Cloudy water despite TONS of work!

nicksmom · Postby **nicksmom** » Thu 18 Jun, 2009 21:19

We have an 18' x 36' vinyl-lined, inground pool. It is about 10 years old, I think. Was here when we bought this home. Had a DE filter that we replaced w/sand filter (Hayward) about 4 years ago. Have never really had any problems with it, and have opened/closed it ourselves the past 3 years. I don't have a fancy test kit...just a basic one, which has been enough for the past 6 years! We never do much more than add some chlorine every few days and run the kreepy krawly! Our pool has always been very easy to maintain...until now!

This year, my husband and boys pulled the winter cover off. The water was pretty clear. Then my husband had to go out of town on business. I began the process of getting things running, and discovered a leak in the pipe between the pump and filter. Unfortunately this was on a Saturday evening, and our pool store was closed. I had no idea what to replace it with, so the pool sat for the rest of the weekend, turning green. Got the repair done and started everything up. Shocked the living hell out of it and the next day, the pool had gone from swampy green to cloudy blue....I was thrilled! Unfortunately, that is where it has stayed for the past 10 days.

We've vacuumed, backwashed, shocked...repeat...multiple times. Chlorine level has been nice and high and ph in about 7.3 to 7.4. Took a sample into our pool store and they say everything is perfect....pool should be crystal clear. NOT! I added "sand helper" 6 times over the course of 2 days...NOTHING! Clarifier 2 days in a row...NOTHING! Yesterday they had me add 2 gallons of muriatic acid....today...NOTHING! Still cloudy blue.

Service call tomorrow...

Wondering if it could be our filter? New sand needed maybe? Again, we've never had this problem. We live in Michigan and our weather is always relatively unreliable....this year's no different.

Ideas???????

deannaleigh · Postby **deannaleigh** » Tue 30 Jun, 2009 13:10

I have the same issues that you are having. I live in Virginia....I have done everything! I had the service man come out and change my sand in my Hayward Sand Filter. Its 5 days later and still cloudy!! Good Luck..

Camden · Postby **Camden** » Fri 04 Sep, 2009 11:23

Hi, I like your post because I have the same problem. I thought I had someone else accomplish what I thought crystal clear water, but not. I decided not running my pump for 3 days when it was too cloudy. I let everything settled down at the bottome of the pool and you know what the water was not disturbed so its visible to see the bottom of the pool. However; as I started to sweep the bottom floor, these cloudy particle is everywhere. I checked my filter and found out that the Rotor Valve Seal had come out of its housing. I believed this causes high pressure in the filters and water never rised above the top of the filters, then checking my pump, I had quite a small leaks but sealed that of with plumber putty and silicone. It is working but not 100% unless I replaced these old equipment, something to think about because DE is in my pool which clouds up my water. Let me know what you will do but this is a similar problem I have with you.

nicksmom wrote:We have an 18' x 36' vinyl-lined, inground pool. It is about 10 years old, I think. Was here when we bought this home. Had a DE filter that we replaced w/sand filter (Hayward) about 4 years ago. Have never really had any problems with it, and have opened/closed it ourselves the past 3 years. I don't have a fancy test kit...just a basic one, which has been enough for the past 6 years! We never do much more than add some chlorine every few days and run the kreepy krawly! Our pool has always been very easy to maintain...until now!

This year, my husband and boys pulled the winter cover off. The water was pretty clear. Then my husband had to go out of town on business. I began the process of getting things running, and discovered a leak in the pipe between the pump and filter. Unfortunately this was on a Saturday evening, and our pool store was closed. I had no idea what to replace it with, so the pool sat for the rest of the weekend, turning green. Got the repair done and started everything up. Shocked the living hell out of it and the next day, the pool had gone from swampy green to cloudy blue....I was thrilled! Unfortunately, that is where it has stayed for the past 10 days.

We've vacuumed, backwashed, shocked...repeat...multiple times. Chlorine level has been nice and high and ph in about 7.3 to 7.4. Took a sample into our pool store and they say everything is perfect....pool should be crystal clear. NOT! I added "sand helper" 6 times over the course of 2 days...NOTHING! Clarifier 2 days in a row...NOTHING! Yesterday they had me add 2 gallons of muriatic acid....today...NOTHING! Still cloudy blue.

