I've had above ground chlorine pools for 7 yes and other than that first year haven't had any real concerns or problems. This year we decided to convert to a salt water pool that everyone was telling me was SO much easier. After 2 months I'm ready to go back to chlorine! I know this is my lesrni g year with new type of pool but this is just crazy. Went on vacation 3 weeks ago and slammed the pool and set timers to run for longer times while we were gone(do the same every year with chlorine pools). Came home and pool was cloudy and murky. Shocked pool and ran test all tests were in normal limits. Water cleared within 24hrs. 2 days later water color was aqua and cloudy again. Tested and all were in normal limits so I slammed pool and kept fc at/above shock levels for 1 week. Water turned bright green and aweful looking during this process. Took sample to pool store and no metals were found in sample and suggested using 4 oz of 30% dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and 30% dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chlorides algaecide to kill any existing algae. Within 48 he's water was a pale aqua color and all tests remained normal except my pH was 8.2 and TA was 180. Used 2 cups muranic acid to lower pH and shocked again per pool store request. I'm sorry this is so long I needed everyone to know the follow up. Today tests are FC 10 TC 10 PH 7.5 AL 180 CH 200 CYA 40 and water temp is 82°.water color is mint green. Pool store wants me to bring in a sample of water and wants me to use a copper based algaecide to finish killing remaining algae then use a metal out to remove copper after pool is vaccummed to waste. I've spent $150+ in 3 weeks trying to save my pool and I'm wondering what someone else's input is before I spend another $50+ on what the pool store wants me to do now.. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Frustrated
- Thread starter Tgarcia
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,759
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Well, first welcome. But now the reality ... you've been "pool-stored". Don't worry, many of us were. Here's your roadmap:
#1 - Your OWN test kit. Go here TFTestkits.net and here Pool School - Test Kits Compared. You MUST have your own kit, then post for us:FC, CC, CYA, TA, PH, and CH. Anything from the pool store is unreliable.
#2 - Don't put anything else in your water except for regular liquid bleach. Generic is fine. About 1/2 gallon each night to help keep things from getting too much worse.
#3 - Be familiar with the following pages:
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Poolmath calculator
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
#4 - Once you receive your test kit, you will need to SLAM via Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain to change your water back to clear.
Please expedite a test kit and give us those results so we can help you. Welcome!
#1 - Your OWN test kit. Go here TFTestkits.net and here Pool School - Test Kits Compared. You MUST have your own kit, then post for us:FC, CC, CYA, TA, PH, and CH. Anything from the pool store is unreliable.
#2 - Don't put anything else in your water except for regular liquid bleach. Generic is fine. About 1/2 gallon each night to help keep things from getting too much worse.
#3 - Be familiar with the following pages:
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Poolmath calculator
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
#4 - Once you receive your test kit, you will need to SLAM via Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain to change your water back to clear.
Please expedite a test kit and give us those results so we can help you. Welcome!
DaninFLA
0
you have an algae bloom and your saltwater generator can not overcome and defeat it. they aren't designed that way. they are very good at maintaining the chlorine levels in a clean pool. the way to get it clean is to SLAM. texas splash gave you the links you need. we can help, and your pool will be crystal clear again
Hi and thank you! I have 3 test kits I use plus the new salt test kit. I forgot to post my kits..sorry. They are 6 way test strips for FC,PH,TA,CHAND CYA. One is for FC and PH only and the last is pentair rainbow test kit for chlorine risidual, PH, acid demand, AL. I use aqua check test strips for salt testing and maintain 2500 ppm on my salt
Strips are not going to be very useful during a SLAM. You need a recommended test kit. Read the links above, in Pool School to learn the methods used here. They work when followed closely, but you can't revert to pool store methods. Especially pay attention to SLAM methods, as that is what you need to do. After your SLAM is done, you more than likely needed a higher CYA level for the SWG.
Here are the links:
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Here are the links:
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Before I posted I had already slammed the pool again and poured in another 4oz of ammonium chloride algaecide and cleaned filter and backwashed the system. That was at 10:30 am CST and the pool is already looking better. I know to leave everything alone for 24 hrs then clean/backwash again. How to I vacuum to waste with my system?
