Another cloudy pool

[Bri.]

The water in our pool - with an abri - was changed completely at the end of January. We also had the sand changed in the filter. The water gradually became green and cloudy. The pH was off the scale and no matter how much -pH we used it never dropped, chlorine level varied. Just over a week since we went to one of our shops in Saintes for advice and were instructed to add flocculant and -pH powder. If we wanted the pool to clear quickly we could use Revatop+ (peroxide). We did all these things and sure enough the water became blue. However the pH still did not drop and we had what appeared to be a greeny-brown ‘powder’ on the floor of the pool. If the ‘powder’ is disturbed the water becomes cloudy. The powder was vacuumed away and the filter backwashed. The day after the ‘powder’ was back, so it was vacuumed away again to waste water and the filter backwashed. The pH is still off the scale, chlorine is nil. The pool was vacuumed again on Sunday and the water is becoming cloudy and green again (with the ‘powder’). Does anyone know of or has used a 'hands-on' (preferably English speaking) expert pool-person around Saintes. We are now getting desperate.

 

 

[Chas]

Suggest an Email or PM to Andrew Henderson aka poolguy. he regularly contributes useful advice to this forum.

[JJ]

Had exactly the same problem last year, also used Revatop, which seemed to work for about six weeks. But I had the dreaded green dust all summer long. This year, touch wood I have not had the same problems.

My pool is a saltwater system, I spoke with Poolguy, and he suggested upping my filtration times to get the chlorinated water circulating at a high enough rate to keep on top of the algae, and to produce enough as my pool was undersized on the pump and sand filter.

Ultimately the best system would appear to be an automatic liquid chlorinator system, which are supposed to be very easy to run, when I can afford one I will be getting one.

Poolguy does not advocate the use of chemicals like revatop or anti algae.

He is very good, and he also lives in the Charente Maritime.

Good Luck.

[Bri.]

Thanks for that Chas.

[Gardian]

Same problem. Like you, I thought that I had fixed the problem by emptying most of the water a month or two back and re-filling. Regular chlor-choc dosing, and a 16hr / day filtration regime. All fine till Monday, then cloudy dust.

Am giving it -ph, but so far to no effect. Really getting the hump with it.

The problem is that I don't understand the cause: if I did, then the remedy might be more obvious.

p.s. fairly hard water area. 

[Baz]

Having water problems in a pool can be a nightmare as it is not just Ph and Chlorine levels that can cause trouble. A couple of suggestions, firstly take a water sample to a pool company or person who has the full water testing equipment and from the detailed results obtained they will then be able to give you accurate instructions to cure the water purity. Test and Trial methods can often be time consuming and in the end a waste of time. Secondly with the American pool market being so extensive have a look at their forums and you may well find your problem answered. Try this site for starters just click on Pool and Spa and then "Water Chemistry"

http://www.poolsearch.org/#

I am sure Poolguy will respond in due course but you may want to try to find a solution in the meantime.

 

[Poppy]

Hello Ian if you are having the high temps that we have I would try leaving the filtration sytem on all the time and keep adding lots & lots of chlora choc until the pool clears. Chlorine burns off at an unbelievable rate this weather. We have done this for many years when we have problems and it hasnt failed us yet. Optimum Ph is about 7.2

We only ever use chlorine and whichever PH powder is necessary and we never hesitate to put the pump on 24 hrs per day if required. The pool is sparkling at the moment.

PS If pool is bad we dont worry about PH levels until we have cleared it with chlorine.

[Bri.]

Hi Poppy,

It's OK saying add loads of Chlor-choc but will (or does) that get rid of the greeny-brown dust that settles on the floor of the pool? Our filter has been running 24/7 for the last month!

Bri.

[Gardian]

Poppy .........

Thanks for the reassurance.

I'm starting to learn about all this. Took time this afternoon to do what I should have done before, which was to read all the previous threads on the subject. As a result, I whacked in some ph- and some more chl choc and things seem to be clearing.  At '1st glass of wine time' (c. 18.00), there was a noticeable difference (in the water).

PH & chlorine levels seem to be getting to where they should be. I've not checked where you are, but guess that you're down this neck of the woods. No complaints, but it's hot just now, eh? 

Do you know, I happily left the UK thinking "No more bloody lawns to mow".  Little did I think ......... !!

