Starting off just like I left last season :(

[Watermom]

No problem. By the way, the hardness test is the calcium hardness. Low is fine for a vinyl pool despite what some pool stores will tell you.

[scootchu]

I just ordered the Taylor 2006 kit today. Hopefully it will help me get a hold of things a little easier.

[stma]

WaterMom: But at what point do you start considaring the filter/sand as the culprit ??/ I'm on day 11, and 23 gallons of bleach later. i have seen zero change in my pool water...still green and cloudy..so much to the point I have not vacuumed yet....brushing, yes...but I can't see past 18 inches from the top....
I'm wondering if the WalMart sand I bought (which was 1/2 the price of ANYone else locally) is actually my problem ?? (the old saying, "You Get What You pay For" is starting to ring true for me ???

[scootchu]

When did you install your new sand? If it's new I do know that it's not as efficient as older dirtier sand at removing particles.

In my world I have added a total of 12.5 gallons of bleach over the last 2 days. The filter is on 24/7 and the robot is running too.

I still have cloudy green water, but I can now see faint image of the yellow robot at the bottom.

The filter isn't getting bogged down anymore and the skimmer stocking really helps with the little stuff.

On avg what kind of timeline can I expect to see improvement and more of the bottom?

It's a 17,000 gallon 48" pool.

[Watermom]

There isn't a timeline. Every pool will be different. Just keep hammering it with bleach and maintain a consistent shock level without letting it fall and it will clear. I'm still wondering if you could be having any metal problems since you say you partially fill with well water. It wouldn't hurt to have a pool store check for metals in the water.

[scootchu]

There isn't a timeline. Every pool will be different. Just keep hammering it with bleach and maintain a consistent shock level without letting it fall and it will clear. I'm still wondering if you could be having any metal problems since you say you partially fill with well water. It wouldn't hurt to have a pool store check for metals in the water.

It was from my neighbor's well and they had no issues with their pool with 100% of the water from their well and I know every pool is different, but I tend to think it's okay.

If I can I will take a sample to the pool store and have it checked.

Thanks again!

[mbar]

I am not sure you have a metas problem. What I see is that you need to really concentrate on getting the pool cleaned first. With a cya of 80 you must keep your chlorine at 20 as often as possible. I would take it as high as 30, this way it will not get below 20 before you get to check it again. You must vacuum or keep your pool cleaner going everyday. You also have to brush the sides to make sure that all of the algae is getting hit hard with bleach. I think that you were battling cloudy water last year because your chlorine was not kept high enough for your cya. If you don't kill all of the algae, it takes hold, and with the continued use of "almost enough" chlorine, the water does not turn green, but it does not get that crystal clear either. While I am not sure there is not anything wrong with your filter, it seems to me to be a chlorine problem at the moment. You can go through a lot of chlorine when you open to a dirty pool. The brown you are describing may be coming from dirt that worked it's way into your pool from your current construction. A quick way to find out if the sides of the pool are stained from organics or metals is to get some vitamin C tablets, crush them up and put them in a sock and rub on the vinyl liner where you can see if it changes color. If it does, then it is metals and I can tell you what to do. My opinion is to get the water cleaned up first, then worry about the stains. It took my pool over a week this year of adding so much bleach that I lost count for the water to look clean and see the bottom. When there is so much in it on opening, then there may be some nasty organics that need a lot of chlorine to kill it. You will know that all is dead when the chlorine holds overnight. Keep the filter running 24/7 for now. Hope this helps, and keep us posted

[Watermom]

WaterMom: But at what point do you start considaring the filter/sand as the culprit ??/ I'm on day 11, and 23 gallons of bleach later. i have seen zero change in my pool water...still green and cloudy..so much to the point I have not vacuumed yet....brushing, yes...but I can't see past 18 inches from the top....
I'm wondering if the WalMart sand I bought (which was 1/2 the price of ANYone else locally) is actually my problem ?? (the old saying, "You Get What You pay For" is starting to ring true for me ???

stma --- It is usually best not to jump into the middle of another thread because it gets complicated trying to help two people at once. I just replied to you in your other thread about posting a current set of water testing results. (FC, CC, alk, ph, cya). Repost that info on the other thread and also over there tell us if you bought pool sand or play sand. I doubt it is your sand. Let's continue on the other thread. Thanks.