Algacides aren't recommended either. Refer to the links I added. You needed to keep a consistent level of chlorine (liquid, like bleach) based on your CYA level (from a test kit, as strips aren't very accurate.) and maintain that until you have less than a loss of 1 in an overnight chlorine loss, less that 1 CC, and your water is clear. If that sounds foreign to you, please reread the links I posted. It's a good idea to read some threads in which others have had the same problem, you can see what they did and how it worked. It's doable!
DaninFLA
0
the test strips are not accurate and wont work for the SLAM process. you are going to need one of the recommended test kits (see my signature for link). I know you don't want to spend more money, but the truth is you need an accurate test kit in order to take control of your pool. the good news is that you will NEVER spend money on pool store magic potions like algaecide, clarifiers and that non-sense stuff they sold you last time
SLAM is not the same as "shock". It stands for Shock Level And Maintain. It's a lengthy process that involves raising the chlorine level to shock level for your CYA. Assuming the CYA test is correct, that means 16 FC. None of the test kits you listed are able to measure above 10, if that high. How do you know you reached shock level and how you intend to keep it up there by replenishing every couple hours without the right tester? 
Plenty of people have cleared black swamps using our methods. Some of the threads with better pictures are in this thread
Plenty of people have cleared black swamps using our methods. Some of the threads with better pictures are in this thread
DaninFLA
0
no way you could have done the SLAM without the test kits, you have no way of measuring that high of chlorine levels. the SLAM is not shocking the pool.
SLAMming in not a one time thing. It's an extended, multiple day, full on war against the green meanies known as algae. Your weapon is liquid chlorine. Either as bleach from a grocery or big box store or as liquid shock if available to you.
Your salt test strips are ok. The 6 way strips are not. They do not give the precise numbers you need to complete the SLAM process successfully, nor do they give results for FC above 10ppm. Your Pentair kit only tests FC up to 5ppm. During the slam process you will be raising your FC higher than 10ppm if your CYA level of 40ppm is correct, (we'll look at that in a minute) and you will need to keep the FC at slam level as often as possible until the process is complete. I know it sounds like I am telling you to buy something else after you have already dumped a bunch of money into trying to clear the pool, but a high quality test kit is an investment in the life of your pool. You will need an FAS/DPD test kit such as the Taylor K2006 or the TF 100 . The TF 100 will have large quantities of test reagents than the Taylor K2006.
I want to ask what you used to shock the pool the last couple of times. Was it dichlor, calcium hypochlorite or something else? Do you know how much of it you used? I ask trying to get a ballpark of where CYA level may be. Test strips are not very reliable since they are affected by age, temperature and humidity, in addition to difficulty matching the colors to read the results. CYA testing is one of the most difficult tests to get right, and even then there is a +/- 10ppm accuracy. Since we recommend slam levels and daily FC target levels based on a ratio of FC to CYA it is important to have as accurate a test result as possible.
Once the slam process is complete we can help you adjust the water chemistry so your SWG will be effective.
I want to ask what you used to shock the pool the last couple of times. Was it dichlor, calcium hypochlorite or something else? Do you know how much of it you used? I ask trying to get a ballpark of where CYA level may be. Test strips are not very reliable since they are affected by age, temperature and humidity, in addition to difficulty matching the colors to read the results. CYA testing is one of the most difficult tests to get right, and even then there is a +/- 10ppm accuracy. Since we recommend slam levels and daily FC target levels based on a ratio of FC to CYA it is important to have as accurate a test result as possible.
Once the slam process is complete we can help you adjust the water chemistry so your SWG will be effective.
The other posters already stressed that slam is an ongoing process and not a synonym for shock, so I won't get into that. You will either need to use the siphon method, which is to attatch the hose to the vacuum head, submerge the entire hose in the pool until all air is forced out and then drape the free end over the side of the pool and well below water level where you want the water to flow. The second option is to disconnect the return hose, attach a clean out hose to the end and use the pump to vacuum as usual. You will need to plug the return so water does not run out after the return hose is removed. The last ditch option is to remove the cartridge from the filter and run the pump with the water spilling out the top of the filter. It makes a big mess and you cannot direct where the water will flow.
