Test Results - Cloudy Water

[waterbear]

First question, what are you testing the chlorine with. OTO (turns yellow but only measures TC accurately), DPD (turns pink and can bleach out with high chlorine levels making you think there is no chlorine in the pool) FAS-DPD (a titration test that will accurately determine FC and CC with high chlorine levels) or test strips which might or might not bleach out with high chlorine levels.

If your chlorine levels are high your pH readings are bogus because high clorine levels will cause the pH to look like it is 8.2 when it is actually much lower (possibly as low as 6.6!)

It is also possible that you have a very high chlorine demand in the pool and the chlorine is getting used up very quickly. This is what I think is occurring. Many algacides can create a chlorine demand like this so if you are using an OTO or FAS-DPD test and it shows no chlorine then you just need to keep putting it in until it takes care of the the demand created by the algae and the algaecide in your pool.

If you can determine that there actually is no chlorine in the pool then by all means get the pH down. It will help the chlorine to work better.

IMHO, test the water with OTO and keep the TC level up until the pool clears. It might take a day and a LOT of bleach but it will clear.

[quenterry0]

I am testing with OTO.

Yes I too think the pool has a very high chlorine demand especially after the algecide. I will continue to add the bleach. Good thing I stocked up today!

I added the Muriatic acid and a tested a few hours later. PH is lower and chlorine with WAY high! BRAVO!

Question: Since I can't see the bottom should I still vacuum? Should I scrub the bottom? I scrubbed the bottom today and it turned green again, not as bad of a green but still green. Does this mean there is still live algea at the bottom? Also, should the high chlorine levels kill the algea off?

Thank You!

[Simmons99]

The high chlorine levels will kill the algae

[quenterry0]

Okay - Here are my test results this morning:

CYA 60
CL 5.0+ bright yellow but not as bright as last night so I added another gallon and a half of bleach
PH 7.5

The water is still cloudy, can't see the bottom but the color looks like its getting better. More of a blue than gray

I'm brushing the pool, should I also be vacuming?

Since the chlorine stayed in the pool overnight does this mean whatever is making the water cloudy is almost gone? When I shocked it a few nights ago there was no chlorine when I retested a few hours later.

What does dead algea look like? Will it still be green? Will it float or sink?

There is a white film on the surface of the water, what could that be?

Thank you!!

[quenterry0]

UPDATE: I purchased the hayward aqua critter, diving dave actually! He is due to arrive tomorrow. Will this help suck up the dead algea and clear up the cloudiness?

Also, I tested again this afternoon and the chlorine is staying at the same levels. I hope all is dead now!

Thanks!

[quenterry0]

As of last night the chloine levels were still holding which had been more than 24 hours...This morning when I tested it was back down to 0!!!!!!!! I just added more bleach. The Ph is finally good but I guess that'll change now that I've added bleach! The water is still cloudy even when the bleach held for 24 hours. Diver Dave should be here any time now to start cleaning the bottom and maybe have better water circulation.

Any suggestions while I wait on what I should do?

Thanks!

[waterbear]

Keep hitting it with bleach until it clears.

[aylad]

The addition of bleach doesn't necessarily mean that your pH will rise--it does in some pools but not all. Even if it does, it's an easy fix to add a little muriatic acid to bring it back down.

Janet