Pool problems.

[localfinesse]

I have been a pool owner for about a year now and I must admit that I didn't do a good job running the pool. I promised my self that I would learn the correct way.

My pool is really brown/cloudy. Here are my test results.

About 20000 gallon plaster IG pool
Hayward cartridge filter has been on 24/7 for weeks

CL - off the chart. I put 6 large bottles of bleach in yesterday (4-25-06)
PH - 7.2
Total Alkalinity - I stopped putting drops in the tester at 70 drops
Total Hardness - I added 5 drops of hardness indicator and the water started to turn blue until I mixed the water then it went clear.
CYA - About 120


I think the first thing I need to do is get the CYA down no?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Edit:

I read the FAQ on HOWTO: Step-by-Step Guide to lowering your alkalinity.

I turned on the water fall to help aerate the pool
Should I put acid in the pool even know my Ph is low? I will hold off on putting anything in the pool until I am instructed to.

[JohnT]

CL - off the chart. I put 6 large bottles of bleach in yesterday (4-25-06)
PH - 7.2

That should have raised your chlorine by 15ppm or so. ETA: you said large bottles-do you mean gallons, or the big jugs?

Total Alkalinity - I stopped putting drops in the tester at 70 drops
Total Hardness - I added 5 drops of hardness indicator and the water started to turn blue until I mixed the water then it went clear.
CYA - About 120


I think the first thing I need to do is get the CYA down no?

I'd be more concerned about why the water isn't clearing up. Have you cleaned the cartridge, and how does the clean pressure now compare to what it was when new? Cartridges can get dirty or get a hole in them, both of which will make the filter ineffective for different reasons.

You do need to lower your CYA, and the only way to do that is water replacement. However, if you replace water, you also have to replace chlorine in order to keep algae under control.

I turned on the water fall to help aerate the pool
Should I put acid in the pool even know my Ph is low? I will hold off on putting anything in the pool until I am instructed to.

I don't really think your TA is over 700. Did you use the 0007 neutralizer? My fill water is insanely high at 400ppm TA. I don't think 700 ppm water would be drinkable. I wouldn't mess with it until you get the other stuff cleared up. If you replace water for CYA, it may undo whatever alkalinity changes you make. Leaving the waterfall on should raise your pH without raising your alkalinity, which is good, but you'll need to keep an eye on your pH.

You also need to know and watch your calcium levels. The life of your plaster depends on it.

[localfinesse]

That should have raised your chlorine by 15ppm or so. ETA: you said large bottles-do you mean gallons, or the big jugs?

Yes it was 6 gallons. I don't know why I said 6 large bottles.

I'd be more concerned about why the water isn't clearing up. Have you cleaned the cartridge, and how does the clean pressure now compare to what it was when new? Cartridges can get dirty or get a hole in them, both of which will make the filter ineffective for different reasons.

I cleaned the cartridges 3 months ago. I will have a look at them on Sunday. I am having lasik today. (Friday) I will need a few days to rest. I will report back then. Today it isn't green any more just really cloudy. I can only see the 3rd step.

You do need to lower your CYA, and the only way to do that is water replacement. However, if you replace water, you also have to replace chlorine in order to keep algae under control.

So how much water should I drain? And do I add more bleach when it is drained?

I don't really think your TA is over 700. Did you use the 0007 neutralizer? My fill water is insanely high at 400ppm TA. I don't think 700 ppm water would be drinkable. I wouldn't mess with it until you get the other stuff cleared up. If you replace water for CYA, it may undo whatever alkalinity changes you make. Leaving the waterfall on should raise your pH without raising your alkalinity, which is good, but you'll need to keep an eye on your pH.

What is 0007 neutralizer and where do I get it? I ready a few posts saying if you CL is too high it may bleach out your other results. Do you think this could be the case? I tested the water again today and I had the same results. My CL was orange.



Thanks

[JohnT]

The R-0007 neutralizer is the Taylor test kit reagent that you use for the pH and alkalinity test to neutralize high chlorine levels. Draining and refilling to fix the CYA is straightforward: Replace 10% of the water, reduce the CYA by 10%. Replace 50% of the water, reduce the CYA by 50%.

So how much water should I drain? And do I add more bleach when it is drained?



What is 0007 neutralizer and where do I get it? I ready a few posts saying if you CL is too high it may bleach out your other results. Do you think this could be the case? I tested the water again today and I had the same results. My CL was orange.



Thanks

[localfinesse]

Yesterday morning I cleaned the the cartridges. When I checked the pool this morning I could see the bottom and it doesn't look that cloudy any more. I kinda clear but not crystal clear.

Here are the results from the test.

CL - still orange (high)
pH - about 7.3
Total Hardness - Took 10 drops to turn water to red and took 60 to turn to blue
Total Alkalinity - After it turned green it took 60 drops to turn blue
CYA - I tested it 3 times. All 3 times it was 95 - 100. I think the first test was incorret.


Anybody know where to get the Taylor test kit? I will check walmart today.

Thanks again.

Brad

[ivyleager]

Brad,

Most local pool stores carry Taylor reagent vials. That's were I get my re-stock each spring. Walmart carries a 5 or 6 way drops kit that many people use. Good luck

CaryB

[bcb1]

We did some construction around our pool a year ago (sewer line and new sidewalk leading up to the pool) - and our water was a yucky brown color just like yours when we opened the pool last spring. It was closed properly, I'm guessing we got a lot of dirt and silt from all the dust in the air from digging.

Anyway, I just kept hitting it with several bottles of bleach every day, and I think I used a 1-pound pack of Cal Hypo shock each day as well. It cleared up nicely in about 5 days. I had to have the pool guy come out and vacuum with his truck-mounted vacuum because there was a lot of dirt and gunk on the pool floor. That helped tremendously.

This year the water was clear when we opened the pool this weekend. The only real difference is that the pool guy drilled holes in a big chlorine bucket and put some tabs of Tri-Chlor in it and tied it off to one of the rope hooks when he closed the pool last fall. Not sure how many tabs he used. I will definitely do that again this fall when we close it up.

[Watermom]

bcb1 - After a bucket full of trichlor tabs, you should test your cya.

[localfinesse]

Ok after testing tonight.

CL - bright yellow still high
pH - 7.4
Total Alk - 110
Total Hardness - couldn't get a reading. I had to add 11 drops to get it to turn blue to start.
CYA - is now 60 - 65.

Questions for everybody else now?

How do I get my total hardness down to a readable level?
Why is my CYA dropping so fast? I used pucks for 3 straight weeks about 1 1/2 months ago. Could that have something to do with it?

I currently have a 2 year old Hayward vacuum cleaner. How long do these things last? I was looking at the Hayward phantom tonight. That thing looks very nice. Anybody have one?

One more question not about my pool. If I register to this site for 1 year. Would that get me access to the poolsolutions guides? What does registration get you?

Thanks again to everybody that replied.

[localfinesse]

The water is looking a lot better now. There is a lot of algae on the bottom of the pool that I can't brush off. What can I do about that?

My test results are

CL - Still of the chart - Not as bright yellow as it was thought.
pH - 7.3
Total Alk - 100
Total Hardness - couldn't get a reading.
CYA - 60 - 65.

Thanks