Pool help, cloudy mess, no experience.

[Watermom]

Before clicking submit, especially if you have typed a lengthy post, do "control A" to highlight all the typed text and then "control C" to copy. That way, just in case the software does log you out, you won't lose your post. We have all had that happen to us at various times as well.

[aylad]

Before clicking submit, especially if you have typed a lengthy post, do "control A" to highlight all the typed text and then "control C" to copy. That way, just in case the software does log you out, you won't lose your post. We have all had that happen to us at various times as well.

Wish I could blame it on the software, but this time it was a random key that I hit as I was concluding the post. That's what happens when my fingers are moving faster than my brain---I HATE it when that happens!!

I'm happy to see that the software hasn't timed out on me since we went to this new server. Hoping that's not just coincidence...



Janet

[Watermom]

Hasn't timed out on me either, and no more parse errors!

[daddyjmo]

I finally got my k-2006 kit in the mail yesterday so I thought I'd come and post some real numbers for you guys.

Initial test yesterday:

FC - 10
CC - 2.5

pH - 7.0
TA - 100

CH - 350

CYA - 25 (estimated)

Keep in mind that we had been operating blindly as far as adding chlorine goes because of not being able to test anything. CYA is estimated because we had to go up slightly past the 30ppm line to make the black circle disappear. We used a pool calculator recommended somewhere else on this forum to figure out what to add. To up pH we added borax (enough to get it up to 7.5 according to calculator, added cya to nudge that up a bit and added chlorine to send it up and above shock level. We also have switched from bleach to 10% liquid chlorine as of yesterday (yesterday was first time we added that instead of bleach). Tested an hour later and got these numbers:

FC - 24.0
CC - 2.5

pH - 8.0
TA - 100

We didn't test for hardness again. We also didn't test CYA again because it says it can take a few days to register a change. I also understand that the pH reading can be a bit wonky with higher chlorine levels. That was last night, we tested just the chlorine again this morning to check and see how much it dropped:

FC - 23.0
CC - 2.0

Just a 1ppm drop overnight, which is a good thing correct? I know CC too high but it did drop a bit. Are we on the right track? What do we do or what can we do know to help this process along? Depending on the lighting and angle you look at the water it can look like a nice cloudy blue or a bleh cloudy greenish blue.

Side note, since I have to clean the filter every hour or so still I take it out at night and let the pump run just so I don't lose the circulation. When I do that however it seems to churn up whatever is in the water and by morning there is a small greyish white foamy substance swirling around the top of most of the pool. Not sure what it is or if it's bad... Once I put the filter back in it's usually mostly gone about an hour or two later. Should I be running it 24/7 like this with the filter out some part of the time or should I just turn the whole system off when I'm not able to clean it?


Thanks!!!

[aylad]

If you're having just a 1 ppm drop in chlorine overnight, that's a good thing. The CC is high but you're doing the right thing to get rid of it--just maintain your chlorine above 15 ppm and give it time to burn the CCs off. It will take time, but it will happen. Did you use foamy algaecides or other additives in the past that may be creating the foam? If you can skim some of that off with a net, it would probably help speed things up a bit. Also, what are you using to clean your cartridges? Is it possible that you're not completely washing all the detergent from the filters?

I think that running the pump without the filter in it is a waste of $$...if your pump has run enough after your bleach is added to sufficiently mix it (an hour or so), then I would just turn the pump off till the next day if you don't have a filter in place. The whole idea behind running the pump 24/7 is to capture as much of the dead algae in the filter as quickly as possible. One thing you might want to consider, though, is to buy a second filter cartridge--that way you could switch them out and always have a filter in place while you're cleaning the other one...just a thought?

Janet

[daddyjmo]

I'm only using a high pressure hose attachment to clean the filter each time. I'm not soaking it in detergent or anything. I'm sure it isn't coming out spotless each time but the thorough spray off I do does return it to as white as the day I bought it and a whole mess of cloudy gunk comes off each time too. Without a filter in, the filter container shows about 10 psi. Once I put a cleaned off filter in it starts at about 20 psi. I take it out and clean it once it reaches about 30 psi.

I will take your advise and just turn the whole system off at night. Once I can leave the filter in without cleaning it for longer chunks of time I'll try and run it for longer periods until it is all cleared up.

I was unfortunately trained in the ways of the pool store for my first few months as a pool owner so I'm sure their are all kinds of residuals of whatever product they sold me to "help" my problem. Ill work on scooping it out.

[aylad]

I was unfortunately trained in the ways of the pool store for my first few months as a pool owner so I'm sure their are all kinds of residuals of whatever product they sold me to "help" my problem. Ill work on scooping it out.

I suspect you're right on the money there, and that would explain both the foam and the residual high CC. Scoop as much out as you can, and keep the chlorine levels up, and it will clear. Sometimes the residual of other chemical processes can create a HUGE chlorine demand, but if you can stay the course, it will be much easier to maintain than it was to clear up!

Janet