Need to SLAM but ...

[Karifoy]

I need to SLAM my friends pool to get rid of algae (CYA had climbed too high due to tablet use), but the hardness is also very low. Should I adjust hardness first, or go ahead and SLAM?

 

[singingpond]

Can you post a full set of test results, and describe the pool, please?

 

[robertmee]

What kind of pool and how old? If it's vinyl, CH isn't a concern. If it's a new plaster pool, then maybe low CH is a concern but I'd still go ahead and SLAM first. Get the water clear and then worry about the other chemistry.

 

[Patrick_B]

Welcome to the forum!

Good questions posted above and we can help you better with that info. Your pool may or may not need it, but hardness is irrelevant to SLAM, as it has no bearing on that. If your Cya is high, it really should be lowered before you commence, so adjusting the hardness even if needed would be fruitless until that is done.

Do you have a proper test kit for SLAM?

 

[Karifoy]

Just wanted to apologize for the lack of info...I know better than that. Was just in a hurry. As it turns out, CH was not as low as I thought (must've been some erroneous test results) - it was at 180, so I proceeded to SLAM and will adjust later if needed. BTW, here is what I was working with (after he had replaced half of his water in his 30,000 gallon concrete pool):

FC/CC = 0
CYA= 50
alkalinity = 140
pH = 7.6
CH = 180

He ordered a Taylor 2006 and a bunch of 10% bleach, and we took care of it this weekend. As always, thanks for the guidance!

 

[Texas Splash]

If you already started your SLAM, then adjust the FC to 20 and keep it there. If you have not started, then lower pH to 7.2 first, then start the SLAM.

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Keep the FC at 20 until all 3 SLAM criteria are passed. Good luck!

 

[Karifoy]

We did just that this weekend and it went great! The fun part comes when his pool guy shows up Tuesday and he sends him on his way. I won't even tell you what this guy was getting paid to grow algae!

 

[Texas Splash]

 

[Alex_H]

I've been attempting to accomplish what a SLAM should without a text kit and lots of bleach. Whatever chemistry problems with the pool you have, you can fix over time. A pool filled with algae helps nothing.

Worrying about CH when you have an algae bloom is like worrying about the drape colors on the Titanic.

 

[DaninFLA]

good deal, glad you have a friend that is open to a new way of handling his pool. hopefully he sticks with the TFP method. would have loved to have seen the look on the pool guy's face when he fired him, and if he told him he was going to just use bleach the guy probably rolled his eyes and told him he was an idiot

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I've been attempting to accomplish what a SLAM should without a text kit and lots of bleach. Whatever chemistry problems with the pool you have, you can fix over time. A pool filled with algae helps nothing.

Worrying about CH when you have an algae bloom is like worrying about the drape colors on the Titanic.

good luck with that, but you should buy the test kit and do it correctly. how on earth are you going to know you are finished 100%? and please don't say the pool store testing.

 

[Alex_H]

good deal, glad you have a friend that is open to a new way of handling his pool. hopefully he sticks with the TFP method. would have loved to have seen the look on the pool guy's face when he fired him, and if he told him he was going to just use bleach the guy probably rolled his eyes and told him he was an idiot

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good luck with that, but you should buy the test kit and do it correctly. how on earth are you going to know you are finished 100%? and please don't say the pool store testing.

I won't. I won't know until I have a test kit. But I no longer have an algae bloom, so I know I'm closer.