pool newbie with cloudy water

[PoolDoc]

If you would, go ahead and complete the pool chart:

Pool Chart Entry Form

I know you did the metal bucket test; but have you done the lime softening test? If we do that, and every settles out nicely, that process will ALSO remove all the metals remaining in the water.

[wackster]

Chart complete, lime test underway.

[wackster]

Vac and skimmer arrived today. I'll be installing the skimmer and vacuuming tomorrow. HEDP will be here Monday. This is a pic of the lime test @ 24 hrs. There's an orange film on the surface and around the rim, but the water below is quote clear. At the bottom I see a very small amount of white residue from the washing soda. What do you think, Pool Doc?

[wackster]

Got the HEDP today. I vacuumed yesterday and unfortunately recirculated the crap at the bottom. The water was clear until then. I have a plan to vac to waste next time, but worry that the fill water will pump the bad stuff back in and I'll face the same predicament...

[Charlie_R]

Here's an idea for your fill water -- As suggested by PoolDoc in a sticky-- get a cheap blow-up kiddy splash pool and pretreat your well water before putting it into your main pool.

[PoolDoc]

Did you ever get the Unicel replacement cartridges? The sort of iron precipitate I'm seeing in your buckets should be filterable. If you use the Unicels + polyquat (both an algaecide AND a clarifier) + HEDP each time you fill, you may be able to work out continuous control, with no cloudy or brown periods.

It will probably take some experimentation and testing on your part to get it just right. PLEASE do tell us what works and doesn't, so others can benefit.

And, the mini-pool idea, if you want to try it, will allow you to fill with mostly iron free water. Essentially, you just do a 'bucket' test in a 500 - 1,000 gallon pool, let everything settle, and then hang a small sump pump above the sludge, and let it pump the clear water into your pool. However, rather than adding bleach + soda ash, I'd use bleach + borax, so you don't end up with really high TA in your pool.

[wackster]

Thanks, Doc and Charlie! Doc, I did get Unicel filters--will put them in. What doses of polyquat and HEDP should I use?

I appreciate the help!