SLAM turned water green

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S

savgerl

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Jul 29, 2015
13
Atlanta, GA
We did the AA treatment a couple of weeks ago and had just gotten CL to hold and had a bit of rebalancing to do. The water and pool surface were both crystal clear. As it is warming up here, we are anxious to jump in soon. Each season pre-swim time, we SLAM the pool to kind of 'reset' things. Anyway, we hit the two week mark post-AA treatment and decided to SLAM. Guessing it was too soon? Nothing has resettled back to the pool surface but the water is a murky green ick color.

CL was 6.5 and CYA was 70 so the calculator said to add 6.6 jugs of 8.25% bleach to get to a CL of 28. I added the bleach and a few hours later my pool was green and my CL level was just over 50. I checked CL every two hours and my nightfall CL was down to 31.5 but the water was still green. This am the CL has held but I can't tell if water is green or not due to the angle of the sun.


Full numbers:
CL 31.5
FC 1.0
pH 7.6 (just a bit darker than 7.5)
TA 80
CH 500
CYA 70
Salt 3500-4500 (depending on which reading you believe - see prior post on salt test issues)
Borates 50
Temp 70-73

I also found out that Jack's Magic Purple Stuff was added earlier yesterday (16oz) as a weekly maintenance add after the AA treatment.

Thoughts on what's going on (CL should have been 28 but read 52 and the water turning green) and what I should do?

Thanks
 
Pictures will help us alot.
Did you remember to change the % strength in Pool Math? I've seen mine reset to default values unexpectedly.

Did you turn off the SWG?

Also, I notice you mention FC was 6.4 (25 mL sample) Multiply each drop by .2
Then you mention FC was 31.5 (10 mL sample) Multiply each drop by .5

Did you maybe do the wrong multiply when you got the 50? I know I've done that more times then I want to admit. :)
 
I was trying to upload pictures and failed but will try again.
Check - pool math % updated, SWG turned off
I ran the test 5 times b/c I was unclear as to how I'd get such a reading - ha. Even went down to the trash to verify all bottles of bleach were 8.25% and 121 ounces. Pre-SLAM FC was 6.5 (13 drops to clear using 10mL sample)
 
Clear and green. Looks like metals, probably copper, you said you are doing a AA right? Looks like maybe the sequestrant is not working enough. There are those with a little more metal troubleshooting experience and one of them should be along soon.
 
Yep, clearly metals. Water clear but green. By raising your CL metals were released from sequestration. Ask me how I know....lol. Did an AA treatment 2 weeks ago, been using Jacks. My Ph TA rose a tad and metals are coming back. It's a vicious cycle. It will help if you lower your PH. you may be able to treat it with more sequestrant.
 
Thanks for the help smforte and pabeader! So if I'm reading correctly and understanding some additional TFP stuff I've reread, even though I was holding CL at a good rate for normal operations after the AA treatment, SLAMing essentially negated the metal sequestrantion and all that iron is now floating in the water. So takeaway #1 SLAM before AA?? :eek:

From what I've read adding more Purple Stuff right now won't do any good bc the FC is too high for it to work. Is that right?

The green is down to a 'slight haze/tint' at this point so the CL dropping to SLAM level is helping. Are my next steps to continue along with my SLAM and add MA to drop pH down closer to 7.2 - I would be going by the calculator and knowing that I really can't get a measure on pH w/ the CL this high but wondering if that would help 'clear' the green. Then once FC is lower, reup the sequestrants?

Questions -
Does that seem like the right approach?
Any idea why I would have been getting a CL reading of 50+ yesterday? Does the CL releasing the iron/breaking sequestrants also release additional CL?
How long will the iron 'hang out' in the water before reattaching itself to the pool surface?
I'm also wondering if I shouldn't add the CL more slowly (ie, right now its calling for 2 jugs to get back to 28 - should I just run w/ one jug, check it in 30 min, then adjust as needed? Or am I overthinking?) I'm hesitant only bc of yesterday's reading getting up to 50+.
Any opinions on ProTeam's Dry Clarifier - I came across it when I was looking at Metal Magic and it says it can help filter out sequestered metals. I've read there is no such solution but thought I'd ask.

Thanks for all the help!
 
Any metal experts around tonight and have any advice?

I will say that the CL has dropped to 'normal' SLAM level and the water has almost completely cleared. Still in need of some help w/ my prior post. I've copied it here if that helps ...

The green is down to a 'slight haze/tint' at this point so the CL dropping to SLAM level is helping. Are my next steps to continue along with my SLAM and add MA to drop pH down closer to 7.2 - I would be going by the calculator and knowing that I really can't get a measure on pH w/ the CL this high but wondering if that would help 'clear' the green. Then once FC is lower, reup the sequestrants?

