you buy any Sams or Kem-Tek dichlor? If not, you may need to use some of those things. Let me work through your list:

• Natural Chemistry- Phos free -- do NOT use. It's a phosphate remover, and will cloud up your pool. Unless you have reason to think your phosphate is really high, using it will only complicate things right now.
  
  
• EZ Clor Metal Magnet -- an EXTREMELY diluted solution of HEDP. Specific gravity 1.01 - 1.02!! Unless the MSDS I have is a misprint, this is basically a bottle of water.
  
  
• EZ Clor Super Shimmer & Shine -- foamy algaecide. Do NOT use.
  
  
• HTH 3-1 chlorinating skimmer tablets - Cal hypo tablets diluted with magnesium sulfate, with STPP (sodium tri-polyphosphate - ALGAE FOOD!)
  
  
• HTH Super Shock 'n Swim -- Cal hypo diluted with magnesium sulfate.

I think it's interesting that they sold you a product to remove phosphate, AND a product that ADDS phosphate! I guess that's what they call good marketing!

[sbrouillette]

I ordered the Kem-Tek Dichlor granules and I started using it on Tuesday. I followed the dose instructions on the container. I bought the Unicel filters as you suggested. Just by using the Dichlor and new filter since Tuesday I have seen a huge improvement! I couldn't see the bottom before and now I can.

I have been cleaning the filter at least 3 times a day. The filter is usually a brown with a hint of red colored. There is a lot of stuff at the bottom daily and I am trying to keep up vacuuming it. I also added a Culator pack, thought what the heck it didn't cost too much to try!

I am running the filter 24/7.

I will try the washing soda tomorrow and see what happens!

I am also needing to add some water. Any special instructions for that?

Thanks for the help!

[PoolDoc]

Raise the chlorine some, before adding water. Add the water as slowly as you can, via the skimmer.

[sbrouillette]

On Sunday I added the polyquat in the am and then in the evening I added the washing soda. The water turned cloudy right away. This morning the color is still light green and I can see the bottom of the pool. The filter was full of brownish red junk. These are my levels this morning:

Total Chlorine - 1
pH -8.2
TA - 330
Hardness - 340
CYA - Dot didn't disappear

[PoolDoc]

Brownish red gunk = iron -- a good thing to remove.

TA increased from 310 to 330 . . . but that might be testing error.
CH decreased from 370 to 340 . . . . which ALSO might be testing error.

However, since both values moved in the expected direction, probably not. I'd try again, with 2x the dose, and see what happens. Then, if it's successful again, you can decide if you want to do it 'for real'. What you don't want is to push the pH so high -- it's probably 9.0 now -- that you can't swim UNLESS it's a one-time event. So we don't want to test more than that before either going ahead, or waiting.

You probably want to read the muriatic acid sticky linked in my signature -- no matter how you go, you're going to end up needing some.