Thanks again - will keep you posted.

[Gardian]

Bri .......

I suspect that it will, together with continual filtration.

The problem that we non-professionals have, is that it's a complex subject. Poor old Poolguy gets assailed with all sorts of situations (which he willingly offers advice over), 90% of which (I suspect / hope) are capable of being dealt with fairly easily, but with a description on here, it's hard to be definitive.

Poppy's advice confirms the avenue I was already going down.  We'll see what drinks-time tomorrow brings.  

[Poppy]

Hello Bri If you have a 10 x5 pool you could try putting in 10 kilos of chlora choc at intervals during the day(quarter of a tub at a time) and keep the filter on all the time. The chlorine will turn the pool cloudy at first and the powder is the algea it has killed off. Backwash daily and cotinue to hoover. Dont worry about stirring the pool up and making it cloudier as the gunch will then go through the filter and clear more quickly.  In this heat after it clears you will probably need 2x200g tablets of chlora lent in each skimmer per week. I''m afraid Im no expert but this is what we do and we have had a pool in France for 16 years and hardly any problems.We do carry out the excess chlora choc and 24 hr filtration when we open the pool.

Good to hear your pool is clearing Ian, Hope you can have a swim before drinks-time today. We are in the Lot area and temps have been in the high 30s in the shade for the last couple of weeks.

PS The greeny brown powder may have been the floculant working and collecting the algea together,so that you could vacuum it up. You do however need chlorine to stop the algea growing again.

[Bri.]

Hi Poppy,

Ok we'll visit one of our pool supplies shops and stock up on Chlor-choc - we have a 11 x 5 pool. What about pH- to lower the pH? Ours is off the scale.

Thanks

Bri.

[Gardian]

Right, we're back in business.  By this morning, the water had cleared and once I'd vacuumed up the dust, it was perfect (well, near enough).

I'm now going to discipline myself to a daily dosage of 120gms of chlor choc and daily testing: it's amazing how quickly things can 'go tilt'.

Bri ....... I got my ph- at Bricomarche: €8 for a 5kg tub, so not pricey. Now I come to think about it, the enormous stockpile of tubs of the stuff should have told me something! 

Many thanks to all for your advice.  Just off for a dip before the footie.

[Poppy]

Hello again Bri if the Ph is well above 7.2 then put in some Ph minus,  With the mixture of chemicals you have used it might be difficult to get a true reading on ph and chlorine and you need to get the pool balanced again. If it is turning green I would concentrate on the chlora choc and if that starts clearing it test again for chlorine and ph, dont worry if the chlorine levels are high that will easily adjust. The dosage of chlora choc I quoted earlier was for the supermarket chlora you might need less with the pool suppliers brand. As Ian said Ph from Bricos is good.

Hope you enjoyed the swim Ian its clouded over here and looking a bit black down the valley. Hope it doesnt thunder and we lose the signal for the footie. Once the pool is completely clear you could just use the chlora lent and reduce the filtration and you found the magic ingredient is ph. There is a formula for how long to leave the pump running based on the temperature but I cant bring it to mind at the minute. Will let you know.

[Suandpete]

I believe that you divide the water temperature by two and that is the

number of hours per day you need to run the filter for - so 14 hours

for us at the moment.

[Poppy]

Yes I think that is right divide the water temp by two and leave the filtration on for that amount of time. I paused because I couldn't remember what happened above 30 degrees but have remembered you add 1hr for temps above 30 which I guess rarely occur.

[Gardian]

Having (belatedly) read the previous threads, I'd seen the 'divide by 2' formula, but have been running it round the clock for the last 4 days.  Have adjusted it now to 20hrs and will leave it that way for the foreseeable future - it isn't going to get much cooler.

Had a nice swim, but it then came over very thundery. Thought it was going to pour - could have done with it, to be honest - but it cleared up again.

From a cynical rejection of all this World Cup lark, I'm now being sucked in to the whole thing + younger son coming out next week for a fortnight's stay. After tonight, I now feel relaxed about winding up my neighbour over how many points France have got so far.

Bye all. 

[Bri.]

