[TDCRRA]

Chlorinated pool stays cloudy regardless of adding algie treatment and more shock to pool water and all levels are as should be. I have used a clarifier but still does not clear it up. Can someone help with ideas? Thank you.

[albinfla]

Please describe the cloudiness. Is it milky white, or another color?

What material is your pool surface? Liner, or fiberglass, or cement/ gunite?

What are your levels on PH, Alkalinity, TDS, Calcium Hardness, chlorine? An advanced pool kit available at most hardware, building supplies, and pool stores has these. Or, you can usually take a sample to them to have them test it.

What type of filtration system do you have?
Al

[TDCRRA]

The cloudiness looks like a milky lime green and I can't see through it at all. It is an above ground pool with a plastic liner with a sand filter system. I have changed out all of the sand in this filter today. I will see if this will help.
All the levels, PH, Alkalinity, TDS, and Calcium Hardness are what they should be but the chlorine is low so I have added some shock today.
It seems to look better than it did. It was a grey dark color a few days ago. Thanks for any help. I know I can take it to the local Pool place and have them tell me how much I have messed up my water but was just trying to figure it out myself.
I will check it again tomorrow after the shock has had a chance to work.

[albinfla]

I would recommend that you try a blue-green or mustard algae killer. These 2 strains are very resistant to most standard "algaecides". It sounds like your PH, or ALK were incorrect when you turned it black the other day. With this type of algae bloom, chlorine will be rapidly consumed by the algae. And, you are making your liner brittle by over-chlorinating.

Make absolutely certain that your PH is between 7.0-7.8, and that your alkalinity is between 90-150. Then, follow the label directions on the blue-green or mustard algaecide bottle for initial treatment. Then, follow the label for preventive for a few weeks. It will look expensive, because it is highly concentrated.

Don't shock with chlorine for a few days, until it turns blue. Make sure you give us a report.
Al

[TDCRRA]

I checked it this morning and it is still milky green, but that's better than black! I checked levels and alkalinity is too high like you said. I backwashed it to take out some of the chlorine cause it is high too.
I am sure you are probably right about the mustard algae. I will give it up and go to the Pool Store today but I sure do appreciate your feedback and help. I will report in a day or two to let you know my progress.

Will I need to get specificly "Mustard Algae" killer or can I use just regular algae killer right now that I have on hand? I will keep you posted and thanks again. Kathy N.

[albinfla]

Kathy,
It is probably a totally different ingredient. Get either blue-green or mustard algaecide. They usually both have the same active ingredient. Do not add until your ph, alk, and chlorine are proper. It may irreversibly stain your liner!

What are your test readings?
Al

[TDCRRA]

Al,
I went to the Pool Store today and took in a water sample. They tested it and told me that the chlorine level was 3.5 and the PH level was 7.3 but that the alkalinity level was 72 which was a little low. They told me to add 6 pounds of Balance Pak 100 to my water and run the filter for 24 hours. Listed on the test was slime/mold, green, black and mustard algae but now of them showed up in the test.
Then also on the test score showed that my cyanuric acid level was 17 and it should be between 30 and 200. This test sheet they gave me is a little confusing so I am going to call them back tomorrow and ask them if I need to do something about the CYA also.

Test also listed my Saturation Idx: -0.4 and that ideal was (-3 - +3) so that was low also, but the Pool Store made no mention of that or what to do about it.
Test also listed MY TDS level was 600 and that ideal levels was <2500. I have no idea what TDS stands for and Pool Store didn't make no issue out of it.

I did come home after the test and put in the 6 pounds of Balance Pak 100 and ran the filter. I have a 10,000 gal. pool if I didn't tell you. Wish me luck and will keep you updated as to future progress. Thanks so much for the input,
Kathy N.

[albinfla]

Cyanuric acid is chlorine stabilizer. You probably use liquid chlorine most of the time instead of dry chlorine. No big deal for now. You can take care of that after you get back under control.

Their tester probably didn't really test for algae etc. so don't be concerned about that result.

TDS means total dissolved solids. TDS is most affected by salt. With a vinyl lined pool it is not a concern.

I hope this balance pak 100 doesn't put you too high on your PH. I have no idea what chemicals are in that branded product. I would have used sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to raise the alkalinity slightly, without affecting the PH as significantly. If you haven't already put all of it in, put some in and see what you get... maybe 1/3 of the 6#.
Al

[TDCRRA]

OKAY, How I got my pool water right again, I had to add 10 pounds of Pool Shock two days in a row with 32 ounces of algacide on 2nd day.
Then after that I used 16 ounces of "Power Floc" which attaches to all the killed aglie particles and drags them down to floor of pool where you can vacuum up.

Now I figured this out. My Pool Store did not tell me to do this and when I asked them about what to do about the cloudiness they didn't know what to tell me... or whoever helped me just didn't know or have the right training to know what to tell me.

ANYWAY, I have finally got it under control. I do believe that I had some kind of algie going on. So thanks for all the advice though, it got me through and helped me figure it out. Thank you friends!! Kathy N.

[albinfla]

Kathy,
Glad you were able to get it straightened out. Adding enough chlorine will always kill most biological growth. A clarifier such as power floc works well after the bio-growth is dead.

However, I didn't recommend excessive chlorine because it is damaging to the vinyl liner. A disinfectant such as chlorine is necessary to maintain your pool. However the overuse is damaging to the liner, the pump, the seals in the filter, and the fumes will rust metal. An algaecide doesn't have all of those detrimental affects. Usually, mustard or blue-green algaecide uses some form of copper, believe it or not, as its killing agent. If your ph, and alk are correct, it will do the trick without the long-term damage to your equipment.

I realize that algaecide is more expensive than chlorine, but it is much more "friendly" to your pool when you get an extreme algae bloom.

The best thing to do is prevent the severe bloom through routine maintenance. I normally keep my chlorine low at 1.0. I routinely check and adjust PH about once a week, unless we get a lot of rain. Then, I check and adjust more frequently. After a significant rain, or adding water I automatically add a gallon of liquid chlorine to compensate. I find it is always better to not let it get away from me than to try and bring it back after it does.

One of my commercial pool customers found that out too. It cost them hundreds of dollars for me to try and bring the pool back after a blue-green algae bloom on the concrete surface. It still left a little residual staining for months after treatment.

Maybe those tips will help in the future. Glad we were at least able to help you figure out the issue, so you could resolve it.

Al