Modified SLAM due to heavy travel schedule

[toofast]

Ok, so I will start by saying I know this is WRONG but I have no choice.

Due to my travel I am never home more than 2 days in a row.

I CHART by chems religiously and use the Stenner to keep my pool perfect.

UNTIL THIS YEAR - opened pool in cold, SLAMed it - perfectly clear and passed OCLT on second night....then been maintaining ever since.

HOWEVER, when I finally had a chance to breath - I've noticed I have been using MORE CHLORINE than normal and my levels have been spikey. I never fell below 3 FC for my CYA of 40, but I have higher than normal Chlorine demand. I thought I might have had bad bleach, etc...so tried switching that out. But to no avail....

Also, normally our pool is HEAVILY used....just for fun I'll note this.

Well, I come home from my trip yesterday and pool was not used all week due to wife taking son to visit her mom, etc. GUESS WHAT...pool is crystal clear as always - but I can see a tinge of green on a few of the steps and a walls. Nothing heavy, but nevertheless I need to SLAM.

NOW - after all that my question. (sorry - figured this background might help)

Water Last Night (didn't have spare bleach to start SLAM)

FC - 7
CC - .5
CYA - 40
pH - 7.6

This Morning

FC 4.5
CC - 0
CYA - 40 of course
pH 7.6

However - I am only home for TODAY - then I leave at 5 PM, back on Sunday - home Sunday night, then leave Tuesday, etc...you get the story.

Is doing a modified SLAM even worth it, or should I just try to maintain to prevent all out outbreak and then take a vacation to try and be home for 3-4-5 days to do SLAM the right way.

Modified SLAM meaning take up to 16 FC today....then let stenner inject heavy dose (will have to guess) - come back Sunday raise to 16, Monday keep at 16 then see if I pass OCLT on Monday night...or is that a waste and if I can't do it the right way I am just burning through Bleach for no reason.

Any more questions just ask and sorry if this is long winded...just trying to give all the facts.

 

[Casey]

Is there any way your wife can help you on this?

 

[toofast]

Is there any way your wife can help you on this?

Well that is part of the problem...without going into personal details...she refuses. I also live in the country, so no real neighbors close by that can help. So I am on my own with my Stenner and TFP as my only friend

 

[techguy]

I guess I would set the sterner to provide a higher level of FC for a couple days and do as much SLAM as you can today. Your travel slam may take longer but I would guess you could finish it when you get home.

 

[Casey]

I understand completely. My hubby refuses to do anything with the pool but he loves to swim in it. lol Can't have it all... lol

 

[toofast]

I guess I would set the sterner to provide a higher level of FC for a couple days and do as much SLAM as you can today. Your travel slam may take longer but I would guess you could finish it when you get home.

Ok, I will bring it up to 16 today...monitor...try to see if I can figure out loss...then increase Stenner run times to try and maintain a high level of Chlorine...worse case is that I will have a super high chlorine level.

 

[toofast]

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh - I just figured out what is going on.

I MUST HAVE AMMONIA - now the puzzle is clear.

TONS of snow/ice/rain over the winter, plus super deep freeze. I drained water out multiple times to combat overflow.

Started the zero with near 0 CYA - ended last year with 40

But since I passed SLAM test and Pool was Clear I never gave it a second though...brought CYA back up to 40 and wondered where all my Chlorine is going.

I know how to solve, but with my travel schedule...oh boy.

I went to a local fish store and they had no ammonia test, so I will keep looking. Meanwhile any other tips, just yell!

 

[SwimAustin]

I went to a local fish store and they had no ammonia test, so I will keep looking. Meanwhile any other tips, just yell!

PetSmart and PetCo carry ammonia tests. My local PetSmart has a whole range of drop based color matching tests. Around the same time, I discovered that people on fish forums don't really trust test strips either.

 

[karmabiker]

The beauty of a stenner... at least it won't be green when you get home.

 

[toofast]

As a follow up....is it possible to have crystal clear water that is full of ammonia ?