Welcome to TFP Tgarcia follow the steps outlined above you are in good hands here. Trust our method 
Thank you all so much! I ran to town and picked up a different test kit and results are as follows: FC 4, TC 4-5, CC 0.2, PH 7.6-7.8, CH 200, AL 150, CYA 20, SALT 2240. When I got home my pool color was white milky. I read the info above and realized once again the pool store is not correct. For my pool once or twice a month I would use 1# of 67% calcium hypochlorite to shock the pool and the pool store had told me to slam my pool just double the amount used. Meaning each application would be 2# I stead of one. So in a 4 day time span that kind of slamming was adding 2#s a day for 4 days to equal 8#s total. No all my testers topped out at 5 so I had no way of knowing just how high the chlorine levels were. I've been testing morning at 8:00am and evening at 6:30pm these are the only times my pool is completely shaded so those were the times I test before the sun started taking my chlorine and after it finished taking it for the day. I treat the pool at the evening time so everything will be more efficient and I still run the swg at night on an 12 hr cycle. When my TC falls to 3 I reapply the double shock. I realize now that everything the pool store told me when I bought the swg on June 3rd was totally wrong! I've always had chlorine pools and have never had problems and never had algae before but I thought this swg would be different and I might would need someone knowing to help me this year.... Boy was that wrong thinking. Since the pool is white milky I'm gonna guess the algae is dead and what ever the filter doesn't grab tonight or tomorrow will need to be vaccumed to waste. I found the attachment to attach the hose to one of my two filter hoses and I'll cap off the other for the vaccum time. I have shut offs on both filter hoses as well as the return hose just for reasons like this. My question regarding how to hook up the vaccum was mainly how to turn my canister pump into a waste. Remove the filter and shut off the return and run the return hose along the ground and attach the back flow collapsible hose would work in theory so I'll try that. Thank you all for all the help and the bottle of algaecide is now in the trash and I have 8 new gal of bleach to start me off if the cloud doesn't clear more by the morning! I'll keep you posted
On a side note what are borates and is my pool supposed to test over 180 for borates? Where do they come from because I haven't added any to my pool that I know of.. I have tested my tap water when I first set up my pool to see how much salt content was in it so I wouldn't over salt my pool but I'm thinking now of finding out what all else is in my tap water that could be effecting my pool. Is that a crazy idea?
You really, really need to read the links previously posted!! You have to commit fully to the process for the TFP way to work. (SLAM) If you don't keep your chlorine level (based on your CYA level) up at SLAM level, the algae won't be completely eradicated.
What test kit are you using? You stated that a different test kit was just purchased. Very important to know. Without a recommended quality test kit, the TFP method can not be followed.
My friend, who I tested the CYA @ 140 ppm, used a diluted 50%/50% sample. She could not believe the level was that high, as the pool store never mentioned this could be a potential problem.
So to prove to her how accurate the TF-100 test kit is, I sent her to the pool store. She went in with 2 bottles. The first bottle of the 50/50 mix registered at 80 ppm, the second bottle with all pool water registered at 40. How funny. I did not know city water companies now add CYA (LOL)
They tried it again and it registered at 100. The ironic part is that the employee stared at my friend today like she had "2 heads" with the diluted mix and could not understand why.
My friend is currently draining and filling, trying to clear the pool up. It all starts with the accurate testing before the pool can be cleared up. Please keep us posted.
My friend, who I tested the CYA @ 140 ppm, used a diluted 50%/50% sample. She could not believe the level was that high, as the pool store never mentioned this could be a potential problem.
So to prove to her how accurate the TF-100 test kit is, I sent her to the pool store. She went in with 2 bottles. The first bottle of the 50/50 mix registered at 80 ppm, the second bottle with all pool water registered at 40. How funny. I did not know city water companies now add CYA (LOL)
They tried it again and it registered at 100. The ironic part is that the employee stared at my friend today like she had "2 heads" with the diluted mix and could not understand why.
My friend is currently draining and filling, trying to clear the pool up. It all starts with the accurate testing before the pool can be cleared up. Please keep us posted.
