New pool cloudy water???

[lilmank]

I just put up a 24 foot 52 inch pool and I have cloudy water I have been adding bleach for 2 days and still cloudy. My chlorine is way high and my ph is 7.5 any suggestions??

[Watermom]

Test your water with a drops based kit and post your results here for somebody to look at. We need more than just chlorine and ph. We need FC, CC, TC, PH, alk, calcium hardness and cya. You can buy a kit at Walmart called the 5-way kit that will test for most of those things. Just - no test strips. They are not very accurate. Post back with requested numbers and we'll try and help. Welcome to the forum!

[lilmank]

I have the 6way kit from walmart and tested yesterday and my alk was 360ppm my calcium hardness was 200ppm and cya filled up tube and I could still see black dot. Tested cc this morning and the yellow was brighter than the top of test kit. PH was 7.5 I just filled the pool on Monday july3. I have added bleach and muratic acid (my ph was high but acid brought it down) wife is taking water into pool store so I will have results later can post with full results. also I have water bugs already how can i get rid of them my brother has a agp and doesnt have any?? thanks shane



Just got results from wife
FC-5.7
TC-7.9
PH-8.4
ALK-297
Hardness-115
TDS-550
CYA-not tested

[aylad]

If these are accurate numbers, and not gotten with test strips, then it looks to me like you have a few issues that can cause cloudiness. Issue #1 is the combined chlorine of 2.2 You need to shock the pool, and HOLD IT AT SHOCK LEVEL until that's burned off. However, I can't tell you what that shock level needs to be until I know your CYA reading. If you haven't added any stabilizer since you put the pool up, then the reading is 0, so you need to shock your pool up to 10 ppm and maintain it there by testing 2-3 times daily and adding whatever amount it takes to get back to 10 each time. You need to have your filter running 24/7 while you're doing this. In the meantime, you need to add some stabilizer--you can get it at Walmart, it may also be labelled as conditioner, balancer, or stabilizer, but the ingredient is cyanuric (or isocyanuric) acid. Add label amounts to get your pool up to about 20 ppm. Add it through the skimmer, and don't backwash or retest for at least a week, because it takes a long time to dissolve. You're going to have to add chlorine at least daily (and with CC, multiples times daily), until your stabilizer starts to dissolve and protects your chlorine from the sun.

Issue #2 is your alkalinity being WAY high, as well as your pH--go to the top of the alkalinity forum and read the sticky on lowering alk--it will take care of the pH problem, too.

Welcome to the forum!

Janet

[lilmank]

those numbers came from the pool store that tested my water. Ihave not put any stabalizer in pool since I put it up but will put some in. When you say not to retest is that the cya level not to retest for a week? Also any input on water bugs?? Thanks Shane

[aylad]

Yes, I meant not to retest for CYA for at least a week since it takes so long ti dissolve. You need to be testing for pH and Cl daily, at least for the first few weeks until you get a feel for your pool.

When you say waterbugs, which ones do you mean? In Louisiana, water bugs are very large roaches that live in the trees and in firewood stacks.....

Janet

[lilmank]

Small bugs with 2 legs swimming in pool I see them by the skimmer alot. I know what you mean about roaches down there I was down in Gulfport for 3 years.

[lilmank]

Call it stupidity on my part but do you think part of my problem could be I had my filter hooked up backwards??
We will let it filter and see, test water again at pool place thursday. Hopefully it clears up now the filter is running the right way.

[duraleigh]

lilmank,

double check your pH. If the pool store is correct (8.4), You need to get that down into the lower 7's immediately.

If your test of 7.5 is valid, please disregard. 8.4 renders your chlorine virtually impotent as well as many other problems.

[lilmank]

After pool store reading added muratic acid and got it down to 7.2 and got the filter hooked up right last night. checked again this morning and ph still the same but water still cloudy going to take water to get tested again today. will post results again when i get them




ALK 213
FC 1.4
TC 1.7
PH 8.3
Pool store is telling me to add 3pints muratic acid for 5 days to bring ph down. and not swim in it is this true?? Or is it alright to swim in??