New Subscriber/supporter totally stumped!

[PoolLoverinMI]

Hi Folks,

First of all thanks to everyone who participates & whomever put this forum together. All the wealth of information is a godsend! Plus many Kudo's to the one who handles the time consuming task of maintaining it.

I've been a reader for a few years now owning just the small vinyl blow-up ring pools. However, thanks to someone who will remain nameless improperly taking them down & storing them without adequate protection, the local mice have been enjoying them as their new favorite winter resort home.

So, I've just purchased my third, downsized a little bit to a 10' x 30" since its just me who likes to be in it......BUT am STILL DREAMING of one like the veteran's on this site. I'd love to have a nicer, larger more permanent set-up and definitely an improved more adequate pump system. However, having a very large yard with numerous (over 20 of them) approximately 60 yr old mature trees that can be quite a mess in the Fall in addition to a DH who doesn't like to swim.....Not to mention our wonderful MI weather which we have HOPEFULLY 3-4 months of warm weather....well enough said.

Anyway, the last 2 pools I maintained wonderfully with the help of this site. This year I am having a heck of a time & don't know where to turn. I can't even figure out what is going on~! My pool being only a 10'x30" it still has a pump that came with it. The first day after filling it - the water was gorgeous....COLD as heck, but clear & sparkling. I put some bleach in it but still needed to get some more supplies. In the meantime I put my solar cover on. Then we got several days of rain. NOTE to self: --Solar covers have holes, so dirty rain water got into pool! Had to buy a new REGULAR cover even though it's for a 12' pool, it's definitely helped!

When we finally had a nice day 3 days later, I uncovered it to find it very cloudy with a slight pale yellow tint. From the forum, I realized it was time to get some chemicals in there, as I was afraid I might have already had the start of an algae problem. I put approx a cup or two of Bleach, dumped a box of Baking soda in....(This box had been open in my fridge for quite awhile, was all I had, thinking it wouldn't be very potent) Not so, because unfortunately I think it was & messed up the pH that I've never had a problem with. Stupidly I was thinking I was using BORAX which I previously used more of instead of the baking soda & put the wrong one in. UGH!

The next day I rushed out on my lunch hour and bought some AquaChem Algaecide Plus (to the tune of $25!) And some Shock water Clear ($10) stupid as I now realize it's just good ole chlorine. I should have delved deeper into my maintenance info first! After opening & using about 4oz of the algaecide-- TOO LATE I realized it had Copper in it & wasn't what I needed & actually meant to get was Polyquat but they didn't have any!

Dismayed at my mistake, the next day, water looked worse, pulled out filter & it had all this NASTY slimey orangish brown film on it. (I'm using the fiber/paper filters) Sooo at that point true to my luck -- I suddenly realized I had gotten a pool this year that there were no local stores having any of the size "B" filters available which I needed. I didn't check pool stores as I've heard too much horror stories.

Seeing the orange brown slime, then after I vacuumed what little had accumulated on the bottom, I was even MORE concerned when the little vacuum/filter container bag had a yellowish color residue on it that wasn't there before. Already concerned by the orange brown filter and what I'd read about algae --that it can also be caused by the water not moving enough (OMG WAS I GETTING Yellow/mustard algae bloom??) Frustrated, I decided to adapt my new pump to last year's housing since THAT filter was readily available (Sure, it WASN'T last year, but I've been seeing them everywhere now...go figure!)

Additionally, I chose to try this because when set up on the first day the water intake had no notable suction, the return had very little pressure either. So when I found the nasty filter my thought was maybe it wasn't moving the water enough or at a sufficient speed. I don't actually know if it was worse then or at first, because I couldn't bring myself to put the filthy filter back into the housing & turn the pump back on to check. (It was TOTALLY gross!)

After some ingenuity & a couple trips to several hardware stores, I was able to adapt the system Using the new pump with previous year housing but still utilizing a larger filter in the old housing (as mentioned earlier is NOW readily available). Hoses had to be adapted too this year's pool had smaller 1.25" hoses) The first day after pump change the larger filter was a light green. I removed it, put in a brand new one, been checking it daily since & has remained nice & white & clean looking ever since. BUT water is still cloudy.

