polyvue

This post is nearly 5 years old.

Is this a multiple-speed pump? Some pumps are programmed to start at a higher speed (to ensure prime) and then slow down for regular filtration.

Dead algae is one possiblity. It sounds like your filter is working.... the increase in pressure from 10 to 20. Have you backwashed yet? I don't know the frequency of filter problems but you can also open to inspect the laterals.

As stated by other posters, you're probably referring to a Salt Water Chlorine Generator (SWG or SWCG). It doesn't filter the water, it chlorinates (sanitizes). The first step is to estimate the number of gallons of water in your pool so you can match the output of the SWG to the size of the pool. If you have an existing controller (Pentair, Hayward, Jandy) research SWG cells available from that company; otherwise, you'll want to look at products that combine both controller and SWG cell. There are many to choose from.

For not much more, you could invest in two (2) 40K SWGs. Overengineering chlorine production works because you can always dial back the setting and the cells should last longer. I believe my Goldline manual states that you can put several in-line (you don't have to plumb them in parallel.) I use a 40K Turbo cell on my 14K gallon pool.

Nevermind the phosphates. 200 ppm is quite low -- but even with a much higher level this shouldn't be a problem unless chlorine is not maintained... Speaking of which, a Free Chlorine level of 1.5 ppm is probably too low. The determining factor here is cyanuric acid (know variously as CYA, conditioner, stablizer). See the chlorine / cya relationship in one of the following links: http://www.poolforum...hread.php?t=365 http://www.troublefr...cya_chart_shock If you spread the baking soda around it has surely dissolved by now. There may be something else going on. As has been reitereated in many threads on this forum and others, it's always a step forward when you perform your own pool water testing. Invest $50 or $60 in a good test kit (Taylor K-2006 or equivalent) and you'll save multiples of that over time (from chemicals that you don't purchase at the pool store). Here's an entertaining thread that might lead you to resolve the current issue: 100 Reasons for Cloudy Swimming Pool Water! Best of luck

What's the difference if I just used straight bleach right off the bat? Oh and after I add it how long usually till it's safe to swim. Thank you for your suggestions. You can add stabilizer (aka cyanuric acid or CYA) separately and just use straight bleach to chlorinate. When you add granular or flaked CYA directly it may take a while (several days) to dissolve sufficiently so that it shows up in a test. The liquid form of CYA (often called "conditioner") dissolves much faster but is more expensive. See the column for "minimum FC" in one of the CYA/chlorine relationship charts below. http://www.poolforum...hread.php?t=365 http://www.troublefr...cya_chart_shock Assuming good circulation in your pool, wait 30 minutes or so after adding liquid chlorine before swimming. That will give the pump/filter time to disperse the chlorine.

Tablets and in-line chlorinators use chlorine compounds (usually Di-Chlor or Tri-chlor) that will add not only chlorine but stablizer to the pool. Some stabilizer (cyanuric acid or CYA) is good; too much can be bad. Use a good test kit (Taylor K-2006 or equivalent) to measure the CYA and keep it in the 30-60 ppm range and chlorine levels at about 8-10% of CYA. E.g. If CYA = 50 ppm maintain Free Chlorine level of 4 -5 ppm. Liquid chlorine, in the form of 12% pool chlorine or 6% bleach (e.g. Clorox unscented), is the most straightforward method to sanitize but not necessarily the most convenient. If you don't use a pool cover you may have to add chlorine every few days. (Without any stabilizer, you'd have to add liquid chlorine every night.)

Check the position of the skimmer weir (the paddle door that's between the skimmer throat and pool). If it's missing, laying flat on the water or straight up, skimming effectiveness is diminished. Make sure the water level is not too high or too low. You could also try installing one of those add-on legs that guide debris into the skimmer. Check Poolcenter.com or other pool parts suppliers. If you have a Jandy valve installed try adjusting a bit at a time it to increase/decrease flow, taking care not to starve the pump.

You should be able to add chlorine any time unless this is a brand new pool or newly plastered surface (if that's the case, follow whatever waiting period is recommended by the installer). Be sure the pump/filter is running when you add the chlorine.

Whew! They don't give these away, do they? Assume you got one from e-bay or somesuch outlet. Please post back and let us know if this works. Providing uniformity in sanitation is a perennial concern and having another (effective) solution can only be helpful.

