SLAM and cloudy water

[dcall717]

Last week I started the SLAM process as my pool was green upon returning from vacation. I'm making notable progress and seeing clearer water every day. This entire season I have been fighting a clarity issue. I was not able to get the water clear, its been cloudy since I opened. I think my winter cover leaked as I was pulling up large amounts of leaves early on in the season. My question is, could the cloudy water be due to algae and should I keep SLAMming until I get clear water before doing the OCLT test? What test results should I post here to help answer that question. I'm not sure what tests are reliable during the SLAM process.

Thanks,

Daron

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Well, you're off to a good start fixing this problem since you list a TF-100 test kit. Please run a full set of tests -

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA

Describe how you have been sanitizing your pool, and tell us everything you have put in there (yes, EVERYTHING) so we can try to help... ok?
Yip

 

[Piolin]

The only test not reliable during slam is pH

 

[dcall717]

Thanks,

I ran a complete set of tests just now

FC - 7 (I've been measuring multiple times a day since Wednesday evening and adjusting back to 12 each time)
CC- .5
pH - 7.2 (I was at 7.8 before the SLAM and adjusted down to 7.2 based on pool math, but I never verified after starting to SLAM since I did both the same day)
TA - 60
CH - 375
CYA - 30

I honestly don't remember everything I put in this year, which is why I was so glad when I found this site. When I opened the pool it was very cloudy. I used a lot of powdered shock. I don't know what the concentration of it was. I also had to raise the pH which I did with Soda Ash. I also put in some Lislie's Ultra Bright, pool perfect PhosFree. The pool looked like it was clearing up, but it could have been us just wishing, and then we went away for 4 days and came back to a green pool. I had the timer for the pump set to run for 5 hours during the day and 2 over night. When we got home the pool store (I know) gave us some algaecide powder and told us to brush the walls and shock. (They said dry or liquid didn't make a difference so since I had dry I used that). After 3 days with no noticeable difference I got a gallon of algaecide from Namco and added that with more shock). Then I started looking online and found this site. I ordered the TF-100 kit and took a set of measurements. pH was 7.8 so I added pH Down because I couldn't find muriatic acid and I wanted to start the process and started SLAMing. That was Wednesday evening. I've had the pump going 24hrs, testing every few hours, keeping the FC at 12. Now the green is gone, I am still seeing the FC drop, more during the day than overnight and I can almost see the vacuum and brush on the bottom.

This is only my first full season with the pool, we purchased the house in the middle of the summer so the pool was already going. I just continued to use the tabs in the float and didn't have a problem. This year I started with powered shock, but after reading all of the information on this site, switched to liquid for the SLAM. I'm planning on continuing to manually chlorinate, either with the tabs or bleach and looking into a SWG for the future.

 

[Piolin]

Leave the pH at 7.2 and maintain the FC at 12, using bleach only, brush every time you can

Starting day 5/25/2015 INTEX AGP 24'x12'x54" 8,400 gal, with salt and borax, INTEX 3,000 GPH pump with 16"sand filter, WM Hayward Skimmer, Intex SWG CG-28669, 1 1/2" hard plumbed PVC, Lil' Shark Vacuum With Leaf Canister, TF100 test kit, speed stir, K-1766 Taylor salt test

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Ok...that's some list of ingredients in that pool soup, huh? Did you perform the CYA test outside in the sun, with the sun to your back and the tube held waist high? Your number seems low for all the CYA containing potions you say you've put in there. If there is any question on accuracy please re-do this test tomorrow in the sun. If you've read it wrong you may not have been dosing your FC high enough for the SLAM.
SLAM Process
[FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]

Stop putting anything in there but bleach. And then more bleach. And do the test and re-up the FC almost hourly if you can.

Do your cartridges need cleaning out? How's your pressure running? Any change there?

For the record- algaecide does not kill algae, it just helps prevent it. Also no need to buy phosphate removers as the only thing you need is proper FC.

 

[dcall717]

Thanks for the help. I'll retest CYA again tomorrow. I did it outside but under the umbrella. I originally stopped closer to 40, but then I could still see the black dot a bit so I kept going and ended up just under the 30 line on the tube.

Since I started the process I have only put liquid shock at 12.5% in. When I first started I had to change the cartridges a few times each day as they were pretty covered. My normal pressure is 15 psi and I have been changing them when they get to 20. The last day or so I only had to change them once per day as I was approaching 20 psi.

 

[dcall717]

So we reran the CYA test outside and it was closer to 40 so we upped our FC level to 16 based on the chart. We are continuing to see clearer water, as now we can start to see bottom.

 

[pooldv]

Nice work!