SLAM is not going well

[myRice]

I recently purchased a home with a 21' round vinyl pool. I've been doing a lot of reading on the SLAM process as well as the ABC's of Pool Chemistry article. Before I started the SLAM, the water had a green tint that turned blue after the first 24 hours at shock levels. Since then, the water has very gradually become clearer, but the pool still consumes crazy amounts of chlorine. Using the Taylor K-2006 kit, I've determined the following:

FC - 2 - 16
CC - 4-5
PH - 7.5
CYA - 40

I have been checking and adding chlorine once in the morning, and once in the evening. Between the evening and the morning, the FC can drop from 16 down to 2, with no change in CC. This seems very significant based on my CYA level and is starting to get quite expensive as I pour gallon after gallon of chlorine into the pool every day. The water also seems to have stopped getting clearer these past couple days. While I can see down to the bottom, there is a noticeable white haze in the water.

Does anyone have any ideas for what I should check? Should I just keep at it and trust that it is working?

 

[tim5055]

Keep at it. But, you should really be testing and adjusting more then twice a day. While that is the minimum it makes the SLAM last a long time.

 

[Mr Bruce]

Agree with tim5055. I know life/work happens, but at a minimum it should be first thing in the morning, as soon as you get home, and then one more time before bed.

How long have you been at it?

I've got some really basic suggestions, just to be sure.

Brushing once everyday?
Pump/filter 24/7?
Backwash at 25% PSI rise?

 

[myRice]

Tim and Bruce, thanks for the input!

Truth be told, I haven't been as diligent with brushing the pool as I should have been.

This weekend, I really put in some effort to follow the SLAM instructions to the letter. I checked and added chlorine every 2-3 hours and vacuumed the pool really well a couple of times, making sure to get all the debris that I could each time.

I think this must have been the trick, because this morning I woke up and was delighted to find that my CC was 0 and the water was clearer than ever. I will try an OCLT tonight to see if I need to keep SLAMing, but it's definitely looking like we'll be able to start getting in the pool soon.

Thanks again for the advice and encouragement!

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

The more effort like testing and brushing you put into a SLAM the faster it's over. Good to see yours is finally clearing up