Pool still cloudy after multiple shocks?
- Thread starter Manikshaw
- Start date
John Faulkner
Member
Agree, I had the same and it was my filter. Even though it was “running,” the cartridges were clogged. Once I deep-cleaned them, water went clear in 24 hours.
Lily Allen
Member
I’ve had this happen too, sometimes a clogged filter can keep the water cloudy even after shocking. Try checking the filter cartridges, if they’re really dirty, that might be the issue. You could also try a clarifier, it usually helps clear up the water.
Olivia Reed
Member
Hey Manikshaw,
If you’ve already shocked multiple times and the water is still hazy, it’s often not the chlorine at fault. Usually it comes down to your filter, not just running it, but making sure it’s actually clean. Cartridge or sand filters can get clogged with fine particles that keep water cloudy.
Another thing to try is a clarifier or flocculant, it helps tiny particles clump together so your filter can remove them. Also check your calcium hardness and total alkalinity; if those are off, it can make water look dull even with proper chlorine. Once I tackled all three, filter cleaning, clarifier, and balance, it cleared up in a day or two.
Running your pump a bit longer while this process works also speeds it up.
If you’ve already shocked multiple times and the water is still hazy, it’s often not the chlorine at fault. Usually it comes down to your filter, not just running it, but making sure it’s actually clean. Cartridge or sand filters can get clogged with fine particles that keep water cloudy.
Another thing to try is a clarifier or flocculant, it helps tiny particles clump together so your filter can remove them. Also check your calcium hardness and total alkalinity; if those are off, it can make water look dull even with proper chlorine. Once I tackled all three, filter cleaning, clarifier, and balance, it cleared up in a day or two.
Running your pump a bit longer while this process works also speeds it up.
Sara Adnan
New member
I think the problem is your filter. Try taking out the cartridges and giving them a good deep clean. I had the same issue, and once the filter was clean, the water cleared up by the next day.
Amber Chase
Member
I went through this exact spiral a couple seasons ago. Shocked, waited, tested, shocked again. Water wasn’t green, just that stubborn gray haze that makes you wonder what you’re missing.
If you’ve hit it three times and there’s still no visible algae, I’d stop thinking “kill” and start thinking “clear.” At that point it’s usually one of two things in my experience: either you’ve got a ton of dead organics still suspended, or you’ve pushed the water slightly out of balance while shocking repeatedly.
First thing I’d check is combined chlorine. If CC is still above 0.5 ppm, you may not actually be done oxidizing. But if CC is low and free chlorine is holding overnight, then it’s more of a filtration problem than a sanitizer problem. What’s your filter pressure compared to your clean starting pressure? If it’s 5 psi or more higher, the filter could be loaded up and just recirculating fine debris.
Also look at calcium hardness and your overall saturation index. I once overshot shock with cal-hypo and my CH climbed enough that the water stayed cloudy even with good chlorine. It wasn’t scale on the walls, just microscopic precipitation floating around. Took dialing pH down slightly and giving the filter time to polish it out.
When mine did this, the fix ended up being: deep clean the cartridges, run the pump 24 to 48 hours straight, brush twice a day to keep particles suspended, and stop adding more shock unless testing actually showed a need. Cleared up in about two days once I let the filter do its job instead of throwing more chlorine at it.
What are your current numbers for FC, CC, pH, TA, and CH? That usually tells the real story.
If you’ve hit it three times and there’s still no visible algae, I’d stop thinking “kill” and start thinking “clear.” At that point it’s usually one of two things in my experience: either you’ve got a ton of dead organics still suspended, or you’ve pushed the water slightly out of balance while shocking repeatedly.
First thing I’d check is combined chlorine. If CC is still above 0.5 ppm, you may not actually be done oxidizing. But if CC is low and free chlorine is holding overnight, then it’s more of a filtration problem than a sanitizer problem. What’s your filter pressure compared to your clean starting pressure? If it’s 5 psi or more higher, the filter could be loaded up and just recirculating fine debris.
Also look at calcium hardness and your overall saturation index. I once overshot shock with cal-hypo and my CH climbed enough that the water stayed cloudy even with good chlorine. It wasn’t scale on the walls, just microscopic precipitation floating around. Took dialing pH down slightly and giving the filter time to polish it out.
When mine did this, the fix ended up being: deep clean the cartridges, run the pump 24 to 48 hours straight, brush twice a day to keep particles suspended, and stop adding more shock unless testing actually showed a need. Cleared up in about two days once I let the filter do its job instead of throwing more chlorine at it.
What are your current numbers for FC, CC, pH, TA, and CH? That usually tells the real story.