DaninFLA
0
Thank you all so much! I ran to town and picked up a different test kit and results are as follows: FC 4, TC 4-5, CC 0.2, PH 7.6-7.8, CH 200, AL 150, CYA 20, SALT 2240. When I got home my pool color was white milky. I read the info above and realized once again the pool store is not correct. For my pool once or twice a month I would use 1# of 67% calcium hypochlorite to shock the pool and the pool store had told me to slam my pool just double the amount used. Meaning each application would be 2# I stead of one. So in a 4 day time span that kind of slamming was adding 2#s a day for 4 days to equal 8#s total. No all my testers topped out at 5 so I had no way of knowing just how high the chlorine levels were. I've been testing morning at 8:00am and evening at 6:30pm these are the only times my pool is completely shaded so those were the times I test before the sun started taking my chlorine and after it finished taking it for the day. I treat the pool at the evening time so everything will be more efficient and I still run the swg at night on an 12 hr cycle. When my TC falls to 3 I reapply the double shock. I realize now that everything the pool store told me when I bought the swg on June 3rd was totally wrong! I've always had chlorine pools and have never had problems and never had algae before but I thought this swg would be different and I might would need someone knowing to help me this year.... Boy was that wrong thinking. Since the pool is white milky I'm gonna guess the algae is dead and what ever the filter doesn't grab tonight or tomorrow will need to be vaccumed to waste. I found the attachment to attach the hose to one of my two filter hoses and I'll cap off the other for the vaccum time. I have shut offs on both filter hoses as well as the return hose just for reasons like this. My question regarding how to hook up the vaccum was mainly how to turn my canister pump into a waste. Remove the filter and shut off the return and run the return hose along the ground and attach the back flow collapsible hose would work in theory so I'll try that. Thank you all for all the help and the bottle of algaecide is now in the trash and I have 8 new gal of bleach to start me off if the cloud doesn't clear more by the morning! I'll keep you posted
so I read through that long post
and what I get from it is that you are not interested in the TFP method and not willing to purchase one of the recommended test kits. im not trying to be rude, but you aren't "getting" it. you came here because of years of misinformation from the pool store and you have a pool with algae outbreak. the solution is the SLAM process, not shocking as people have told you already. if your pool is not crystal clear, then you have algae, simple as that. you probably have sky high CYA levels based on how you have been treating your pool. your test kit and/or the pool store cant test this accurate. if you are willing to listen to us, then let us know but first buy one of the recommended test kits.you have spent a ton of money on unnecessary chemicals, multiple ineffective test kits, including another one yesterday it sounds like. you can keep throwing $10-20 down the drain every couple of days, or you can listen to us, spend $65 for a test kit and fix your pool once and for all. or you can keep following the pool store methods that got you to where you are.
Dan,
I wouldn't give up hope on him/her just yet....I didn't get from their post that they aren't interested in TFP. In fact, from the last sentence "Thank you all for all the help and the bottle of algaecide is now in the trash and I have 8 new gal of bleach to start me off if the cloud doesn't clear more by the morning! I'll keep you posted
" I have some hope yet for them. Yes, they are repeating some mistakes of not getting the right test kit, but when you've been maintaining a pool a certain way for 7 years (their original post) some habits are hard to break. It sounds like they are struggling with information overload, and so patience is key here. Also, I think very succinct instructions and reinforcement is necessary. To that end, Tgarcia, please understand:
1) The test kit, either the TFT-100 or the Taylor K-2006 are the ONLY test kits that will allow you to maintain your pool trouble free. The primary reason is the DPD chlorine test, which is the only method for testing FC above levels of 10. It also has the most accurate means of CYA testing which is also of great importance. It is the relationship of CYA level to FC level that is the primary focus of the SLAM methodology and the TFP way of keeping your pool clear and sanitized. So, without knowing ACCURATELY what your CYA is (you've already seen you've gotten many different results) it's very difficult if not impossible for us to advise you correctly.
2) Once you have an accurate kit, you will initially be concerned with FC, CC, CYA and pH. The other numbers can come later. Your first step will be to adjust your pH to 7.2. Most peoples pH are high, so it almost always requires adding some Muratic acid to bring your pH down to 7.2.
