Cloudy Water after Bad Green Algae

Causes and cures for cloudy swimming pool water.
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Cloud-24

Cloudy Water after Bad Green Algae

Postby Cloud-24 » Tue 02 Jun, 2009 15:42

Problem: Very Cloudy Pool Water after Pool Opening / Green Algae Issue

FC: 1 ppm
TC: 1 ppm
pH: 7.8
TA: 160 ppm
CH: 100 ppm
CYA: 125 ppm

My pool: NAMCO, 24' Aboveground
Pool chemicals: Chlorine, fed by auto-chlorinator
My pump & filter: Proline 1.5hp Cartridge Filter, Normal operating pressure 14 psi
Other info: Upon opening pool, water was dark and approximately 1 inch of algae was discovered on bottom of pool. Pool was treated with algaecide and shocked. After a few days, green algae disappeared and was replaced with very cloudy water (less than 1 foot of visibility down into water). Treated with clarifier, little to no effect after 5 days. Treated with SuperFloc, some affect as cloudiness settled down about 1.5ft. Attempted to vaccum, no effect. Filter cartridge was checked and found to be very clogged and was replaced. Pool was then treated (twice over four day period) with Natural Chemicals PoolAid, slight change in pool clarity around perimeter (can see approximately 75% way down wall of pool), however majority of pool (more than 1 foot away from wall) is still extremely cloudy.

New cartridge is still in very good condition, chemical levels are within tolerances, give or take routine daily maintenance. Ready to give up and partially drain pool at this point, as none of the treatments seem to have any truly noticeable affect. Pool is being filtered at least 12 hours per day. Any advice most appreciated.


andersonmrm

Cloudy Water after Bad Green Algae

Postby andersonmrm » Tue 02 Jun, 2009 19:26

I'm in WV and I'm having the EXACT same problem. Mine is a 30' round pool, and I have a sand filter but other than that I've done the same things you have and am now waiting overnight to see if floc helps any. I took in a sample to our local pool place and they told me the alkalinity was very low so I raised it and it didn't do a thing. I'm at my wits end!!! I had my pool drained almost completely in April and refilled, so my water is fresh. I have to believe this weather is a real problem, but my friends that live about 20 miles away have the same pool and theirs is sparkling clear, so I'm at a real loss as to what to do next! Please post when you get any good results! Thanks!!! Robyn
Denali
Swimming Pool Superstar
Swimming Pool Superstar
Posts: 257
Joined: Tue 29 Apr, 2008 17:14

Cloudy Water after Bad Green Algae

Postby Denali » Tue 02 Jun, 2009 22:09

Cloud-24 wrote:Problem: Very Cloudy Pool Water after Pool Opening / Green Algae Issue

FC: 1 ppm
TC: 1 ppm
pH: 7.8
TA: 160 ppm
CH: 100 ppm
CYA: 125 ppm

My pool: NAMCO, 24' Aboveground
Pool chemicals: Chlorine, fed by auto-chlorinator
My pump & filter: Proline 1.5hp Cartridge Filter, Normal operating pressure 14 psi
Other info: Upon opening pool, water was dark and approximately 1 inch of algae was discovered on bottom of pool. Pool was treated with algaecide and shocked. After a few days, green algae disappeared and was replaced with very cloudy water (less than 1 foot of visibility down into water). Treated with clarifier, little to no effect after 5 days. Treated with SuperFloc, some affect as cloudiness settled down about 1.5ft. Attempted to vaccum, no effect. Filter cartridge was checked and found to be very clogged and was replaced. Pool was then treated (twice over four day period) with Natural Chemicals PoolAid, slight change in pool clarity around perimeter (can see approximately 75% way down wall of pool), however majority of pool (more than 1 foot away from wall) is still extremely cloudy.

New cartridge is still in very good condition, chemical levels are within tolerances, give or take routine daily maintenance. Ready to give up and partially drain pool at this point, as none of the treatments seem to have any truly noticeable affect. Pool is being filtered at least 12 hours per day. Any advice most appreciated.


Hi,

If your CYA is really 125 (most kits measure only to 100) then your chlorine level would need to be much higher to keep algae away and clear the pool. Hopefully chemgeek will stop by and give you some solid numbers. Draining some of the water from the pool will lower your CYA level which is what you want.

Is the autochlorinator using trichlor tabs. If so, that is where your high CYA level came from.
Denali
Swimming Pool Superstar
Swimming Pool Superstar
Posts: 257
Joined: Tue 29 Apr, 2008 17:14

Cloudy Water after Bad Green Algae

Postby Denali » Tue 02 Jun, 2009 22:14

andersonmrm wrote:I'm in WV and I'm having the EXACT same problem. Mine is a 30' round pool, and I have a sand filter but other than that I've done the same things you have and am now waiting overnight to see if floc helps any. I took in a sample to our local pool place and they told me the alkalinity was very low so I raised it and it didn't do a thing. I'm at my wits end!!! I had my pool drained almost completely in April and refilled, so my water is fresh. I have to believe this weather is a real problem, but my friends that live about 20 miles away have the same pool and theirs is sparkling clear, so I'm at a real loss as to what to do next! Please post when you get any good results! Thanks!!! Robyn


Hi,

With fresh water in the pool you likely do not have high CYA level as the other poster does. If you got a printout of your chemical balance from the pool place, post them here. Hard to give good advice without knowing the numbers.

One thing to keep in mind is that the algae likely took awhile to reach the point it did. You have killed the algae but clearing the water takes time. It won't happen overnight.

Do post the numbers if you have them.
rmax

Cloudy Water after bad green algae

Postby rmax » Mon 08 Jun, 2009 10:36

Hi, I'm in South Jersey and am having the same problem after adding 10 gallons of liquid shock, permanent algecide, 4 lbs alka lift and now have flocked the pool. The pool store says vacuum to waste, I cannot do that, neighbors all around and I would flood their yard. The pool is blue finally but I cannot see through it. I have been using my automatic vacuum for several days and running filter 12 hours a day. Any ideas?
cinlybremner

Cloudy Water after Bad Green Algae

Postby cinlybremner » Thu 18 Jun, 2009 14:12

I am having the same problem with my pool water being cloudy after really bad algae. I have shocked it a few times, used the algaecide, increased my ph many times as it was low at every reading. I used chlorine granules, and someone told me to use baking soda. It is a bit better than it was, but you can still only see down a couple feet on the side. It is an above ground 18 foot, with a sand filter. We backwashed a few times and are getting new sand tonight to put in. My alkalinity has been high for two days, but not when the problem began. I had to add a whole bottle of ph for it to come close to normal. It was reading 6.8 - 7.2. The bromine and chlorine are normal when I shock it or add my chlorine granules, but it doesn't stay until the next day, by then the levels are very low. So if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them.

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