Hi Poppy,

Been to one of our pool supply shop this afternoon, with a set of photos, to show what has been happening. Maybe we are lucky, there is an English assistant who speaks perfect French so can liase with the rest of the staff (thanks JJ). The boss decided that we need to get the pH down first by adding 1kg of -pH, mixed with water, every 6 hours until we have used 7 kg.  Assuming the level is then correct, we add a tub (1.8kg) Chlor-choc powder straight into the pool to correct chlorine levels. We'll see!

Ian, obviously you enjoyed the football!!

Bri.

[Baz]

"Assuming the level is then correct, we add a tub (1.8kg) Chlor-choc powder straight into the pool to correct chlorine levels."

In case anyone wants to follow the above, never do this with a liner pool as putting powdered chemicals directly into a pool  might damage or discolour  the liner. I always dissolve the chlorine in a bucket of water and then place this into the pool, many professionals say it should be placed in or near the skimmer.

Baz

[Bri.]

Hi Baz

The chlor powder we have got is called 'hth Choc Poudre'. On the tub it says it dissolves instantly and it can be sprinkled onto to water or put into the skimmers.  We were instructed to sprinkle it all over the surface, not just by the skimmers. I can't remember how much chlor choc tablets cost but this stuff is 19,50 euros for 1.8kg.

Bri.

[Baz]

Hi Bri,

Thanks for that information, this is what is so good about this forum that you can learn something new most days. I was of course refering to the standard powder chlorine or choc chlorine.

Baz

[Poolguy]

I agree with Baz

Liners are not very happy with concentrations of Chlorine, the result

is white chlorine 'burns'. I would suggest that you do not take the

risk- put the choch into the skimmer basket or distlve it first into a

bucket and then pour in around the return jets.

On the other topic, I have no confidence whatsoever in the filtration

calculation above. Filtartion has NOTHING whatso wever to do with

temperature, this is an American invention and designed to 'mystify'

pool manitenance , I beleive.

Rather, I would encourage anyone who is interested to follow the following rule of thumb.

1 calculate the volume of you pool in cubic meters

2 find out what is the capcity of your pump and filter unit.

3 Divide 2. into 1. and find the number of hours it will take to have the whole of the pool pass through the filter.

4 multiply that by at least 2 - that is during the summer in times of

heavy use you will need to filter the whole contents at least twice per

day.

In France, Pool builders and Pool shops are VERY casual about this

issue, which is an attitude not supported in the rest of the world. At

the very best they would specify a system to change water every 4-5

hours or more. I have even seen systems with and 8 hour water change

time. This is a guarantee of problems with santisiation and infection

especially as most people using sand filters with a 40 micron

filtration capacity.

I will alway specifiy a system capable of 3 hours water change, and the

DDASS agree with me as a standard for all commercial, public and Gite

Pools. I see no reason why the same rule should not be allied to

Private pools. My filtration systems have a 1 micron filtration

capacilty which is 40 times more efficient that the norm. This system

has also been endorsed by leading (Harley St) dermatologist as being

safe for people with sensitivities or intolerant reactions.

Moreover, in each and every pool I have rennovated and upgraded the

filtration and santisation system the result has been water so clear

that you can read the date on a 10 cent coin sitting on the bottom

nearly 2 meters away.. It has to be that clear or your not doing enough

in my opinion. But its your health and that of your children you are

messing with.

Andrew

[Poppy]

Hello Bri if I was you I wouldnt put the chlora choc even if it is quick dissolving directly into the pool I think some will still sink and lie on the liner and cause the burns Andrew has described. There will be very little difference in the effect time wise if you put it in the skimmers.

Re the formula I mentioned it because Ian said he had reduced his filtration.  Andrew is spot on filtration is the most important thing dont skimp on it.We usually  have ours on all the time and the pool is always sparkling

[Stevehudson]

Poolguy Wrote

"Moreover, in each and every pool I have rennovated and upgraded the filtration and santisation system the result has been water so clear that you can read the date on a 10 cent coin sitting on the bottom nearly 2 meters away.. It has to be that clear or your not doing enough in my opinion. But its your health and that of your children you are messing with."

I have just had my eyes tested and have new glasses but I can't read the date on a 10 cent coin from 2 meters away in air, let alone water! Should I take them back?

[Poolguy]

Steve

I think you'll find that clear water will magnify the coin sufficiently to see the date very well.

If you can't see it then your water is not clear.

Andrew