Cloudy Pool

[dkdog68]

Please help!! Open my pool a little over a week ago. Been cloudy ever since. I have kept the chlorine level up around 15 for most of time. Seems to stay pretty consistant so I don't think I am killing algae anymore.
CY=50
PH=7.5
Alk.=120
don't have the test kit to check all the other stuff. I did use clarifier after a 5 days thinking that would help...but then read where that could keep a pool cloudy if you put too much in. I have been back washing consitantly, and vacuuming everyday, but can see the bottom to make sure I am getting everything I need to get. I did start with Wal-Mart shock, but have been using bleach ever since. Any ideas on what could be making it cloudy??? It's a 7,500 gallon, sand filtered above ground pool.

[aylad]

Any ideas on what could be making it cloudy??? It's a 7,500 gallon, sand filtered above ground pool.

There are many, many reasons that it could be cloudy. If you've recently killed an algae bloom, then you still could have dead algae suspended in the water. AGP filters are frequently undersized, so it could take a week or more of constant filtering to get it out.

Another very common possibility is that the powedered shock you used was cal-hypo, and your calcium levels could be too high.

Otherwise,there are other reasons, but they're all guesses without complete info. If you could, can you get a drop-based kit and test your water for (or have the pool store test your water but don't buy anything from them) and post current results for Cl (Free and combined), pH, TA, Calcium hardness, and CYA. We also need to know what you've been using to shock with (cal-hypo or dichlor?). That will help us get you better answers. Also, did you kill off a big algae bloom, or just clear up slightly green water? Did you have visible algae?

Janet

[waste]

Dk, welcome to the forum -
I looked at your posts from last year and noticed that you converted from Baq and had sand going back into the pool. Did you change the sand? I'm wondering if the sand in your filter is ok or if there's something (residual Baq) in the sand that is keeping the water from clearing up. That's just a quick idea that popped into my head after revewing your old posts.

Janet is, of course, right about the other possibilities and the need for as much info as you can give on the pool, without the info, we're just making guesses.

[dkdog68]

Thanks both for responding so quickly...and remembering me from last year. I did get the sand problem fixed, I had a crack in one of my pipes in the filter itself, and that's where the sand was coming from. It's all new sand, so I am good there. Like I said I don't have the drop test most use in the forum, I just have the drop test you get at wal-mart.

Chlorine=10
Alkilinity=120
PH=7.5
CY=40
Hardness (i just checked)=300

I have a 1 hp pump, and the filter holds 100lbs. of sand. I didn't have any problems last year, so I don't think it's the pump. I did however have a much bigger algea bloom this year than I did last year. best way to describe it..day 1 thick pea soup, day 2 pea soup, day 3 watered down pea soup..and so on, now the pool is blue, but can't see the bottom. The shock I used from wal-mart is the HTH Super Sock it. Calcium Hypochlorite 54.6%, and then other ingredients. I'm guessing that's the bad stuff?? Maybe I'm just not patient enough, because it was so much easier last year.

[aylad]

Thanks both for responding so quickly...and remembering me from last year. I did get the sand problem fixed, I had a crack in one of my pipes in the filter itself, and that's where the sand was coming from. It's all new sand, so I am good there. Like I said I don't have the drop test most use in the forum, I just have the drop test you get at wal-mart.

Chlorine=10
Alkilinity=120
PH=7.5
CY=40
Hardness (i just checked)=300

I have a 1 hp pump, and the filter holds 100lbs. of sand. I didn't have any problems last year, so I don't think it's the pump. I did however have a much bigger algea bloom this year than I did last year. best way to describe it..day 1 thick pea soup, day 2 pea soup, day 3 watered down pea soup..and so on, now the pool is blue, but can't see the bottom. The shock I used from wal-mart is the HTH Super Sock it. Calcium Hypochlorite 54.6%, and then other ingredients. I'm guessing that's the bad stuff?? Maybe I'm just not patient enough, because it was so much easier last year.

I suspect the majority of the problem is simply that you have dead algae still suspended in the water. Leaving the filter on and backwashing as often as needed will probably take care of it. However, you are on the high side for calcium. I wouldn't use any more of the cal-hypo because any higher hardness is going to cause cloudy water problems for sure. Switch to bleach for shocking, because if you use dichlor you're going to raise your CYA too high. After a week of filtering, if you're not seeing any improvement, you might try shutting the pump off overnight to see if anything will settle out on the bottom, then vaccum to waste. You might also try dropping your pH just a tad to see if that help clears it...if the calcium is contributing, that ought to at least help.

Janet

[dkdog68]

Thanks Janet...I am thinking it might be too much calcium now. After the first several days, the filter hasn't been getting as bogged down as it first did. I was backwashing two times a day at least. Now it seems like it could go days. I have also shut the filter off hoping things would settle to the bottom but they haven't, not to mention I can't even see the bottom, so I would even know for sure, plus like I said, it's been over a week now of filtering. So the only thing to do on the calcium is to do a partial drain? is this true? I'm going to hold off a couple more days and see if it is just algae, but also wanted to ask on what to do if it was a calcium cloud. and i thought read where that was draining water out? Again, thanks for your help in advance, and thanks for your patience in answering questions.

[aylad]

I have also shut the filter off hoping things would settle to the bottom but they haven't, not to mention I can't even see the bottom, so I would even know for sure, plus like I said, it's been over a week now of filtering. So the only thing to do on the calcium is to do a partial drain? is this true? I'm going to hold off a couple more days and see if it is just algae, but also wanted to ask on what to do if it was a calcium cloud. and i thought read where that was draining water out? Again, thanks for your help in advance, and thanks for your patience in answering questions.

If you turn the filter off and leave it overnight, a good bit of it should settle to the bottom, whether it's calcium or dead algae, and you can vaccuum that to waste. There are flocculants you can get at the pool store that are supposed to bind the small particles together to make bigger particles, and
sink them to the bottom to make it easier to vaccuum, but I try to stay away from any chemicals that just aren't absolutely necessary when patience will do the trick. If it is calcium, then partial drain and refill is the only way to reduce your calcium level, and stop using cal-hypo to chlorinate with. You could also lower your pH and see if that helps to reduce the clouding, but do not lower it below 7.0. Hgih pH and alk levels tend to help the calcium precipitate if your hardness is high.



Janet

[dkdog68]

Okay, I will try lowering the ph a little, and vacuuming after ther filter has been off over night. see if that seems to help. I will keep you posted. Oh and I will never use the hypo-cal again, I was using it as a jump start and learned my lesson!! Bleach from here on out!!

[dkdog68]

Hi Janet, just wanted to let you know how things are going. I ended up draining about half the pool...although it was clearer, it was still very cloudy and still could see more than half way down on a 4 foot deep pool. I then decided to go with the Flocculant, didn't have much of a choice really. I now have an almost crystal clear pool. Still have a little more work to do, but I am headed in the right direction. Thanks again for all your help!!

[aylad]

Hi Janet, just wanted to let you know how things are going. I ended up draining about half the pool...although it was clearer, it was still very cloudy and still could see more than half way down on a 4 foot deep pool. I then decided to go with the Flocculant, didn't have much of a choice really. I now have an almost crystal clear pool. Still have a little more work to do, but I am headed in the right direction. Thanks again for all your help!!

Good job....now put that cal hypo away, and buy some bleach!!

Janet