cloudy water

[PoolDoc]

+ Yellow / red drops = OTO / phenol red.

+ Borax won't void warranties, not least because it will have no effect, so they won't be able to tell. Just don't pour so fast that you 'choke' the skimmer. Borax can form a solid plug, that will take FOREVER to dissolve.

[poolmompa]

I wanted to post a picture but it appears that I can't. Half of my pool's surface is covered with white swirls.

[PoolDoc]

You can, but I have mostly disabled the forum software's attachment system . . . because it's a total mess.

Just upload your picture to Google Drive, Picasa, Flickr, Photobucket, etc. and then LINK to it, using this button:

[poolmompa]

Here goes:

[PoolDoc]

Have you used pool store algaecides?

That's what it looks like.

[poolmompa]

No, the only product other than BBB I put in it this season was Metal Free on 6-9-14 (see my other thread "looking for opinions on using Metal Free"). I only used it because it was in the opening kit & I was following the opening instructions, which my husband said he always follows. I then started shocking with liquid chlorine & bleach.

I added 1 1/2 boxes of Borax (1/2 box at a time) & 2 lbs of baking soda, this afternoon & evening. I last tested around 5pm but pH hadn't budged. TA went from 60 to 70. I had to go out this evening so I couldn't test after 5pm. I will test in the am.

Thanks for all your advice!

[PoolDoc]

No idea, then.

All I can say is, in almost every case, once you've got the basics right -- chlorine, pH, & CYA, the weird stuff goes away. So, keep filtering and chlorinating!