In middle of SLAM and questions

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Aquamar555

Active member
Jun 12, 2016
43
Augusta, GA
Pool Size
21000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Hi All.
I love this forum, my pool has never looked this good in the 3 weeks I've owned it. I started a SLAM last night because our pool was not holding chlorine overnight and we had purchased it with green algae (not terrible). The levels prior to the SLAM were fine: pH 7.4, CYA 40, TA 80. The first few nights after getting the fancy test kit, it failed the overnight test.

So... added enough bleach (121oz jugs of 8.25% chlorine) to raise FC to 17 prior to bed last night.
Overnight, FC dropped to 7.5, the CC 1.5 at 6am prior to sun; added more bleach (2.5 jugs that were 121oz),
Checked at 9:30am, FC was at 13.5, CC 0.5; added another jug
Checked at 12:30am, FC 13.5 again, CC were at 0; added another jug
Checked at 4:30pm, FC 13 AGAIN, CC were at 0; added another jug

I am following the pool math with how much chlorine to add via bleach, but the FC keeps dropping quickly. I know my goal is to get to and stay at 17. How do I estimate how much more bleach to add? Unfortunately, I can't sit here and test every hour; I'll aim to test again at 5:30pm and then re-adjust, but I'm worried I didn't stay at 17ppm.... I guess the overnight test will tell me if it is good to go? Thoughts?

Also, how much FC loss should I be expecting every day? The pool is in full sun (although today was cloudy), so I'm trying to anticipate where to keep my FC level at in the AM before work so that it can stay at the right level...





Thank you!:smile:
 
We have similar sized pools but I get very little sun and still use almost 1 gallon of 12.5% per day. This can be cut in half if the pool is covered. With you being down south and getting full sun, sounds like it may be 2 gallons of your bleach per day. You will know after you pass the overnight loss test.
 
It sounds like your doing a great job with the SLAM. Unfortunately a SLAM is usually at least a few days.

Its also hard to tell what type of a drop is normal -especially if the weather starts to warm up and the UV rays will have an impact on your FC. For a healthy pool (not in SLAM mode) is usually about 2-3ppm a day but could be a little higher on really hot days.

Just keep testing and maintaining as much as you can, you'll get the feeling when your FC starts to hold.
 
Ok, thank you, it seems like forever to get it to that point! Others are telling me I'm crazy because the pool 'looks' good, and there is no visible algae. This AM at 6am the FC dropped from 17 (at 9pm) to 11.5.

Are there are other reasons why I can't get the pool to retain FC after tons of bleach? E.g. is my sand in my filter so gross and nasty that there are organics that are eating my chlorine there? Backwashing doesnt show anything green or gross. E.g. would nitrates cause this?
 
No your doing everything right- but have you checked the places where algae likes to hide- particular culprits are behind light niches, ladders, skimmer boxes and weir doors, return jet casings- pretty much anything that can be screwed off or unclipped. Just scrub behind these areas even if there doesn't appear to be anything. No visible algae doesn't necessarily mean no algae. Make sure your doing everything else like brushing at least once a day and running the pump 24/7.

You only need to backwash when your PSI goes up by 25% from your clean PSI

Your testing is indicating that there is organics munching away at your FC levels and that you need to maintain the SLAM just like you've been doing- regular testing and topping up. It's pretty simple there are only 2 things that consume chlorine- organics and sunlight.

BTW your pool will look even better when you've finished SLAMming it.
 
Ok, so i cleaned EVERYTHING, did find some algae lurking around light fixture and corner of skimmer. Back washed, added more bleach. Last night was at 17 FC with 0 CC before bed at 1030p. We haven't had CC for 2 days, this is day 3 of SLAM but FC keeps falling at night to regularly 13. Tested at 530am and it had dropped AGAIN overnight.

something is not right. seriously, this is taking forever, and i vacuum, no leaves, brush, got the last little hideouts, test every 2-3 hours and add more, more often if possible. No leaves, nothing dead, empty pump filter of leaves....

is the anything else I can do? I am probably on bottle 14 of bleach...

Other levels remain good...I know PH is wonky at high levels of chlorine, but my other readings are PH 7.4, CYA 42, TA 80

Have to go to work and won't be able to do anything until late.... :( grr. I'm feeling the need for a pool store tablet!...
 
The TFP method requires a bit of patience. You don't want to end your SLAM before the criteria is met. The more often you can keep your SLAM target the better. If you have someone that can add the average of what you've needed during the day, it will help. (Better yet, teach them how to test.) verify your CYA was correctly done. If you didn't do it in sunlight, back to sun, vial held waist high, it can affect the reading. If you SLAM at a lower CYA than you really have, it isn't effective.
 