I bought a New Test kit for this year, the 2 drop testing kit for CL/pH -PLUS I wasted the $$$ on the dip sticks not realizing prior to purchase that they were worthless. The darn sticks have had the same reading since the very beginning & haven't changed. I could have gotten the 6 test kit for less if I had known!

Now been trying to get a good read with just the 2 drop method. First time, CL was BRIGHT orange...off the chart. pH was red...above 8. Then CL stayed orange a couple more days & pH became lighter to a normal level 7.5. Then same thing on Cl but pH went down to 2. Thinking CL could be bleaching out pH --not really believing it since I wasn't able to smell any chlorine, I added about 2 gallons. I know it was a lot....but it finally made the water look a little better, I could smell it, and the filter remained clean. I saw a little bit of residue that looked like sand (but isn't) in the creases on the bottom. Floated easily & vacuumed up fine. Bleached my cover underside, but don't care...gotta get rid of whatever this is! Thinking my filter might not be catching everything I also put a very fine mesh catch over my water return that I whipped up from some No-see-um netting I found in the camping department. It collected some small particles...I think maybe the little ants that are ALL over the place!

NOW --up to current (sorry so long) I still have cloudy water! I have shocked the He** out of it as mentioned above after reading that more Chlorine is the best thing to use & you can't really have too much when you are trying to get rid of algae or other ickys. Haven't used the algaecide anymore.....Haven't put in any more soda. BUT ALSO HAVE NOT put in any Borax as I have NO CLUE where to go or what it will do from this point.

Especially when I tested today & my pH is a little bit high again...about 8 not too concerned, BUT the Cl did something totally weird! Instead of the repeated bright orange....that I've had since the beginning, no matter how much Chlorine I put in. Earlier today about 4 hrs ago I got a read with yellow but then you could see tiny little grains of orange forming then turned into bigger particles and the liquid remained lite yellow with ORANGE floaties remaining in it! They settled to bottom of test kit since then & the Cl Yellow is about a .5 but the floaties are still bright orange. I cannot believe my Cl is gone as you can easily smell the chlorine immediately upon getting near the pool. I've left it uncovered today -- it's been nice AND SUNNY! FINALLY! Gotten some tree crud, but have screened that out. But I'm still freaked out & clueless as I just got this read: Cl Immediatley was Orange, but then in a few seconds went to the brighter yellow 3-5 but with visible orange little tiny grains that float & pH is still about 7.5-7.8.

ANY suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Short of going to get the other 6 part test kit which would cost me another bit of $$ Does anyone have any ideas? I've already put I think a total of 3.5 gallons of chlorine (6%) into this 1500 gal pool.....what else should I be doing??

Thanks in advance for any & all help AND especially for reading this exceptionally long FIRST post!

PS: You guys/gals are the greatest! --realizing I needed to register this year for the new forum reasons. I figured it was time, as you've never steered me wrong in the past. --BUT instead of just a trial registration or subscription registration, I chose to become a full supporting subscriber, to help support the forum....I just wanted to say thank you so much! I feel it's $$$ VERY well spent for all the courteous knowledge being shared. Providing us newbies with an easy to understand & cost effective education yet, alternative way to get the most out of enjoying our pools !!!.... Even the little vinyl blow-up ones some of us have to settle for....

I'm off to lounge in the water, since I can't jump in yet!

Monica

[PoolDoc]

I have only limited experience with above ground pools -- but ALL the experience I have indicates that their filters are inadequate, when you have a problem. With a 10,000 gallon pool, you're stuck.

But, with a 10' x 2.5' pool (10 x 2 water), you've only got a little more than 1,000 gallons of water. Why don't you just drain and refill?

AG pool filters can do OK, if you never let the water get messed up. But on the small pools the associated filters are inadequate for cleaning up a mess.

Just be sure as you drain, to brush and watch out all the goo.

PoolDoc

PS: Thanks for your support!

