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SWIMMING POOLS
CLOUDY WATER
Flocking & Alternatives (9/2/98)
Green, Hazy Water (6/23/98)
Cloudy Pool Water (5/12/98)
Cloudy Pool With "Bitter Smell" (5/8/98)
Cloudy Pool Water (5/7/98)
Milky White Pool Water (5/7/98)
Pool Cloudiness (4/13/98)
Cloudy Water (3/19/98)
Flocking & Alternatives (9/2/98)
Q:
We have a 30K gallon pool at our factory and presently use CTX 41 which is an Aluminium Poly Chloride based flocculant. We are finding the flocculation process takes 48 hours against the earlier 24 hours and that the results are not as good as earlier. The pool is difficult to clean and generally is cloudy. Could you suggest alternates to what we are presently using?
P.L. - Purwakarta, Indonesia
A:
Polymeric products such as SUN Tru-Blue are a much more modern alternative to flocking.
Flocking causes a precipitate to form and that in turns drops to the bottom taking suspended particles with it. It increases the total volume of precipitate.
Polymers cause the particles to coagulate for easier filtration and do not add to the volume of precipitate.
I hope that I have been helpful.
Sincerely,
Alan
Green, Hazy Water (6/23/98)
Q:
I am having problems with my 15,000 gal above ground pool this year. I use Baquacil products and I just purchased a 1.5hp Sand filter to replace my 9 year old DE powder filter, which was not working at all, but had worked in prior years. I hooked it up last evening and have backwashed several times already. My problem is green hazy water. I have vacuumed. I had the water tested and it came up fine. I have added Shock, Baquacil, baquacheck 50 and flocculent to no avail... Any suggestions????
J.V. - Fond du Lac, WI
A:
The previous filter problems were probably the result of the biguanide coagulating the d.e. and interfering with the filtration action. This problem is well established.
The green could be a mineral condition and/or algae. Have the pool water tested for iron and copper. Have it tested for biguanide as well.
The use of floc with biguanide may cause a problem. The use of divalent or trivalent metals (copper for instance) is not recommended. The aluminum, present in the floc, falls into this category. If it's algae more hydrogen peroxide may be required.
I hope that I have been helpful.
Sincerely,
Alan
Cloudy Pool Water (5/12/98)
Q:
I have an inground vinyl lined pool I struggled last year trying to keep it clear. This year I'm having the same problem. I have a sand filter. I get my water checked often. The person tells me all my chlorine is bunched up making my water cloudy. He tells me to shock it a couple days in a row. Is that the right way to go at it, or should I stabilize firs?. He said if I stabilize, the water will be cloudy a couple of weeks. That's why he says to shock it.
M.O. - Houston, TX
A:
The cloudy water could be due to lack of chlorine and/or inadequate filtration. We won't know which one until we establish a good free chlorine level.
Stabilize the pool and adjust all the pool water parameters. Shock the pool until you maintain a FREE CHLORINE level of at least 3 PPM that lasts overnight. Keep adding shock as necessary until this is achieved - don't drag it out. Once the chlorine has been maintained and if the water is still cloudy, we will need to try and improvement the filter efficiency. Add SUN Tru-Blue as directed and filter continuously. If the water clears up significantly within 24 hours, resume normal operation after clarity is optimum. If the water is still cloudy, try adding 1 pound of D.E. to the skimmer, with filter running, and filter continuously. The next day add Swim-Free Algalator or SUN Tru-Blue and continue filtering.
If the chlorine has been maintained at 3 PPM, either or both of these suggestions should work. Vacuum the bottom to remove slit before it is stirred up by swimmers.
I hope this will solve the problem.
Sincerely,
Alan
Cloudy Pool With "Bitter Smell" (5/8/98)
Q:
I am working with a 158,000 gal, indoor pool. On Tuesday morning (7am) the water was crystal clear, by 4pm the pool barely had a visibility of 2 ft. The pool area had an unusual bitter smell (Not very strong--just noticeable). I have worked with this pool for 3 years and never had this happen.
The chemical levels were:
Free Cl: 2.0
Total Cl: 2.0
pH: 7.4
Alkalinity: 130
Calcium Hardness: 200
Temp: 81*
Flow rates and Filter pressure were normal. There has been a very low bather load.
I brought the Cl level up to 4.5 with no change in clarity. Do you have any idea what may have happened, or how to fix it?
J.G. - Terra Alta, WV
A:
There is nothing in the water analysis results that is suggestive of a problem. At this point, we cannot rule vandalism of some sort.
