Problem with cloudy in-ground pool. Brown residue on liner.

[crosspoint]

I have an 18x32 In ground pool, approx 25,000 gallons with sand filter and vinyl liner. The water is cloudy and there is a brown sand-like residue on the liner and it keeps returning after cleaning. We use an Aquabot for vacuuming. The last test readings showed everything normal but low CYA.
I also just added an HTH product called a clarifier. This seemed to make things worse.
Do I have mustard algae and if so what are my next steps? Is the aquabot making things worse?
I just bought 2 CYA producst that are coming in the mail in the next day or 2.

Need your help.

[aylad]

. The last test readings showed everything normal but low CYA.

Can you please post a set of test results, taken with a drop-based kit (no strips!) for us to look at? "Normal" can be many different things, depending on whose standards you're following. By looking at test results, we're more apt to be able to give you good advice. What do you use for chlorination? Is the sand-like residue hard, like scales, or like clumps of dirt, slimy, etc? Does the brown form just on the bottom of the pool, or also on the sides? Does it brush away easily?What is the source of your fill water? Any metals in the water?

I would not add anything else to the pool, except chlorine, until we get a chance to take a look at your test numbers. Clarifiers have their place in pool care (some of them, anyway) but I don't think it's going to help your situation, and it may actually make things worse.

Do you have a drop-based test kit of your own? If not, you'd be doing yourself a favor to get one, so you don't have to rely on pool store testing.

Also, can you take a few seconds and fill out this short form about your pool so that we don't waste a lot of time and posts back and forth getting the basic info we need in order to help?

Pool Chart Entry Form
Pool Chart Results

Welcome to the pool forum!!

[crosspoint]

Here are the pool readings.
Test Kit for PH and Chlorine is an HTH OTO kit.
Other reading were taken with HTH test strips.

PH 7.6
Alkalinity 80
Hardness 200-400
CYA 30
Free Chlorine 0-.5

[Watermom]

Go ahead and answer the rest of the questions that Janet (Aylad) asked you in her post above. That will make it easier for us to help you.

[crosspoint]

What do you use for chlorination? Tablets in a Hayward Chlorinator and chlorine shock.
Is the sand-like residue hard, like scales, or like clumps of dirt, slimy, etc? Greenish brown stain.
Does the brown form just on the bottom of the pool, or also on the sides? On bottom and sides including stairs.
Does it brush away easily?It brushes away easily.
What is the source of your fill water? Fill water is well.
Any metals in the water? Not sure if any metals in water.
We have been adding a lot of water to the pool. Not sure if we have some kind of leak. Yet another issue.

[aylad]

The browning staing sounds like iron staining, which many people with well water have problems with. Try getting one of your trichlor tabs, or a vitamin C tablet, and rub it on the stain and see if it makes a difference.
Janet

[Watermom]

The browning staing sounds like iron staining, which many people with well water have problems with. Try getting one of your trichlor tabs, or a vitamin C tablet, and rub it on the stain and see if it makes a difference.
Janet

And note which one of the tabs made a difference if either one did. That will be a clue as to what is causing the stain.