3) Next you will measure your CYA. Once you know this #, you can look at the CYA/FC chart and know exactly what your FC target for SLAM should be. If we assume your CYA is 30, for example, then FC MUST be kept at 12 or above at ALL times. This means testing every 2 to 4 hours the first couple of days and adding bleach to keep the FC above 12 at ALL TIMES! It doesn't mean pouring bleach in and walking away and expect that to clear your pool. Now you also see why the DPD test is important because during SLAM, the FC will always be at some level above 10.
4) You continue to keep your FC at SLAM level or above for DAYS. Not for a few hours. It took days if not weeks for your pool to get the way it is. It's not going to clear in one day. But once you complete this process you will never need to SLAM or SHOCK again if you follow the TFP methods.
5) Once your pool is clear, you perform an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test (OCLT). You will raise your FC to SLAM level after dark, test and record the #. In the morning you will test again. The goal is for the number not to decrease by more than 1. You will also test for CC which should be .5 or 0. Once those two tests pass and your pool is crystal clear, you are done with SLAM, and you let your FC drop to normal levels.
6) Now you maintain your pool at the target FC level. Again, this is dependent upon the CYA/FC relationship. You test once daily, use pool math to know how much bleach to add for your FC and keep it there. You also test your pH and keep it in the 7.2 to 7.8 range, usually adding muratic acid once a week or so.
That's pretty much it in a nutshell, but it starts and ends with being able to accurately measure your pool levels. Strips and Pool Store tests simply don't cut it.
I wouldn't give up hope on him/her just yet....I didn't get from their post that they aren't interested in TFP. In fact, from the last sentence "Thank you all for all the help and the bottle of algaecide is now in the trash and I have 8 new gal of bleach to start me off if the cloud doesn't clear more by the morning! I'll keep you posted
" I have some hope yet for them. Yes, they are repeating some mistakes of not getting the right test kit, but when you've been maintaining a pool a certain way for 7 years (their original post) some habits are hard to break. It sounds like they are struggling with information overload, and so patience is key here. Also, I think very succinct instructions and reinforcement is necessary. To that end, Tgarcia, please understand:1) The test kit, either the TFT-100 or the Taylor K-2006 are the ONLY test kits that will allow you to maintain your pool trouble free. The primary reason is the DPD chlorine test, which is the only method for testing FC above levels of 10. It also has the most accurate means of CYA testing which is also of great importance. It is the relationship of CYA level to FC level that is the primary focus of the SLAM methodology and the TFP way of keeping your pool clear and sanitized. So, without knowing ACCURATELY what your CYA is (you've already seen you've gotten many different results) it's very difficult if not impossible for us to advise you correctly.
2) Once you have an accurate kit, you will initially be concerned with FC, CC, CYA and pH. The other numbers can come later. Your first step will be to adjust your pH to 7.2. Most peoples pH are high, so it almost always requires adding some Muratic acid to bring your pH down to 7.2.
3) Next you will measure your CYA. Once you know this #, you can look at the CYA/FC chart and know exactly what your FC target for SLAM should be. If we assume your CYA is 30, for example, then FC MUST be kept at 12 or above at ALL times. This means testing every 2 to 4 hours the first couple of days and adding bleach to keep the FC above 12 at ALL TIMES! It doesn't mean pouring bleach in and walking away and expect that to clear your pool. Now you also see why the DPD test is important because during SLAM, the FC will always be at some level above 10.
4) You continue to keep your FC at SLAM level or above for DAYS. Not for a few hours. It took days if not weeks for your pool to get the way it is. It's not going to clear in one day. But once you complete this process you will never need to SLAM or SHOCK again if you follow the TFP methods.
5) Once your pool is clear, you perform an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test (OCLT). You will raise your FC to SLAM level after dark, test and record the #. In the morning you will test again. The goal is for the number not to decrease by more than 1. You will also test for CC which should be .5 or 0. Once those two tests pass and your pool is crystal clear, you are done with SLAM, and you let your FC drop to normal levels.
6) Now you maintain your pool at the target FC level. Again, this is dependent upon the CYA/FC relationship. You test once daily, use pool math to know how much bleach to add for your FC and keep it there. You also test your pH and keep it in the 7.2 to 7.8 range, usually adding muratic acid once a week or so.
That's pretty much it in a nutshell, but it starts and ends with being able to accurately measure your pool levels. Strips and Pool Store tests simply don't cut it.
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