Dirt on floor after using Sink-n-sweep

[cdawg]

i have an 18x48 above ground pool and at first the water was just fine but after a 3 weeks it turned from clear too cloudy so i adjusted the chems and i put some sink and sweep in to it that cleared it up within 2 hours so now i have all this patches of particles thats sitting on the floor of my pool and when i try too clean it with a vacum that hooks too my water hose it moves the dirt around and my pool becomes mikly yet once again is there another way too clean the patches of dirt or whatever it is out

[Watermom]

We hear this a lot. Often adding "pool store goop" makes things much worse.

Give us the details about your pump and filter.

Also, tell us ingredients of what all you have put in the pool.

And, go ahead and order a Taylor K-2006 or 2006C test kit from the link in my signature below. You're going to need a good kit to help you get this cleared up and to help you maintain things once it is cleared up.

Then, someone here can better advise you of how to clear things up!

[cdawg]

the following is what i have applied
algecid
ph up
water classifier
shock plus
alkalanity
chlorine
my pool chemicals are all balanced according to the local pool store my pool pump is a 1500 GPH Intex Filter Pump Krystal Clear Model 635 Small Pump which came with my pool
also after i put in some sink and sweep the cloudiness goes away and i have a crap load of light brown stuff on the floor of the pool i try to vacum it out and when i get close to the debris it spreads out and becomes cloudy again i have the vacuum that hooks too the water hose blow are links to pics of my pool water

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6g7...it?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6g7...it?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6g7...it?usp=sharing

[Watermom]

We are going to need ingredients and not just 'algaecide' or 'shock plus.' I also have no idea what water classifier is. The sink and sweep must be a floc of some sort.

Also, we need current water testing numbers and not just that they are balanced. If you can supply this information, it will help us better help you.

[cdawg]

shock=Trichloro-s-triazinetrione 53.5%
other ingredients Available Chlorine 43.6%

ph up active ingredient Sodium Carbonate 100/0%

20% algaecide active ingredients Alkyl 50% C14 40% C12 10% C16
Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride 20.0%
other ingredients 80.0%

balance+ protect active ingredient Sodium Bisulfate 93.2%


water testing numbers

hardness 1000
chlorine 3
bromine 10
ph 7.8
alkalinity 40
stabilizer 100
and these are numbers from a 5 way test strip which is all i have at the moment

[Watermom]

Unfortunately, we don't trust test strips as we have seen too many times were the results they gave are way off base. Are you going to order a good kit so that you can better manage your pool? For now, is there a reputable pool store that you can take a water sample to let them test? Just don't let them talk you into buying a bunch of stuff.

Is this a new pool or one that you have had for awhile? If you have had it for awhile, have you used the trichlor tabs for a long time? Check the ingredients of the tabs and see if copper is listed as an ingredient.

That calcium hardness reading is REALLY high! Do you have really hard water where you live or have you been using calhypo? (Some bags of pool shock are calhypo.)

[PoolDoc]

i put some sink and sweep in to it that cleared it up within 2 hours so now i have all this patches of particles

Actually, in this case, I believe the problem is that the Sink N Sweep worked *exactly* like it was supposed to do. It's a flocculant, designed to clump dirt bits together, and cause them to settle to the bottom of the pool, where they can be easily vacuumed away. You're pictures show exactly that.

The problem is, most folks with Intex type pools do not have an effective vacuum system, and Intex doesn't really have any accessories that are adequate. There are basically two options.

Manual Pool Vacuum:

Hydro Tools 1-1/4-Inch Diameter With Swivel Cuff Pool Vacuum Hose, 18'
Poolmaster 27514 Classic Full View Triangular Vinyl Liner Vacuum
Hydro Tools 8351 6- to 12-Foot Adjustable Blue Anodized Step-Up Telescopic Pool Pole

With the manual option, you can certainly remove the debris by vacuuming 'to waste', using siphon. You'll want to over-fill your pool first, before starting the siphon. Tie some sort of weight to the hose, to keep the 'out-of-the-pool' end from flopping back into the pool and breaking the siphon.

You may, or may not, be able to couple the hose to the suction inlet on your pool. If you can work out a way to do so, then you will not lose the water you vacuum with. You will of course get your filter dirty fast.

Battery Operated Vacuum:

Water Tech Pool Blaster Max
Water Tech CATFISHPPV Pool Blaster, Catfish
Pool Blaster PBW022MF Micro Filter Bag

If you are interested in the battery vac -- and we've had pretty good reports on this brand -- call Water Tech *FIRST* and make sure that the fine bag will pick up debris like yours. It's possible that it may just go through the bag, so ask first.
Water Tech (PowerBlaster Max page)
10 Alvin Ct. Suite 111
East Brunswick, NJ 08816 USA
Tel: (800) 298-8800
e-mail: CustomerService@WaterTechCorp.com

[PoolDoc]

With regard to your pool chemistry . . . if those numbers are right, you will have to be VERY careful to avoid problems. The first step is to find out if they are correct, so you'll need a Taylor K2006 test kit. (Amazon link in my signature) Dealer electronically read test strips are not accurate, especially with respect to the stabilizer or CYA readings. Strips read with a "Mark I Eyeball" device are even worse.

Meanwhile, use bleach to chlorinate. Whatever your chemistry readings, bleach will not make them worse, since, unlike most pool chlorine materials, bleach does not add EITHER stabilizer or calcium. You'll also need to read the "Best Guess" page (linked in my signature) so you can understand what chlorine levels you need . . . and why you need them.

Good luck!