When I ran your numbers via the Pool Calculator and assumed 2/3 of the Total Hardness to be Calcium Hardness (94 ppm) the CSI reports -.62 I don't have useful experience tweaking fiberglass spa chemistry but it seems evident that in addition to increasing pH level to 7.8 or so, a modest increase to calcium may be beneficial. I'd probably increase alkalinity from 50 to 60 ppm and add a couple of ounces of calcium chloride to raise CH from 94 ppm (est.) to 120 ppm. But perhaps QCD and other spa owners here feel that the CSI is best left in negative territory and TA very low in order to keep pH stable.

I wouldn't hesitate to use a pumice stone (or "Magic Eraser") to remove calcium buildup on my in-ground pool's perimeter tile but with a fiberglass surface spa I'd be more cautious. If there's serious buildup you could do a little bit at a time but shouldn't just grind away if there's a chance that the stone may scratch the surface. At that point, perhaps a dilute solution using muriatic acid poured into a pail of water and a plastic bristle brush would be wiser. If you use muriatic acid, avoid inhaling the fumes. I ran my above ground spa for many years without the kind of build-up you speak of. Are you sure it's calcium? Stains from algae or leaves should lift over time with higher-than-normal chlorine levels.

Yes, I use the Taylor K-1766 chloride test to verify the salt level in my pool (use Goldline's Aqua T-Cell SWG) but the salt level reported by the cell / controller is the determining factor in the production of chlorine. I've found that it can take as long as 8-10 hours of pumping/filtering to register salt additions. It helps to cycle the unit every few hours (turn it off for a while, then back on) to get a correct reading.

Can you vacuum to waste? That would be one way to get rid of the silt. After you remove as much as possible this way, backwash your sand filter, then start pumping 24/7 until it clears. It may take several days and you'll probably have to vacuum repeatedly. Probably don't have to suggest that you'll need plenty of chlorine before opening.

I guess the manual doesn't say, huh? When I borrowed a TDS meter some months ago I used 442 to calibrate.

Not sure what "pure" chlorine consists of. Mixed with water any type of chlorine will produce Hypochlorous acid. Bleach or liquid chlorine = sodium hypochlorite Dichlor (and Trichlor) are chlorine compounds that introduce cyanuric acid as well as chlorine into the water. In the US and likely elsewhere you can obtain CYA (under varying names: pool/spa conditioner, stablizer, cyanuric acid) that can be added separately. So you can slowly increase CYA in your spa by chlorinating with a compound such as DiChlor (see the Wikipedia links for chemical names) until the level of CYA is where you want it. Or add the CYA separately (usually, all at once) and use an unstablized chlorine source (bleach, liquid chlorine, pool chlorine) for ongoing sanitation. If your CYA is already over 80 PPM don't add ANY Dichlor or CYA because it's already too high. Your spa shouldn't require that much CYA -- I believe the recommended level is about 20 ppm, so you probably want to drain the water and restart. With increasing amounts of CYA you'd need an increasing level of Free Chlorine to achieve adequate oxidation/sanitation. See the relationship in this chart.

A few days ago when I last tested the CYA was 30-50 and the pool temp was 75 degrees. I starting boosting today because I need chlorine in the pool so I can't try your test yet of setting the production rate to 100%. I know it works when I boost so I know the cell works. It's got to be something between the handheld and the board when using the production rate. I'll try your test after boosting. I'm glad that Salpst and Pool Clown mentioned CYA/temp because that motivated me to re-read your initial post. You said that the chlorine tested at zero a few days after boosting with the SWG or adding shock. One would expect that your Free Chlorine (FC) level would be higher than normal after adding shock (powder or granules? liquid chlorine?) so this invites a question or two.... Have you tested the pool water immediately after shocking? What is the normal level of chlorine in the pool? How many hours a day is the filter on? A few more: How many gallons in the pool? How do you shock (what product) and how much do you add? How long (for a few weeks, since last year, etc) has the pool store reported no chlorine in the water? How does the water look (crystal clear, blue, sparkly ... a bit cloudy, greenish, dull)? Just trying to rule out inadequate shock levels, latent algae, filtration issues. In the event it's not a problem with the cell, answers to these questions may help point to the problem.

I think we're on the same page; yet I don't think my quad filters accumulate enough dirt or debris to warrant cleaning 3-4 times a year. But I don't have a suction-side cleaner, the pump and skimmer baskets are emptied frequently, a skimmer sock is used during the summer, as well as a solar cover, and I have banned all use of sun tan lotions in the pool area. Perhaps these things combine to make a once a year cleaning possible with my system.