Questions -
Does that seem like the right approach?
Any idea why I would have been getting a CL reading of 50+ yesterday? Does the CL releasing the iron/breaking sequestrants also release additional CL?
How long will the iron 'hang out' in the water before reattaching itself to the pool surface?
Any opinions on ProTeam's Dry Clarifier - I came across it when I was looking at Metal Magic and it says it can help filter out sequestered metals. I've read there is no such solution but thought I'd ask.

Thanks in advance for helping!
 
I'm not sure where the experts are. Usually swampwoman will come in and help out with AA stuff...

Your approach sounds good to me.
Not sure about the FC reading. Usually, I just chalk it up to drop size but that seems too much for a simple size issue.
As long as you keep the pH and FC in the right ranges the metal will stay in solution. But all it takes is a little slip and it will deposit.
No opinions on the ProTeam stuff. Never used it. Sorry..
I've read the same thing about Metal Magic. I've even read that in some cases it actually does help filter the metal out but I wouldn't trust that.

Also, I've read that you can stuff paper towels in the skimmer basket and that will actually collect some of the metal that's in solution.
 

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I would not lower your PH without a reliable test first. Nothing I am aware of besides a testing error or dosing error could result in FC being higher than expected. I've seen people have luck filtering out iron using poly/fiber fill in their skimmer baskets.
 
Thanks for the help! I never thought of poly-fill, might have to try that or the paper towels.

The OCLT is holding but my CC has been 1.5 and this am is even 2.0 (both readings higher than when I started the SLAM). Water is looking good and no stains have resettled yet but guessing I need to keep the SLAM level up until the CC comes down. Scratching my head on why its going up and not down though.
 
Hi there.
Hold off on jacks til your FC has dropped and then apply per directions, eg, low FC, after you've also adjusted ph -- which also requires test at normal, under 10 FC.

What kind of filter do you have...sand? That and the poly fill will help get the tint out. Haven't tried proteam's dry clarifier. However, there is some solid science behind the idea of capturing, removing sequestered partices via calcium, via floc agents like polyacrylate (sp?) etc. Lots of variables and no definitive conformity of outcome among TFP crowd, and people often end up gumming up their filters etc. so the general edict on clarifiers and floccing agents is to avoid where possible or reserve for special circumstances to avoid reliance on floc instead of balanced water chemistry ;)

With that said, FerriTabs contain polyacrylate and according to this guy will clear tinted water : Ask the Pool Guy. (Note - NOT for DE filters!) I think you will get to where you need without, so I'm not actually "recommending" this course, just making you aware of products with similar methodology that if you were feeling experimental you could check out.

I've historically just let the filter do its thing over a matter of days...but I've also completely avoiding shocking to begin with, so haven't had to deal with the tint.

When your FC is back to normal (assuming you didn't actually NEED to slam), retreat with full "new" dose of Jacks...not just maintenance dose.

Generally if you have known metals avoid slam at all costs...it will oxidize the sequestered metal.

Re your high FC reading...any chance you accidentally left the swg running during slam? Just a thought ;)

Bright side: you've now oxidized some metal and ergo filter might actually get some of it out ;)
 
Great info! Thanks

The tint seems to be pretty much gone so as you said, the filter took care of it.

My big question now is the CC -- before the SLAM is was 0.5-1.0, since the slam its been 1.0-2.5. I'm thrown by it going up after adding CL and wondering how the SLAM will play out. The OCLT is holding for two nights in a row. I'm testing every 3-4 hours and adding CL as needed to keep the level at 28 but no movement in CC. Do I just stick with it and wait for CC to drop eventually?

I think I remember reading somewhere on here (I can't find it now) that AA treatments and the releasing of the iron from the surface can elevate CC readings. Is that a 'forever' thing? ie, since I have metals in the water, my CC will always register something? How do I know if its a metal CC or a Algae CC?

Sorry for so many questions. I appreciate the assistance!

Dana
 
No worries, Dana, metals introduce all manner of "what if."
High CCs not a forever thing IME. (Mine are zero.)

The unusual ccs typically reported here are when FC has done battle with something else...AA in the water is one, pool RV that sometimes gets in the water on opening is another. Or product with MPS ("non-chlorine shock") in them.

While this is not traditional advice, if you were only slamming as a preventative as opposed to cloudy water or visible algae, the waters crystal clear (except tint trace) and you're not losing FC overnight, in this case I'd consider calling the slam complete to start letting the FC drop. The risk is that if you did have nascent algae that the chlorine is working on, then you drop the FC to sequester, you could have a bloom...so its up to you.

You could also give it another few days to see if the cc will drop and hen you'd be pretty much covered either way ;)
 
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