Beginning Slam

[excalgirl]

Morning all,
I got my CYA level down to 30 and received my TF test kit. I've owned the pool for 6 weeks and am trying to get control of it on a daily basis. This is an older pool and a lot of the plaster is discolored. When I moved in the walls were a drab olive green/ gray color with huge mottled black spots. The bottom is blue with cream colored stains and what appears to be rust stains along with black algae (the spots will not come up the a fingernail scrapping. I have found that behind a very soft plaster is green/ black algae on some parts of the wall.
So........
I started my slam this morning.
Here are the numbers
CYA 30
FC16 Slam amount states 10
cc .50
PH 7.5
CH 275
TA 130
I will check FC at 12pm and again @ 4pm
I'll keep the pump running (My electric co loves me!)
I'll brush the pool again @ 4pm.
I know the slam is not done until I can hold the FC overnight by 1pmm and have a cc of .50
But......
Am I scrubbing until there is no discoloration on the plaster? The walls would be a nightmare as that drab color is about 2 feet wide all around the pool.
The black spots that have appeared since I've been here should disappear with scrubbing?
Is it going to hurt if I keep the FC level at 16 as opposed to 10?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks in Advance

 

[DaninFLA]

congrats on taking over your pool! hard to know what the discoloration is on the plaster, if its algae it will be scrub off. i would aim to brush your pool twice a day for the first few days of the SLAM. the more you brush the better! the black spots are most likely algae and will be eliminated by the SLAM process. do not neglect scrubbing while doing the SLAM. algae can develop a film on it that protects it from the chlorine, so scrubbing it is key to killing it.

your FC being a bit high is not really a big deal with plaster pool, but just a bit wasteful. for the first couple of days while your FC is being consumed quickly, i usually suggest to go over the SLAM value a little bit anyway, it gives you some buffer and maximizes the time that your FC is at or above the SLAM number.

also, no need to test for anything other than FC and CC during the SLAM. save your reagents.

 

[excalgirl]

Thank you Danin,
Brushing being my least favorite job I knew I was going to have to do it more than once a day! I'll plan on 3 to 4 times per day and take the wire brush to it.

 

[excalgirl]

plus.google.com/u/0/103933792741296344072/posts/jFWkxu214xZ?pid=6185430933578280866&oid=103933792741296344072

 

[excalgirl]

Trying to figure out attaching a photo and not having much luck. This is what is happening all over the pool. Algae behind the plaster that is going soft. Wondering if I should be continuing the slam or call in a pool refinisher.
plus.google.com/u/0/103933792741296344072/posts/cptEahMZvts?pid=6185568875645174674&oid=103933792741296344072

 

[DaninFLA]

picture isn't showing up, is plaster coming off the pool?? if its flaking off badly sounds like it is time to be refinished. do you have a photobucket account?

 

[excalgirl]

Dan,
I can't figure out how to get the photos from Google to not show up black. It gives you about a second to see it then nothingness.
Anyway, Flaking isn't even close, chunks are peeling up with bright green algae behind it. I pried up more with a screw driver to see if there was algae behind parts that didn't want to come up and there was. Options?
I knew I was going to have to resurface but thought it might wait at least til winter. Is it still safe to swim in if I keep chlorine at regular levels? I have been in everyday with no warts or toads growing on me, so I'm wondering if I can finish out the summer.

 

[Texas Splash]

Have you tried linking your photos from Photobucket? That's what many of us do here on TFP. Upload your pics to Photobucket (free), then copy & paste the IMG code for that pic from Photobucket to your TFP post. Works great.

 

[excalgirl]

Dropbox - pool.jpg

Hopefully this will work....... One spot of many...... bright bright green

 

[Texas Splash]

I didn't embed in the post, but the link did take me to the pic.