Can't Get Our Pool to Clear Up

by Bonnie
(GA)

We have just purchased the Level 3 Video Series and would like a time for a Personal Consult regarding our pool. A while back I emailed you, then purchased the ebook “Clear Blue Pool”, which has helped us immensely understand more about the chemicals and maintaining our pool. We have, also, purchased a test kit for the water and I have been testing the water almost daily. We have a 18’x36’ vinyl pool. The last vinyl was put in less than 5 years ago. The filter is sand, which we changed this Spring. We use liquid chlorine on a regular basis.

Our BIG problem is that the pool will not turn blue and remains cloudy! It’s a light yellow-green. Jan/Feb we were away, then I got the flu. We ended up having BAD dark green/black algae after that. Dealt with that by scooping out bags of algae, brushing, vacuuming, pouring in chlorine, then using Dichlor which caused our CYA to soar high! Then, we emptied (3/4) the pool twice and refilled each time until CYA was normal again. Now the chemicals seem to be all in line:
Chlorine 3-5
pH 7.5
TA 110
CYA 40

Needless to say, we are at our wits end:/. We’ve had this pool for 26 yrs. and NEVER dealt with the pool being this difficult. Thus, the reason for buying this series and hoping you can help. So glad we came across your name and site. Of course, we’ve gone to the pool shops here in town for water testing (before getting our own) and been told to buy this and that. We have not, after reading your ebook on chemicals. But now we are at a loss.

I LOVE my pool! It is my go-to from May to October, usually. Haven’t enjoyed it yet this summer and am really bummed! Thanks for listening - and waiting to speak with you soon. When you call, my husband Bill will talk with you due to me having a vocal disorder and it’s quite difficult for me to speak, especially on the phone. We could Skype, also.

Thank you,

Bill and Bonnie

Hello Robert,
We have been following the process you described for 3 days now. The pool is BLUE!!! Yeah! However, it is still very cloudy, can barely see the third step on the ladder in the shallow end. Now that we have blue, how do we get to clear? The numbers are all in line with what they should be-chlorine was 20 this morning, pH 7.0, TA 100, CH 100, CYA 40. DE has been added, pool brushed with each addition of chems, & backwashed.

Also, how do we get the 12-part video series and 2 e-books that we purchased. I do not see where to find them.

Thank you,
Bonnie Reilly

Hi Bonnie it's Robert from Clean Pool and Spa. Keep maintaining a high FC level, low pH, filtering, and backwashing at least once per day. There's no magic to it. Kill the algae and filter it out. A couple things you can try. First is a clarifier. A clarifier makes the smaller particles larger so they can get caught in the filter easier and backwashed out. Another product is called Revive. A couple of videos on youtube about it. It drops the dead particles to the bottom to be vacuumed to waste. You have a multiport valve so you might be a good candidate for it. I've never used it but I've heard good things about it. Here's the link and code to the video series. I need to search for the eBooks. I just switched over Windows 10 (finally) and they're buried somewhere.

Have a great day