Using Soft Swim. Cloudy water after adding flocculant.

[JvilleKC]

I have an above ground, 14,000 gallon pool with sand filter. I'm at my wits end at the moment. I use Softswim and cannot keep the C level up. The pool store thinks I have a water mold. Two weeks ago they suggested I try adding a gallon of bleach to the skimmer and let it set in the filter overnight with the pump off then backwash out the next morning and add 3 gallons of C. The C level is back at 1 now. Ph high (8.4) so pool store had me add 3.5 lbs of Lo N Slo then suggested I use the Softswim Filter Aid as a flocculant. My pool was only a little bit hazy before I added that last night with the pump off. As soon as I added the floc it turned milky white. Still milky this morning. Looks 50 times worse than it did before I added it!!! I am so upset I don't know what to do. I vacuumed to waste this morning and it doesn't look any different. The next step is to add 3 gallons of C according to the pool store, but I don't know if I should add that now or wait until things "clear" up with the flocculant disaster I have now. I don't want to add 3 gallons of C if I need to vacuum to waste again. Don't want to pump money into the yard. I've spent a fortune on chemicals already. Suggestions are greatly appreciated. Company coming to swim this afternoon. UGH!!!!

[aylad]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!!

Sounds like you need to decide whether you want to continue to use softswim, or change to a chlorine pool, because the first step in conversion is--to add several gallons of bleach! Unfortunately, there's not much we'll be able to do on the SoftSwim part of this--there may be a handful of softswim users around this forum, but I'm not aware of them--most folks come to us when they've had enough of the time, trouble, and expense of having a pool with constant problems, and want to convert to chlorine. However, maybe there are a few folks who will chime in shortly.

My suggestion is to change to chlorine. Now...THAT, we can help you with!

[Watermom]

My suggestion is to change to chlorine. Now...THAT, we can help you with!

i second that motion!! And, sorry, we are not going to be able to help you clean this mess up in time for your afternoon swim guests. But, we might be able to help you get it cleared up by next weekend. Tell them to come back then and see your miraculously cleared up pool! Take a picture of the pool now so you can compare it later.

[JvilleKC]

How do you convert to chlorine?

[Watermom]

Basically, you just start dumping in bleach until you break down all the other goop that you have added. You'll want to invest in a good test kit to help you with the conversion. The Taylor K-2006 is available through the test kit link in my signature. You can't get it locally as it is only available online. Go ahead and order it so it will get here ASAP. Try and order it early in the morning while the seller listed is Amato Industries. Sometimes they sell out during the day, but usually restock overnight. Some other sellers don't sell it for as good of a price.

Since the kit is only sold online, you need something to use until you get it. Get a cheap OTO (yellow drops) / phenol test kit, or if available at YOUR Walmart (check availability), get the HTH 6-way DROPS test kit, which is compatible with the Taylor K2006.

While you are at Walmart, pick up quite a few jugs of plain, unscented bleach, generic is fine. Be prepared for your pool to turn all kinds of ugly shades of green during the conversion. Go to the Baquacil section of the forum and do some reading. In there, you'll find numerous threads where people have documented their conversions to chlorine. Some of the threads have pictures so you can see what I mean about the shades of green you'll encounter along the way.

I promise you, you'll never regret switching. In all the years we've been running this forum, we've never had a single person write back and say they regretting doing it. But, many have written and thanked us for encouraging them to do it.

Until your registration is complete, you'll have to logout to be able to see the other parts of the forum. Go and read a lot, and then come back with more questions if you have them.

(I'm going to edit the title of your thread a little.)

[JvilleKC]

Thank you for your advice. Do you have to wait until the water is clear before swimming in the pool again? I believe the conversion takes a week from what I've read. It is HOT here in the midwest!!