Service call tomorrow...

Wondering if it could be our filter? New sand needed maybe? Again, we've never had this problem. We live in Michigan and our weather is always relatively unreliable....this year's no different.

Ideas???????

anneparker · Postby **anneparker** » Mon 21 Feb, 2011 10:52

Hey, water cleaning is a mess for you then you should hire a plumber service because they made your kitchen or bathroom like a new one in just few dollars...

lisaa · Postby **lisaa** » Mon 28 Feb, 2011 06:43

Hey, water cleaning is a mess for you then you should hire a plumber service because they made your kitchen or bathroom like a new one in just few dollars...

Well i don't think its a permanent solution, better try sort the problem which causes this.

Javo · Postby **Javo** » Mon 28 Feb, 2011 12:18

Here's how I finally got over that the same problem: shock, adjust pH, and add plenty of any water clarifier. Recirculate for 2-3 hours, and the pump off so the water's completely still. Let rest for at least 24 hrs and then vaccum sweep: Be sure to dump the dirty water ... don't get it back into the pool.

javo · Postby **javo** » Mon 28 Feb, 2011 12:23

Just to make it clear .... it's no rocket science. The clarifier when added will attach to all suspended molecules and precipitate (settle) in the bottom. If you don't let the water rest for at least 24 hours, then the suspended particles will NEVER settle in your pool's floor (where you can sweep them). Good luck!

lunalee62 · Postby **lunalee62** » Thu 17 Mar, 2011 06:33

To be honest, I have done just about everything imaginable to clear the water. I hadn't hought about letting the pool sit undisturbed , but am going to try it today and hand vacum tomorrow. :wave:

Postby **chem geek** » Thu 17 Mar, 2011 10:38

It depends on whether one is using a clarifier or a flocculant. A clarifier is designed to collect enough particles together so that they can get caught in the filter when there is circulation, but is not as efficient for settling a large amount of particles. A flocculant clumps particles together more so that without circulation they settle to the bottom so you can then vacuum-to-waste.

As an example, GLB® Clear Blue® is a clarifier. I used that once after I had severe clouding when using a phosphate remover (for a test). The pool was cleared in less than 24 hours with the circulation pump running the entire time. I have a cartridge filter with no 3-way valve so no (easy) way to vacuum-to-waste. There was a small amount precipitate on the pool floor that I carefully swept to the main drain to get caught in the filter.

As for a flocculant, OMNI® Liquid Floc Plus is an example of one people have said works well. For this type of product, you add it, circulate for a short time, then turn off the pump (usually overnight) and let things settle to the floor where you then vacuum-to-waste.

javo · Postby **javo** » Thu 17 Mar, 2011 11:52

Lunalee62 ... please let us know how things went.
Good luck!.

MelissaJm · Postby **MelissaJm** » Sun 17 Jun, 2012 07:24

I have had exactly the same problem this year in a 27' round. Added all the suggested chemicals including tons of alkalinity plus without result. Cannot get the PH to within normal levels yet (completely acid). was told to add clarifier directly to my skimmer basket to help, then backwash after 8hrs. As soon as it appears it may cleanup to the point where I can see the bottom, we vacuum, it turns green, then cloudy and we start again. I've had this pool with sand filter for 7years without a problem. So frustrated. The best result was vacuuming with bypass to waste on, but the have to stop when the water level drops to low. I've wondered if I can change the sand (or should) now that the pool is open, bit sand was changed 2 years ago, and I was told I shouldn't have to. Was also told that on the East Coast (live in CT), this was a common problem this year due to the two major storm last Fall...and acid water with cloudiness was common. Wondering if my pool will ever be swimmable this season. Anyone knows if the sand could be a problem, let me know. Melissa

Postby **chem geek** » Sun 17 Jun, 2012 18:55

Since your pH is low, I suspect you are using Trichlor pucks/tabs. For every 10 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) added by Trichlor, it also increases your Cyanuric Acid (CYA) by 6 ppm. The CYA builds up and makes chlorine less effective. Then algae can grow faster than chlorine can kill it and at first algae can make the water look dull or cloudy before it turns into a full-fledged green bloom. Read the Pool School to learn how to maintain your pool including getting a proper test kit.