To Slam or Not

[klovell]

I have been adding somewhere between 64 & 80 ounces of 8.25 bleach a day in my 15,000 gal pool. Its been over a 100 degrees lately here in Fort Worth, Tx. By night its back around 0-1. The pool is clear and shines, best I have seen it in a long time and there is not a lot swimming in it, maybe 1 or 2 people a week. Is this time to Slam it? Just drained 50% of it because of CYA was 150. It is not a SWG pool. Here are my numbers:
FC- 0
TC-0
CH-300
CYA-60
TA-120
PH-7.5

I am new at BBB, but have been reading on the forum for a while. Ordering a test kit tomorrow. I have a test kit from Leslies now, but want a better one. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

Kenny

 

[JohnT]

Welcome to TFP!

You are only adding 3-4ppm of chlorine a day, which may not be enough to overcome what you lose from the sun. Try an OCLT pool-school/overnight_fc_test to see if organics are consuming your chlorine.

 

[y_not]

I might add that It's often agreed upon that an OCLT can only and truly be done properly at shock levels.
Otherwise the CL loss is too minor at low levels to give a good indicator, or test with enough FAC as a buffer.

Ie. Say you're @ 7ppm FC, you do an OCLT and you loose 0.5ppm. OK, so you passed. But did you? That's a 7% loss.
So the next night you elevate the FC to shock level as if SLAMing, say 31ppm. Your OCLT shows a loss of 4ppm this time. That's 13%, or nearly double compared to the 1st OCLT.
You then see there's definitely a problem brewing, one you wouldn't have seen had you not gone up to the elevated shock levels.

BTW, you'll need your own test kit to do this test. See my Sig for info on the TF100, our top recommended test kit, as well as a comparison to other usable kits.
Toooootally buy a speed stir. You won't regret it!

 

[Butterfly]

Welcome to the forum

I suggest that you start the SLAM process. FC dropping to zero is enough reason to shock. Then add the fact that you are losing as much as 4 ppm daily w/ 60 CYA and w/little pool use.

Which test kit do you have/did you use for the test results posted?

The TF100 is the fav kit here and is the best bang for the buck. Also, awesome service.
Link in my sig.

Can you post a pic of the pool for us? :-D

 

[klovell]

I have started the slaming process this morning. I raised my FC to 24 as the chart says for a Cya of 60 to shock. Turned on pump and its running.
Question: Do I check it tonight? or raise it up again tomorrow? I don't see any algae and its clear as a bell. How to check when the FC on the tube only goes to 5ppm? I am ordering the TA100 today.
Thanks
Kenny

 

[DorsalSpine]

I have started the slaming process this morning. I raised my FC to 24 as the chart says for a Cya of 60 to shock. Turned on pump and its running.
Question: Do I check it tonight? or raise it up again tomorrow? I don't see any algae and its clear as a bell. How to check when the FC on the tube only goes to 5ppm? I am ordering the TA100 today.
Thanks
Kenny

You have the cart before the horse so to speak. You need the TA100 to monitor FC at high levels. Without it you can't really measure the change in FC and make adjustments. Reread the SLAM and OCLT in pool school for the details.

Having said that you can try to hold to the FC level high enough to benefit from what you have already started. The SLAM process wants you to check FC hourly. Morning, lunch and dinner work if you are not at home during the day.

You are loosing 4ppm per day from what you said. Adding enough to raise your FC 2ppm at lunch and again at night might let you hold your own. The problem is without a test kit we are guessing. If you don't add enough you are just spending money for little return.

If it was me I'd add enough to hold my own if my test kit was going to arrive soon. Otherwise, I'd wait for the test kit. As you said you water is clear.

 

[klovell]

Ok, I jumped the gun. I think I will just let it run and check it tomorrow morning to see if I can tell where I'm at until I receive my kit in a few days.

Thanks

 

[BoDarville]

I have been adding somewhere between 64 & 80 ounces of 8.25 bleach a day in my 15,000 gal pool. Its been over a 100 degrees lately here in Fort Worth, Tx.

I'm in the DFW area as well. As a frame of reference, I'm adding between 52-70 oz of 8.25% bleach daily over the past couple of weeks and that's in a 23,000 gallon pool with a CYA in the mid-30's. I suspect you have organics of some sort in your pool and are doing the right thing by SLAMming.

Having said that you can try to hold to the FC level high enough to benefit from what you have already started.

This is about the best you can do until the TF-100 arrives. When the TF-100 does arrive, focus testing on FC and CC only until the pool is cleared up. Whatever you do, do not test pH until FC drops below SLAM levels. pH testing is unreliable when FC is elevated to SLAM levels and you might be tempted to over-compensate.

 

[klovell]

I think I am going to add another 3 - 1.21 oz in tonight and see where it is after it comes down in a day or so. The pool is crystal clear, but I want to make sure that I get it slammed properly. Hopefully test kit will arrive by weekend.

 

[klovell]

So I am getting rain now from thunder storms moving through while I am doing my slam. What effect is that going to have? Do In need to start over again or continue to add more bleach tonight after the storm moves through and continue.

 

[jblizzle]

Rain typically has very little effect. Just follow the SLAM process.