We have an 18 ft. above ground pool. Opened 2 weeks ago – topped off with city water. We also use a Frog System and a DTE filter. All are in working order – with a new “bacpac” in place when we opened. (We live in Ohio if that matters) All chemical levels are testing dead on except for chlorine. We cannot get the chlorine level to even register. We’ve shocked it twice and put two gallons of liquid shock in when opened. The water is cloudy – slightly. There is no algae and we’ve swept the pool. We put in new stabilizer upon opening as well. What can we do to raise the chlorine levels and how do we clear up the cloudiness? We’ve NEVER had an issue with cloudy water or algae in all the time we’ve owned the pool. Pump pressure is fine, too. Any ideas?

Question:

We have an 18 ft. above ground pool. Opened 2 weeks ago – topped off with city water. We also use a Frog System and a DTE filter. All are in working order – with a new "bacpac" in place when we opened. (We live in Ohio if that matters) All chemical levels are testing dead on except for chlorine. We cannot get the chlorine level to even register. We’ve shocked it twice and put two gallons of liquid shock in when opened. The water is cloudy – slightly. There is no algae and we’ve swept the pool. We put in new stabilizer upon opening as well. What can we do to raise the chlorine levels and how do we clear up the cloudiness? We’ve NEVER had an issue with cloudy water or algae in all the time we’ve owned the pool. Pump pressure is fine, too. Any ideas?

Answer:

It sounds like you started with a higher than normal organic load from the pool being closed over the winter. This could be from any number of sources - leaves, precipitation (rain and snow), debris, leaching, etc. Then when you open in the spring it takes more chlorine than usual to establish a free chlorine level. This is very common and it just takes being patient with the addition of more chlorine to eventually estabilish a breakpoint where the free chlorine level is properly established. Sounds like you are close.