Slamming last 10 days. Still have this showing up in pool

[McKinney]

Hello!,

First time poster, 2 month lurker, trying to learn first and ask questions later. Actually let me take a minute and say thank you. You guys are invaluable and I will continue to read and learn, but you guys have really made this process manageable and your super kind. Since I am a newbie at this I really do appreciate the methodical approach to the problems pools present. So thanks!

As a side question, can you tell me if this is a fiberglass pool or vinyl?

Now I have some questions. I have been SLAMing our pool for about 10 days now. I have a TF-100 test kit and have been measuring the FC and CC. I have also been sweeping the pool x2 a day on work days and multiple times over the weekend days. OFC results have been between 1 and 4 loss. At this point I have the clearest water that we have ever had (owned the house for 3 months now) but I am getting this stuff in the pool. I was wondering if you could take a look and let me know.

My cya is between 40 and 50. I have been slamming at the lvl 50 for reference on the chart, 20 FC is where I have held most days. When we are talking about FC levels is that in parts per million? Not having units is driving me nuts.

Since I have been slamming I have not measured the other pieces as I have read they just are trusted with such high FC. Last night I had an OFC of 3.

Here are your pictures:
View attachment 42272View attachment 42273View attachment 42274

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[pabeader]

First thing WELCOME to TFPC!! We are so glad you are here. Beautiful pool and deck area!!

Glad to hear that you are reading, understanding and and have a good test kit.

I have two questions: Where is Huntersville? It might make a difference... , And while you've been SLAMming how often have you been testing and adding to get back up to SLAM level?

BTW: Almost everything you do here will be in ppm. The only thing that isn't is phosphates which are in ppb. But they don't matter so not to worry.

 

[Pool Tool]

Welcome!! Yup, parts per million (PPM) is the unit. And that certainly looks like a fiberglass pool to me.

It looks like algae and that seems confirmed by your OCLT results. I have seen similar pictures and folks have said that it looks to be dead algae that drops out of the water at low circulation points.

Have you removed your ladder and pulled the light(s) out of the niches? You might just have a spot or two of algae is holding on - ladders can hold a ton of algae as well as the light niche. I would pull the ladder out and remove the rubber bumpers on the bottom of the legs and drain all the water out followed by a spray down with bleach. Then take the light out and use a scrub brush or something to clean it out.

You attack seems sounds and you are very near killing the last remnant of algae. Good job.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Kind of an odd shape for it to be vinyl. That looks like a plaster pool to me, although could be fiberglass.

 

[McKinney]

Hey thanks for the replies!
Huntersville North Carolina is where we are. I have been adding nightly on work days and throughout the day on weekdays. I have been adding about 4 ppm in the morning before work and adding enough to get back to 20 ppm at night after we swim. I have not taken out the light or the ladder. Don't really know how, but I'll go youtube that now!

I have a feeling its algae that has come out of solution if you will. I'll get some sweeping intoday and keep watch on the chlorine better the rest of today and tomorrow. I thought I had passed on Wed night when I only lost 1ppm over night, but the next afternoon I was down 5 ppm and I still had stuff showing up on the pool floor.

Thanks for all the help!

Edit: looks like ladder is cemented in. Will have a go at the light now.

 

[pooldv]

Check the underside of the ladder rungs for slime, that is a common hiding place. You location will show on every post if you update your location by clicking SETTINGS upper right and EDIT PROFILE lower left then add NC to your location and save it at the bottom.

 

[Cain]

following your thread, this is what I am seeing too so looking forward to hearing what you find to get the rest gone that appears to have settled on the bottom. Especially if you remove the ladder assembly.

Oh, I noticed in another thread with a similar issue as yours someone mentioned that it may be yellow algae that it looks green relative to the floor?

Here is the link:

Found Algae today all over the bottom - Need advice

very nice pool, lived in NC myself in Fayetteville, due miss the trees time to time

 

[domct203]

Welcome to the forum.

Have you you tried to vacuum that to waste? The less algae to consume FC the better.

That is a very nice pool, and the water is glass clear! Hang in there, you've got that algae on the run!!

Dom

 

[McKinney]

Just wanted to post back and say that we found a build up of something in the light hole, I swept that clean, and there was a lot, like a bunch of dead algae all piled up behind the light. I also scrubbed the ladder and held the 20 ppm FC. Thanks again for all your help, pool looks fantastic. I met the requirements of ending SLAM this morning.

Now I will let the pool drift back to 6 ppm and then keep it there. Adding bleach as we go!

Now to start reading on how to take care of a hot tub...

2 quick questions. CYA is not naturally removed from the water correct? I am going to return to a 12 hour pump cycle, do I want to run the pump in the day, at night, 3pm to 3am? Thanks!

 

[Texas Splash]

finding that algae behind the light. Very common troublesome spot. Correct - CYA does not naturally get removed form the water. There are a couple scenarios where the CYA may lower over time - most notably over the winter if FC is not managed properly, but for the most part, once it's in, consider it in until you do a water exchange. As for when to run your pump .. that is totally up to you based on your schedule, water surface debris in your area, and perhaps some other local factors. This page may help: Pool School - Determine Pump Run Time.

 

[Donldson]

CYA is not naturally removed from the water correct?

CYA is sloooooowly broken down by chlorine and there is the normal loss from splashout and backwashing, so if you are not using a stabilized chlorine product then it will drop over time. For those with a sand filter using exclusively liquid chlorine a loss of about 5 ppm a month is not unusual.

 

[McKinney]

Donldson,

Thanks for that information, due to rain, evaporation and all that comes with playing in the pool I have seen very little reduction of the CYA. I would like to get down to 40 but I will let nature take its course then and watch a slow drift. Thanks for that information.