Algea problem - Can't get past cloudy water

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Felix's pool

Member
Apr 14, 2024
7
Big lake MN
Pool Size
20000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
We bought a house pool in February. We did not know what condition the water was in since it was closed and winterized (we are in the midwest.) And we are first time pool owners who do not know much.

When we took the cover off two weeks ago found a pretty bad algea bloom. We went to the pool store and they had us buy a flocculant and chlorine. We put 4 pounds of Cal-hypo in the pool and used the flocculant. It was better but a long ways to go.

I then found Trouble Free Pool and stopped listening to the pool store. I bought a Taylor test kit and liquid clorine to start SLAM.

I brought the PH from 8.4 to 7.2 with muriatic acid and started slam about 10 to 12 days ago.
About 7 days ago I found out we had a DE filter (StaRite system 3 with a 72 sqft cartridge) instead of a sand filter (*Face Palm*). The data plate is too worn to read and it's kinda egg shaped so we just assumed.
So we took the filter apart, cleaned the cartridge of the old DE and recharged with DE.

We also have the automatic pool robot with ultra fine filters going multiple times a day to help it along.

Now we still have really cloudy water and its not really changing at all. HELPPP.

Today (6 pm):
FC: 3.2
CC: .6
TA: 100
CYA: ~20

Im going to continue SLAM and bring the chlorine back up to 10. I think I'm going to add more stabilizer to bring the CYA to 30. I didn't want to initially start dumping abunch of stuff in the pool.

What else should I be doing?

Screenshot_20240501_191603_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20240501_191618_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20240501_191627_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20240501_191638_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20240501_191646_Gallery.jpg
 
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Welcome to the forum!
A DE filter should capture anything in the pool. Be sure it is properly charged with DE.
You CH result is not possible with a proper test kit. What Taylor kit are you using?
Follow the SLAM Process. Right now you are sort of following it.
I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool
 
I read that you should use 1 lbs of DE powder for every 10 sq ft of filter. We have a 72 soft filter so we re charged with 7 lbs since we completed cleaned it.

I am using a Taylor 2006C test kit. The calcium reading is when the pool store ran a test in the beginning. I have not retested since I read the it does not matter too much if you have a vinlyl pool.
 
Felix's pool said:
About 7 days ago I found out we had a DE filter (StaRite system 3 with a 72 sqft cartridge) instead of a sand filter (*Face Palm*). The data plate is too worn to read and it's kinda egg shaped so we just assumed.
So we took the filter apart, cleaned the cartridge of the old DE and recharged with DE.
Click to expand...
A StaRite system 3 is a cartridge filter, not a DE filter. You should not be adding DE to it. It will only impede your progress….Do you have a multiport valve? How did you apply the floc, what process did you follow? It may have been floc in your filter that you cleaned not DE. Have you replaced the cartridge?
 
Newdude said:
Hey Felix and Welcome !!!


How often are you testing/dosing ? It is improving, just slowly.



Switch to 10ml samples and each drop is .5 FC. You'll save 2.5X the supplies.

It will help. You are losing excessive FC to the algae and the sun with low CYA.

At 30, slam FC is 12.
Click to expand...
I am testing and dosing morning and evening on week days and three times a day on the weekends.

I usually have been do the 10 ml sample but figured I would be more accurate for this post.

I'll add more stabilizer and start bringing up the FC to 12.
 
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Lake Placid said:
A StaRite system 3 is a cartridge filter, not a DE filter. You should not be adding DE to it. It will only impede your progress….Do you have a multiport valve? How did you apply the floc, what process did you follow? It may have been floc in your filter that you cleaned not DE. Have you replaced the cartridge?
Click to expand...
Hi!

I did end up spending the time deciphering the data plate and it says "Stystem 3 filtration diatomaceous earth" and the old owner had a bucket of DE powder in the shed. It was definitely old DE powder in the filter when we cleaned it. There was too much of it to mistake it for something else.

We do have a multiport valve. I have not replaced the filter as the one that is in it would be $600 to replace.
 
