Currently SLAM but not losing FC but cloudy water

[mysticjane]

Morning All!
Here in Eastern CT we had the pool store open our pool on Friday. (we are new owners as of last July, the pool store closed the pool last Fall and took the guts of the DE filter to be serviced bc the fabric was torn, etc) I used the TFP method all last summer for a beautiful sparkly pool (thank you thank you!).

The pool guy put "stuff" in the pool and said to show up at the pool store on Sat to have the water tested. In the meantime we figured out there was a part missing on our vacuum system, etc etc so I didn't do anything until Saturday morning. Here were my first readings:
temp: 48 degrees
FC: 9
CC: 0
TA: 80
CYA: 70
ph: 7.2

I freaked out when I saw the CYA level - usually it is around 45 and climbed to 60 at the end of the summer (we have to use pucks during the week b/c this is a weekend house).

Using the calculator, I new the FC needed to get to 25/26 so I added 9 gallons of 5.25% bleach to get the FC up. I also added 3 cups baking soda and 5 cups borax (only half the amounts suggested). When checking the forums (after) I learned to just focus on FC for now - so I won't add more BS or Borax - but did read that the water temps may throw off readings. Is this true?

Last night 8pm FC reading: 26 cc: 0
This morning 8am FC reading: 29 cc: 0 (not sure how this could go up - there are no pucks in the skimmer, but the pump did shut off for a few hours in the early am - timer issue) so it had been circulating for maybe 30 mins before I took this reading.

The water is a little cloudy - and yesterday parts of it were not the pretty blue but shimmered a greeny shade so I know it isn't correct - and I vacuumed and scrubbed the sides/deep end pretty well. So, the question is - how can I not be losing any chlorine but the pool is cloudy?

The pool guy put in powdered chlorine and an algaecide (copper sulfate).

Also, there seems to be an oily film on the top of the water - Pool guy said it is probably from suntan lotion - could that be correct?

Right now I am not going to put any bleach in and will test later in the day - any other suggestions out there?

Happy Sunday - almost pool season!
-Jane

 

[tim5055]

The first suggestion is that you really need to decide if you are going ot follow the pool guy or TFP. You are trying to mix pool store advice and TFPC advice. It won't work!

The powdered chlorine is probably dichlor and will drastically raise your CYA and the copper is staining just waiting to happen.

If it's cloudy you need to SLAM your pool. Your FC is already too high to get a good pH level now, but it was 7.2 yesterday. That is where we want it to be to start the SLAM, so SLAM away. You are correct, don't worry about other levels until your pool is sparkling clean.

No, water temps do not matter.

With CYA 70 your shock level is 28 so you are there. You need to keep it there until you kill everything in the water. This is going to be difficult because a SLAM is not a weekend project, but must be a continuous process of testing and chlorine additions to keep the FC up.

Moving forward you need to get off the tabs and move to a automated system like a SWCG or Stenner pump.

 

[Patrick_B]

The copper sulfate is not good. If you keep using it, the pool will stain when the copper builds up, and doesn't help much here anyway.

+1 on Tim's comments. Mixing advice will get you in trouble. If you are going to SLAM, please see the procedure. Shock bags, and Copper Algaecide are not part of the procedure.

There is a green link in my signature. Click it to see the article

 

[mysticjane]

OK - mixing advice = Bad. I was more afraid of the equipment and how to manage the cover and what to do with all the pump equipment, etc. I wanted an 'expert' to show us what to do - I didn't realize he was going to put anything in the pool and I found out after the fact. Live and learn!

I took some time off work for this project - so I wanted to make sure I am working as efficiently as possible...

Any thoughts on WHY I have no ccs and am not losing FC? (I am using a TF-100 kit)

Also - how about the oil slick on the surface?
the other thing the pool guy said what that the pool used to be serviced weekly by the pool store and they may have used an oil on top to keep the temp higher or something like that...I was only half listening b/c he had just told me about the algaecide and I was horrified and worried about what the TFP guys were going to say (truly, I have read the posts and knew that was a big No, No)...plus he was trying to sell us all kinds of stuff blah blah blah.

So I am trying to correct and move forward...off to vacuum!

 

[tim5055]

OK - mixing advice = Bad. I was more afraid of the equipment and how to manage the cover and what to do with all the pump equipment, etc. I wanted an 'expert' to show us what to do - I didn't realize he was going to put anything in the pool and I found out after the fact. Live and learn!

I took some time off work for this project - so I wanted to make sure I am working as efficiently as possible...

Any thoughts on WHY I have no ccs and am not losing FC? (I am using a TF-100 kit)

Also - how about the oil slick on the surface?
the other thing the pool guy said what that the pool used to be serviced weekly by the pool store and they may have used an oil on top to keep the temp higher or something like that...I was only half listening b/c he had just told me about the algaecide and I was horrified and worried about what the TFP guys were going to say (truly, I have read the posts and knew that was a big No, No)...plus he was trying to sell us all kinds of stuff blah blah blah.

So I am trying to correct and move forward...off to vacuum!

Well, we have all had those "live and learn" moments". Plus, you really don't have to worry about what we think

At this point I'm not willing to say you are not loosing FC, you had some sort of testing error on your OCLT because the chlorine can't go up unless you add some. Keep the SLAM up today. Test, and adjust throughout the day and brush the pool good. Look for places algae could hide and get them. Corners, under ladders or any hidden nooks and crannies.

Even when chlorine is doing it's thing and oxidizing organics you may not have measurable cc. At this point I wouldn't worry about it.

Once the sun gets off the pool test and adjust the FC again. This is where I see folks make problems for themselves. They test and use Pool Math to figure how much chlorine to add to get back to their target. They assume it was correct. After you add wait 30 minutes with the pump running (it is running 24 hours a day, right?) and test to see where you actually ended up. This is your starting number for the OCLT. Water volume of the pool, age of the chlorine of several other factors may come into play as to why it doesn't match Pool Math.

 

[Patrick_B]

Your Fc can't just rise, so that was a testing or sampling issue. Perhaps you weren't well mixed in the pool on that sampling, or you made a testing/sampling size error on one of them. No biggie, if you never have done that it only means you haven't run enough tests yet.

I cannot explain the oil, but I seriously doubt you've had a high bather load with suntan laden bodies in CT already. Please tell me if I'm wrong. Suntan oil showing like that would have to have been in copious amounts from last season. As poured in the pool. I highly doubt that as the source. IMO, but I doubt it.

I will add...Since you are limited on time it is absolutely critical not to slip on FC during your SLAM. Lot's of people do (they don't always admit it) but they do, and it drags and drags. SLAM will work, and you will see results if you follow it to the letter. The key to having a good SLAM is never letting the FC fall below target if you can help it at all. Do that, no matter what it takes, and you will se it turn around.