Insatiable and Cloudy -- that's my pool -- please help

[kearpaul]

Hello,

My pool keeps me humble. I can't say that enough.

We had a pool party last Saturday (9-1); within a day, things went wrong. The pool got cloudy overnight and eats chlorine like nothing I've ever seen. It's never been cloudy like this. The water has more of a "silty" look, as opposed to darkening.

Here are my particulars:

Colored plaster IG 22.5 k gallons
Cartridge filters, pump runs 4 hours/day
No chlorinator nor SWG
Testing is with PS234
Pool gets full sun 10 am to 2pm
We use liquid chlorine to shock, bleach to maintain
Skimmer has a skimmer sock

FC <0.5 (before the party, it was 3.5)
CC 0 (was 0)
Ph stayed at 7.2
Alk stayed at 80
Cal 310 (was 300)
CYA 50 (was 70)
Temp 81 (was 84)

On Tuesday, I cleaned the cartridge filters.

Since Monday, I've added four gallons of 6% bleach and two gallons of 10% liquid chlorine. FC still won't budge.

I also added a quart of Pool Magnet. Usually, this helps, as the autofill lets in small amounts of unfiltered well water.

Also, I added a quart of 60% algecide; algae has, knock on wood, rarely been an issue here; But I did it. No effect.

So, I added two cups of Sparkle Up (filter enhancer, I guess) via the skimmer; no effect

So, I added a quart of Sea Klear clarifier (generic brand); I've never had to use this. And maybe it was $$ down the drain; no effect

Filter basket cleaned daily. Nothing unusual here.

Perhaps I have a combination of problems. But I'm out of ideas. Just keep adding bleach?

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Non-chlorinated cheers from the Sierra Foothills,
Paul

_ _ _ _ _
He knows everything but lacks inexperience.
Hector Berlioz [on Camille Saint-Saens]

[JohnT]

Your algaecide will consume some chlorine. Other than that, just add what it takes to get the chlorine up.

[aylad]

Sounds to me like you've got an algae bloom trying to happen, and the amounts of chlorine that you've been adding is just enough to keep it from completely going green but not enough to actually kill it. With your CYA level at 50, your chlorine level is way too low....and it's that much worse if you actually had a CYA of 70 prior to the party. You need to add enough chlorine to get to approximately 20 ppm, which for your pool should be about 7.5 gallons of 6%. Add it at night after the sun is off the pool, and check again in the morning before the sun hits the pool. If the level is lower, then you just need to add chlorine to get back up to the 20 ppm, and continue to do this 2-3 times daily until you no longer lose chlorine at night.

Stop adding all that other stuff--you're adding to the problem and not doing yourself any good. Stick with just plain bleach. I would also increase your pump run time...you need to run it 24/7 while fighting an algae bloom, but even after it clears I would run it a minimum of 6-8 hours daily during the summer.

Janet

[CarlD]

Jan is right. Stop adding stuff, you are just making it worse.

If you have an FC of 10-12 and add 1 quart of 60% Polyquat algaecide, in 48 hours your FC will be ZERO! That's just how PolyQuat works. I even figure that in to my pool closing--after the FC sinks I add bleach back to the shock level and close.

You need to add 4 gallons of 10% all at once. Then see where your FC is in an hour. Check and adjust FC 3 times a day--You have approximately 20,000 gallons (the difference is negligible). One gallon of 6% should add 3ppm, and one gallon of 10% should add 5%. You NEED to get your FC to between 15 and 20 ppm and keep it there! Otherwise you won't kill the algae.

I have NO idea what all the other junk you added has done. I NEVER use or have used anything but polyquat. I came home from 2 1/2 weeks on vacation to my own cloudy, green pool and it is now crystal, crystal clear again, and was in less than a week...I followed the same advice I, Jan and Lisa are giving you.

It works. We've seen it work for other owners many, many times and for ourselves as well.

[kearpaul]

First, thanks to John, Jan and Carl for your insight.

Now, if you can stomach them, some subsequent events.

I again cleaned the cartridges. They were coated with a light yellow crud, kinda like a flour and water mixture. (This was less than 3 days after the previous cleaning.)

Then, just for yuks I guess, I took a water sample to our local pool store. Drum roll, please.

I hasten to add that my pool-store folks seem competent and, I think, honestly believe in what they tell/sell.

My PS 234 readings were very close to theirs (exception was ph; they said 6.7 vs. my 7.2) I was told my TA and ph were too low. Correct these and then shock, sez they. They recommended 10 pounds of baking soda, er, excuse me, "Biogard Balance Pak 100" to raise TA and Balance Pak 200 to raise ph. They told me liquid chlorine would be fine for shocking. I proceeded to buy some goggles for my daughter, but that's all.

Anyway, I have added baking soda (perhaps 2 pounds) and will add 4 gal of 10% LC as Carl suggested.

Cheers and thanks again,
Paul
_ _ _ _ _
Nothing is better than the unintended humor of reality.
Steve Allen

[Spensar]

Generally the advice I've seen here is shock and knock out the algae before balancing the water. Maybe bring the PH up but worry about the alk later. As stated, the key is to keep the chlorine trucking at a high enough level for a while so all the algae is knocked out. If you get a good amount of stuff accumulate on the pool bottom, you can vacum to waste and spare the filter.

[aylad]

I proceeded to buy some goggles for my daughter, but that's all.

Way to go!!!! One less pool-stored story--that's what I like to hear!! Your plan of attack is good, add the chlorine like you intend, but keep the chlorine level at 20 until the water clears up--a one-time dose probably won't do it.

Also keep in mind that if you're going to adjust your pH, do it based on readings taken before you shock--once your chlorine gets above 15 or so, the pH levels will be falsely high. (And I would trust the PS 234 over the pool store anyday.)

Janet

[CarlD]

I agree with Jan.

Furthermore, if your pH is 7.2, it's a feature of chlorine that it's more effective at lower pH--7.2 is better for fighting algae than 7.8--but the water is easier on the eyes at 7.8.

Your T/A is 80, which is the lower end of the acceptable range. Unless you are having troubles holding pH steady I wouldn't add baking soda. I also only add one pound at a time, wait a few hours and test T/A. It's always MUCH easier to add more and wait than to correct for too much. The ONLY exception is chlorine--you want to hammer the algae hard!

[kearpaul]

Ok, I added 4 gals of 10% LC last night. The pump ran about four hours overnight. At 9am today, my FC was a mere 1.0.

Should I be scared?

[CarlD]

No. Add another 4 gallons. You are fighting algae, that's why your FC is low. You want to get your FC up to 20 and keep it there...when it drops, you need to get it back up or you'll be back to square one.

That's why we say test and adjust your water 3 times a day when you are fighting algae.