Edited Date/Time
5/29/2019 2:17pm
New to the in ground pool thing, When I test for chlorine and ph, I seem to be chronically lower than ideal with my ph. The product that my local pool store recommends is a powder/granular and when I add it the pool clouds up for more than 24 hours. Is there a product that doesn’t do this, or a way of adding it to the pool that keeps this from happening?
Like I said though, Sumdood will eventually see this and have a solution for you I'm sure.
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The weird thing is how the dry chems I add cloud the pool so quickly and it doesn't clear up. I added floculant last night and after a couple hours left the pump off last night but still cloudy/milky today.
I have noticed a big difference in chemical quality when I buy brands like Pool Logic from our local pool store vs. the big box store brands.
Your PH and alkalinity parameters need to be in check before adding chlorine, otherwise your free chlorine will be less than ideal and it will not last long. It is important to do some research on free chlorine and total available chlorine.
I have had the best luck with the following routine:
1) Use slow-dissolve pucks in an inline chlorinator
2) Shock with liquid chlorine a 1x per week
3) Add a flock chemical 1x per week. Run pump long enough to turn entire water volume over once. Turn pump off overnight and let material settle. Vacuum entire pool on WASTE setting (I have a sand filter and have found that if I want crystal clear water the fine particulates have to go through the waste stream otherwise I just can't get that sparkle clear water)
Pools are a labor of love and your water quality is directly related to your chemical and maintenance routines.
I woke up this morning and it was a slight bit better, but still pretty "creamy/cloudy". I turned the pump off and will check it when I get home tonight and maybe try to vacuum to waste.
Hard to describe but when you look in the skimmer you can see the granules from the pH booster, the shock granules, etc. It's like they just aren't dissolving at all. I'm tempted to drain it most of the way and start over with fresh water (water is basically free so no big issues with cost, etc.) and only use liquid chems if I can do it that way.
For reference, at the shallow side of the pool I couldn't see the first step down clearly on Saturday. Sunday afternoon I could see it, but it was hazy. This morning I could make out the second step, but still a lot of cloudiness even to see the first step.
One fly in the ointment is that the orginal owner permanently plugged the main drain due to leaks, so the only supply/vacuum side I have comes from the skimmer and I think that's a lot to ask when it's a little over 25K gallons, but it seems like I should be getting better performance/filtration than I currently do.
I am sure this will start to get easier, but I definitely am frustrated on missing out on a weekend in the pool!
Do you have a Polaris or other type of robot cleaner?
Once the water is clear and sparkling, stay on top of your daily chlorine and vacuum to waste frequently. Shock as needed. I have had several good years where I haven’t had to use any chemicals other than chlorine, but many other years where I let the chlorine get low and then I am fighting with Algaecides and other stuff for months on end.
Pit Row
You can add aluminum sulfate to get the pollen to clump together so it can be filtered, but I would still suggest vacuuming to waste.
A solar cover is your best defense to keeping tree junk out.
You can take your water to a local pool shop and they'll test for all sorts of crap. Metals, calcium, PH and chlorine are pretty standard around here.
Long term you'll want to eventually end up with a cartridge or DE filter. DE has the finest micron filtering but the difference between cartridge and DE is marginal from a necessity standpoint. Sand is by far the lowest micron filtering unfortunately. Had a pool with a sand trap and it was a constant beating.
I will probably have pollen issues, I am truly completely closed in with tall trees, but this cloudiness occurs when I have added the powdered chemicals like pH up, the shock stuff, etc. It just instantly spreads out and clouds, and not it isn't going away/dissolving. If the Polaris isn't agitating like it was, that could explain some of it.
Oh well, back to the pool store. I swear they will start offering up credit apps just to enter those places soon! They were a bit help when I first opened it but their prices are nearly 3X anywhere else so I haven't been as much because I feel guilty buying my stuff elsewhere. But there are only a few places in town that actually have the hardware so I don't feel terrible if I at least give them that business.
I think I was relying on too much liquid chlorine, and then using the powdered chemicals to get the other indices in balance just put me on a roller coaster ride. I ended up putting 2 chlorine tablets in the floater and 2 in the skimmer and it's stabilized my chlorine pretty well. Was backflushing the filter 3-4 times a day for several days. Even though filter pressure wasn't high, it would discharge cloudy for 4-5 minutes each time.
After I got it in decent balance I added clarifier one night and another dose the next morning. Came home that evening to a pretty clear pool, and then vacuumed the bottom 3 nights straight and it's been pretty consistent since then.
Hopefully I don't screw it up again!!! Thanks everyone for the help and tips!
The best thing you can do is read under the pool school topic and buy a Tayor K-2006 test kit for $50
Glad you got it cleared up.
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