The pool place may not recommend muriatic acid (MA) because, as txpoolguy cautioned, it can potentially cause damage if allowed to rest undisturbed on the bottom of the pool. The pump/filter must be running and the water circulating whenever you add it. Some people will dilute it first (by carefully pouring the MA into a bucket of water -- never the reverse -- and pouring the contents of the bucket into the pool). Stir it around and be sure it's distributed well. The alternative (dry acid) has its own problems; most SWG manufacturers don't recommend its use. Please don't pour a full gallon of muriatic acid (MA) into an 8000 gallon pool! The pH would be far too low. Get a good test kit, one that measures pH, Free Chlorine (FC), Combined Chlorine (CC), alkalinity, calcium and cyanuric acid (CYA) so that you can know exactly how much chemical is needed before you add it. Use the Pool Calculator or similar tool to perform the calculations for you. It can be tricky to lower Total Alkalinity, but it can be done in steps... first lower pH to around 7.0 with MA, then aerate the pool until it climbs back up to normal (~7.5 or so). Repeat as often as needed until TA falls within range (100 ppm). Without conditioner (aka CYA, cyanuric acid, stabilizer) much of the chlorine produced by the SWG will be destroyed before it has a chance to sanitize, so you do want ~50-80 PPM CYA in the water. Set your SWG so that it maintains Free Chlorine ppm at about 5% of CYA ppm. If the water measures 60 ppm CYA, for example, target 3 ppm chlorine or more. Lastly, you may want to have your well water tested for metals (commonly, iron and copper). If detected ( 2 > ppm), add a metal sequestrant to your pool. Well, this is probably too much info being thrown your way.... sorry. Post back if you have questions about any of this.

That is quite recent.... would basically not let anyone else swim for a while, run the pump/filter 24/7, brush daily, test and adjust pH daily, test for and adjust Total Alkalinity (TA) and Calcium Hardness (CH) if they're out of range. The contractor didn't instruct you to add acid--to effect an acid cure--right? Generally, you want to be sure to comply with whatever direction is provided by the plaster/tile crew. The following is a rough guide to several start-up methods that are favored by installers. If no instructions were left, follow the traditional startup method. New plaster/tile startup procedures

There are certainly many possible causes for cloudy water, including filter problems, but if the stabilizer (CYA) level in your pool is 100 ppm or higher, you would need to raise the level of Free Chlorine (FC) to about 40 ppm to effectively shock for algae. If CYA is significantly higher (and who knows? it's measuring at the top of the scale) the water may be susceptible to periodic algae blooms. So I would, along with PaulR and chem geek, encourage you to consider draining some of the water. Then retest and drain some more if the CYA remains over 80 ppm. For what it's worth, I keep about 40-50 ppm CYA in my pool, clean my (over-sized) filter once a year and have never had cloudy water or algae problems. Every pool is different, of course, but adding phosphate "removers" or other pool-store concoctions is usually counter-productive. If you suspect a filtering problem (you wrote that the sand was replaced only last year) do the easy things first: backwash periodically and when the pressure rises 10 lbs over normal PSI, visually inspect the sand for caking / channeling, vacuum debris to waste instead of the filter, check backwash valve o-rings, keep pump and skimmer baskets empty, etc.

The cloudiness should go away in a few days. If the water is not drained, you'll need a weekly dose of sequestrant, without which the metals now in solution could reestablish themselves. Read the following threads for more helpful information: Milky Looking Pool After Ascorbic Acid Treatment What is the best Stain Preventative for Fiberglass pool? Ascorbic Treatment to rid Pool of metal stains

It sure does. I wouldn't add any more stabilizer until you test the CYA (cyanuric acid) level of the water yourself with a good test kit (e.g. Taylor K-2006). If the chlorine tabs contain DiChlor or TriChlor, they will contribute substantial amounts of stabilizer (CYA) while they are chlorinating the pool. Lots of pool owners experience algae problems because the excessive CYA (> 80 PPM) combines with chlorine in the water, requiring higher and higher levels of Free Chlorine to be effective at algae control -- see this chart. If you determine that you need to add stablizer, you can use this Pool Calculator to indicate quantity and see how this will affect your water before actually adding the chemical.