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First, take a deep breath—you haven't ruined your liner. Cloudiness after adding borax is common, especially in the Northeast where water chemistry can be tricky. It's likely just a temporary reaction with your existing pH or alkalinity. Test your water first before doing anything else. Less is more here—don't start dumping in clarifiers or shock right away. Let the filter run for 24 hours and retest. Vinyl is pretty forgiving if you don't overcorrect.

I've been through this exact scenario during my pool opening marathon last spring! Cloudiness is almost always a pH imbalance—borax raises pH, and if your alkalinity was low, it can cause precipitation (that's the cloud). **Quick steps:** 1. Test pH and alkalinity NOW. 2. If pH is above 7.8, add a little muriatic acid to bring it down to 7.4–7.6. 3. Run the filter continuously—it might clear up in a few hours. I once ran mine for 12 hours straight and it was crystal again by my morning swim. Your liner is fine as long as you balance things gradually.

Early adopter of borax here—used it for years to stabilize pH without overusing baking soda. Cloudiness is normal if you added too much too fast! Did you broadcast it or use a sock method? Always dissolve borax in a bucket first, then pour slowly near a return jet. For now, try a **polyquat algaecide**—it's liner-safe and acts as a clarifier. Also, check your filter pressure; you might need to backwash if it's catching all the precipitate. Don't panic—tech saves the day again!

Cathy's right about testing, but I'd skip the algaecide unless you actually have algae. Adding more chemicals complicates things. Simple fix: if tests show high pH/alkalinity, just aerate the water by pointing returns up to break the surface. It'll off-gas CO2 and lower pH naturally over a day or two. Minimal intervention, maximum results. Your vinyl liner will thank you for not shocking it with unnecessary stuff.

Bob's aeration tip is solid for the long haul, but if you want clarity *fast* (like for a weekend swim), a flocculant can help—just follow the dosage exactly and vacuum to waste afterward. Remember: borax itself doesn't damage vinyl; it's sudden pH swings that stress liners. I keep a log of all my chemical adds—tracking helps avoid this panic next time! You got this.