Felix's pool said:
I am testing and dosing morning and evening on week days and three times a day on the weekends.
Click to expand...
You really want every 2 to 3 hours at first. Go right until bedtime after work. Plan on being around for the weekend and hit it often.

The more time it spends below slam level, the longer it takes, as you've seen. It still works, but slowly.

Brush and vac at least once a day.
Felix's pool said:
I usually have been do the 10 ml sample but figured I would be more accurate for this post.
Click to expand...
The point X is meaningless IMO. A 2.X sucks and a 8.X is awesome. Point 2, point 5, point 6, whatevs. Nobody was ever saved by the last digit. :)

Felix's pool said:
Stystem 3 filtration diatomaceous earth"
Click to expand...
They make all 3, sand filters also. You did good. (y)
 
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Felix's pool said:
"Stystem 3 filtration diatomaceous earth"
Click to expand...

Newdude said:
They make all 3, sand filters also. You did good. (y)
Click to expand...
Yep it’s likely an SD. You’re just fine…..You scared me referencing the “cartridge”. It’s been a long day……for a DE filter they are called grids and there are multiple grids in a filter with multiple pvc pipes wrapped in a filter fabric that holds the DE. In a cartridge filter the filter it looks like a pleated paper air filter you’d find in your car or lawn mower (no pvc pipes holding fabric)…Carry on and SLAM away.
 
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Lake Placid said:
Yep it’s likely an SD. You’re just fine…..You scared me referencing the “cartridge”. It’s been a long day……for a DE filter they are called grids and there are multiple grids in a filter with multiple pvc pipes wrapped in a filter fabric that holds the DE. In a cartridge filter the filter it looks like a pleated paper air filter you’d find in your car or lawn mower (no pvc pipes holding fabric)…Carry on and SLAM away.
Click to expand...
Trust me, I thought the same thing too. I attached a picture from Pentair Sta-rite. This is what ours looks like. The DE filter looks more like a "cartridge" style then the one with the multiple grids. I've trying to research about it but there's so much information and different kinds, it gets confusing fast.

The data plate kinda looks like it says "Starite system 3, Diatomaceous earth, model S7MD72" and the filter in it says "25023-0172 (72 sq ft)"Screenshot_20240501_201931_Chrome.jpg
 
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Felix's pool said:
I've trying to research about it but there's so much information and different kinds, it gets confusing fast.
Click to expand...
It's basically a hybrid DE / cartridge. Pentair makes one too.

www.pentair.com

Quad D.E.® Cartridge Style Filter

The Highest Water Clarity with the Lowest Amount of Fuss. Quad D.E. Pool filter combines the finest pool filtration available for the most sparkling clear water with the convenience and easy-cleaning features usually found only in a cartridge filter. Four easily accessible and removable D.E...
www.pentair.com www.pentair.com
 
For future readers: We now have clear water!

After advice given we brought slam levels up to 12 and I started testing chlorine every 2 hrs if possible.

The pool was still cloudy but we could now see the water jets. We decided to backwash our DE filter and recharge it. When recharging we saw DE powder blowing back into the pool... yay. We took the filter apart once again and found that it was missing an Oring. We got one on there and that fixed the blowback issue.

We recharged the filter and about an hour later our pressure went way up and we had really bad flow. So we back washed and recharged it again. Same thing happened. Clogged filter after about an hour.

I decided to try a flocculant again. This time biogaurd superfloc. The next day after using it the pool was clear! There was so much junk that settled on the bottom.

We have vacuumed it on waste twice now and it looks one million times better. Such a weight off the shoulders to have a clean pool after messing with it for so long. (Picture attached)

20240513_122233.jpg
 
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Glad you got there in the end. Just wanted to verify you passed an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. Algae is microscopic and it can only be seem once it's out of control. Clear water means you can start to OCLT, to prove you won't be starting SLAM #2 anytime soon. :)

This one step is the downfall of the 'industry' swamp fixes. They shock until it's clear, without ever proving its algae free. It makes a great many repeat customers, and a couple weeks from now seems like a new problem. 'Gimme what worked last time.... it's bad again'.
 
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