White Cloudy Water - Twighlight Zone

[szampino]

Losing faith!

It's been 4 days of bleaching. I was traveling and just ordered bens kit(express mail). I purchased 6way strips from Walmart along with a Drop kit from Walmart that tests for TA,PH,TotalAlk, TotalHard, CYA just to bridge the gap from recieving Ben's kit.

My readings as of today:

TA - Orange (off the charts)
PH - 7.2
TotAlk - between 120 - 140
Hardness - 210 - 230
CYA - 30 - 40
FC - Strip - Purple(off charts) (pegs at 10)


**Going to take a sample to the poolStore to get a Chlorine Breakdown.

As of now there hasn't been any change to the water clarity except, as soon as I added the Bleach, the pool got a lot more cloudier, and hasn't cleared up yet.

Dilemna - Had the same (before Bleaching) cloudy water last year and couldn't kick it. So even refilling doesn't give me confidence that it won't happen again. Last year I attributed it to the metals in my water an thought I had it licked with the help from this group. Now I'm not sure what it is that is giving me cloudy water. All the stats appear to be in order.

For anyone interested below is a quick overview of everthing I did up to now.

1. Filled pool from Well water
2. Took raw water sample to Pool Store for sampling expecting too see metals(none present). I know I have metals regardless of pool stores readings and based on last years exciting pool season.
3. Added some Pool Magnet (Sequestering agent) to the water to be on the safe side.
4. Started to float my Balanced Chlorinator tablet. After about a week of keeping my FC at about 1-2ppm, and having crystal clear water, I noticed the water was beginning to change to that Greenish Blue. I knew exactly what it was and joined the Metals & Stains forum.
5. Went to the store and bought Vitamin C Crystals (1lb) and added it to the pool. Water cleared up in about 24 hours crystal clear. Yeah! had my pool under control. I added a little more Sequestering Agent and everthing was beautiful. I was finally in control (thanks to the forum)
6. Went away for a week. We had tremondous storms during that period of time and when I came back my crystal clear water was white cloudy hazy. I could see to the bottom but it just wasn't crystally clear.
7. Determined and Confident that I owned the pool and it didn't own me, I decided that the cloudyness was due to the metals so I added about a 1/2 lb of Ascorbic Acid to the pool along with a maintenance dose of PoolMagnet.
8. Nothing happened, no change at all.
9. Advise from the forum was to raise my Chlorine to shock levels.
10. I used powdered Sock-it to raise the chlorine slowly to shock levels.
11. No Change at all
12. I was still floating my Balanced Chlorine Tablet.
13. More advice from the forum suggested I remove the puck, stop using Sock-it and switch to bleach. CYA level was high enough.
14. Immediately when I added the bleach the water got very cloudy and now I can't see the bottom of the pool nor the 2nd step down on the ladder which is about less then a foot down.
15. I have kept the bleach regiment at the pegged marks of my Teststrips for the past 4 days. Ben's kit on order.
16. All my other stats look to be in check to the best of my existing test kits ability.

after 4 days shouldn't I see a little improvement, I'll even take improvement back to the origninal cloudy before Bleaching.

I'm stumped, frustrated, angry and ready to add some lilly pads to my pool and turn it into a water decoration in the backyard and Join the town pool.

I'm on the edge, and could use either a hand or a push either would be appreciated!

[mbar]

szampino,
I think you are fighting algae, and you are never getting your chlorine high enough to kill it off completely - that if why when you first put in the bleach it turned more cloudy - it was probably killing off something in your water and the cloudiness is the dead stuff that has to be filtered out. With a cya of 50, you have to get your chlorine level up to at least 15ppms, and keep it there consistantly. I know that you are afraid of the metals, but with all the sequester you have in the water, you should be fine - even if you get a little staining, after the aglae is gone, you can lower your ph and add more sequestering agent and the stains should go away. There is a method that you can use till you get a kit that measures high chlorine here it is:

Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************
Here's the Jen-You-Whine CarlD Shot Glass Method!

1) Get a shot glass (like you use to mix drinks).
2) Get a gallon of steam distilled water--most mass-market drug chains stock it, and many supermarkets.
3) Mix one shot glass full of pool water with one shot glass full of the distilled in a clean container (like a Pyrex measuring cup).
4) Fill your test cell to the line with the mixture. Add your drops and take the reading.
5) Whatever you read, double it. If it says "3ppm", you have 6ppm. If it reads "5ppm", you have 10ppm.
6) If it's STILL seems like the chorine's too high to read, go to step seven....
7) Mix 1 shot of pool water with TWO shots of distilled water, and re-run the test using that.
8) Now TRIPLE your reading--if it reads "3", it's 9. If it reads "5", it's 15ppm.
9) Going beyond two shots of distilled to 1 shot of pool water is possible (3 shots, quadruple your reading) but you lose accuracy fast. Still if it's the best way of reading chlorine, then you have to do it.

CAVEAT: ONLY use this method to measure chlorine levels. Do not use it for the other tests you run, and do not use it with the FAS-DPD powder test--that goes to 50 to 100ppm of Free Chlorine anyway.

There you have it!
***************

Something is very risistant in your water, and you will have to maintain shock levels consistantly - by checking a couple of time a day and adding bleach to take you back to shock. I really feel that if you do this you will kill off whatever your bleach is fighting, and you will get a clear pool. Do not use anything but bleach in the water to raise your chlorine. Especially with any well water and metals, I think that bleach works the best. Plus you can add it in small doses, and keep the clorine where it needs to be at all times. Don't be afraid to get your bleach high - it really works. Keep your filter running 24/7. Take the chlorine up to at least 15pmms.

[duraleigh]

I have not followed this thread but it looks like you are struggling with well water.

Simplify your life....drain the pool (7k gallons) and truck in water. You will start with a known point, get rid of all the issues in your water, and be swimming 30 minutes after the truck pulls away.

Ben's test kit will help immeasurably with any future issues that crop up.

[mbar]

I have used well water since I got my pool 7 years ago. I have learned how to control stains, and keep my water crystal clear. It can be done - and sometimes you live where the water that is trucked in is just as bad.

[szampino]

OK,

I tried the 2/1 Pool-distilled Chlorine ratio and my Free Chlorine is at 15ppm. I'm going to bring it up to 20ppm. (going to run to the store and pick up more Bleach!

I'll keep trying a little longer.

Should I remove the fountain in the pool?

[KurtV]

Stick with it. Keep it at shock level and keep filtering and it will clear up.

You'll find it a lot easier when you get your test kit.

[szampino]

Just for those keeping score.

7/22/06-I've got my FC up to about 25. Checked it at 5pm and just now checked it at 10pm. The level has maintained.

[mbar]

Good, this will tell all - if the chlorine will stay, then all of the bad stuff is dead - then it will just have to filter out.

[szampino]

7/23/06 - 9:30am
FC - 15,

I'm raising it again

**no-change in pool water.

[mbar]

If it went down that much, then it is defineatly fighting something. You probably needed to get up to 25 to really get it under attack. Consistancy is the key!