12,800 gallon Colemane: blue but cloudy

[Jcolgin]

have a Coleman above ground vinyl 22' x 52". 12800 gallons. Flowclear cartridge filter pump.
It has been open about 2 weeks now. They water was crystal clear up until yesterday. It rained 3 or 4 days ago I added a pound of shock. Last shock was a week ago. Now 3 days later the pool clouded very badly. It is still bright blue but very cloudy. Pool store tested with this result.

FC.3.23
TC.3.91
CC. .68
pH.7.9
Alk 109
CH 110
CYA 86
Phos 5000

He says my phosphates are high and that is why it clouded.

Can anyone help me?

[PoolDoc]

Here's what I know:

1. You have bogus test results. Few technical laboratories, and no pool dealers, have equipment that can read chlorine levels to "3.23" or "3.91". Those extra digits are simply 'made up' by the machine. Unfortunately, when that's going on, there's no way to be sure that they aren't 'making up' ALL of the digits! Keep mind that dealers make MORE money if their test results are bogus, because bogus results mean on the NEXT visit you end up trying to FIX what they messed up THIS time!

2. High phosphates fertilize algae but do NOT cause cloudy blue water. Adding phosphate remover often cause temporary cloudiness, but phosphates don't make the water cloudy.

3. 5,000 ppb PO4 (phosphates) IS high. But we don't know if they really are that high. (Bogus testing, remember?)

In summary, you have a swimming pool that's mysteriously blue, a dealer whose testing can't be trusted, and whose chemical knowledge is known to be poor!

So . . . what now?

Get a HTH 6-Way Test Kit (made by Taylor) from Amazon or Walmart . . . to start. Preferably from Walmart today, if your local one has it in stock.

Phooey. It's not in stock in your store. Get the Clorox Pool&Spa 3-Way Test Kit [aisle G.26 in the Shreveport store on 4701 Northport Boulevard ] It will give you fairly accurate -- and VERY reliable -- test results for pH and chlorine, which is what you need, right now.

And, while you are there, get 4 gallons of 10% pool bleach: Pool-Essentials-Chlorinating-Liquid [ Also, in aisle G.26 ]

Also, get some "Clorox pH Down". [ aisle G.26 ] You may not need it, but if your pH is REALLY near 7.9 you will.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Clorox-Po...5-lbs/41466041

Once you get home with all that:

1. Test the pH and chlorine level.
2. If the chlorine is below DARK yellow (~ 5 ppm) add 1/2 gallon of the pool bleach.
3. If the pH is above 7.6, add 2.5 pounds of the pH down
4. Retest in the AM, report results here.
5. ALSO, report the EXACT brand name of the shock you added.


It's possible that you used calcium hypochlorite shock, and simply created a calcium cloud. If your pH is really near 8.0, then that's more than likely. But, right now I'm only guessing . . . and so are you.

You'll have to get the kits and start testing to find out otherwise. Using the pool bleach now won't mess anything up, and will keep your pool from going green.

[Jcolgin]

The shock that I used is the pool essentials shock from Walmart that says not to use with the hypochlorite. I am going to get the stuff now and will test late tonight and tomorrow. Is by chance my CYA too high...needing a drain down? I read that somewhere else and I really hope I dont have to do that.

[PoolDoc]

1. Regarding the shock you used, can you find it on the Walmart site, and give me the link? I can't tell anything unless I can get an exact chemical breakdown.

2. I doubt you'll need to drain because of CYA (stabilizer). In any case, at this point, we don't even know that it IS high. The HTH 6-way can test CYA accurately, but only 3x. So read the instructions carefully, and be sure you have a clear idea of what you're doing.

And, even if the CYA is high, there are ways to compensate quite nicely. The fact that this year Walmart is selling the 10% pool bleach makes that even easier.

[Jcolgin]

Here is a link to the shock.
Pool Essentials Shock
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Pool-Essen...Shock/19795891

Last night I tested and chlorine was about 3 so I added a half gallon of bleach. pH last light looked to be about 7.4 so I left it alone. This morning I tested again. Chlorine was 5 and pH maybe be 7.5 or 7.6. Water is still blue but extremely cloudy.

----------------------------------------------

Also CYA last night was 90...haven't tested it today.

[PoolDoc]

Don't test your CYA again; it hasn't changed.

I looked up your shock: it's nearly 50% mystery ingredients:

so there's no telling what you've put in. I'm going to check and see if I can find an MSDS that has useful info.

[PoolDoc]

Nope. Found the MSDS, here: http://www.kellysolutions.com/erenew...5_02_07_PM.pdf

But unfortunately:

So . . .

1. Your pH is OK.

2. Your CYA is not a problem -- just keep your chlorine on the HIGH side, DARK yellow on the tester. Use this page to interpret high result: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php/23555

Unfortunately . . . it's time to play 20 questions! Let's start:

1. Did the pool turn cloudy IMMEDIATELY after shocking? Within 24 hours?

2. Were there OTHER events that occurred prior to cloudiness, like a pool party?

3. Was ANYTHING else, except the shock, added to the pool prior to the cloudiness?

4. Have you maintained a CONSISTENT chlorine level > 2 ppm since shocking?

5. Have you inspected your filter cartridge? What sort of 'goo' is on it?

6. Are you running your pump continuously, or on a timer?

Meanwhile:

1. Keep the chlorine above 3 ppm at all times.
2. Run the pump 24/7.
3. Replace the cartridge, if possible.
4. Keep the pH between 7.2 and 7.8.
5. Do NOT use any more mystery shock; use the 10% bleach.

[Jcolgin]

Unfortunately . . . it's time to play 20 questions! Let's start:
1. Did the pool turn cloudy IMMEDIATELY after shocking? Within 24 hours?

Rained on Wednesday...shocked on Thursday..
Cloudy on Friday.

2. Were there OTHER events that occurred prior to cloudiness, like a pool party?

Rain

3. Was ANYTHING else, except the shock, added to the pool prior to the cloudiness?

No sir

4. Have you maintained a CONSISTENT chlorine level > 2 ppm since shocking?

Yes

5. Have you inspected your filter cartridge? What sort of 'goo' is on it?

Changed the filter on Friday when it clouded. Filter was dirty when changed.

6. Are you running your pump continuously, or on a timer?

Running it 24 hours

I also had tablets in a floater I have removed them for now. How much of the liquid should I be using?

Thanks

[PoolDoc]

Sorry.

Was searching to find some stuff for you and found this instead:

https://www.troublefreepool.com/thre...oudy?p=1469070

You're wasting my time and yours, trying to take advice from two sources at the same time.

Thread closed.