Cloudy water

[dustybecca]

This is my first year to maintain the pool all by myself! My hubby left for Iraq this month and Im already having problems. Just tested and here are my #s.
Hardness= 1000
TChlorine= 3.5
Free Chlorine= 0 to 2
PH= 7.8 to 8.4
Total Alkalinity= 120 to 180
Stabilizer= 100 to 150

The pool raised in temp 10 degrees in one day this week (its currantlly 80) and now I've got a cloudy mess. Any advice?

[duraleigh]

Hi, Becca,

Your test results are really in a wide range....too wide, in fact. Are you testing with paper strips? If so, I'm afraid you'll need to get rid of those and get you a good drops-based kit and you'll be in good shape.

I'm gonna guess a little as to how to help, but until you get that test kit, all of what we tell you will be pretty much of a guess.

1. I believe your pH is too high...that's probably why your water is cloudy. download mwsmiths calculator from one of his posts and lower your pH to 7.2-7.6

2. If your using pucks (3" discs) for Cl, you'll need to stop. That's making your CYA too high and your Cl ineffective. You need to switch to Clorox for your Cl source 'til you can get your CYA down.

Becca, that's just a start and ,remember, just a guess. If you'll get that drops based kit, yopu'll be able to post better numbers and everyone here will help you get your water clean.

In the meantime, if you'll tell us how many gallons is in your pool, someone will tell you how much muriatic to add to get your pH down. I think that's your most urgent issue.

Dave S.

[aylad]

Along with duraleigh's advice, I'll add that if you have a TC of 3.5 and a FC of only 1-2, then you have a good amound of CC, which means you probably already have an algae outbreak starting in your water, which can also cause it to be cloudy. You need to shock your pool by raising your chlorine to 20 or so (I'd use bleach).

Janet

[dustybecca]

I shocked the pool all weekend long! It looks ALOT better! I got a better test kit, heres my numbers now.

Chlorine= 3
pH= 7.2
T Alkalinity 170
Total Hardness 600
CYA= 70

The pool has just a hint of haziness to it, am I being to anal about it being crystal clear?
And my pool is 22,000 gallons, vinyl liner.

[duraleigh]

Hi, "dusty",

The pool has just a hint of haziness to it, am I being to anal about it being crystal clear?
And my pool is 22,000 gallons, vinyl liner.

Heck, No!! There's nothing better than a crystal clear pool. I'd shock it again with 6 gallons of 6% Clorox and see if that get's rid of that haze. Less than 6 gallons will be a waste of time. With your CYA of 70, you'll need that much Cl to make a difference.

Sounds like your doing a good job on your pool.

Dave S.

[CarlD]

I'm not surprised your pool isn't clear:
If your T/A is 170 and your Calcium Hardness is 600, it's hard to keep a clear pool--but the cloudiness that happens is calcium, not algae, so you can swim.

What I suggest you do is one of two course:
1) Drain at least 1/3 of your water and refill (assuming, of course, your fill water isn't calcium saturated). This should lower your calcium level to 400--and the cloudiness should go away.

or

2) Lower your Total Alkalkinity. (T/A) Normally, we recommend 80-125 for all pools, but vinyl can go to 180. HOWEVER, with your calcium levels SO high, I would aim for 100-110 as my T/A level and that, too, should help clear your water up. To lower Total Alk., read the Alkalinity forum to see the method. You'll need to keep your pH between 7.0 and 7.2. Then aerate your water to raise pH w/o raising T/A. Add acid to lower pH again to 7.0-7.2 (which rachets down T/A) and aerate again to raise pH only.

Those are my two suggestions.

And my personal thanks to you and your husband for your service to our country. I believe wherever you fall in the political spectrum from the far right, to the middle, to the far left we should ALL be grateful to the military people and their families. And I believe most of us are.

And then we can argue about the politicians separately...

[waterbear]

CarlD,
I admire what you said at the end of your post...very true words!