Thank you PAGirl for the encouragement to keep dumping in the bleach (per PoolMath!). Yesterday I taught my husband what to do and he was able to stay on it. The pool didn't lose as much FC as the day before.

I have tested the CYA twice, because the gradations on the tube are not precise, I had estimated slightly above 40, and guessed it was 42... it would be nice to have the xact gradations but not possible. I think that we are correct in our CYA estimate.

Unfortunately, the pool failed the test again last night... went from 17 to 14. This is after checking every nook and crany of the pool, the baskets, everything> The pool looks great and is sparkling! There isn't anything there!

I don't think we are going to keep going. This is day 4...
 
I know it's hard to keep going and everything looks fine etc- but your testing indicates that you still have organics consuming your FC. If you stop now the algae will get back on top and you will be back where you started- then you'll be even more annoyed.

It took me 4 days to SLAM my pool the last time I let my FC drop too far and I had a clear pool although there was an obvious FC consumption- your actually probably not that far away. Keep the faith.
 
Ok, so we have kept going, this is day 5 of the SLAM, glad others have said it takes up to 2 weeks! I was thinking this was going to be a 2 day thing since I started with a clear pool that had a green tinge.

We thought we were done when we lost less FC yesterday during the day but FC dipped last night from 17 to 13 this AM. My husband took off work and stayed on it every 2-3 hours and we are adding less and less bleach. Big dip between 3 and 6pm (lost 4ppm), added a jug of 8.25% 121oz bleach at 6pm. The last 2 readings (7 and 9pm) have not demonstrated more than a 1ppm drop. It is currently at the slam level of FC 17ppm.

Question is--should we 'top off' the bleach and up it now before bed and then test in an hour, just to try to keep it up above the slam level overnight? Or just let it go and see if it loses FC overnight. We REALLY REALLY want it to pass this overnight test. Any words of advice? Special chants? Loving words to say over the pool? :) ha ha. This has to be it. Patience is not my strong suit, my 8 year old's disappointment every morning is killing me.... for a kid moving to a new house and new state, not being able to use the pool was something I didn't prepare her for!
 

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Didn't pass overnight test. Something is wrong. Pool is clear, has been clear for days. Have had no CC. rechecked CYA. 43. People who write about starting their slam from green sludge seem to take this long, but our pool was not green sludge. It had a tinge of green. It is on day 6.
 
How much did you lose overnight? How are you getting a CYA of 43?

If the pool is clear, you can swim up to SLAM levels, no need to keep your daughter out of the pool. :swim:
 
"How much did you lose overnight?"... it typically goes from FC of 17 to 13 or 14 each night (10pm till 6am).

"How are you getting a CYA of 43?" I have the kit and do it myself in the shade... Shake up the 7ml of chemical with my 7ml pool water for 30 seconds, squeeze it into the tube with the dot on it. I stare at it from the top and when I can't see it, I stop. I had the pool company test it and they said it was lower (like 27). I don't know if I believe them! But, I have no more testing solution, so...

Scrubbed the baskets (they have brown stains, nothing I can scrape off with my nails), scrubbed inside the skimmer, scrubbed the edges around the steps, scrubbed the thermometer! Scrubbed as far as I could reach inside the vacuum pump return. Even got a new vacuum, new scooper thing, thinking that those were putting back in residual algae each time I scooped or vacuumed.

Is it time to consider getting a sand change in the filter? Could that be so gunky that it is taking this long?

Thank you for letting me know it is safe to swim in. I thought the chlorine levels were too high (17).
 
No need to change it, a deep clean is effective. I just did mine the other day. Though the filter doesn't usally cause FC loss. A deep clean tends to help clear up the last bit of cloudiness if you are "stuck" at the end of a SLAM with the clarity part. Sounds like you covered the scrubbing part well.
When you mention the shade, are you completely in the shade, or in sunlight, back toward the sun? (Back to sun is the way the instruction say.)
 
Hm, it was early AM when I checked CYA, so no sun up creating shadows-- it was shady early morning light yesterday at 6 something AM. But, like I said, I'm now out of the testing solution for CYA test, so its going to have to wait till I can get replacement solution. And, I'm out of time for the SLAM. Leaving for a conference in boston in 2 hours, hubby not able to continue this. Failed the overnight test again, day 7, this is going down in the books as a massive FAIL. :( Thank you to those who posted! I am not sure what else I should have done differently....
 
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