Could use a little help!

[Aprilmaew]

I started reading this website last year and implemented the method last year. This is the first time I have posted though. We have had a time with the pool this year. We opened the pool in mid March and it was only slightly green. We shocked it using bleach and ran the pump when the motor died after 12 hours. The pool company told us they would be out in a week to fix it. Two weeks later the pool company still hadn't shown up, so my husband replaced the motor himself because our pool was definitely a green slime pit by then. Reshocked with bleach and added some chemicals. The pool was just turning blue (about 3 days of pump running) when the wiring went out. (yes! Only our kind of luck!) One week later, the wiring was fixed, the pool was reshocked (because it was once again a slime pit) and then...IM NOT KIDDING... It sprang a leak. Two days in hot heat caused it to turn green again. Now, everything is hopefully fixed! Yes, it's been shocked again. Here are my test results based from my Taylor drop kit: FC 8 (shocked last night - results from this morning) pH- 7.4. TA- 50. CYA 40. Vinyl liner. In ground pool. Approx 24,000 gallons
The pool is blue but very cloudy. We are running the pump 24/7 with frequent back washing. Just added a sock. So my question is: Will this clear it up? We are on day 3 of blue cloudy water with no improvement. I'm thinking the cloudiness is all the algae that we killed several times without being able to circulate and filter. Do I flock it? Do I turn the pump off for a while? Do I keep shocking it? What's my next step? Thanks in advance for the help!

[CarlD]

Have you tried adding about 1/3 of a cup of DE powder to the sand filter through the skimmer? (I presume it's a sand filter). It can increase filtering. You may want to try adding some Polyquat 60% because it can help clear water.

[Aprilmaew]

I've never heard of DE powder. What is it? and where would I buy it?

[Watermom]

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a white powder made from the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. It is the filter media used in DE filters. Many of us occasionally use it to help filter out the tiny stuff that the sand filter may not be able to catch. There is a thread with more info that may be helpful to you.

Adding DE to a Sand Filter

Are you using a Taylor K2006 kit? Can you tell us what your CC reading is? Have you done an overnight chlorine demand test?

[Aprilmaew]

Yes- my kit is Taylor k-2006. I've not done a CC because I wouldn't know what to do with that information. And I'm not sure what an overnight demand test is. Our CYA was extremely high last year (>200) I found that out when I couldn't hold chlorine and it led me here and I ordered my kit. When we opened the pool, our CYA was 0. I was worried about the ammonia? (waste products) caused from the algae if it ate all my CYA. However, the pool was partially drained and refilled right before closing last year. Before I added stabilizer, I verified the pool could hold 2 FC prior to adding stabilizer to make sure it wasn't full of waste products from eaten CYA. That was listed under one of the pool guides here.

[Watermom]

Go ahead and run the CC test and report your value. That can help us determine if your algae is all dead or if you are still fighting something in the water.

The overnight chlorine demand test is another way we determine if you are still fighting something. Test your chlorine this evening (also do the CC test at this time). Then, add bleach to get back to shock level (based on your CYA level -- look at the Best Guess Chlorine Chart in my signature). An hour or two later, retest the chlorine and make note of the reading. Then, in the morning within an hour of sunrise, recheck your chlorine. Report how much chlorine you lost overnight and if there is any CC reading.

Basically, you want to keep your chlorine high until you can do two things.
1. Go from sundown to within one hour of sunup without losing more than 1ppm of chlorine
2. Have no more than 0.5ppm of CC.

Once those two conditions are met, we usually advise keeping chlorine high for one additional day and then let it drift down and keep it between the minimum and maximum per the Best Guess Chart.

[Aprilmaew]

Right now FC 5.5 and CC 0.5. I will do an overnight demand test tonight.

[Watermom]

Good deal. And, keep your pump going 24/7 while you are trying to clear the pool. The chlorine will kill the algae but it is the filter that will remove it from the pool.

[Aprilmaew]

Last night: FC 15 and CC 0.5. This morning: FC 10 CC 0. It did rain a little last night so I don't know if that would affect the results. It wasn't a heavy rain, just a light drizzle for a few mins.

[Watermom]

Did you run your pump for awhile before you tested to make sure the rain water was mixed in and you were not just testing the top layer --- rain water? I'd go ahead and keep the chlorine high again today since you showed a drop of 5ppm and also, keep running the pump.