[PoolLoverinMI]

"Re: New Subscriber/supporter totally stumped! - I have only limited experience with above ground pools -- but ALL the experience I have indicates that their filters are inadequate, when you have a problem. With a 10,000 gallon pool, you're stuck. - But, with a 10' x 2.5' pool (10 x 2 water), you've only got a little more than 1,000 gallons of water. Why don't you just drain and refill? - AG pool filters can do OK, if you never let the water get messed up. But on the small pools the associated filters are inadequate for cleaning up a mess. - Just be sure as you drain, to brush and watch out all the goo. PS: Thanks for your support! - PoolDoc -"


Hi PoolDoc

Thanks for the quick reply.

I've thought about totally draining.....Actually have drained off about half last week replacing it with fresh -- That was after the rain water mess. I think that's why the cloudiness has cleared up a bit. That and the amount of chlorine ratio being increased.

But, call me impatient for not wanting to totally drain & refill. The situation is complicated by having well water & the need to be careful how long I run the water pump (it being 37yrs old it has be handled with kid gloves) So that I don't burn it out, it takes several hours to refill the pool just a few inches turning the water on & off. (At first set up it took us over a day & half to get it up to full level even though it's only a little over 1000 gal.)

Short of totally draining & refilling, is there ANY other option you would suggest? (via Borax, Bleach, or any other chemicals? -- OR -- If I CAN FIND IT perhaps adding some Polyquat? Anyone?

I haven't tested water yet today it's still pretty cool & cloudy out, so I haven't removed the cover. But just looking under it, the water looks pretty good & still smells like Chlorine. I'll get a current reading & see what interesting things I find today & post again with results.

Thanks!
Monica

[PoolDoc]

On my way out the door for some 'volunteer' duty at Chattanooga's Riverbend -- heat index 104 and climbing! (Yuck, yuck, yuck)

But, if you don't want to drain, you just need to uncover and filter and clean.

If your OTO is clumping into brown particles, the chlorine level is REALLY high. Everything is dead and/or oxidized. Polyquat would be completely useless at this level of chlorine.

Don't worry about any other test results -- they wouldn't likely be valid anyhow.

Sunlight, filtration, cleaning . . . and patience: LOTS of patience. Many pool owners get to this point in clearing their pool, and then -- under the influence of the urge to DO SOMETHING! -- make it worse. Do NOT add stuff you don't need; do NOT do something that won't help.

If you can't drain, you must filter and with an inadequate filter, there's really no way to speed that up. But there are many, many ways to slow it down, and your neighborhood pool store will be very happy to sell you some of them.

Good luck

PoolDoc

[PoolLoverinMI]

On my way out the door for some 'volunteer' duty at Chattanooga's Riverbend -- heat index 104 and climbing! (Yuck, yuck, yuck)

But, if you don't want to drain, you just need to uncover and filter and clean.

If your OTO is clumping into brown particles, the chlorine level is REALLY high. Everything is dead and/or oxidized. Polyquat would be completely useless at this level of chlorine.

Don't worry about any other test results -- they wouldn't likely be valid anyhow.

Sunlight, filtration, cleaning . . . and patience: LOTS of patience. Many pool owners get to this point in clearing their pool, and then -- under the influence of the urge to DO SOMETHING! -- make it worse. Do NOT add stuff you don't need; do NOT do something that won't help.

If you can't drain, you must filter and with an inadequate filter, there's really no way to speed that up. But there are many, many ways to slow it down, and your neighborhood pool store will be very happy to sell you some of them.

Good luck

PoolDoc

Hi again PoolDoc,

Wow 104? I feel bad for you having to endure that kinda heat during a volunteer event! Hopefully it's not too humid! (Although I must admit I'm a bit jealous of the temp, we are currently only at 60 so I wouldn't mind having 20 or so of those degrees sent up my way). Sadly at least thus far today, getting into the pool doesn't look to be in the cards.

Thank you for ALL of the great & thorough advice above ...now that I know I've done what I can to kill all those ickys I will just have to be patient & wait for my wonderful bleach to make sparkling clear water! (& keep checking that filter)

Don't worry, no pool store salespeople for me! I've done enough damage on my own LOL. But, I do feel much better knowing I've done the best I can. NOW just have to be PATIENT & WAIT!

Kindest regards,
Monica

PS: OTO test came back Cl bright orange like last week then started to break up into small particles the same as yesterday afternoon but not nearly as bad & the pH was still hanging in there around 7.8-8.0. ~ Thanks again!