milky pool

[nu2pools]

we have an Intex 12x36 easy set pool, we've had fairly good luck with keeping the water clear, until now, much to my fault I'm sure I turned the pool water into milk, I hadn't added any chemicals for a few days and they were all low, so I made the mistake of sprinkling in a little bit of everything that was low, then I shocked it and then I was shocked! I now have a pool full of milk! if anyone has the cure or any suggestions please post them! all ideas are greatly appreciated!

[STACEYK]

I have the same problem!!! it was from putting in too many chemicals too close together in time.

it has been 2 days and it is getting much better. just keep letting that filter run non stop!!

[Guest]

I did the exact same thing. I had some algae growth so I shocked the water. AN hour later I added some algecide. I woke up to a milk filled pool. I called the chemical hotline and they told me to shock it again. Well, I just did that so we will see what happens...Thanks for the post!

[Tammy.L]

I am sorry I don't have any advice, but I am glad I read about your problem. I also am new to pools and I always add the chemicals at the same time. I had no idea it could cause such a commotion . Thanks for the tip. I'll certainly be more careful now.

[bbmfkp]

Same thing happened to me My water started out crystal clear. Noticed a little bit of algae, so I cleaned it then added algaecide then it turned milky.

[wittsend]

I too have 30,000 gallon bowl of milk in my back yard. As soon as I get a bit of clarity, the whole thing starts over again. Yesterday we literally watched it go from OK to totally opaque in about 4 hours. IS ANYONE OUT THERE USING SUSTAIN AND EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS?

[Guest]

I too have 30,000 gallon bowl of milk in my back yard. As soon as I get a bit of clarity, the whole thing starts over again. Yesterday we literally watched it go from OK to totally opaque in about 4 hours. IS ANYONE OUT THERE USING SUSTAIN AND EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS?

Did you add anything to the water or did it just turn milky by itself?

Also, what is "Sustain"?

[sailxnite]

the problem i have is related to the filter sucking in air from somewhere, it then acts like a heavy duty aereator, milky looking water with foam all over the top.
I have narrowed the problem down to a cracked filter basket cover. I have replaced this a couple of times, and it keeps cracking.

Can anyone suggest where i can get a crackproof filter basket cover?

[Tee]

I got my new pool last summer and have had absolutely no problems with the water! I believe my success is that I get me water tested by a pool shop (they offer it for free and I don't even have to buy the products from them) The company gives me strict instructions on quantity and time frames to add the chemicals. Nothing has ever been added together. Usually chemicals are added anywhere from 2 hours to 12 hours apart from each other. I would strongly suggest finding a pool/spa dealer that provides this free service so that you don't lose quality "swim" time. Such a bummer to hear many of you having milk for pool water. Hope this helps!

[seba]

i have the same milky color problem and i had this problem from last year.I'm not happy with it. i went to the pool shop with sample of water and i find out that there is nothing really wrong with the water. I'm not liking the color of the water at all . the worst part is that when the water is still everything sinks to the bottom and the water is clear but once the water starts moving it gets that milky water color. I'm trying a lot of stuff and nothing helping. I'm not adding chemicals but I'm still shocking and filtering.

CAN ANY ONE HELP OR FIND THE SOLUTION!?

[Jay]

Seba,

When you turn off the pump, let everything settle to the bottom.

Then vacuum the floor of the pool and set the valve for waste.

Get the algea out that you killed.

You will lose some poool water doing this, so all you have to do is add water.

If you vaccum the bottom and turn the pool back on and it's still a little cloudy, you will need to add floculant. To make all those really small particles stick together and fall to the bottom.

After they all stick together and fall to the bottom, you then vacuum the pool.

[f-150fx4offroad]

i have the same milky color problem and i had this problem from last year.I'm not happy with it. i went to the pool shop with sample of water and i find out that there is nothing really wrong with the water. I'm not liking the color of the water at all . the worst part is that when the water is still everything sinks to the bottom and the water is clear but once the water starts moving it gets that milky water color. I'm trying a lot of stuff and nothing helping. I'm not adding chemicals but I'm still shocking and filtering.

CAN ANY ONE HELP OR FIND THE SOLUTION!?

We have been having alot of stormy weather. I took a sample of pool water in to be tested. Was instructed to purchase 10 lbs of ph increaser, 25 lbs calcium hardness plus , and told to double shock. I was told to add 3 cups ph increaser in a bucket of water and broadcast into the shallow end, and to repeat this in the middle of pool and then in the deep end.. A total of 9 cups. Leaving some left over from my 10 lb bucket purchase. The next day I was to do the same thing with the calcium hardness plus. 3 cups mixed in a bucket of water in shallow end, 3 cups mixed with water in middle, then 3 cups mixed with water in deep end. I was instructed to repeat this every 4 hrs. or once in the morning and once in the evening until all 25 lbs of the calcium hardness plus was all gone. I shocked as instructed. All seemed fine the day after all this was done but I had a wild hair to add just a few more cups of ph increaser. just 3 cupfuls. The ph wasn't reading as "PINK" as I would like on my test strip. I thought nothing of it as I diluted the ph increaser and threw it across the pool as before. A bucket in the shallow, a bucket in the middle, finally, a bucket in the deep. Now my water looks like skim milk. I can't even see the bottom. Not sure yet what I'll do. If I take a sample to the pool store, I'm sure they will be able to tell me what to do. Money is sure an issue for us all these days. My husband says everything is about sales and they'll just try to sell me more chemicals. Thought about shocking it again and let the pump run, run, run as mentioned above. Maybe some clarifier?? I'll keep reading here and see what others are saying.

[chem geek]

Try reading at the Pool School and getting yourself a good test kit (either the Taylor K-2006 or the TF100 from tftestkits.net). You could have dead algae or you could have too high a pH, TA or CH (over-saturation with calcium carbonate). You can use The Pool Calculator to calculate dosing and calculate the saturation index, if you had test numbers.

[Guest]

I am going crazy trying to clear my milky pool up this year!! I am so comforted by all the people out there who have the same issue, but noone is providing a good solid answer. I am cracking up at all the comments. Please help my milky water, I feel like my pool is a toxic wasteland with all the chemicals I have used nothing works had my water tested a two places did what they told me to and after spending all of my 401k on fixing the problems its still not fixed I guess a least when I am old I won't have any money but I might have a milky pool to bath in.

[chem geek]

Sorry you are having problems and no one is helping you. Do you have your own good test kit (the Taylor K-2006 or the TF100 from tftestkits.net)? Do you have a full set of water chemistry numbers you can post? Cloudy water can come from a variety of conditions. It could be over-saturation of calcium carbonate if your pH, Total Alkalinity (TA) and/or Calcium Hardness (CH) are too high. Or it could be algae growth or dead algae. It could be lotions, oils, and other chemicals if your filter is malfunctioning (e.g. channeling in a sand filter).

Please post a complete set of water chemistry numbers and give more information of how the pool got milky in the first place. Also, describe the pool -- in-ground vs. above-ground; plaster vs. vinyl vs. other (pebble-tec, etc.); size of pool in gallons; number of skimmers and floor drains and returns (where water flows into the pool); size of pool pump in HP (if you know it); type of filter (sand vs. DE vs. cartridge).