Water clarity problem

[duraleigh]

Hi, Kevin,

I think you're tiptoeing up to your algae issue instead of kicking it in the butt.

I would run the Cl straight up to 15-18ppm and not let it drop below 15 for at least 48 hours or until you noticed some distinct improvement in your water clarity.

If we go back to your first post, you have CYA of about 40. If we use the now world-renowned "best guess" chart, you never go to breakpoint chlorination. (shock). In theory, if you bring your Cl up to 12 or so, it IMMEDIATELY starts drifting down so you never had a chance of really "shocking" your pool.

As a result, I think you have been languishing in an area of high Cl but not high enough to really clear your pool. My bet is your CC has never been to zero and that can only be done by getting your Cl above 15.

I know I'm saying the same thing over and over but go back to your first post:

I'm not able to determine free chlorine at home but at one point I checked it at the pool store and with a TC of 5.7, it was 5.2. That was after a brief episode of trying to shock it.

so that means that you never really shocked your pool...your CC was still .5.

Kick that algae right in it's green (and gray) rear end!!! Run your CL up above breakpoint (at least 18ppm) and then make sure it stays above 15ppm. I believe you get some very dramatic results although it may take a day or two. Let us know how you do

Dave S.

Ken, I would not address any other issue until you actually shock your pool. Then, if the water issue still exists, it will be easier to resolve. You NEED a good test kit. I think your issue will be solved with about $15.00 of Cl and little effort.....the kit would've told you that. (okay, okay,....I'll get off the soapbox!! Sorry.)

[keastman]

Thanks for the responses, I'll add a little BAM and kick it up a notch for a few days and see what happens Waterbear, I'd be willing to bet I've spoke to you at Ace once or twice. Not sure I trust your chem machine results all the time though. Which one do you work at? I ran into someone that seemed pretty knowledgable last Friday at the A1A store, perhaps it was you. I was looking for a filter for Hayward 1200 and had some pump questions.

You guessed it on the test kit, it's a Wally world 5 way kit and I do the dilution method for the Cl levels above 5 and use the Bleach Calc program. I need to get one of Ben's.

This is getting off the Algae topic, but in consideration of a new larger filter. I have reservations going with DE or Sand because of the extreme amount of debris I have to clean out of the cartridge filter this time of year. Seems easier to spray all that crap off a cartridge than to backwash it all out of sand or DE. Maybe I'm thinking wrong but it seems that all that debris would really clog up a sand or DE system.

[duraleigh]

Hi, again, Kevin...(sorry I called you Ken)

From your response, I got the impression you were lukewarm about bringing your Cl to 18pp. I'm gonna' keep tryin' to convince you of the importance

This is from an article written by folks at North Carolina State and the whole thing follows Ben's recomendations very, very closely.

[QUOTE]Breakpoint Chlorination is the process by which combined chlorine and some organics are "burned out" of the pool by addition of large amounts of chlorine. The reaction of chlorine with ammonia to form chloramines occurs in several stages with free chlorine consumed at each stage. If enough chlorine is added to the water the total chlorine residual will rise to a point that forces the reaction of chlorine with ammonia to go rapidly to completion. Compounds of nitrogen and chlorine are released from the water and the apparent residual chlorine decreases. The point at which the chlorine residual suddenly drops is called the breakpoint. When enough chlorine is added to pass the breakpoint, combined chlorine compounds disappear, eye irritation potential and chlorine odors disappear, and the chlorine remaining in the water is all in the free state.[/QUOTE]

12ppm will not do this for you...18ppm will...go get 'em!!

Dave S.

[keastman]

Dave, I do fully intend to do as you suggested, just said it the way Emeryl would. Thanks. I'll let you know of my future success.