Very Green Cloudy Pool

[Robin N]

I bumped the Cl level up to 30 two nights ago. I haven't seen a change yet - I continue to backwash (3X a day), brush the pool, and vacuum to waste. I'm not seeing much of anything. My water is very cloudy still, I can see one step down, it has just a small amount of the dead looking algae on the step.

I'm keeping the Cl level at around 40 since my CYA is 130. I know it may be "overkill", BUT I am waiting on Ben's Test Kit and I'm using the diluted method on a Walmart test and it's hard to determine the exact amount of Cl, so I'm leaning on the heavy side. I've been testing every couple of hours, but it doesn't seem like the pool is losing any Chlorine. It this normal? Does it mean I haven't added enough Cl to do the job or does it sound like it's working?

I've read Pamsel's posts - she added Polyquat in addition to what I'm doing. Is this something I should get? If so, how much should I add?

The previous owner of the house saw the pool this morning. He nearly fainted. This whole situation is humiliating. This pool is getting the best of me.

[Simmons99]

You have kept your chlorine levels that high for the last two days straight? Are you sure you don't have filter problems? If so, maybe it's time to try a clarifier as a last resort?

(WAIT for some responses from mods on this before you run to the pool store)

[Robin N]

I think I do have filter problems. I went out yesterday and there was water around my filter, and some green slime. I'm totally new at this. I looked at the filter and the pump and I did find a place that looked like it could open. I unscrewed the two knobs and found the basket that was removable. I dumped it - there were a few leaves and a lot of bugs in it. I got it back on there and thought I had solved my problem. This morning I went back out to backwash and there was water around the pump again. I checked the basket but it was all clear. Then I couldn't get the thing put back together right - I wrestled with it for a while and finally realized I needed help - the previous owner is still moving some things out of his shop, and luckily he showed up within the hour. He oiled the knobs and used a wrench or something. I'm afraid if I mess with too much equipment out there I'll end up stopping the pump.

As for the filter being a sand filter - the pool shop told me that. I know it's a Hayward Super Pump, Self Priming 1 1/2 Horsepower 115/230 V

There is a plastic "wheel" thing that goes to the pump equipment. I haven't found where it goes yet. (Replacement part I think) After looking at the filter again - the Vari-Flo part, I the plastic wheel goes under my controls for the filter. If I unscrew maybe 10 screws, I could take the top off and find where I need to be checking? Or is this something I need to leave up to a pool maintenance person?

I won't do it until I hear more - I don't want to really mess things up. If it is my filter, once it's working will it help filter out what I've been working on or has all my work been wasted effort? (Besides learning valuable lessons the hard way?)

[Infidel]

I've been dealing with a cloudy / algae pool recently as well, just got a real test kit 2 days ago and I'm seeing improvement already. Some thoughts from another clueless person that inherited a pool. All of this relates to my system, yours may differ.

On top of your sand filter you should have a gauge that effectively indicates how the system is functioning. When mine is working right it's around 10 psi, if brush and vacuum then it can get up to 30-40psi pretty quick, indicating that the filter is full of crud and needs backwashing. I don't backwash if there's no increase in pressure as I feel this indicates there's still good flow/filtering happening.

There is a prefilter on the pump, with a clear top on it and a filter basket inside. The impeller on the pump can get bound up with junk that gets through the basket, which keeps water from getting sent to the filter correctly. This is indicated by the sound of bubbles in the pump and low psi on the sand filter. For a long time I couldn't figure out why my filter wasn't maintaining pressure, then I realized I had to take the pump apart and clean the impeller, this is done by undoing the band/strap clamp between the pump and prefilter. I put a heavy rock in the prefilter basket adn that has really cut down on my need to take apart the pump to clear the impeller. Are you getting pressure in your sand filter? That might be why you're not getting filtration.

Next, try leaving your pump off for 12+ hours and see what settles to the bottom, vacuum it to waste and see how that does. I have had great success using floculant in the past, you could try it as a last resort.

For some reason my sand filter is very innefective at removing algae, best to let it settle and then vacuum to waste.