Unable to remove cloudy pool water in Intex pool

[RockTaco]

Been to dozens of pool forums and this one seems the most organized and useful, with intelligent queries and replies, so I'm gonna give it a shot to help solve my problem since I've exhausted all my efforts with the experience I have. Thanks in advance!

First, the details;
POOL: 18' x 48" Intex, round
CAPACITY: 7,700 gallons
PUMP: Intex Krystal Clear 635T

What I've been using;
HTH 6-way test kit

KIK muriatic acid, 31.45% strength
HTH chlorinated granules (for quick n easy chlorine level bumps)
HTH super 3" chlorinating tablets (for ongoing maintenance)
HTH super shock 'n swim
Arm & Hammer clear balance 3" tablets (conditioning)
HTH super extend algae guard (this stuff is great!)
Leslies Pool ulta bright enhancer (clarifier)

The Problem..
Ive read countless posts about this problem and have considered every possible cause. I know its NOT equipment, algae, bather load, rain, pipes, metal, Ph, hardness, chlorine, wild animals, bikinis, aliens or freaks of nature.
I do know it has to do with Alkalinity.. which is where I'm stuck. After getting Ph within the 7.2-7.8 range, my AK level was still 260!! So, on to the acid I went.
72 oz. later my Ph has dropped to 7.0 (expected) but AK still at 170 and most frustrating, VERY little improvement to cloudiness. (you can see the bottom of the pool if you stare long enough, which is better than -0- visibility before, but a long way from sparkling clear.)
I have a feeling it has something to do with my Cyanuric acid level which has been -0- the whole time, while I'm clueless as how to change.

What do I do next without further dropping Ph or creating other problems? Help!
(below are my readings and steps I took)

DATE/TIME CH. PH. AK. HD. CA. (chlorine, Ph, alkalinity, hardness, cyanuric)

5/26, 733pm. 3.0. 8.0. 210. 200. 0.0
* somewhat cloudy. shocked pool

5/27, 942am. 5.0. 8.0. 240. nc. nc
* getting cloudier. ran pump 24hrs

5/28, 1015am. 0.0 8.0. 230. nc. nc
* still cloudy, 12oz CH, 1 tab stabilizer in skimmer, pump on 8 hr cycle

*** next 2 weeks Ph & AK constantly high, CH bouncing high low high low.. cloudiness worsens by day

6/12, 1000am. 0.0. 8.0. 240. nc. nc
* 15 oz acid, 6oz clarifier, 1 CH tab, Pump on 8hr cycle
600pm. 4.0 7.5. 230. nc. nc

6/13, 800am. (same as 6pm readings above)
* drained 1/3 of pool. Skimmed and vacuumed, refilled.
1200pm. 3.0. 7.5. 260 ?! 230. 0.0
* just as cloudy, add 8oz acid, 5oz clarifier
300pm. 0.0. 7.5. 240. 230. 0.0
* cloudy, 6oz CH granules
400pm. 5.0. 7.2. 220
* cloudy, 8oz acid, pump always on

6/14, 1000am. 2.0. 7.2. 200
* cloudy, 8oz acid, 1 CH tab, pump always on
700pm. 3.0. 7.2. 200
* cloudy, 16oz acid

6/15, 430pm. 5:0. 7.2. 180
* cloudy, 16oz acid. Pump always on.
1200am. 4.0. 7.0. 170
* cloudy. No action. Pump always on.

6/16, 1200pm. 3.0. 7.0 170. 200. 0.0
* 1st signs of.progress!! Water is SLIGHTLY less cloudy. Cyanuric still 0.0.
* Adding 16 oz more acid., 3oz clarifier
300pm. 3.0. 7.0. 160. 200. 0.0
* no change to SLIGHTLY improved cloudiness..

So, there you have it. AK is.going.down, albeit slowly. However, ph is dropping and the cloudiness has barely changed.

PLEASE HELP, how do I remove the cloudiness and keep everything else in balance?!
Thanks!
Sam

[Watermom]

Hi, Sam, and welcome to the Pool Forum.

No more clarifier or algaecide. Sometimes those makes things worse.

Please list the ingredients in the granules and in the shock and swim. Also, look at the label on the tabs and see if it lists copper.

Is this a newly filled pool this year?

Come back with answers to these questions. Also, go to our sister website www.poolsolutions.com. On the left hand side of the page, click on "guides" and read the guide about lowering alk. Does your pool have a return jet eyeball that you can turn upwards to create as much splashing as possible to aerate the pH upwards?

Do yourself a favor and order the Taylor K-2006 or 2006C kit we recommend. It will make everything much easier. (Link in my signature below.)

[RockTaco]

Watermom,

Granules:
..calcium hypochlorite 47.6%
..other. 52.4
-------------------------------
Min avail chlorine. 45%

Shock:
Calcium hypochlorite. 52%
Other. 48%
-------------------------------
Min avail chlorine. 49%

Tabs do not contain copper.

Yes, its a newly filled pool.

Started in April, all was good until May when I started keeping track of measurements.. prior to then I used the algaecide 1 time at start up, then shocked & stabilizer tab weekly. Granules as needed during the week. No clarifier.
Then the pool started to get cloudy late April as alkalinity & ph rose.

Hope this helps and I hope the potential culprit isn't hidden in those 'other' ingredients..

Thanks
Sam

[Watermom]

If it were my pool, I would stick with bleach and forget all the calhypo. If you want, you can use the tabs; they will add CYA over time. However, until your CYA gets to around 40 or so, you are going to have some trouble keeping a chlorine reading in your pool.

A couple of options for you to consider:

1) Use bleach for your source of chlorine and just add some CYA separately to get you to about 40 or 50. Actually, some of our members in your part of the country find that their pool holds chlorine better if they have a CYA reading of 60-80 which also allows them to add bleach less frequently. But, if you do run a high CYA pool, you have to run higher than normal chlorine levels. See the Best Guess Chlorine Chart in my signature for more about this connection between the two.

2) Use Dichlor which adds CYA as well as chlorine. (If you decide to do this, buy it from Sam's as other places have lots of other unwanted stuff blended into their dichlor.) Dichlor is a powder and can be used for daily chlorination until you get the CYA where you want it. At that time, you switch to bleach to keep your CYA from getting too high. (Since it is a powder, it can also be used for shocking a pool when needed.)

3) Use the trichlor tabs and let the CYA build up over time. Again, when you get the CYA level where you want it, switch to bleach.

Since you are having cloudy water issues, I would not use calhypo.

Let me encourage you once again to order the kit I mentioned above. You won't regret it. It will be the best thing you can do to make pool care easy!

Let us know which way you want to go and then someone can advise you from there.

(Keep the pump running 24/7. I assume since it is an Intex pool, it has a cartridge?)

[RockTaco]

Watermom,

Seems like option 2 would be best. Get the CYA up with dichlor and switch to bleach.

Am I to assume everything else will fall into place (AK level, cloudiness, ph) ? Or are there steps seperate from the CYA process to manage those needs?
Thanks for the help!

Sam

PS: yes, the pump has a cartridge. I backwash only when flow is reduced or heavy algae load. Replace monthly, give or take.

[Watermom]

High pH + high Alk + adding calhypo is not a good combination as you have found out!

The Intex OEM filter cartridges are low quality. Better cartridges will not only last longer, but will filter out the residual cloudiness better. Read this thread:

Cleaning-your-Cartridge-Filter-wiithout-Damaging-It!

Replacement Unicel cartridges:

Unicel C-4607 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Easy Set Size A or C) @ Amazon
Unicel C-5315 Replacement Filter Cartridge for 15 Square Foot Intex B Filter @ Amazon