We are left with a clarity problem, as well as the odor. Let's concentrate on clearing up the water, backwashing to waste and we just might solve all the problems.
Filter continuously and add either SUN TRU-BLUE. These products will help remove organic solids.
I hope that this information will prove helpful. Good luck with the problem.
Sincerely,
Alan
Cloudy Pool Water (5/7/98)
Q:
My husband and I are trying to clear up our pool from a winter of neglect. We have shocked our pool and "dropped it out" 3 times. The water is blue, but it is so cloudy that we can not see to vacuum it out. Now what? We used drop out before and have always been successful until now.
K.L.
A:
I wish that I knew what kind of filter you have!!!!!!! My guess is that it is a sand filter.
It sounds like your pool is suffering from inadequate filtration. This could be due to mechanical reasons, damage, incorrect hookups or in the case of a sand filter: channeling or too frequent backwashing.
Adjust the pool water chemistry to the optimum range and check to see if there is anything obviously wrong with the equipment. If you have a sand filter add 1 pound of Diatomaceous earth to the skimmer with the filter running. This will help increase the filter efficiency. Filter continuously and add either Sun Tru Blue to help coagulate the suspended particles.
If the pressure rises too high, backwash. Reapply D.E. and either Tru-Blue or Algalator, as necessary. After water clears resume normal filter cycle and backwash only if pressure rises too high.
I hope this information proves helpful.
Sincerely,
Alan
Milky White Pool Water (5/7/98)
Q:
I have a 12,000 gallon marcite or gunnite pool with a heated spa attached. When I pour 1.2 gallons of liquid chlorine into the pool to shock it, the water quickly turns milky white. This eventually filters out, but can take two or three days. The water is so milky I cannot see the drain (5.5 feet deep). I am told this is unusual, but all the usual tests done by the pool chemical retail store indicates the water is okay. I believe I am experiencing some sort of chemical reaction, but what could it be?
H.G. - St. Augustine, FL
A:
It does seem that there is a chemical reaction and the most likely one is precipitation of calcium carbonate.
Liquid chlorine has a high pH and will cause the pH of the pool to rise each time product is added. If your pool has a hardness level over 400 and the alkalinity is over 120 PPM, precipitation can occur whenever the pH rises above 7.6.
Check to see what the actual values for these parameters are.
Next time you add shock, make sure the pH is at 7.2-7.4.
I hope this information will prove helpful.
Sincerely,
Alan
Pool Cloudiness (4/13/98)
Q:
We recently reopened our pool. We have gone to our pool dealer and had our water tested. As a result of the tests, we added the amount of chemicals necessary. We then were having a problem with cloudiness in the pool. As a result of consulting with our pool dealer, we ended up changing out the sand in our filter. Still our water is cloudy. The chlorine level & ph level are fine and we have also tried pool clarifiers. What can we do to remedy the situation?
Thanks for your assistance.
F.B. - Hattiesburg, MS
A:
Filter sand should be changed periodically. A freshly charged filter is not as efficient as one that has been in use for a while and may not be removing minute particles.
Adding a product such as Sun Tru-Blue will help help coagulate the particles and make them easier to remove. You could also add some filter aid ( if available ) or add 1 pound of diatomaceous earth to the skimmer while running. This will help increase the efficiency of the filter and remove smaller particles.
After the water clears backwash to waste. Reapply the product and, thereafter, backwash only whenever the pressure is too high (check with the dealer).
I hope that I have been of assistance.
Sincerely,
Alan
Cloudy Water (3/19/98)
Q:
Water becomes cloudy when swimmers go in pool. When they come out water clears up with in 10 min. Chemical levels are all good.
chlorine-2.0
p.h-7.5
alk-110
cyanuric-20
hardness-310 ppm
M.B.- Newton, NJ
A:
The chemical tests results that you provided are not indicative of a problem.
The problem you described sounds more like the presence of fine silt on the pool floor that is stirred up by the bathers. After the water becomes still, the silt probably drops to the bottom restoring clarity.
Check to see that the filter is operating properly. There are products such as: Tru-Blue that can help remove fine hard-to-filter particles. A pool cleaning device will help vacuum the bottom. It is possible that you filter is incapable of removing fine particles without the use of a filter aid. If you have a sand filter it can be channeling and, therefore, is not filtering properly.
Ultimately, I believe the solution lies with improved filtration.
I hope that I have been of assistance.
Sincerely,
Alan |
