Very Green Cloudy Pool

[ivyleager]

If all the previous owners used were chlorine pucks, you may have a high CYA level, which means you may be needing to shock @ chlorine levels higher than 15.

If you have a pool store nearby, let them test your water, but don't let then talk you into buying anything. However, if you have a high copper level, you will need a metal sequestrant. That you should get while you are there.

Good luck,

CaryB
Go 'Canes!!

[Robin N]

Thanks for all the help. I do have well water, so I'm thinking I might have metals now, since I'm keeping the Chlorine around 15, vacuuming to waste, scrubbing, backwashing and I'm still not seeing any results. I did adjust the CYA about 4 days ago.

I'll take a water sample to a pool store tomorrow and see what they come up with on the metals. Hopefully I can get this straightened out soon.

Robin

[CarlD]

Robin,
Yes, get it tested and plan on getting your own good test kit.

Guessing at problems and then throwing in chemicals is the second fastest way to get into pool trouble. The first, of course, is pure neglect.

Also, I believe in the Occam's Razor method (the simplest solution is the solution), very similar to the K.I.S.S. method. Start at the beginning: Chlorine, pH, Total Alk, CYA and Calcium levels. Don't go on to metals until those are fixed (well, calcium IS actually a metal, but we never see it as one, just as a salt. Throw calcium metal in water and it boils, which is better than sodium metal, which blows up!)

[Robin N]

I added a gallon of bleach last night to make sure the Cl level stayed high. This morning I tested at 6:30 am. My Cl was at 12 so I added 2 more gallons of bleach hoping to keep the Cl up. My pH was 8.0, and the chart on my Mark IV Test Kit reads that I need to add 6 1/4 pints of Muratic Acid. From what I've read on this site I should focus on the Cl first and get it under control first. I'll buy more Muratic Acid at the pool store today but I'm not sure on when I should add it; I did read that I should add no more than 1 pint per 10,000 gallons in one day. My Alkalinity was 240.

Also I read on Ben's post that most kits with my order # should ship Monday. I'll feel a lot more confident then.

I'll retest my Cl level at 7:30 am, take the fresh water sample to the pool store and post my results when I return. I'm assuming ALL I should need at the pool store is Muratic Acid and possibly the metal sequesterant.

Robin N
25,000 gallon pool with vinyl liner

[CarlD]

Before you test your pH, add two drops of chlorine neutralizer, thiosulfate (taylor R-0007) to be sure you're getting an accurate reading, otherwise that pH number may not be right. IF 8.0 is right, you need to bring pH down. Just getting it down to 7.5 will increase chlorine effectiveness immensely and shorten your job.

You can use muriatic acid or dry acid, but you do need to get it down, assuming the number is right.

[Robin N]

I retested the pH, adding the 2 drops of Chlorine Neutralizer first and I still got an 8.0 reading - my current test only goes up to 8, and it was a "heavy" 8 reading. Is it possible to dilute this test with 2 parts distilled water and multilply by 3, as with the Chlorine test?

[gonefishin]

I did adjust the CYA about 4 days ago.


Robin

What was the CYA level before you adjusted it?

What is the CYA level after you adjusted it?

How did you adjust the CYA level?


dan

[Robin N]

Dan - my husband was taking care of things at that point and I don't know what those results were - I kept the bottle he used in case I needed to get more. I'm keeping a very detailed log now that we've gone green. All the green problems started overnight when he added Muratic Acid. Now I'm the only one doctoring the pool.

[Robin N]

I'm back from the Pool Store - I thought the testing included metals and when I saw it didn't and asked for it, the guy had already dumped my water. He did tell me that the previous owner would have probably mentioned it to me if it had been a problem (but if the previous owner didn't run tests and only used pucks, would he have known? We didn't have a problem until we raised the pH level) and he said it's "not typical" to have problems with metal around here even with well water unless I have copper pipes. (But I live 30 minutes outside the city too)

Here are my other #'s:

Free Chlorine 5.2 ppm
Total Chlorine 5.4 ppm
Combined Chlorine 0.2 ppm
pH OVER 8.2
Hardness 80 ppm
Alkalinity (w/ stabilzer correction) 181 ppm
Cyanuric Acid 130 ppm
Total Dissolved Solids 500 ppm

Recommended adding 1 quart of Super AlgaeBomb 60, said I should see a change in 4 - 6 hours or maybe by tomorrow. He wants me to bring in another water sample Monday and ask it to be tested for metals.

Other notes on the bill:
Add 2 gal and 1 pt of 14 oz Muriatic Acid
Add 45 lb and 5 oz of Water Hardness Increaser
Add 10.0 oz Chlor Shock

He said my Chlorine levels were way too high, needed to be around 1.0 and I was a 5.2. He said we would work on the pH and the Alkalinity Monday, after we see what the Algaecide is going to do.

My question is should I run another sample out there to be tested for metals? Should I add the Algaecide? Add Muriatic Acid ASAP? Where do I go from here? I noticed some white foam in the skimmer today and that's new - is it dying algae?

Robin
25000 gallon in ground pool
Vinyl Liner
Sand Filter

[CarlD]

Robin,
You can take his advice or ours. They are contradictory. You cannot follow both.

You may or may not believe me, but his advice is good for one thing--ringing up the register. It is NOT good advice for your pool.

He's telling you to increase hardness in a vinyl pool. This is pure utter nonsense. The reason is that the "hardness" is calcium and calcium is needed to prevent the water from leaching calcium from the concrete or plaster walls. There's no calcium to leach from vinyl so it's pure garbage.

As I said, you can follow his advice or ours, but if you follow his and it doesn't work, it's that much harder for us to help you.